Saratoga ❄️ snowed in. Who's got cabin fever?
PLUS: Blame Fern for these schedule changes, kinda.
From spoons under pillows to Operation Egg Drop, a slice-of-life look at Saratoga’s Snow Day.
8:30 a.m.: Zac Denham wakes up “with a pep in my step — thanks, Rescue Patch!” after his boozy, Britney Spears-themed birthday party at Standard Fare.
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9:02 a.m.: 🥄 Kids across Saratoga are putting ice in their toilet after sleeping with spoons under their pillows and white crayons in the freezer, honoring the traditions meant to summon a snow day off from school on Monday. “My kids have their underwear on backwards and inside out for luck, although I don’t think they need it,” says one mom. “I thought it was PJs,” says another. “We like to push the limits of ridiculousness,” says the first.
9:46 a.m.: 🤦♀️ The weekend Dispatch is published, encouraging people to run their last errands before Winter Storm Fern arrives. The headline hints at the grocery item I suddenly realize I don’t have — and whose absence I consider apocalyptic.
11 a.m.: A beautiful snowfall has begun.
11:47: A National Grid source tells me any power outages are unlikely: “This is a fluffy snow that will not burden power lines,” he says. “There’s really no wind associated with this high-impact weather event.” (He was right.)
12:11 p.m.: 🚨 Saratoga County issues emergency declaration.
1:30 p.m.: 🏂 Gore Mountain closes down on enthusiastic skiers and snowboarders taking advantage of the extra-fluffy snow. (But was very much open today.)
2:02 p.m.: West Avenue Pizza is still delivering pizza. “So good,” one downtown neighbor gloats.
2:26 p.m.: DoorDash is also still delivering — with a $2 “weather impact fee” per order. (Am I the only one who thinks that seems low?)
2:45 p.m.: 🎥 Saratoga Film Showcase finally ends its chat with local directors — which was scheduled to finish at 2 p.m. “No one wanted it to end!” says one of the 50 or so movie enthusiasts who stayed until the bitter end, after the session was moved online, pandemic-style. “It was so good.”
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3 p.m.: 🏈 Football fans are inside anyway — the Patriots have a spot at the Super Bowl to win.
3:18 p.m.: School is at long last cancelled on Monday for Saratoga Springs City School District.
3: 21 p.m.: 🥚 A dozen eggs are left outside my doorstep after word spread that I was out and reached a neighbor shopping at Stewart’s just in time. “We were so into Operation Egg Drop,” I’m told.
4:58 p.m.: The sun sets on a beautiful moonscape of fluffy snow.
8 p.m.: The Department of Public Works’ snow emergency declaration within the city of Saratoga Springs begins in order to assist snow clean-up.
Total snowfall: between 12 and 18 inches, much less than anticipated but oh, what a day!
✌️ Two schedule changes
Greg Veitch’s mobster chat
Tonight’s “How Saratoga Became a Gangster’s Paradise” Torch Club talk with Greg Veitch has been postponed to March 16.
Reservations are requested and should be made by contacting Richard Lynch at torchman999@gmail.com.
Standard Fare pop-up with Next Door Provisions
Someone at Standard Fare had some time during their snow day to realize that maybe Super Bowl Sunday wasn’t the best day for an event. Their Next Door Provisions Menu Takeover with the amazing Ruby Felix-Curtis has been moved to Feb. 23. “We’ve been big fans of Ruby’s cooking for years — dating back to her time at Talde in Jersey City,” says co-owner Clark Gale. “We’re huge fans of Filipino cuisine, and Ruby’s ability to honor tradition while bringing her own voice to the table is something really special. She even cooked a private kamayan-style birthday dinner for us and our friends for my 40th, which was unforgettable. Now we couldn’t be more excited to share her food with our Saratoga community.”
For more info and to grab your ticket, visit standardfare.com.
🛁 Bath Time
Speaking of Standard Fare…Zac’s birthday party Saturday afternoon also marked the debut of the newest No. 5 horse. Meet “Bath Time.” Seemed cozy enough to share on a snow day like today.
📌 ICYMI…
Siro’s for $100 please: Miranda Rae Hart on shooting her film ‘Off to the Races’ in Saratoga
“Kids across Saratoga are putting ice in their toilet after sleeping with spoons under their pillows and white crayons in the freezer, honoring the traditions meant to summon a snow day”
I was not aware of this tradition. I believe I would have tried this as a kid (and adult).