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From the editor
Hey, curious Dispatchers.
Wow. You guys really want to know about the crosswalk voice.
And Dispatchers, I am here for you. I always assumed it was a version of the voice synthesis technology used by navigation apps, but if you were thinking it’s an actual guy … well, we both might be right.
I’ll explain in an upcoming Dispatch very soon. I’ve even called in the big dogs — together, we’ve uncovered some “crosswalk guy” detail that every Saratogian and Saratoga lover should know.
For today … I was going to save this cozy season food story for the first day of fall, but Sunday is supposed to be only a high of 60. For that, we deserve a pumpkin latte. (And mahjong help!)
— Abby
In this issue:
🀄 Tile me all about it
🏨 Room for more?
🏇 Passing (back) the torch. And how’s Irad?
📸 Those were the days
🍂 This trend is bananas
📩 Was this forwarded to you by a friend? Subscribe — and join the more than 6,000 of your neighbors who never miss a thing.
🀄 Mahjong corner
If you’re a beginner mahjong player — or have been playing a little while but aren’t “totally sure” that you know the rules — join us Sunday at 4:30 p.m. for an Open Play with instruction. Teachers will walk around and offer one-on-one help with rules, hand-building and more. I can make room for one or two more tables of four players. Join us!
🏨 CHECKING IN
Hotel boom
Hotel developers have been treating Saratoga Springs like it’s California at the height of the gold rush. At least four proposed hotel projects have made headlines in the last couple months — if all four were to come to fruition, the Spa City would create around 358 new hotel rooms.
The latest proposed projects:
The most recent news: The Adelphi Hotel wants to build a six-story, 90-room annex hotel at 58 Washington Street, reports the Albany Business Review. It would include a restaurant and underground parking garage.
The former Springs Motel at 189 South Broadway was sold for $2.2 million, and the new owners plan to renovate and reopen it as a boutique hotel, according to ABR. The Springs had 28 rooms when it was operational.
There’s a proposal to build a 120-room hotel with 21 residences and a restaurant at the corner of Congress and Federal streets, reports the Times Union.
Last not but least, there’s a 120-room hotel and apartment complex proposed for an undeveloped lot on South Broadway, according to TU.
The latest economic trend data provided by the Saratoga County Chamber of Commerce indicates that, in 2026, demand for hotel rooms in the city increased “very slightly” and supply of hotel rooms increased by 7.1%. At the end of 2023, chamber president Todd Shimkus told me that Saratoga didn't have enough lodging capacity to host all of its visitors.
It's Here: Pique's New Caffeine-Free Afternoon Energy
I quit my afternoon coffee. Not because I wanted to — because I found something better.
You know that wall you hit every day around 2–3 PM? I used to just accept it as the cost of doing anything. Another coffee, a quick spike, then the crash — and somehow I'd still feel dehydrated by dinner.
Then I tried X·E Fountain, Pique's brand-new electrolyte energy drink, and I genuinely wasn't ready for how good "no crash" could feel.
No caffeine jitters. No 4 PM slump. Just clean, steady energy that actually hydrates me instead of draining me. It's built with a premium Vitamin B Complex for natural cellular energy, Magnesium Malate + Taurate for real focus, and a full electrolyte blend that makes it feel like a treat, not a chore.
The cucumber-celery-lime flavor is so crisp and refreshing — it's basically stolen my afternoon coffee slot completely.
📌 ICYMI…
🏇 SARATOGA-ADJACENT HORSE RACING NEWS
If you’re ready to officially let go of the Belmont and watch Belmont Park’s Opening Day, you’re in luck. Fox Sports is going to broadcast exactly two races on Friday. Tune in between 3 and 4:30 p.m., details the Times Union, to catch Race 4 and the Jockey Club Gold Cup.
Irad missed the end of the Saratoga meet after an August 8 injury — and the Thoroughbred Daily News at last got an update on his comeback.
📸 WARMER DAYS
After eyeing this weekend’s forecast, we decided to shut down summer a few days early — with some stunning end-of-season pics by Seen in Saratoga.
🍂 DIG IN
Let’s eat autumn!
We’re officially less than a week away from the first day of fall — and facing a rather chilly weekend — so it’s time to embrace cozy season. (Or at least its food offerings.) That’s right, bring on the pumpkin pie pancakes and spiced pear lattes! (When we’re not stuffing ourselves with cider and cinnamon everything, we will also be impatiently waiting for Saratoga to catch up to the rest of the country, which is going bananas.)
Sweet Mimi’s: This September, delve into the sweeter side of fall with Cinnamon Roll French Toast and S’More’s old Brew.
Kru Coffee: Speaking of s’mores, it’s time for s’more in loaf form (graham cracker and chocolate swirl!) at Kru. And don’t miss out on the latte with organic pumpkin syrup, hot, cold brewed, nitro or chia.
Bailey’s: Autumn can’t fall without football and plentiful meat bits. Get it all at Bailey’s, with burgers sliders, carnitas sliders, and hot dogs with meat sauce specials.
Standard Fare: For farm-fresh fall, dig into Standard Fare’s new Candied Squash and Burrata with kambocha squash, candied pecans and whipped honey. For a fall dish you can sink your teeth into … step right up for the duck confit, creamy polenta + roasted turnips.
Druthers: Love or hate fall, but I think we can all get behind Oktoberfest.
🍌🍌🍌
While the New York Times asked if banana has become popular enough to be the “next pumpkin spice,” we didn’t find much in Saratoga. If you know of any banana-flavored drinks, cocktails or desserts, reply to this email and we’ll revisit this national trend!
