Saratogian in 'Stranger Things.' Juicy new collab with an anonymous local star.
PLUS: How a new, free event cleverly raises money for a mix of charities.
Right before Thanksgiving, we announced a last-minute pre-show “bubbles and bites” before Opera Saratoga’s epic La bohème event at UPH Dec. 5. (THIS FRIDAY!!)
🥂 Only 18 spots left! Grab your ticket here.
🎉 We’ll all make merry at Bocage and then head over to UPH together!
📷 Pics will be taken at the party for an upcoming Dispatch.
Speaking of Friday’s big event, today’s Dispatch is brought to you by…
Opera Saratoga presents La bohème, a concert version of Puccini’s timeless masterpiece. Featuring local and national talent, this first-ever holiday production brings together the magic of Juilliard, The Met, Skidmore and more.
⭐ More than 500 tickets sold! ⭐
🎭 UPH | Friday, Dec. 5 at 7 p.m. (this Friday!)
🎟️ Tickets: atuph.org
Local News
Why I’m partnering with the Dispatch, by Seen in Saratoga
Plus all the details on the Dispatch’s new collab with the mysterious photog.
I became a super-fan of the mysterious — and insanely talented — photographer “Seen in Saratoga” since the very first time one of the brand’s Instagram posts popped into my feed. Instead of perfectly posed, overly filtered pics, Seen in Saratoga publishes…candids.
And they’re beautiful.
After all, while the razzle-dazzle of track season and SPAC lands Saratoga in the news, it’s the smaller moments that keep us locals here…holding hands while strolling downtown, maybe receiving a smile from one of our favorite hospitality folks on Phila Street.
These are the snapshots that Seen in Saratoga has a unique eye for recognizing and sharp ability to capture.
So who is Seen in Saratoga? For that reveal, you’ll have to wait. Instead, let’s deep dive into the photog-about-town’s reasons for remaining anonymous — and how it led to a juicy new collab with the Dispatch.
—Abby
Click on the below embeds to see the full photos — and follow Seen in Saratoga on Instagram to (anonymously) get in on the (name-less) new collab.
Let’s get into it.
Who am I? Just like you, reader, I am someone who enjoys time behind a screen — blanketed in the security of anonymity, yet forever curious about what’s happening around me. I’m also a local who loves everything about Saratoga…the small businesses on Broadway, the talented service workers, the local artists, and even the track season.
But my favorite flavor of Saratoga is unfiltered and candid, with a pinch of salt.
So many creative endeavors we’re enjoying right now began while we stuck at home during COVID; mine started when it ended. After the restrictions were lifted and we emerged from our makeshift work-from-home caves, I joined the masses in taking to the streets once again. Since my full-time profession does not warrant loads of creativity (or walking, or socializing), I took advantage of this opportunity to begin taking candid photos on Saratoga’s streets as a way to break out of my shell. This was in 2022, and after all this time there is never a shortage of interesting moments to capture and share on my @seeninsaratoga Instagram account.
This year, I launched a new segment called Q&A Monday that poses to my followers one simple question [from yours truly]. Then I post the unfiltered — yet anonymous, like me — answers to my Stories with an image that I believe pairs well with the submission’s intentions. The always honest (and sometimes shocking) replies to my prompt always simmer with the savory juiciness we all crave.
And yes, the realness and willingness to reveal one’s secrets comes from the project’s name-free nature.
So, why not take this show on the road? The questions will bubble up on Instagram Stories and land in the Saratoga Dispatch Substack, a new place for Saratoga’s witty and candid replies to shine. While still preserving anonymity, participants will now have the opportunity to be featured in both publications. I look forward to seeing you around town — starting with the Dispatch’s first event, the La bohème pre-party Friday at Bocage.
For the love of Saratoga.
—Seen in Saratoga
Keep reading!
Were you seen by Seen in Saratoga at the Saratoga Book Festival?
Saratoga Dispatch: now on Facebook. Support independent, local journalism (for FREE!) by giving us a “Like”! And be sure to share this story with all your friends who love the candid, unfiltered side of Saratoga.
Saratogian on the small screen
By Sophia Olechowski
Rabid Stranger Things fans were in luck over the holiday weekend — they had four new episodes of the Netflix mega-hit to watch, leading up to the final (eek!) two “volumes,” being released on Christmas Day and New Year’s Eve. In the mix? Saratogian Jesse Gavin, who appears in Episode 1 (“The Crawl”) and the top-rated Episode 4 (“Sorcerer.”) A graduate of SUNY Geneseo (’03) who was born in Troy, Gavin followed a route many of us know well — growing up in upstate New York, heading to Geneseo, and carving out a creative life from there. After leading the indie film Northern Shade, ambitiously filmed during the height of the pandemic and for which he proudly says he’s from Saratoga, the theatre/physics double-major is now (fittingly) making waves acting in the role of a “military base scientist” in Stranger Things. Here at home, flip on Netflix to catch this homegrown talent sharing a set with fan favorites like Millie Bobby Brown and Noah Schnapp — and industry legend Winona Ryder.
Artisanal Brew Works’ Trail of Lights
How a new, free event cleverly raises money for a mix of local charities.
[Click on the above video for an inside peek of this festive, charitable event.]
After nailing the Halloween game in October, Artisanal Brew Works (617 Maple Ave.) is again transforming its forest trail behind the taproom (full food and bar menu are available) into a holiday sight-to-see. This time, instead of spooky thrills, the Trail of Lights boasts festive sparkle in an array of shining colors along a path of trees draped in pinks, purples, blues and whites. “It was magical to see them all light up for the first time,” says Saratoga photographer and entrepreneur Nellie Ackerman, who attended the event’s Tree Lighting Ceremony Saturday night. “Each tree is decorated by a sponsor and tagged with a QR code for donations to a charity close to their hearts,” Ackerman says of the free event that is open through the end of the year. “This benefits so many great charities!” (Think Saratoga Children’s Literacy League, Wilton Food Pantry and Therapeutic Horses of Saratoga, to name a few.)
Trail of Lights hours: Mon: closed; Tues & Weds: 3 p.m. - 9 p.m.; Thurs & Fri: 12 p.m. - 9 p.m.; Sat: 11 a.m. - 9 p.m.; and Sun: 11 a.m. - 7 p.m.
ICYMI…
Inside scoop on a delicious Dispatch exclusive (involving Stewart’s ice cream and a DeCrescente)
Inside 2025’s Victorian Street Walk
‘Wacky’ cake for dinner? (Last chance to buy your tickets for Thursday’s event — see you there?)
Got a business to promote, story to tell or event to share? Respond to this email or reach Abby at abby@saratogadispatch.com.
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