SEPTEMBER, 2021 - 518 PROFILES MAGAZINE

PUBLISHER / FOUNDER

Stephanie Sittnick

COPY EDITOR

Elisabeth Allen

WEBMASTER

Tony Rivera

ADVERTISING SALES

Stephanie Sittnick - Director of Sales ( 860) 227-8199 advertising@518mag.com

CONTRIBUTORS

Carol St.Sauveur Ferris, Karen Richman, Rona Mann

Chandler Stevens, Lawrence White, Kirsten Ferguson, Susan Brink, Vanessa G. Ahern, Joseph Raucci, Crystal Cobert Giddens, Nellie Ackerman-Vellano, Kristina Watrobski

COVER

Zack Lobdell - “Frog Prince” 2021- 48x74in. acrylic, spray paint and enamel on canvas

September marks the beginning of autumn and is considered the month that marks transitions between seasons. We still have some warm days left but now we move forward to crisp cool nights.

Welcome to the September issue of 518 PROFILES! New York is overflowing with amazing artisans. Each month we are so grateful to be able to share their stories with you.

The special people gracing these pages are absolute masters of their craft. Each story, unique in their own way, have the same key ingre dients that make each of them a success: pride, knowledge, passion and family. We hope you love this issue as much as we do.

As always, our goal is to deliver authentic, and unique content about creative people and interesting places.

Stephanie Sittnick Founder / Publisher

518 PROFILES

587 Grand Ave, Saratoga Springs, NY 12866

CENTER STAGE

Wine, Horses, and Heritage in Greenfield N.Y.

The Story of Fossil Stone Farms and Winery pg. 4

ENCORE

“The Power of Letting Go”

Zack Lobdell, Abstract Artist

pg. 12

MAXimum Service, MAXimum Value, MAXimum Flavor

Because His Name's on Every Plate pg. 22

"I Was Wired for This" Bringing the Discipline of Dance to Plastic Surgery pg. 34

pg. 30 A Date Night...Or Any Night Made Special Milano Restaurant & Wine Bar - Northern Italian Cuisine in Latham Sweet Nostalgia pg. 44 The Loose Leafs (Leaves) of Fall

Self Care September

Upstate Beat

A State of Wonder - 22 year old indie songwriter Gavin Preller releases his debut album on a legendary label

pg. 48

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Wine, Horses, and Heritage in Greenfield N.Y. The Story of Fossil Stone Farms and Winery

by: Lawrence White

Even in the 1940s, some locals in the Saratoga area were starting to feel the squeeze of expanding development and began to consider other options.

With that in mind, Martha and Frank Carver de cided to leave their comfortable Malta home and move into a historic countryside farmhouse in Greenfield. The couple was the third family to own what is now a 200-year-old structure that sits on 140 acres of pasture and woodland. The original owners raised horses and cleared much of the land. A lot of that has grown back into lovely forests with a network of maintained paths.

“A complete life is a life following and observing nature,” is the credo by which Frank and Martha lived on the property. “We arrived here and had all this land, and we had a lovely barnyard, but we decided we needed a horse,” Martha ex plained in a 2010 interview, and this became a turning point for the farm.

That horse named Trim became a focal point for the local kids who would come to ride the horse every Sunday. One of those children, Michael Spiak, became the owner of the farm under a collaborative agreement with Saratoga Plan

when Martha passed in 2015. Their arrangement preserves the farm and surrounding property keeping the agricultural element safe in perpetuity from subdivision or development, just as Martha wanted it.

Saratoga Plan founder and noted environmentalist Barbara Glaser was at the heart of the effort to preserve the property and worked closely with Martha to do so. When I ask Ms. Glaser about the genesis of the project she tells me, “Our first easement in Greenfield was on the Joseph Bruchac Ndakinna Native American Center land. Then we worked to preserve Martha’s land. Kathy Corbett was the attorney. Through my group, Linell Lands, I then bought the farm property that lays between Grange and Wing Road.”

Ms. Glaser continues, “It was slated to be a major subdivision. Instead, I created a small ‘conservation development plan’ which keeps the original farmhouse with enough protected land to always be a viable small farm and seven other lots.”

“One is Barbara Jefts Native Farm Flowers, one is Kelly and Casey Holzworth’s Kelly’s Quarter Acre, which is a very active farm. Kelly also works full-time farming at Pitney Meadows, and Casey is a natu ralist with State Parks. These lands, including Martha’s, have provided a degree of contiguous habitat, and have helped to retain the rural character of that area of Greenfield.”

A visit to the farm today reveals a lively, active atmosphere where sev eral facets are working at the same time. This includes the Fossil Stone Winery, horse boarding, and hosting events such as weddings and reunions. This property is part of Mike Spiak’s DNA. He is a native son and knows the lay of the land like the back of his hand. However, it is his travels that have influenced him the greatest and shaped the way he works the farm.

“In 1993 I joined with the Air National Guard in Scotia and started fly ing back and forth to New Zealand for the National Science Foun dation,” Mike tells me. “That is where I fell in love with this whole vineyard thing.”

“One of our main missions was to fly to Antarctica, but we would stage up in New Zealand. That country is blanketed in vineyards, and I grew a strong fascination for them. My friends could not understand it but the whole thing, the posts,

the wires, the vines, the grapes, tasting rooms, the corks, it all intrigued me.”

“Then when we got this property, my wife Kelly and I (they served together and were married while in the Guard) weren’t sure ex actly what we were going to do. Yet, this fascination with vines was always lingering beneath the surface, and eventually, it dawned on me.”

“A friend who was visiting told me about a unique French-hybrid Marquette vine that

grows well in this climate, so I started to look into it. I con tacted the Cornell Co-Op Extension and told them that I was thinking of starting a vineyard on the farm. They loved the idea and ran tests on the soil and invited me to an experimental vineyard in Willsboro to work and to study. They were growing perhaps 100 varieties of grapes in the ground at one time. It was like a wonderland. Their idea was to pair me up with one of the horticulturalists who were breeding and growing the various vines.”

“It was a long drive, and it was a lot of work, sometimes 12-hour

days, but it was a great opportunity to learn from the people who had the deepest knowl edge about the thing that interested me the most. Martha and I had a Life Estate Agreement (a form of joint estate ownership that allows one person to remain in the house till death, then it passes to the other owner), on the farm since 2005, so by 2009 I started planting vines on the farm and spent much

less time in Willsboro. But having that connection gave me a sense of confidence as I went forward. My mentor, Kevin Iungerman, has since retired but I still hear from him periodically, and I think of him often when I am working the vines.”

I ask Mike about the idea for the stables and corrals for horse-boarding, and he reminds me, “The farm was established in 1802 as a horse farm, and of course my first connection to the farm was a horse. It is only natural to maintain that tradition.

The connection with the winery and vineyards is attractive to a demographic that loves horses. Most of the horses we board are retired, and this is a place where the owners can come and relax while they graze and exercise their horses in a peaceful, natural, and calm surrounding. Then they can stop by the winery for a glass of red or white and conversation if they chose. It is a

Events at the winery are something special. The night I visited a bridal shower was taking place. The winery is located behind the farmhouse across a small stretch of meadow in a grove of trees looking out across the vines, so it feels private and fresh and yet sophisticated and inviting.

Mike has also created a sort of open-air cathedral in the middle of the vineyard with a simple, but dramatic wood and cloth sculpture that evokes a spiritual, almost magical essence.

Of course, the name Fossil Stone stands out, and I ask Mike about how it came about. “We tried several different possibilities but when we would perform an online search a company in a different country would come up and we want to be unique.”

Then Mike again reflects on his travels with the Air Guard, “Besides flying to Antarctica

Science Foundation as they performed research on the glaciers. When we had time off, well, there isn’t much to do there, so I ended up going into the countryside on a fossil hunt. We dug into these clay cliffs looking for what they called fossil stones. I found one that I still have today, and that name has stuck with me too.”

Mike continues, “I started to put it all together when I realized that we have a lot of fossils right here on the property.” Mike points to a large flat stone with fossils embedded in the surface and resumes, “So I started researching to see if that name, Fossil Stone, was being used. Happily, it turns out that no one else is using the name so we went with it.” (Visitors can learn quite a bit about the fossils and geology by asking Mike a few questions when they visit).

As Mike and I walk through on the slope by the vines, he stops and gently holds a large bunch of grapes cupped in his hand. He picks back a few random limbs that were covering the fruit

and allows the bunch to easily slip back into its natural growing position. As we walk on, Mike looks down the long rows one by one, his trained eye reviewing every facet. “You know, all this rain is tough on us. We hope that we get a good dry spell to ripen the grapes to an optimum point to make wine.” I ask what signals direct his decision on the time to harvest, and he gives a very profound answer. “You know, every decision I make on this property is what I learn from the land. If I listen close enough, all of the answers are right here, and so far, we are very happy with our choices. For instance, we make wine from grapes only grown on our property. Our winemakers, Matt Raco and Chuck DeLuca do not order grapes from other locations and mix them in with ours. The earth and the environment create an ideal terroir that gives our wines their unique flavor and aroma. That is one reason people keep coming back and bringing their friends.”

As I am packing up to leave, Mike makes one last observation. “Wine goes back to thousands of years BC. Most societies in the world see wine as part of their culture, as part of their heritage. We want to build that same sort of sense of connection with the wines we create. We want the experience to be as special as this wonderful land on which it grows.”

Looking at the sun setting over the vineyards with two horses grazing in the distance, clearly, Mike is on to something, just as Martha wanted.

Now Open for Wine Tasting. Private groups by reservation only. Limited availability through Oc tober 31st. www.fossilstonefarms.com

(Author’s note: I grew near wine country in Northern California and have created photos for two of the major wineries in that area. I am not a wine snob, but I do have a taste for good wine, and I would recommend Fossil Stone without hesitation, particularly on a warm evening sitting in an Adirondack chair in the open air.) Fossil Stone Wines are available atGreenfield Wine and Liquors // Purdy’s Wine and Liquor // Putnam Market

“I have advertised with 518 Profiles since its inception. I am extremely happy with the lush colorful layouts and positioning of ads. The magazine has my best interest in mind; offering advice to make visual improvements when necessary. Customer service is exquisite. I highly recommend advertising with this magazine.”

Tom Myott, Artist - www.tmyottart.com

“Doing business with 518 profiles has been an absolute pleasure. Stephanie is extremely professional in designing and ex ecuting our print ads exactly as we envi sioned. She makes the process smooth and easy leaving my time free to focus on our employees and guests”

Michael J. Fortin, Owner/Executive Chef MJF Restaurant Group LLC, Cohoes

"We have been very pleased with our advertising program in 518 Profiles magazine. Stephanie has created a unique and fresh advertising venue. We absolutely loved our feature story! The photography and layout, the writing, a nd everything about it. 518 Profiles is a classy, informative, and welcome addition to our Artistic and Cultural surroundings."

Tom Clement Clement Frame Shop & Art Gallery, Troy

“My customers and I love 518 Profiles, the articles provide information about local artists, unique shops and things to do. The quality of the articles, images and publication values are hard to find anywhere else in the region. I am so pleased to be a part of the 518 Profiles family.”

Gail Snitkoff, Pause Gallery, Troy

“Saratoga’s finest magazine! A magazine you pick up and keep for its quality, feel and content. I have done many ads in newspapers and magazines in my carrier, and we literally have people walking in with 518 Profiles in their hands looking for us. Advertising with the magazine works well because the readers pay attention to the high quality and editorial.”

Saratoga Saddlery & International Boutique, Saratoga Springs

“The cover, alone, of 518 Profiles draws me in, every time. I always wait for a block of time before opening it, so I can settle in and enjoy. The articles are in-depth portraits of a business or of a person and the photos are brilliant. Even the advertisements are quite spec tacular. I had looked forward to placing my own business ad, and finally have done so. Stephanie is easy to work with and I just love the ad that was created.”

Kathy Agneta

M&P Gifts LLC / Merriman and Pfister’s Marketplace, Delmar

“Working with Stephanie and 518 Profiles has been a consistently exceptionally profes sional and positive experience. They are very easy to work with and have an un usual attention to detail that is ap pre ciated! The award-winning publication i s beautiful... an d my cu stomers look forward to picking up the new issue each month. We are proud to be among their advertisers!”

'What a beautiful Magazine!! It’s a pleasure to display it in my shop... my customers love it! Stephanie is a delight to work with in all of the facets! I am very proud to be part of this publication which has not only brought me sales but has connected me with very loyal and devoted customers from all over our region!'

“518 Profile has provided great exposure for our business. Each issue inspires its readers and contributors.”

DB TRENDS, Ballston Spa

“As a photographer, and the the advertising and marketing director of The Alpine Sport Shop, a family owned business in Saratoga Springs, I appreciate the creative insight and thoughtful stories that 518 Profiles shares about local artists and businesses. The magazine is a quality resource and guide for its readers, on where to find what is interesting and unique in our area.”

“The Magic Moon is a small business that has grown with the community over the last 26 years, and as such, we ap preciate the efforts of 518 Profiles, a publication that consistently turns its spotlight on the lesser-known niche businesses in and around Saratoga Springs. From an ad vertiser's point of view, we're more than pleased with the personal attention we've received from the publisher, as well as the eye-catching presentation of the printed product each month.”

The Magic Moon, Saratoga Springs

“Great Magazine! Stephanie and staff do a great job in presenting the artist they feature each month. Great photos and in depth interviews.”

“Love this magazine, down to earth articles about home town folks and businesses, lots of great photos, well written.”

“The Power of Letting Go” Zack Lobdell, Abstract Artist

by Carol St.Sauveur Ferris

Zack Lobdell grew up in Saratoga Springs, New York surrounded by the natural beauty of majestic mountains, spectacular lakes, and the four seasons. It is a generous environment and one that provides unlimited stimulation to creative minds.

Throughout his teens, Lobdell was an incredibly talented photo-realistic artist. In fact, in his jun ior year at Saratoga Springs High School, he received early acceptance to many well-respected art schools and colleges throughout the country. He ultimately chose The School of the Museum of Fine Arts at Tufts in Boston, but after several semesters he quit and backpacked his way through Europe. Because he was not going to teach in any capacity, Lobdell felt that to be a painter, one had to paint every day in order to succeed. And paint, he did!

Totally immersing himself in his art, Lobdell slowly began to evolve from painting photorealistic portraits to something

new and unexplainable. He explored, listened, and moved the brush where it took him. In time, he left behind photo-realism and entered the world of abstract art, evolving into a dedicated and prodigious abstract artist. In fact, at last count, he has painted more than 80 pieces since February 2021.

Today, the white walls in his new studio are covered with colorful, energetic, and complex

paintings that demand your attention. They range in size from 8”x 8” to one recent work measuring an incredible 96”x 240”. Each piece is done on raw linen, Lexan, or canvas using a variety of media including acrylics, spray paint, gouache, and enamel. They are captivating.

Lobdell shared that every mark and stroke on a painting is intentional, building from the previous one, and unique to that moment and that painting. “There’s no way of mapping it

for me.” And while this approach on the surface seems to be a ritual of sorts to the average per son, it truly is an organic and visceral ex perience for Lobdell. Every thought and emotion he’s feeling or made to feel in that creative moment in time inform his work. He goes on to explain that, “For years I f ought to eliminate the ego fr om my expression by aban doning all marks of identity or cultural re ference. Now I’m experiencing the power of letting go of those re strictions and freely and honestly expressing myself.”

That power of letting go com bined with the raw honesty in Lobdell’s work is all there for you to explore and contemplate. T he more you ex plore each of his p ieces, the more you discover. And t he more you discover, the more there is to contemplate. The experience is yours and yours alone.

Examples of his work include: Pink Bunnies A series of two pieces, measuring 50”x 58” each. They are

done in acrylic, spray paint, and enamel on raw linen and represent an early exploration of the combination of mediums and the incorporation of spray paint in Lobdell’s latest movement. While the title subconsciously compels you to search for pink bunnies, it is the colors, strong curves, and lines that create the experience, drawing you in, out, and around each piece.

Wild Things A series of three panels measuring 96”x 51” each. Lobdell created these in acrylic, spray paint, and enamel on canvas. Vibrant

and wildly energetic, each piece is bursting with color, marks, and gestures on black canvas. They are a prime example of the magnitude and ambition of his latest works and represent the intensity and power of the times in which we live.

Begin At The End This is a single and strong horizontal piece that measures 29”x 63”. It is done in acrylic, enamel, and spray paint on Lexan (plexiglass). Lobdell painted both sides of the Lexan, creating

three dimensions of color and depth so that the viewer doesn’t only experience the surface marks, but also the shadows they cast on what’s painted on the opposite side.

His recent work also includes small-scale pieces measuring 8”x 8” depicting moody figures resembling human beings. Some are brightly colored while others are quite subdued. All are surrounded by strong painted lines and dashes that seemingly stitch the beings into a world

of isolation. They speak loudly with their silence. According to Lobdell, the instinct to create figures in the mayhem of this current movement would have been something he would have fought against in the past. But his current rule is no rules, so he just keeps painting.

So where does Lobdell’s work go from here? It’s a question even he cannot answer. But as long as he paints every day, as his 20something self was determined to do, it will surely be a many-layered adventure. An adventure for both painter and those of us fortunate enough to witness his work

Currently, you can view and purchase his work by appointment at the Zack Lobdell studio, by calling 518.813.8427 or emailing him at zacklobdell@outlook.com.

You can also view his work online at www.zacklobdell.com, on Instagram at @zacklobdell, and on his Facebook page www.facebook.com/zack.lobdell.

For international inquiries, please contact Art Works SG, www.artworks.com.sg/artists/zack-lobdell/

MAXimum Service, MAXimum Value, MAXimum Flavor Because His Name's on Every Plate

By Rona Mann - Photos by Stephanie Sittnick

Michael Fortin puts himself out there.

His signature is on every plate. His name is on everything that comes out of the kitchen. His reputation is on the line...every day, and that's the only way Michael Fortin knows how to operate.

Michael Fortin is the Owner and Executive Chef of Max 410 in Cohoes where every day, seven days a week during this summer season, he hosts happy, satisfied diners. Why? Because years ago he made a decision to stake his reputation on everything he did in the restaurant

business, and that has paid off in spades. But certainly not because he's lucky; it's because he's dedicated to putting out the best product for the best people, his customers. And the fact that the Max 410 clientele returns over and over is a testament to that dogged dedication and commitment.

Fortin did not just wake up one morning and decide to buy a restaurant. He has spent nearly all of his working life in the hospitality business learning every aspect of the business. He not only paid his dues a long time ago, he continues to pay them every single day which contributes greatly to the success of what he does and how he does it.

Michael is quick to relate that he was born and raised in Cohoes. "I left for a while, but I came back." A graduate of Siena College in both Marketing and Management, he initially laid the groundwork for knowing how to effectively run a successful business. It is not enough to cook excellent food nor stand in the front of the house smiling and ushering people to ta bles. To be a success in this tenuous and often uncertain field, you have to know and understand every part of it...and that's exactly what Fortin did.

He moved to Atlanta for a while, going to work for The Olive Garden. "I was 24 years old and working as a bartender," Fortin says. "I was making a lot of money, but turned down other job offers and stayed with Olive Garden a while, eventually going into management. They taught me how to manage people and

mass produce food while providing consistency, however, I learned even more from the various mom and pop shops and franchises for which I worked along the way. A move next took the young, ambitious man to Tampa. He thought he might put down permanent roots there, trying to convince his father to become a snowbird, but the elder Fortin declined the move, so eventually, Michael came back to Cohoes.

More than 10 years ago, he took over Joe's Tavern, a fixture on Division Street in Cohoes since 1935. "It used to be primarily a spaghetti and meatballs and pizza place, but we changed things around." Once again, by putting his signature on every dish and every detail, Joe's Tavern now offers a popular and varied menu of inventive and delicious appetizers, salads that are far from the ordinary, Kobe burgers, sandwiches, seafood, and yet still remains the place for the spaghetti and meatballs and pizza Capital District diners have always loved. Joe's Tavern under Michael Fortin has, and always will be, "Small Place, Big Taste."

In just three-and-a-half years, Fortin has made Max 410 (just a five minute ride from Joe's), a popular fixture in Cohoes. He has made it the white tablecloth restaurant people can come any day of the week in any attire for consistently excellent steak, seafood, salads, and more. "My food is not fou-fou. That's not how I cook. We cook and serve great food at casual dining prices with elegance and a touch of class. My Executive Sous Chef, Robert, has been with me since day one, we see eye to eye perfectly."

Fortin explains that although he himself is an Executive Chef and a big part of what goes on in the kitchen he leaves the cooking

to Robert and Sous Chef, Eric, while he runs the restaurant itself. "It's a combination that works and works well."

The menu also works well and likewise has his signature all over it because Michael Fortin knows what people like to eat and serves it up every day, always offering a wide variety and some great flavors, dishes which have made him famous for living up to the Max 410 promise of, "Offering the best steak and seafood." The restaurant is known for ap petizers like bacon wrapped shrimp and sea scallops, crab and lobster fritters, and their delectable hot seafood antipasto. Like a sandwich that's not the usual? Then try the Max 410 BLT, a BLT like you've never had anywhere else because it's a prime rib BLT - shaved prime rib, ap plewood bacon, lettuce, tomato, and tiger sauce, all on a kaiser roll -

you can hardly call that ordinary! And then there's that enviable and enticing variety of steaks that made Max 410 famous, featuring

their take on the 9 oz. filet mignon finished with baked brie and crispy onion straws over a cabernet demi-glace with whipped potatoes and fresh asparagus. Wow, that's good! They even have a kids' menu that will have young ones finishing every bite, and all choices are under $8.00!

Like Joe's Tavern, Max 410 boasts a wellstocked full bar and light tavern fare to enjoy with your favorite beverage. Right now diners are enjoying the large deck which can accommodate upwards of 85 diners with the added bonus of live entertainment on the weekend.

For parties, meetings, weddings, and showers Max 410 has a separate banquet room, and whether you've come for a full meal, a great lunch, or a cold beverage and a bite, the quality of the service you'll have has Michael's name all over it as well. "I believe that your employees are who you are as a business, so everyone here is involved and

invested in the restaurant's success and the guest experience. We have a fantastic team and even managed to pick up some additional people during the pandemic."

Fortin also points out that his team is a combination of people with a lot of experience and some newer ones with less experience, "but they have the passion and want to learn."

It's quite apparent that they're learning from the best. Michael Fortin began in this business over 20 years ago and was never afraid to do anything, no matter how small or insignificant the task In that way, his experience allowed him to learn every facet of the restaurant and hospitality business and thus be able to take others under his wing and train them in that same way.

Wondering about the name, Max 410? The answer is pretty simple actually and comes from that same philosophy of putting your name on everything and owning the responsibility. Max is Fortin's pride and joy, his very young son who just one day may be learning the business from the ground up and waiting on you and your family. As for the 410? Just say that number over and over a few times...it will soon begin to sound like "Fortin!" And if you check the menu at Joe's or Max 410 you'll find Amber's Salad and Amber's Chicken...we're guessing she's Max's mother. What d'ya think?

Go find out for yourself! They are waiting to feed you the best food, give you the best service, and maybe answer all your silly questions in the process!

Max 410 at VanSchaick is located at 201 Continental Avenue, Cohoes www.max410.com (518) 328-0079

Joe's Tavern is located at 16 Division Street, Cohoes (518) 235-6555

Milano Restaurant & Wine Bar

Northern Italian Cuisine in Latham

by Nellie Ackerman-Vellano, Feed Me 518™

My Italian husband had been insisting that I let him bring me on a date to Milano Restaurant and Wine Bar for years. I've had Italian food all over the region and couldn't understand his ea gerness to bring me here. We finally dined here a few months ago, my first time, and I now feel as enthusiastic about sharing this gastronomic experience with you as he did with me. I was in a we of the incredible dishes this restaurant serves, not just in taste but in presentation as well. So I write about this venue not only as a food journalist but as a fan and customer of the restaurant.

Daniel Darves-Bornoz, owner of Milano Restaurant and Wine Bar, which opened in 1991 started in this space with "Unique Catering" in 1987, a full off-premise catering business and gourmet food store before he decided to expand. With one of the first open kitchen concepts in the Albany area designed by a New York City designer, it was redesigned four years ago to expand the bar area. Daniel even traveled to Milan, Italy to source his wood fire pizza oven which is beautifully centered in the restaurant dining room.

Head Chef Peter Darves, Daniel’s son, has created original dishes that give you an authentic northern Italian dining experience. Like his father, he is a graduate of the Culinary Institute and had trained and worked in NYC until 2012. Chef Peter then started as Sous Chef at Milano, where three years later he would lead the kitchen as Head Chef.

When asked what inspires their menu, Daniel prides himself on using the best quality products and produces his own pastas, pizza dough, breads, and desserts while Chef Peter is always sourcing the freshest fish and seafood, quality meats, cheeses, and organic produce. They pas sionately and faithfully support local farm ers, creating dishes that only use the finest ingredients to produce fresh, artisanal craveworthy food.

"Every day our chefs create specials to share their passion for seasonal ingredients. We take great pride in producing all of our pasta and pizza from scratch daily. To us, nothing is more satisfying than enjoying handmade pasta and wine with the people who matter most," shared Chef Peter. "Our staff is the key to the overall experience."

This upscale restaurant offers fine and creative artisanal dishes that are unique to Upstate New York such as the Bruschetta Sampler, a must-order menu item offering a trio of tomato, pesto and parmesan /fig Jam, gorgonzola, balsamic, and arugula /mushroom truffle pesto and taleggio.

Want a refreshing starter? Their Beet Carpaccio complemented with fresh sliced beets, orange supremes, pistachios, arugula, goat cheese, and tarragon vinai grette is something to enjoy and to further whet your appetite for perhaps the Rigatoni with Burrata, a favorite of mine now. It's a flavorful homemade pasta dish topped with local squash blossoms over a de licious basil pesto pasta.

When dining for lunch or dinner at Milano Restaurant and Wine Bar, why not try one of their wood-fired pizzas like their woodfired Fico pizza made with fig jam, fontina, gorgonzola, arugula, and prosciutto?

The Bucatini Aglio E Olio is the perfect homemade Italian dish made with parmesan, parsley, garlic, chili flakes, extra virgin olive oil, and bread crumbs.

How about some pesce? The Plancha Grilled Halibut is seared and lightly rests on a bed of herb-roasted fingerling potatoes, local chanterelle mushrooms, and tomato confit, plated in the center of an asparagusleek purée.

Their Scallops Risotto dish is not just vi sually vibrant but filled with an array of beautiful flavors coming together in this creative dish. Pistachio-crusted scal lops lay atop a perfectly prepared risotto made with beet purée, asparagus, lemon zest, goat cheese, and local blueberry beurre blanc.

I do love Tiramisu, and if this item is on any menu, I will order it. The Tiramisu here is in credible and must be tried. It's made with chocolate ganache, local berries, cocoa powder, and makes for a delicious ending to a memorable meal.

If you crave decadence, you must taste the Semi Freddo, a semi-frozen light and dark chocolate mousse with an almond walnut crust served with hazelnut praline sauce.

The ambiance is wonderful, and I know you will enjoy dining here intimately with your partner or friends and family on any occasion for lunch or dinner...or both!

Milano Restaurant and Wine Bar is located in the Newton Plaza, 594 New Loudon Rd, Latham, NY 12110, www.milano-restaurant.com (518) 783-3334 for reservations

Nellie Ackerman-Vellano, Feed Me 518™ Instagram: @FeedMe518 www.FeedMe518.com

JAZZ AT THE LAKE

September 17,18,19 2021 Shepard Park, Lake George NY

Stephanie Chou Ingrid Jensen Band

Dayna Stephens Quartet Black Art Jazz Collective

"I Was Wired for This"

Bringing the Discipline of Dance to Plastic Surgery

by Rona Mann. - photos by Stephanie Sittnick

ADAGIO: Slow movement performed with grace and fluidity

It didn't begin with forceps, scissors, retractors, or suction.

It began with lacing up well-worn ballet shoes. It began with the back-breaking dedication it takes to become a professional ballerina. It began with class after class, with pirouettes and pain, with exacting movement and no room for mistakes, no margin for error, and with dedication to a life which ultimately might very well likely ruin the body after years of the abuse a rigid dance schedule imposes upon it.

It began in Montreal, Quebec, Canada where young Lucie Capek grew up longing to be a ballerina, but as she grew older and high school was nearing an end, she also realized that as much as she loved the world of dance, it would not be practical for her.

"I saw the realities of that life. When you become a professional dancer you are typically expected to join a dance company right after high school, so there is no further education. That wasn't going to work for me." It certainly would not as Lucie's parents were both strongly academically oriented. Her mother was a doctor, an OB/GYN when she had lived in Europe and switched to Family Practice in Canada, and her father has both an MD and Ph.D. and is a Professor Emeritus of Pharmacology at McGill University.

So when she unlaced her pointe shoes and pre pared for the future, she was able to fast track to medical school at McGill University through the very unique educational program that was only offered in the Province of Quebec, the CEGEP. Translated from the French acronym for Colle´ge d'enseignement ge´ne´ral et professionnel, it is much like a junior college program that follows 11th grade, and from which motivated students can graduate from McGill's medical school in five years without completing a Bachelor's degree. Lucie Capek was accepted and started this program at the

age of 19. While she enjoyed all of the specialties in her required rotations, she was most drawn to surgery. "I was always artistic and liked using my hands, and when I saw a cleft lip repair on a baby, it put it all together for me. This was what I wanted to do."

Capek's classical dance training was not for naught, it worked beautifully with what the young doctor wanted for her life's work. "Classical dance training is all about the perfection of form and function," says Capek. "In plastic sur gery, our goal is always to optimize form and function with every patient whether we are performing reconstructive or cosmetic surgery. It all ties together. I was wired for this!"

Being wired does not necessarily mean there weren't a few bumps in the road along the way. Sadly, the surgical profession is somewhat no torious for treating female colleagues as sec ond-class citizens, often even bullying or

harassing them. When Lucie was interviewing for a specific surgical program the male in terviewer said to her, "You're going to be working virtually non-stop and on very little sleep. How will you feel about only having a few minutes to do your hair and makeup?" The doctor laughs about it now because ul ti mately she was accepted into her first choice residency program at Harvard where 25% of the residents were women, and they were mentored and treated fairly.

Dr. Capek is very realistic in how she views her profession, in how she speaks with clients, and why she chose the Capital Dis trict for her now 25-year career, 21 of those years in solo practice.

Dr. Capek is first and foremost a plastic sur geon, but her practice provides the entire spectrum of advanced MedSpa services as well. These include medical grade skincare and HydraFacials, injectables like Botox®, fillers, and Kybella®, as well as CoolSculpting®, and

a variety of lasers. Dr. Capek's most popular surgical procedures include facelifts and eyelifts, rhinoplasty, fat transfer procedures to the face and breasts, and Mommy Makeovers.

To achieve the optimization in appearance and confidence that her patients are seeking, Dr. Capek's practice has a number of professionals on staff, each with very specific skills. These include physicians assistants, nurses, an aesthetician, and patient coordinators to guide every patient through the process, start to finish.

"Of all the surgeries I do," the doctor relates, "my favorite is still rhinoplasty" (nose shaping). Do prospective patients bring in photos of movie stars? "The younger ones do. They want a Kardashian nose," she laughs. "But actually, I like for potential clients to bring in photos of their ideal nose, and I will let them know if it's achievable or not in their particular situation.

In some cases, their goals are not realistic, and it's important for us to discuss that from the outset. With every new patient, regardless of the procedure they are seeking, we begin with an extensive consultation so that I can find out exactly what changes they are looking for. Most of my facial rejuvenation patients, for example, tell me they want to look like themselves, but refreshed, not like 'I've had work.' My goal is for them to look natural, so that no one knows they ever met me (unless they choose to tell)!"

Not every person who comes in for a facial optimization consult is automatically a candidate for surgery. "I look at it as a staircase," Dr. Capek says. "Skincare is at the bottom rung and may be all they need. Surgery is at the very top, but in between, there are skin treatments like micro- needling, injectables, lasers, and other less invasive options like fat transfer. My practice is known for being progressive and using advanced, proven techniques. Above all, I am a quality of life doctor. We are wellness-oriented, looking at the whole mind-body relationship of each person."

At Lucie Capek Plastic Surgery a thorough medical history is always taken with any new patient. What kind of skincare have they used in the past? How much sun-worshiping have they done? Are they, or were they ever a smoker?

Many patients feel guilty about c onsidering plastic surgery or spending money on themselves "Most of my patients come in with nothing medically wrong with them," says Dr. Capek. "But they have a very specific concern about their face or body which takes up a lot of their energy. They think about it daily, try to cover it up, avoid certain photo angles, and so on. When I can take away this concern through a treatment or surgical procedure, it's like a weight has been lifted. Their confidence soars, and they can redirect their energy into more productive pursuits. It's a very rewarding process for me to see this transformation."

The approach of Dr. Lucie Capek, plastic surgeon, is in many ways an adagio, a nod to her classical dance training as much as to her medical skills. She moves slowly at first in detailed consultation with her patients, then choreographs a plan with grace and fluidity to optimize the form and function of each individual.

In this way, the discipline of science and skill meets the grace and fluidity of the surgeon as an artist in a kind of ballet, and the resulting marriage is a beautiful dance where the client is optimized and feeling well.

F or more information and to make an appointment for a consultation, contact

Lucie Capek, MD, Plastic Surgery, 713 Troy Schenectady Road, #308, Latham, NY (518) 786-1700/ (518) 765-8405 www.capekplasticsurgery.com

The Loose Leafs (Leaves) of Fall

by Karen Richman

I still get a shiver down my spine when I hear the sharp click of those metal rings closing because I always caught my fingers in them.

It was the sound of the three-ring notebook that heralded Fall for me, for each late summer, just prior to the Labor Day weekend, my mother and I went shopping at the local stationery and school supply store. There was no Walmart as yet in the East and Staples wasn't founded until 1986, so local school children were more or less relegated to this one stationery store which cleaned up this time of year.

While the local five and ten had pens, pencils, some notebooks, and the like, you really had a choice if you went to Schmidt's. You always began with the three-ring binder, a dull gray-blue hue that begged to have gold stars or stickers or something put on it to jazz it up. As the school year progressed and often the monotony and boredom of a dull day in the classroom, some students took to doodling on the rough-hewn covers.

After you selected the three-ring notebook and determined how big the rings should be, next came the dividers with their colored tabs. They always gave you extra little white inserts to write on in case you changed your mind as to what subjects would be represented or worse yet, if you spelled something wrong!

Then it was time for the lined paper. Should it be three-hole, which is really all you needed, or five? How wide should the spaces be within the lines? That decision was usually based on how big or clumsy your handwriting was. And what about the reinforcements? I hated those things. They were those white, round things you had to lick and then put over the paper holes so the holes wouldn't rip. Well, the reinforcements had a horrible taste, I always slipped getting them exactly over the holes, and in so doing all this stuff I ripped a lot of paper.

Next came pens, pencils, and at least one good eraser (that was the "delete button" in the '50s and '60s). You always had to have a good eraser, and I loved having a marker or two...Sharpies were not around until 1964 but Magic Markers were, and every kid wanted one or two, especially if they could get them in a color.

As we got older we had to get those hated things like a compass and protractor. To this day I don't know what the protractor was for which probably explains my ongoing confusion with geometry.

Next stop was Wuenches, the shoe store where the salesman carefully measured your feet, had kept a record of your growth throughout the years, told you what a big boy or girl you were getting to be, and then performed

my favorite trick. He got up on a ladder that had wheels and seemingly flew down the rows of boxes piled to the ceiling to grab this box of penny loafers, those Keds sneakers, saddle shoes, and anything else my mother decided I needed. If you were good and didn't squirm and let the salesman use the shoehorn to make the fitting easier, you got a pencil box when you left that slid both right and left so you could deposit and then easily retrieve your pencils.

No back-to-school trip was complete without getting a new lunchbox, the one from last year smelled like tuna fish and was dented, so it had made its way to the rubbish can. Who knew then that today a vintage lunchbox could be worth a fortune? Especially the one I selected which was Superman. I loved Superman, watched every episode on TV, and from time to time would tuck a large towel around my neck and jump off a bed or a couch or a swing, pretending to fly. That's also how I broke my wrist and wound up in a finger-to-bicep cast for eight miserable weeks.

Each new school year always brought a trip to the eye doctor for the yearly exam. I wore glasses, and it seemed like every new school year my prescription changed. When I complained, Dr. Rosen would counter with, "But you have to see the board, Karen, or else you'll fail." He could have given me a telescope, and it still wouldn't have helped me pass geometry!

The last stop on the back-to-school shopping outing was for a first day of school outfit. You always had to have something new or special to wear. Unlike today, it couldn't be a new pair of jeans because dungarees as they were called back then were not allowed to be worn in school...unless you were the janitor. So for me, it was usually a jumper and new blouse with my new shoes from Wuenches. As I got older it was a skirt and sweater or even a dress, but how we primped and polished ourselves to meet the new teachers and greet our old friends asking the proverbial question, "How was your summer?"

While buying school supplies and new shoes hasn't changed, the "what" of it has changed. Now it's backpacks, new jeans with rips in the knees, and a pair of sneakers with some sports figure's signature on them driving the price into three figures.

Sure, everything's different today, but there's one thing that has not changed. When the bell rings that very first day of school for the new year, there will forever be a little skip of a heartbeat, a little trepidation, and a little excitement as the next generation goes through those doors pointed toward the future.

Self Care September

Crystal Cobert Giddens, FACES of Saratoga

Are you choosing to live a healthy life? If not…Do you have time to think about CREATING a healthier life?

Many of us have so many responsibilities that we forget to take care of ourselves.Self care is an important aspect of stress management. Having a well cared for body can make you feel good about yourself and your life. It shows others that you value yourself and that you take your health seriously.

Self care is not an indulgence. it is the core of our wellbeing. Self care is the action of purposely and consciously taking time for yourself to do something that rejuvenates and energizes you.

Many of us practice MINDLESS AWARENESS. The term “Mindless Awareness” is a total oxymoron. It doesn’t make sense. If we are aware...how can we be living our lives in a mindless manner?

How do we focus on our healthy selves? We become actively aware of how our body responds to the energies that surround us. We listen to the cues or hints that our body shares with us when we become out of bal ance. If we choose not to listen, our body will let us know that we have totally blown it...and succumb to that imbalance. A self care plan focuses our attention on how we treat our body, mind and our spirit.

What Are the Benefits of Self Care?

... and how do we know when we are lacking self care?

Our body, mind and emotions keep us informed as to whether they are being taken care of in the way the need to be. Here are some warning signs to help you know that some self care is in order.

Low energy

Feeling stressed, irritated or frustrated Lacking motivation, procrastinating

Lacking enthusiasm or passion for life Emotional (crying easily, short tempered, etc)

Stomach upset

Inability to focus

Disrupted sleep

Your self care plan needs to address all elements of your life. You can break these down into four categories – physical, mental/emotional, social & spiritual. Imagine what your self-care plan might look like. Think about the things you would like to change or the things you would like to enhance in a couple of these areas:

PHYSICAL SELF CARE

MENTAL & EMOTIONAL SELF CARE

SOCIAL SELF CARE

Physical, aka BODY CARE

This is usually associated with healthy living, this component includes such activities and practices as exercise and healthy eating.

Do you exercise your body? Have you thought about what foods you are eating? Diet and exercise are not only important for our physical wellbeing but also have a huge effect on our mental and emotional wellbeing.

When you exercise, your body releases chemicals called endorphins. They boost your mood, reduce stress and generally make you feel good.

Take note of what types of food you are eating: Are they supporting your physical wellness or are you giving in to cravings? The food we eat affects our energy, our mood and even our sleep patterns.

Your body needs rejuvenating sleep. You will feel better if you sleep well. We need about 6 – 8 hours of restful, rejuvenating sleep every night to heal itself. Are you getting enough rest?

Other types of rejuvenating self care include: Massage, Acupuncture, Reflexology and getting FACIALS! Your skin is your largest organ and it’s constantly fighting to keep harmful bacteria and environmental toxins out of your body. It’s your first line of defense against disease.

Taking care of your physical self includes taking care of your physical environment. Does your home or primary space need to be de-cluttered? Creating a calm, serene environment is a key element in your self care plan. Your outer environment is a reflection of what's going on inside you. When your environment is cluttered, messy, or stressful, you have a corresponding level of overwhelm and stress inside as well. Clearing out the clutter makes way for more positive energy to flow. It’s easier to concentrate. You can “hear” yourself think. In fact, clearing out your environment is one of the easiest and fastest ways of starting the process of SELF CARE.

Mental & Emotional Self Care, aka MIND CARE

Being mentally or emotionally healthy is much more than being free of depression, anxiety, or other psychological issues. People who are emotionally and mentally healthy have the tools for coping with difficult situations and maintaining a positive outlook. They remain focused, flexible, and creative in bad times AND in good times. Your emotional wellbeing is tied to your ability to connect with your body and utilize your emotions, feelings, senses, and intuition to guide you into alignment with your purpose.

Being mentally & emotionally healthy includes having a sense of con tentment; good self-esteem; confidence; zest for living and the ability to laugh and have fun; the ability to deal with stress and adapt to change.

Make leisure time a priority. Do things for no other reason than that it feels good to do them. Go for a hike, listen to music, take a nap or read a good book. Having fun and finding enjoyment is an emotional and mental health necessity.

Social Self Care, aka PARTICIPATE!

Social needs include needs for belonging, love, and affection. Social in teraction is vital for maintaining our mental health, but also our physical health. Human beings are social animals...our brain is shaped by our social interactions from the time we are born.

Staying socially active and maintaining interpersonal relationships can help you maintain good physical and emotional health. People who c ontinue to maintain close friendships and find other ways to interact socially live longer than those who become isolated. Relationships and social interactions even help protect against illness by boosting your immune system. Being around family and friends you enjoy can help reduce stress.

Crystal Cobert Giddens, FACES of Saratoga, Organic Skin Therapy Studio 489 Broadway, Saratoga Springs 518-396-7403 facesofsaratoga.com

A State of Wonder

22-year-old indie songwriter Gavin Preller releases his debut album on a legendary label.

by Kirsten Ferguson

A gnarled tree trunk pocked with woodpecker holes. A cast-off dirty flip-flop. A mossy log with a nub shaped like a manatee’s snout. Those are all images that float through the gauzy video for “Wonder,” the first single from indie songwriter Gavin Preller’s debut album, “There Is Wonder,” released in May on Shimmy-Disc, an influential New York City- based record label founded by musician and producer Kramer.

The 22-year-old songwriter and his sister Maggie shot the homemade video with a camcorder at an Albany-area nature pre serve, on e of their favorite places to take the family dog, an excessively en ergetic Border Collie named Echo. The video and song’s vibe embodies the definition of “wonder” in the words of Me rriam-Webster: “rapt attention or as tonishment at something awesomely mysterious or new to one’s experience.”

“The first single I wrote in such a carefree way,” Preller says. “I didn’t write any of the lyrics or chords down. I think I woke up one morning and the chords and melody came, and I just went down to the basement and recorded it and started singing over it. And then I looked up and was like, ‘Oh, it’s a song.’ I didn’t really find meaning in it until it was finished.”

horrible thing, but it was also this beautiful gift for me because It gave me the freedom to come home and record everything I’d written during my time spent in different places,” he says. “When I was traveling, I didn’t have my instruments on me. It was less of a time of cre ation and more of a time of inspiration. When I got home from Portland and I was living

Oldham) “discovered” Preller after the young s ongwriter sent him a batch of six unvarnished songs for mastering. Mastering is the final stage in audio production when a mix is balanced and optimized for playback.

“I recorded the six songs all in a matter of a few days,” Preller says. “I guess there was some part of me that believed they were worthy of professional mastering. I don't even really know why, but I thought that it would be worth giving it a shot. So, I sent the six songs to Kramer through an online s ervice where you pay for mastering. I was a fan of his work with Daniel Johnston and Will Oldham. And he responded saying, ‘Let’s make a full album, and then you can release it on the label.’ It was very surprising, but it also made perfect sense when it happened, and it defi nitely felt right.”

In positive psychology, the con cept of “flow” suggests that true happiness co mes from being so immersed in an experience that you forget yourself. It’s an interesting con cept to apply to the single—a lo-fi tune with hazy, lay ered vocals and subtle melody—and to Preller’s path in life, which seems imbued with a go-with-the-flow Zen. The classically trained pianist dropped out of Berklee College of Music at the age of 20 and worked on an organic farm in France. Then after returning to the U.S., he took a train to Portland, Oregon, in a youthful bid to experi ence adventure on the road.

Preller was living in a van in Portland when COVID-19 hit. “Obviously the pandemic was a

in the basement of my parents’ house, I started to record that stuff for the first time.”

Preller searched online for a budget microphone and audio interface and ordered the first equip ment that popped up as recommended in his browser. “I set up a microphone and started recording things. And that's the same equipment that I ended up using for the stuff that got me signed,” he says.

Kramer, a legend of underground music known for playing in the bands Bongwater and S hockability and for producing many esteemed indie rock artists (including Galaxie 500, Low, Half Japanese, Daniel Johnston and Will

The six songs that Preller sent to Kramer ended up as the first half of “There Is Wonder,” and the producer largely left the songwriter alone to write and record the second half. “He said take as much time as you need to finish the album, which put me in an interesting posi tion because it took me like three days to record the first six songs and now I had all this time to finish the rest,” Preller says. “So that was a challenge, because you don't want to overthink things or do things differently than you were before.”

The result is an introspective, thoughtful album that captures the fortuitous nature of the mo ment—one that, as the single suggests, has the potential for awesome mystery and joyful astonishment. “For me, the song ‘Wonder’ en capsulates the whole experience of the album in some ways, in terms of just being alone, mak ing music and then randomly being con nected with a guy and being signed to a label,” Preller says. “It all was wonderful, and I didn't do that intentionally, but it kind of makes sense in some strange way.”