All Over Albany

Holiday gifts: Stephanie Snyder

Llamas and unicorns and goats, oh my!

Gifts and giving are on most everyone's mind this month. So we're again asking people to share some thoughts on presents, past and present, charities -- and wishes for the next year.

Today we meet Stephanie Snyder.

Stephanie was born and raised in West Virginia, and relocated to the Capital Region in 2011 when her husband, Todd, began teaching at Siena College. She's team UAlbany, and manages communications and marketing for the Alumni Association. She, Todd, and their 4 year-old son, Huntington Jay, live in South Colonie.

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Holiday gifts: Imani McCalmon

Spoons are important.

Gifts and giving are on most everyone's mind this month. So we're again asking people to share some thoughts on presents, past and present, charities -- and wishes for the next year.

Today's list comes from Imani McCalmon. Imani is an aspiring dancer and choreographer from Schenectady, who works helping people get fit as a gym instructor. She loves music, poetry, performing and spending time with her beautiful sisters.

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Holiday gifts: T'chaka Anghelos Sikelianos

T'chaka wants an adventure.

Gifts and giving are on most everyone's mind this month. So we're again asking people to share some thoughts on presents, past and present, charities -- and wishes for the next year.

Today we hear from T'chaka Sikelianos.

T'chaka is a projectionist at the Spectrum He's a cinephile who lives in Albany's Ten Broeck Triangle where he intermittently plugs away at a graphic novel as well as film and music projects, and says he is "currently working on an all encompassing theory of everything but I still have at least a half century until that is fully fleshed out."

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Holiday gifts: Danika Atkins

"It's entirely possible someone in my life will get an ornately-framed picture of Ronald Regan this year."

Gifts and giving are on most everyone's mind this month. So we're again asking people to share some thoughts on presents, past and present, charities -- and wishes for the next year.

Next up, Danika Atkins.

Danika hails from Yonkers and has lived in the Capital Region for nearly 15 years. She works at Excelsior College and lives with two Charleses: her husband Chuck and her son Charlie.

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Holiday gifts: Anasha Cummings

Anasha Claus

Gifts and giving are on most everyone's mind this month. So we're again asking people to share some thoughts on presents, past and present, charities -- and wishes for the next year.

Today we meet Anasha Cummings.

Anasha lives in downtown Troy and is the Councilman-Elect for the city's 4th District.

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Holiday gifts: Josh Coletto

Gifts and giving are on most everyone's mind this month. So we're again asking people to share some thoughts on presents, past and present, charities -- and wishes for the next year.

Josh Coletto, a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America, began his career in some of Portland, Oregon's top restaurants. Upon returning to upstate New York, he was integral to the opening and success of several prominent restaurants.

Recently he has earned praise for his pop-ups, including the popular Rock N Roll Brunch series. He is currently working on another series of family style meals at Peck's Arcade.

Josh is an active member of the Chefs' Consortium and works with the catering company Heirloom Fire. He holds true that local, seasonal ingredients are the best inspiration and frequently collaborates with other area chefs and farms that share this belief.

When Josh is not cheffing, he is found foraging with his dog, playing in bands, or selling real estate.

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Holiday gifts: Roni Choudhury

"I just want to make people happy."

Gifts and giving are on most everyone's mind this month. So we're again asking people to share some thoughts on presents, past and present, charities -- and wishes for the next year.

Today we meet Roni Choudhury.

Roni is a native of Boston and Chicago who has lived in the Capital Region since 2012. He can usually be found writing software for his day job, discussing warp engines, playing retro video games, or eating something.

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Holiday gifts: Alexandra Stafford

Gifts and giving are on most everyone's mind this month. So we're again asking people to share some thoughts on presents, past and present, charities -- and wishes for the next year.

Alexandra Stafford is the author of Bread Toast Crumbs, a loaf-to-crumb bread baking book. She writes the blog Alexandra's Kitchen and contributes weekly to Food52.

She lives in Niskayuna with her husband and four young children.

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Holiday gifts: Jammella Anderson

Gifts and giving are on most everyone's mind this month. So we're again asking people to share some thoughts on presents, past and present, charities -- and wishes for the next year.

Next up: Jammella Anderson.

Jammella grew up in the Capital District and has lived in Albany for almost a decade. She works for the Albany Barn and she's also a yoga teacher and a barista.

When Jammella is not working she loves to hike, run, knit, and sing all the wrong words to her favorite songs.

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Holiday gifts: Hali Bey Ramdene

Gifts and giving are on most everyone's mind this month. So we're again asking people to share some thoughts on presents, past and present, charities -- and wishes for the next year.

Today we meet Hali Bey Ramdene.

Hali is the food editor of The Kitchn, an essayist, reluctant photographer -- and an Albany girl, through and through.

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Holiday gifts: Kristin Jackson

Gifts and giving are on most everyone's mind this month. So we're again asking people to share some thoughts on presents, past and present, charities -- and wishes for the next year.

Kristin Jackson knows her gifts. She heads up Troy Flea, the Riverfront Park summer market filled with local vendors.

Kristin grew up in Duchess County and spent some time in the midwest before finding a home in Troy. She has a daughter, a husband, a dog and a cat, and loves to see live music, eat, and be merry. This weekend she's hosting the Babes in Troyland indoor winter market at Takk House.

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Holiday gifts: Evelyn Melendez

Gifts and giving are on most everyone's mind this month. So we're again asking people to share some thoughts on presents, past and present, charities -- and wishes for the next year.

Evelyn Melendez was born and raised in the Bronx, but today she calls Clifton Park home. She's a Navy veteran, a nursing student, a mom to a fur baby named Mowgli -- and a coach, skater and ref for the Hellions of Troy Roller Derby. She loves to eat, travel, and laugh.

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Holiday gifts: Nick Foster

Gifts and giving are on most everyone's mind this month. So we're again asking people to share some thoughts on presents, past and present, charities -- and wishes for the next year.

Nick Foster came to the Capital Region from New Jersey. He's a husband, father, sometime
musical theater performer, and former writer of record reviews living in Albany. He is also the founder/organizer of the fundraising event the James T. Foster Memorial Beer + Ice Cream Social (Set to return in 2018!).

He loves the music of Big Star, black-and-white cookies, and continuously adding things to his Netflix queue that he knows full-well he'll never get around to watching.

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Holiday gifts: Jason Vengersammy

On Jason's list: Bow ties and sleep.

Gifts and giving are on most everyone's mind this month. So we're again asking people to share some thoughts on presents, past and present, charities -- and wishes for the next year.

First up: Jason Vengersammy.

Jason was born and raised in New York City, but he's called Albany his home for the past decade. He's a loan officer for a local credit union and also works as a local wedding MC, DJ, and officiant. He's into fashion -- and egg rolls.

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