Vibe Check: Networking at Night
Morale was high at Thursday's fundraiser for Saratoga Center for the Family. Oh, and there's a heat wave.
Saratogians always talk about the electricity in the air that first week of track season every year, when all the tourists come to town and everyone’s excited for the next eight weeks of racing. But I’d like to argue there’s a week even more electric in the Spa City: this week.
I’m not necessarily talking about the week of April 10—I’m talking about that first unseasonably warm few days when Saratogians come out of hibernation, feel the sides of their mouths turn up, and beeline it to the nearest restaurant patio. That’s exactly what about 80 of us did on Thursday night, when Saratoga-based networking group Networking at Night hosted its first-ever fundraising event at Bailey’s.
“Our vision was to create a networking group that was welcoming to everyone, but targeting more of the younger professionals that are trying to grow their businesses,” says Andrea Gorgen, who cofounded Networking at Night with her friend and Marshall & Sterling colleague Shelagh Conley. “We wanted this to be something that is more laid back, non-committal, and allows everyone to feel comfortable networking in casual settings.”
Since September, Andrea and Shelagh have been hosting casual, monthly get-togethers at local bars that are typically attended by 15-30 young professionals. This month, though, they upped the ante, and hosted a full-on party—complete with beer specials, a taco bar and raffles—to raise money for the Saratoga Center for the Family, a nonprofit that works to strengthen children, families and our community by reducing the effects of abuse, trauma and family dysfunction through advocacy, education and mental health therapy.
“I’ve never been to a networking event,” said Networking at Night first-timer Molly McCormack. “But people are very friendly.” She had just been approached by Center of the Family board member Kate Hoefer, who complimented her sundress. “I just got back from vacation and pulled it out of my suitcase and thought, ‘Why not?’” Molly explained. “It’s 80 degrees here too.”
Elsewhere in the party, conversations centered around The Coat Room, the speakeasy-style bar coming to 385 Broadway, and Kindred, a new wine bar from the owners of Henry Street Taproom, plus the fact that both the Dango’s patio and Cantina rooftop open this week. (Restaurateur Chad Dorrough said this premature summertime weather had his team scrambling to get the patios of his restaurants, including the Hideaway, open.) The chatter in the Schenectady beer distribution scene, per one man who asked to be identified as “one man,” is all about the recent Bud Light controversy; and the buzz of Saratoga group chats is Barstool president Dave Portnoy’s new house on Fifth Ave. Networking at Night regular James Rubino was taking full advantage of the networking opportunity to plug Capital City Cycle Tours, a local company that takes drinkers from bar to bar by way of a 14-passenger, pedal-powered vehicle. Tours will return to Saratoga as soon as the city grants the proper permits; riders will start at Whitman Brewing, cycle to Nashville/Bailey’s, then to Ice House and finally to Dango’s.
As of Friday, the total amount raised for the Saratoga Center for the Family hadn’t been calculated yet, but local nonprofit Brewnited matched $1,300 of the funds raised. It may have been April, but as guests spilled out into the night without coats and feeling good that they gave back to the community, it was feeling an awful lot like Saratoga summer. Bring it on, baby.
—Natalie
TikTok of the Week
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The only news that matters this week is that it’s 80 degrees in April. Go outside.
This Week in Saratoga Living After Hours
This week, we switched to our new Tuesday, Wednesday, Saturday schedule. Tuesday was a day for trivia, and on Wednesday we dove into the polarizing pickle/olive debate and listed the best places to get a brined bite in the Spa City.