Celeb Shot: High fashion with Tiina Loite
A longtime New York Times editor takes on Saratoga. PLUS: fireworks, frozen treats and vegan cocktail froth.
For someone who claims she doesn’t like to smile, Tiina (the two i’s are a nod to her Estonian heritage) Loite is a whole lot of fun. Floating effortlessly between recent parties such as SPACtacular and cultural events such as Friday’s Opera Saratoga opening night, she also strolls into Bocage Champagne Bar, already on a first-name basis with the brand-new bartender Matt. “Bocage is a jewel in Saratoga,” she says. “There’s an intimacy because of its small size. It’s easy to just start talking to the person who sits next to you.”
Which is how—last Valentine’s Day—I met Tiina and her husband, Fred Conrad.
For a magazine dork like me, my years living in NYC in the late 1990s/early aughts were a dreamy era of fabulous launch parties, low pay but grand perks…and feverishly reading The New York Times every morning, starting with the Styles section (hello, this was also Sex and the City’s heyday)—Bill Cunningham’s street fashion pictorials in particular.
And then a lifetime later, over Champagne and caviar on a cold winter’s night in Saratoga, I’m chatting with the former longtime photo editor of said Times Styles section. And her husband, a former Times staff photographer.
Mind: blown.
Not that Tiina was done. She also edited Cunningham’s photography book, On the Street: Five Decades of Iconic Photography.
So as we embark on the summer social season, SLAH chatted with Tiina about the Saratoga scene, SPAC and (naturally) fashion—favorite fashion lines, what Saratoga needs more of, and even the perfect line of clothes for boarding a boat on Lake George this summer.
How did you end up editing the legendary Bill Cunningham’s book?
The planets all aligned beautifully. I had recently taken a buyout and left The New York Times, and then The Times wanted to produce the book of his work. [Cunningham passed away in 2016 at the age of 87]. I said yes immediately.
And then it turns out, Cunningham sort of posthumously led you to move to Saratoga…
Bill used to come up here every summer to do a column for his street fashion. He was good friends with Marylou Whitney and always looked forward to coming up here. He would come back to New York and say, “Tiina, you must go. You must come up and see Saratoga. You simply must go spend a weekend.” And I never did.
Until you did.
The book came out in 2019, Covid started early 2020, and we had been wanting to move for a while. We looked around Connecticut; we looked at Delaware. But the minute we saw Saratoga, we loved it. This was now 2021, when real estate had started to explode. We sold our house in four days and moved to Saratoga.
What do you think Bill would say about your living here?
He’d be really happy. He really liked it up here. He wasn't a particularly big fan of horse racing, and my husband and I didn't know anything about horses. But we're not people who have never been to the racetrack. You know, when in Rome. I'm a big believer in that.
In a very short time, you’ve become really involved at SPAC.
There’s an amazingly large community of arts-focused people here. The word “visionary” is run of the mill now, but [SPAC President and CEO] Elizabeth Sobol is a true visionary. SPAC has this wonderful Culinary Arts program [Tiina finished her decades at The Times at the Food section], which is really one of the smartest things that they could have done. The culinary world is an artistic world, and the people who work in it should be treated as artists.
What is the most misunderstood aspect of fashion?
I love the world of fashion and I want people to understand that fashion can also be a more serious subject than they think it is. Fashion has a history. Fashion has an academic component to it. I wish more women would, when they buy something, take a look at the rest of what's offered by that designer or by that clothing line. When you look at an entire runway show, when you look at 30 some odd outfits, you see a point of view. I would encourage people to read The Times' fashion coverage. The fashion writers are superb, and their writing and perspective will impact how you look at clothing.
What do you think Saratoga is missing?
I wish somebody would open up a real shoe store.
What is your most practical fashion advice?
One piece of advice I would give for women 55 or older: Lose the scarves. A scarf is not the accessory people think it is. A lot of women, when they pass a certain age, think they have to start following a different set of rules. I don't believe that at all. You can wear jeans in your 70s. White is flattering for everybody. Go to both Lifestyles and Caroline + Main, no matter your age. A store I am quite fond of is Encounter. It's lovely inside and has a strong variety of clothing lines and nice accessories, too.
What are some fashion lines you’d recommend?
Ganni, Sezane, Toteme. You can't go wrong with Vince and Theory, and some more reasonably priced lines I like are Noize and Cos. Oh, I mustn't forget Negative Underwear. There need not be any intention of buying anything. Sometimes it's productive to comb through various clothing sites just to spark ideas.
I put a lot of emphasis on looking amusing rather than looking elegant or “good”. I've always been a big fan of The Row; it is flawless. I like Kule. Ba&sh is good for going out on your boat.
You’ve convinced me to take the time to drive to Woodbury Commons more often. What’s good there?
Be careful of what’s made just for the outlet. Kate Spade, for example, is pretty much a hundred percent just made just for that outlet. That doesn't mean it's faux; it’s just slightly lower quality. It’s going to be crowded, but on holiday weekends you're going to get good deals. Usually the holiday weekend starts on the Wednesday before the weekend or the Thursday—take a day off work and drop down there. There are a lot of good shoe outlets there, too.
Coming from a big city and having worked at The New York Times, which many people up here read religiously, what are your thoughts on the importance of local journalism?
Local media everywhere needs to be protected. It was a godsend when we moved here—I grabbed whatever was being given away in the supermarket, whatever paper, whatever showed up in my mailbox. People need to vote with knowledge of who and what they're voting for. I vote, but I won't vote unless I know what I'm doing.
It isn't even just the stories and the journalism—it's also the ads. Tell me about places I need to go shop and, oh, there's the butcher I didn't know about, the fish monger I didn't know about…here's a restaurant I didn't know about. You can learn everything from local media.
[Silent screams of joy.]
—Abby
Quote of the Week
“I just got back from mating season in Costa Rica.”
—Overheard at the Saratoga YMCA
A Lot o’ Gelato
If you’re in the mood for an easy frozen treat this holiday weekend, PDT Market has you covered. Stop by the grocery store/bar/cafe to make your own gelato in one of PDT’s new machines. Just pick your capsule—flavors include vanilla, coffee and non-dairy pistachio—insert it into the machine, and wait for the soft, creamy delicacy to be done. Pro tip: While you’re waiting, head to PDT’s Moët & Chandon vending machine for a bottle of bubbly.
Light up the Night
It wouldn’t be Fourth of July weekend without a fireworks show…or four! Tonight, sparks will fly at Doc Brown’s around 9:15pm and then on Tuesday, you have to make a choice: There are three shows going on at the Saratoga Springs City Center, the Washington County Fair and the Empire State Plaza in Albany.
What’s New in BBQ?
A couple of weeks ago, SLAH took a trip up the Northway to check out The Gem, a craft cocktail and barbecue hotspot that’s celebrating a year in business in Bolton Landing. In that story, we mentioned that a to-go operation was coming soon—and now it’s here. If you’re heading to the lake this weekend and need a quick and easy meal, order online at thegemlittlegem.com and pick up your food (and drinks!) at the mint green camper outside the restaurant!
Drink of the Week
As a vegan, one of the things I miss the most are frothy cocktails—or, more specifically, Hamlet & Ghost’s magical Gin-Gin Fizz, which is topped with an egg white foam. While that drink taunts me from the very top of Hamlet’s current cocktail menu, on Thursday I discovered a worthy alternative. The El Corazon is described as a fluffy egg white–style cocktail with non of the egg, and is made with Espolon Reposado, ancho reyes, orgeat, lemon and fluffy bitters. Another fan favorite from the new menu? The Kooky Coconut, a piña colada made with—wait for it—curry. It sounds crazy but just trust me on this one.
—Natalie
From the Mag
This Week in Saratoga Living After Hours
In this week’s edition of On Deck, we highlighted the best events going on in Saratoga this week and next—Fourth of July festivities included.
Then, on Thursday, we recapped the American Cancer Society’s Red, White & Blue Party and shared our party pics from the night.