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Showcase of Homes Announces Builders Lineup
SARATOGA SPRINGS — The 2014 Saratoga Showcase of Homes will include a lineup of 15 award-winning builders and 16 new homes exhibiting some of the newest features available.
The 2014 Builders list includes Bella Home Builders, Belmonte Builders, BCI Construction, Bonacio Construction, Classic Homes, Heritage Custom Builders (entering two homes), Kodiak Construction, Malta Development, Polito Homes, Richbell Capital, Saratoga Builders, Traditional Builders, Trojanski Custom Builders, VanVeghten Construction and Witt Construction.
In its 19th year,the Saratoga Showcase of Homes Committee is in full swing planning the upcoming fall’s exciting edition of the area’s premiere new home tour. To qualify, homes must be built within the past year and be in Saratoga County.
This year’s event will take place over three fall weekends on September 20-21, 27-28 and October 4-5, featuring the finest builders in the area with their new construction. Last year, 3,500 people visited a display of 14 homes from 11 builders.
The annual community event has contributed over $825,000 to local charities in its 19 years.Proceeds from the Showcase of Homes continue to benefit Rebuilding Together Saratoga County and Habitat for Humanity of Northern Saratoga, Warren and Washington Counties.
Barry Potoker is in his fifth year as Executive Director of the Saratoga Builders Association. Taking over after the only year the event was cancelled (2009 when the real estate market went sour), Potoker and the 160 members of the Builders Association have bounced back strong and carried on the tradition, raising between $60,000-$75,000 each year.
“It’s certainly grown over the years,” Potoker said. “People love going to the show and seeing what styles and trends are new—meet the landscapers and interior designers…The philosophy of the Saratoga Builders Association is to give it all back to the community.”
In 2013, the showcase raised $63,000.
“It’s a testament to the kinds of builders we have in this area,” Potoker said. “We have some really fantastic builders and they have been supportive of doing the show, because it takes a lot of work to put on a showcase home. All the homes have interior designers and they’re all furnished and they’re all decked out to the nines, so it takes a lot for the builder to do that. It’s also a testament to the community who buys tickets to go to the show. It has really become a fall tradition over the three weekends.”
In addition to building the homes, the builders have to pay a fee to be in the showcase.
Introduced last year, the Showcase Chef’s “Comforts of Home” will kick off the showcase festivities on Friday, September 19. Potoker anticipates eight to 10 homes participating in the chef’s event.
“It’s a terrific event,” Potoker said. “We only sell 500 tickets to that because you can only fit so many people in a house. You will know what the food is when you’re going. It has to be some sort of comfort food, whether it’s macaroni and cheese or tomato soup and grilled cheese sandwiches, lasagna or chili. Last year we had music too.”
Before that, the Realtor Bus Tour will kick off on the Tuesday before the show (September 16). Not open to the public, the Judges Tour is an all-day affair. Three luxury buses will be filled with realtors, judges and sponsors and leave from the Saratoga Performing Arts Center at 8 a.m. to preview all the homes.
Of the 150-175 participants, a select number of judges will go through and judge on a variety of categories—bathrooms, architectural design, interior design, etc. The judges decisions will be revealed at an awards ceremony the following Thursday at the Vapor Night Club, filled with music, dinner and cocktails.
The public can tour the homes over the three fall weekends for $20 a ticket.
For more details on the 2014 Saratoga Showcase of Homes event, or to view virtual tours of last year’s homes, visitwww.saratogashowcaseofhomes.com. All details and updates can also be found on the “Saratoga Showcase of Homes” Facebook page.
Corporate sponsorships are now available and showcase home reservations are currently in progress. For a sponsorship opportunities packet or for information about entering a new home in the event, contact Potoker at (518) 366-0946 orThis email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
Brew Salt: Extra Flavor on Tap (or Bottle, or Growler…)
You Are Now Encouraged To Play With Your Pints
SARATOGA SPRINGS – So, it was getting towards the end of the Saratoga Beer Summit, when I stumbled (not literally; well, maybe) into the smiling face of Kerri Tanner at a booth in the back. I took one look at her products, and had to tell her:
“I hate you. This was my idea.”
The shocked look on her face was quickly replaced by another smile and a knowing nod. Apparently, this was not the first time she heard something similar.
Well, it says here that Kerri and Robin Morgan better get used to similar reactions and also a lot of delight. They took a simple idea and took it out four new flavor doors— with more to come.
Behold Brew Salt. A homegrown product (manufactured in small batches) with unlimited potential. Available in lime, habanero, chocolate and bacon flavors. An idea refined from your Uncle Vito at the Elks Lodge putting table salt in his Genny Cream Ale, combined with the growing love of all things craft brewing, Brew Salt stands poised to add zingy exclamation points to pints from coast to coast.
The difference between Brew Salt and the shaker at your local sports bar or pub starts with the base ingredients “We use high-quality grey Celtic sea salt,” Robin notes, “which is mineral-rich. From there, the flavors are added, which is Kerri’s department- she’s the chef.” It’s all vegan (yes, even the bacon), high quality and gluten-free.
Indeed, the skillsets of these two local entrepreneurs are perfectly balanced. Robin is a free-lance marketer; Kerri is the foodie/recipe specialist. They met three years ago by happenstance when Robin moved to the area and made a random hair appointment. By the time the rinse and blow-dry was done, a partnership was born. Their respective partners supplement them handily: Patrick McGowin and James Morgan provide beer acumen and financial expertise. Or vice versa, and perhaps on occasion, both.
“We went e-commerce (see: www.brewsalt.com) and vending at big events like the beer summit, but now in a relatively short period of time (the site was launched just this year) we are looking around at a larger kitchen just to meet current demand.” Robin said.
In the meantime, the team is making PR visits to taverns and retail establishments locally. A major perk of the job – every day is TGIF in their world
So it should be no surprise to soon see the Brew Salt shakers, with their distinctive bowler and handlebar moustaches on the shelves of discerning specialty stores, or adjacent to the Bloody Mary condiments on the finest bars.
The effervescence of Kerri and Robin matches the effervescence of their product in your glass. So, a tout to those in a position to say yes to such things from your friendly food editor: Get Shakin’!
Recommended Brew Salt Beer Parings:
IPA's: Bacon, Habanero or Lime
Porters / Stouts: Chocolate or Bacon
Lagers / Pilsners: Bacon, Habanero or Lime
Nut Brown: Chocolate
Or: Mix it up!
- Brewsalt.com