Together with…
Happy Monday, Dispatchers!
Anyone else freezing?
— Abby
Dispatch Dinner Club announcement ahead! Save your seat for May 6:
🍝 DINNER CLUB
May 6 after-party announcement!
If I had to pick a place that screamed “nightcap,” it would be The Misfit.
And they said, “YES!”
We’re so excited that the Dispatch Dinner Club May 6’s after-party venue will be at this spacious cocktail emporium. An informal survey yielded the following excitement:
“Seating!”
“Michelle’s the best.”
“Two words: espresso martinis.”
Join the 29 of your neighbors who have already signed up to support local — and meet locals — on Wednesday, May 6.
Take the short quiz.
Get matched up with neighbors who think like you, helping to fill up tables across town at small-group dinners.
Meet up at The Misfit after to gossip about how it all went down.
🎟️ HEADS UP
A Sure Bet
Saratoga's Prohibition-era underbelly gets a night of its own on Thursday, May 21, when the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame, the Holiday Inn and the Saratoga Springs History Museum team up for Bridles and Bootleggers: The 2026 Trifecta Tour.
From 6 to 9 p.m., a complimentary trolley shuttles guests between all three venues for expert-led talks on the gangsters, Thoroughbreds and speakeasies that defined Saratoga in the 1920s — with snacks and drinks at every stop.
To grab your ticket, visit racingmuseum.org.
UPH trifecta
Some weekends, UPH outdoes itself. This is one of those weekends.
Friday April 24, 7 p.m.: The Collingsworth Family Classics & Hymns
“We've never had this genre in here before,” says UPH Director Teddy Foster, “even though we look like a church.” This evening of family worship and Southern Gospel promises “excitement, spiritual anointing, family emphasis and musical excellence.”
Saturday, April 25, 7:30 p.m.: The Music of Sam Cooke starring Bradd Marquis
“I would follow Bradd Marquis anywhere,” Foster says of the star who’s bringing the music of soul icon Sam Cooke (“You Send Me,” “Twistin’ the Night Away”) to UPH on Saturday.
Sunday, April 26, 7:30 p.m.: Soul Asylum Acoustic
Foster calls Soul Asylum’s Sunday night show “a huge deal.” Better grab your ticket fast — the main floor is almost completely sold out. The evening offers a rare chance to see Dave Pirner and Ryan Smith perform an intimate, one-of-a-kind acoustic set. Says Foster, “This is a big, big, big show for us.”
📨 DEAR DISPATCH
“Will interest rates fall again?”
By Allison Bradley, Four Seasons by Sotheby’s Realty
The sub-3% frenzy of the post-pandemic housing market is recent enough that I understand the impulse to wait and see if today’s 6.5% rate drifts back below 6. It probably won’t. So instead of waiting, here’s a tool worth wrapping your brain around.
The 2-1 buy-down: making 6.5% feel like 4.5%
A 2-1 buy-down temporarily lowers your interest rate for the first two years of your loan, giving you breathing room while you settle into your new house.
Year 1: you pay as if your rate is 4.5%
Year 2: you pay as if your rate is 5.5%
Year 3 and beyond: you pay the full 6.5%
If rates stay where they are, you’ve had two years of cheaper payments. If rates fall, you refinance. And unlike rent, a portion of every payment is building equity in a home that’s yours.
What the savings look like: On a $500,000 home with a 20% down payment, a 2-1 buy-down saves about $9,000 in cash flow over the first 24 months.
Why sellers say yes: For a few reasons, in a stable market many sellers would rather give you a $15,000 credit toward a buy-down than drop their asking price by $30,000.
(Temporary buy-downs are a recognized product under Fannie Mae’s Selling Guide, section B3-4.1-02.)
💃 LAST CHANCE
Heartland Masala: Indian Cooking from an American Kitchen
with Jyoti and Auyon MukharjiApril 23, 2026 | 6 p.m. – 9 p.m.
The Darlingside, Kansas-born musician Auyon Mukharji collaborated with his mother, the Indian-born Jyoti Mukharjo, on a book that showcases 99 recipes from across India, with a special focus on Punjabi and Bengali cuisine.
It’s going to be quite a feast!
“We draw inspiration from across India,” Mukharji says. “It’s both lightness and darkness. And it’s not just a cookbook.”
Tickets are $125 and are available at spac.org.
🥶 SPIRIT ANIMAL
Ashley Salvadore putting on a puffer coat this morning to walk the dog is all of us.
ICYMI…