Fun in Saratoga

Saratoga Thoughts May 14, 2012

 I don't have a lot of thoughts this week, but I do have a few links to share:

• Want 20% off your order at Saratoga Coffee Traders?  Click here

20% OFF your entire order. This coupon may not be used with any other coupons or promotions. Print out and present to cashier or show on your smartphone. Feel free to share this coupon with friends and family Exspires: June 15th 2012

 

• Check out Savoring Saratoga's blog post about the Saratoga Food Tours.
• Saratoga Arts has announced their 2012 workshop series.  They are all free and open to the public, and include topics like making slide presentations, copywrite and intellectual property, grantwriting workshop, and gallery submission process.  Click here to learn more.
• The Saratoga Farmers Market has a new Saturday vendor - Slyboro Cider House.  This isn't Hannaford mass produced cider, these people take it to a new old level:  Still ciders, sparkling ciders, ice ciders...Slyboro Cider House reintroduces the lost craft of American Ciders."  Cool!  I hope they have samples - I would like to try the ice ciders.  They sound sweet.

 

• Click here for the May newsletter for Longfellow's and the Olde Bryan Inn.
• Maestro's is celebrating a year at the new place.  Check out their party on Monday May 21.
• Here's the latest news from Saratoga Arts Fest
• I'm a little late, but check out local blogger Tom Noonan's comments on the Kentucky Derby, and be sure to look for his analysis on the site before the Preakness.
• It would appear that Chianti is going after the Vegetarian/Vegan dollar - at least on Tuesdays:

 

• Chianti's sister restaurant, Forno Bistro, is continuing it's Tuesday night takeout special:

Every Tuesday get two wood-fired pizzas or stuffed focaccie breads to-go for just $12. Add a 1/2 Tray of Forno’s Classic Mista Insalata for just $6 more. Join our email list or Facebook page to find out the featured pizza or focaccie ahead of time.

• Sticking with DZ Restaurants, if you like on Facebook their newest and yet-to-be-opened Restaurant, Boca Bistro, you can win a $500 gift certificate.

Not to show favortism to just one ethnic restaurant group, so Capriccio Saratoga has Skip Parsons performing every Thursday in May and is offering any pizza on the menu for $13.

 

 

• Don't forget The Wine Bar has some nice Monday night specials.
• Well that's it for now. Have a great week. Don't forget PJ's Bar-B-QSA is opening tomorrow (Tuesday)

 

 

 

Saratoga Thoughts April 15, 2012

Saratoga Thoughts - weekend edition:

• Margarita and I ran the Peppertree Rescue 5K yesterday at the Saratoga Spa State Park.  Great cause, great weather, and a great run (OK, a slow, great run).  I probably spent $80 on our race registrations and other items and raffles, but all for a good cause.  It was an unusual 5K b/c probably about half the runners ran with their dogs.  If you are thinking of getting a dog, I would suggest looking at Peppertree because they seem like a well-run organization that really cares about matching the right dog with the right person/family.  Click here for Peppertree's Facebook page and you can like them. 

• It looks like Elizabeth's Table may open this Tuesday.  I am glad it's that close - Mike and Liz Phillips worked their butts off to get the place ready and if their food is half as good as it was at the Cupcake Lab, the place will be a hit.  Give them some support and check it out later this week. 

• I've written on here more than once that I felt (now former) Saratogian sports editor Nicole Russo was an extremely talented writer, and it looks like the Thoroughbred Times has agreed with me because she was hired by the Lexington, Kentucky based company as their internet editor.  Congratulations Nicole!  Her recent departure as sports editor and subsequent replacement by Matthew Donato means the Saratogian has had five different sports editors in just over two years.  
• I wrote a post last week about Siro's either not completing its web sites or letting the URL's expire for its main restaurant on Lincoln as well as Siro's Trattoria web site, the latter of which incidentally closed quietly for the season.  Then I mentioned how I thought the New York City location apparently wasn't opening.  Steve Barnes of the T-U's Table Hopping Blog linked my entry, and then a Siro's manager quickly replied on Table Hopping. I was apparently wrong about the NYC location, which apparently is opening within a month, but the other facts were hard to argue with. Siro's PR people (probably an outside PR firm) contacted the Business Review to do some damage control, and this article was printed Friday.  Well I'm glad The Trattoria at the Lodge is opening back up soon, and I'm really glad the NYC location is opening as well.  Siro's has to pay some more attention to the details, namely completing their web sites and not letting the URL's expire, but I'm glad they're otherwise on track. 
• It says here that Stewart's Crumbs Along the Mohawk Ice Cream is fantastic.
• Below is a picture of a race horse I used to own, now a guide pony, Minister's Appeal, working with his rider at the Oklahoma Track.  I was thrilled when the training track opened last week, but when is the Chamber of Commerce, Downtown Business Association, or Convention and Tourism Bureau, or better yet all three, going to encourage NYRA to open it to the public, at least on the weekends?  With mimimal effort, you could limit public access to an area near the timer's shed and attract numerous people up here on the weekends from April to November.  That's numerous people, and families, who will eat in our restaurants, shop in our stores, and, by the way, get all that much more excited to attend the track in the summer which can only help attendance. Seems like a no-brainer to me.

• Who is Amy Sutton, and why does she have so many prominent listings at Roohan Realty?  I seem to see her names on signs everywhere.
• Finally, Margarita and I met some friends last night at Lake Ridge Restaurant in Round Lake (exit 11).  I was never there before but had the feeling for some reason it was a rustic, basic place, but it was very nice inside and had great food and service.  If you're ever looking for a restaurant down that way I do recommend it.

OK folks that's it for now.  It will be nice today (Sunday) and up to 80 tomorrow on Monday. Have a great week!

Saratoga Thoughts February 25, 2012

Well it's not my intention to make this the "Saratoga Thoughts" blog, but lately my schedule has limited my efforts, at least somewhat, to these types of postings.  OK, with that half apology out of the way, here we go:

• Well I went to the Beer Week events, sort of. I stopped out for some food and beer with the Funsaratoga field agent and an out-of-town guest.  I'm glad to have any event that brings visitors (and their wallets) to Saratoga Springs in late winter, but as someone who was in several of the venues, it didn't seem so well organized.  Perhaps if I actually bought tickets and went as an attendee, it would have been better, but as an accidental attendee, I was underwhelmed
• I saw the Maestro's porch was getting some use in Thursday's and Friday's nice weather.  Who ever thought that porch would get nearly year-round use in 2011-2012? 

File Photo

• Well it sure seems like there are several Saratoga restaurants that are hiring.  A perusal of Craig's list shows that Ravenous, Forno Bistro, Jacob & Anthony's, Sabina's, The Parting Glass, and Angelo Mazzone's several restaurants and catering establishments are looking for employees.  That doesn't count the several unnamed Saratoga restaurants that were advertising jobs as well, including one "new restaurant opening in late March" that I assume is Russo's, which is opening in the former Brindisi's location. 
• Speaking of  Craig's list, you'll never know what you'll find on there - here's an ad from someone looking to have a partner in opening a bar in downtown Saratoga.  Yea, bars and business partnerships always work out well - especially when they start out from Craig's list.
• Continuing with the Saratoga bar/restaurant scene, I reported way back when that Mine would have a full menu and I noticed them promoting it along the sidewalk on Broadway this past Friday night, as evidenced by the picture below. 

            I give Mine credit for trying, and their menu looks like it has reasonable prices, but I'm not sure if I can take a dining establishment seriously that is offering a full dinner menu, and also a "Pisces night" (it was last night - "Pisces get in free all night"), a teen night (tonight - for all of you under-21 kids that fanatically read this blog), and has a web site that is not working (at least when I checked).  My casual walk by and internet look gives me the feeling they are all over the board.  Just my thoughts.

• When I was a kid, there was just one free newspaper, and that was of course the Pennysaver.  Saratoga Springs has Saratoga Today, The Spotlight, and the Spa City Moneysaver - and there seem to be many other free specialty publications as well.  It's almost overwhelming - and all this in the internet era. Go figure.
• With Saratoga diners dropping left and right (namely Beverly's, Friendly's, and the Saratoga Family Restaurant), I thought it would be a good time to check out Shirley's, on West Avenue.  You may recall it was purchased last year by someone who was going to add some Montreal, Quebec cuisine to the menu.  Well the chowder was excellent but the grilled haddock I ordered came out cold - I think it was prebaked and never heated for me.  Oh well, if I ever get my fat blogging butt to the YMCA anytime soon perhaps I'll get rid of enough guilt to try Shirley's rather fattening sounding Poutine -  which is a French-Canadian specialty consisting of french fries, gravy and cheese curds.  I'm half intrigued and half disgusted, but my gluttonous curiosity will get the better of me eventually and I'll report on here how it was - and what my cholesterol was before and after.
• Speaking of eating things I shouldn't - the wings at the Stadium pass my four-part test - and I'm from Buffalo, which makes me an expert. The four part test is as follows: (1) Wings should be big with plenty of meat - not those wimpy tiny ones you get in some restaurants. (2) The sauce should have the right balanced flavor and have enough substance to cling to the wings. (3) They should never be undercooked, and in fact should be cooked extra crispy, and (4) the blue cheese should be of high quality.  The Stadium passes all four of those tests, with an extra star for their chunky blue cheese. 
• From Buffalo errr...fine dining to Buffalo fine arts - I see the Buffalo Philharmonic will be playing at SPAC this summer - on July 25th.  I'll be there....in a Bills jersey with my face painted.  It's a Buffalo thing. 
• And finally, Saratogian editor Barbara Lombardo had a great idea when she proposed that the Skidmore bookstore move into the empty former Borders location.  She asked "I can dream, can't I?"  Yes you can, and I like your thinking Barbara.

Have a great weekend everybody. 

Saratoga Thoughts - February 5th 2012

I don't know if this post is last week's thoughts or this week's, but here we go anyway:

• Well Chowderfest sure had some decent weather - no snow, a little sun, and some cold air to enjoy the chowder in.  My top pick:  The Inn at Saratoga - which had a robust and thick chowder that I would definitely go back for.  The lines were sure long, but I guess that simply means a successful event.  Hopefully next year the city will put out some more garbage cans, so we don't have a repeat of this sight on Broadway shown in the picture below.

 

• While walking downtown during Chowderfest, I noticed a few things - the papered over windows at the old Pizza on Broadway and Raina's, the sign announcing Russo's Restaurant coming at the old Brindisi's location, another sign announcing something related to Saratoga National Golf coming into the old Shoe Depot building (Tom Newkirk of Saratoga National bought that building), and finally the shocking view of the empty Beverly's - I knew it was closed but it was nonetheless still a shock to see it empty.  
• Speaking of closed diners, it was sure a shocker to see the Saratoga Restaurant suddenly lock the doors for good.  Didn't see that one coming. 
• I'm probably one of the few people in town that is familiar with Spot Coffee, the Canadian coffee chain store coming to Bonacio's new Price Chopper building.  Spot Coffee has been in my hometown Buffalo since the 1990s and I have been to
  
  two of their locations on a several occasions.  Here's my take:  Spot Coffee is a great Coffee place and the newcomer won't drive out Uncommon Grounds, but it will take a significant portion of their business.  Let's hope the local consumers (me & you) benefit from the new competition.  The Rochester location is pictured to the right.
• Don't forget the Dance Flurry is coming.  Feb 17-19th.  Even if you're not a dancer it's a shot for the local economy so that's a good thing.
• Wish I had a pick for tonight's game.  I hate both teams, but I'll be leaning the Giants way, just because they are the underdog and I love to see Belichick lose.
• Speaking of Sunday TV events, I had some comments on HBO's new horse racing themed show "Luck" last week, and I finally saw the first episode.  I felt it was very, very good, and I will keep watching.  I'm just not sure if it can capture enough of an audience to make it past the first season.  HBO audiences can generally handle intelligent and complicated plots and stories, but this show has separate stories that so far barely overlap.  Think the movie Pulp Fiction.  I hope it lasts, because I do like it.  I just hope it's not another "The Comeback".  OK Guy, there's your answer.
• OK here's the roundup of business and organization updates:  The Wishing Well has Valentines Day and other information available here. Longfellow's has some Valentines Day information here.    Need an intelligent gift for a kid? G. Willikers has a special sale going (it ends today) if you bring in a can of soup for donation to the Franklin Community Center.  Nothing says I love you like....a bunch of Peanut Butter - so you can check out Saratoga Peanut Butter's Valentines Day gift pack here.    Have a great week folks and enjoy the Superbowl.

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year!  Here are a few thoughts to start the year right.

• What a great First Night Saratoga Springs hosted yet again.  I ran the 5K (I was the chubby slow guy at the back of the pack) and caught a few performers at the City Center which even got me dancing with my wife Margarita (I was the chubby no-rhythm guy with the beautiful out-of-his-league wife on the corner of the dance floor).  The band Funk Evolution initially looked like a bunch of dorky guys who were not the right group to cover the likes of Kool & the Gang, Stevie Wonder, and Michael Jackson, but they quickly won me over with their talent and mostly their energy and enthusiasm - they looked like they really had fun up there.  They certainly delivered an eclectic mix of music too - they rounded out songs from the aforementioned African-American performers with the likes of songs from The Who, Chicago, Maroon 5, and even Stevie Ray Vaughn.  Long story short - I'm a fan.  Congratulations to all the First Night organizers and volunteers (especially the 5K volunteers who I really appreciated).  And the weather and fireworks were great as well!
• What a shame to wake up on January 1st after such a great night with news of the stabbing at Metro Nightclub.  The best way to address this is to control the bars - not with earlier closing times - that's a red herring - but with the Police Department and City Council working closely with the New York State Liquor Authority and putting pressure on these establishments to not attract the types of people who would carry and use a weapon in a bar.  Hit 'em in the pocket book.  This is an early challenge for new Public Safety Commissioner Chris Mathieson.  Here's my view as a resident and taxpayer:  Not in my town!  The city PD needs to make a quick arrest on this and then let Jim Murphy take it from there.  The city must simultaneously work with the state to ensure the bars are complying with all applicable laws and hit them hard if they aren't.
• Back to the mundane, Sperry's has a new winter menu - which you can find more about on the Times Union's Table Hopping Blog here.
• Speaking of the T-U, I see they finally dumped the dormant Saratoga Springs residents blog that I ultimately was the only contributing blogger of.  The T-U lost interest in supporting it over the past year or two, and, even when I recruited potential bloggers and passed their contact info along to the paper they wouldn't respond to them.  After I realized they weren't going to support my recruiting efforts I stopped posting on there and focused more on this blog.  I'm surprised it took this long to drop it, and presumably other ones on there.
• The PJ's Barbecue construction is picking up steam.  The Saratogian wrote an article about it last week, which can be found here, and I took a quick picture below.

 

• I was walking through Congress Park this weekend noticed the nice brickwork the city did in front of the Canfield Casino over the summer. I took a quick picture of it below.

Well, that's about if for now.  As I am finishing this up Sunday night I just noticed on the Saratogian's web site that there was a fatal pedestrian accident on Rt 9 just South of PJ's.  I don't know the details, but I wrote back in 2010, after an elderly man was hit and killed on that same stretch of highway, that DOT was dropping the ball on the issue of ensuring a safe Route 9.  I really feel they should lower the speed limit there to at least 45MPH because there have simply been too many pedestrian and bicycle accidents on that stretch of roadway over the years. 

Saratoga thoughts week of October 24, 2011

Well, I'm just not blogging as much as I used to, but I'm happy that I am posting at least once or twice a week.  Here we go for this week's "thoughts" post:

• I've viewed the Saratoga Lip Dub video twice now, and it put me in a great mood both times I saw it.  I realize it wasn't necessarily an original idea, and I don't have an opinion on the money the Chamber spent on it, nor do I have any thoughts on whether it will bring any visitors here to the Spa City, but it was fun anyway.  Hell, anything that gets Mayor Scott Johnson to loosen up a bit (which can be seen about 45 seconds into the video) can't be all bad, right?

 

• So did we find out yet whether The Boss' kid is going to Skidmore???
• Man, did the You Idiot blog sure kiss some serious Riggi butt last week.  He made some good and valid points, but YMCA donations and free cider can't totally wipe out memories of the whole 23 Greenfield travesty. I agree the Riggis deserve some credit in this community, but for a little bit of balance in opinions, I will link here a post from the now dormant, but still accessible, I-Saratoga blog, which had a less than complimentary view of the Riggis a few years back.
• I hate to see any Saratoga business close, and the Zola Kids closing is no exception.  I am truly concerned for Saratoga businesses this winter, and will do my best to do as much of my Christmas shopping downtown as I can.
• I'll also try to support Saratoga Springs as much as my budget and health and fitness concerns allow by dining in our city's many great restaurants when I can.  I have yet to get to Maestro's since their move earlier this year, except for a recent fundraiser at the bar. Their large and beautiful porch is still going strong, with the addition of several heat sources, so perhaps my wife and I can get there for some late autumn alfresco dining.
• Finally, I will link a Times Union Places and Spaces blog entry about a beautiful old home for sale on North Broadway.  It was an interesting read, especially some of the comments.  Have a great week.

Yet even more Saratoga thoughts

OK, I guess my mind is working overtime lately.  More random thoughts:

• The Bonacio Market Center development at Division and Railroad Place sure is taking shape and making its presence felt in that neighborhood.  People complain about development in Saratoga Springs, and while it shouldn't happen without some oversight, we should be grateful that our city, poor economy or not, constantly has new construction occurring.  I've said it many times before, so many other cities would kill to have our "problems".  I took some pictures of the structure, but I'm having trouble downloading them.  So just imagine a lot of steel and concrete hanging over that corner.
• Saratoga is a pedestrian friendly city - sort of.  There may be nice places to walk and plenty of sidewalks, but you're taking your life into your hands once you step on the street - regardless of whether you have the right of way or not.  Some drivers in this city, especially, but not exclusively, during track season, drive like maniacs and pedestrians are invisible to them.
• I attended the presentation Wednesday evening by NYRA Race Track historian Paul Roberts, who gave what was essentially a powerpoint presentation on the history of the Saratoga Race Course buildings and development.  It was good and interesting, but it felt like a little bit of a sales pitch for public support for NYRA and the association's plans for the track. A preemptive strike, if you will, against any emotional outcries against change.  I'm OK with NYRA these days - sure they make some missteps - but they are much better than they used to be and they are running a successful program with three aging facilities in a dying sport.  I'll give credit where credit is due and recognize what they have accomplished. 
• Speaking of those NYRA plans, did you see that they inlcude removing the tent along the rail (The "At The Rail Pavilion") past the finish line and adding a permanent structure there?  I've heard rumor it will be a multifloor structure with a restaurant on top.  They also plan to add a permanent structure at the top of the stretch, among other changes. 
• I am enjoying reading The Saratoga Special, the daily Saratoga Race Course focused newspaper available for free at the track and various other establishments around town.  It is run by former steeplechase jockey Sean Clancy and his brother Joe Clancy.  I especially like the "Worth Repeating" section, which is a list of interesting and often funny quotes of people around the race track.   BTW, my wife and I are presently reading Saratoga Days, the book that Sean Clancy wrote about 12 years ago about his life in Saratoga as a steeplechase jockey.  It is a really enjoyable read for anybody who loves Saratoga and Clancy's passion is infectious.  

 

• Staying on the subject of books about Saratoga Horse Racing, Brendan O'Meara recently released his book Six Weeks in Saratoga, How Three Year Old Filly Rachel Alexandra beat the boys and Became Horse of the Year.  Brendan will be signing copies at the Saratoga Visitors Center from 3-5pm today, and you can also get copies at Barnes & Noble and Saratoga Saddlery.
• I ate at Leon's Mexican Restaurant on Crescent Street near the track the other day.  There was nothing wrong with my dinner, just nothing great either.  In this economy, and with three other Mexican restaurants within a mile of Leon's, I think a place has to be really fantastic to do well. 
• Speaking of restaurants, with all of the vacancies and turnover of restaurants in this town, I am still disappointed nobody has opened a really great seafood restaurant.  Angelo, are you reading this?
• I have been hearing Patrick Donges reporting on WAMC radio.  It is good to hear the former Saratogian reporter doing well in his chosen profession.
• I posted my review last week on The Saratoga Life on the locally filmed movie Virgin Alexander.  At my request, Tim Dawkins wrote a fantastic review on the movie and I posted it on the Times Union's Saratoga Springs residents' blog.
• Kyle York, whom is a regular commenter on this and other blogs as well as a regular attendee at city hall meetings, has some thoughts on Saratoga's 9/11 Memorial - he asked me to provide a link which I am doing here.
• Saratoga Springs has been the site of what I'll call immoral and sometimes illegal vices since the times even before the famed Revolutionary War battle here, and those vices involve more than just gambling.  Some things haven't changed over the years, decades, centuries, and an ad appearing every day on the front page of The Pink Sheet reads "Adore Escort Services - Ready, Willing & Waiting..."
• I heard an apropos description of Hidden Gardens Extraordinary Floral Design Antiques - the place on Maple Avenue between the police station and the City Center with several rusted statues and other odd pieces out front. My friend was trying to explain it to me and he said "You know, the place that looks like Sanford & Son."  Funny.

Whew! I thought I had 4 thoughts tops.  OK folks, have a great weekend and don't lose too much at the track.

Saratoga thoughts - May 2, 2011

Here we go with some random thoughts for the week:

• Downtown Saratoga Springs, as well as the Beekman Street disrict, sure had plenty of people coming to the Mardi Gras Festival or just to enjoy the great weather this weekend.  My wife Margarita and I strolled into The Wine Bar for dinner at 9:40PM Saturday, not thinking a reservation was needed, and they told us they had no tables available.  We had never been to The Wine Bar so we were a bit disappointed, not to mention surprised at having difficulty getting a table at a relatively late hour in April, but we had a nice dinner over at One Caroline Instead.
• The Oklahoma Training Track likewise was a hubbub of activity this weekend.  There were a number of large trucks that came in carrying a lot of racehorses.  The Kentucky Derby is five days away, summer will come soon after that, and then of course the Saratoga Race Course season.  Good times ahead!
• I ran by Dine Restaurant Saturday and was surprised to see it was still open.  You may recall back in March that the owners of Cafe Capriccio in Albany announced that they would be opening in the Dine location after the sale of the place. 
• With the nice weather comes an increase in outdoor activities - including two 5K road races being held this month in the Saratoga Spa State Park - the KLavoy5K will be held this Saturday, May 7th at 8am and SPAC's second annual "Rock & Run", which I enjoyed running last year and hold the course record in the slow and chubby guy category, will be held on Sunday May 22, 2011 at 10:30am. 
• I wrote about PJ's Barbecue planned remodeling and year round schedule last Wednesday, and the Saratogian had a more in-depth article on it with an interview with PJ himself in yesterday's edition.

 

• Patrick Donges has left The Saratogian for a job with WAMC, Northeast Public Radio, in Berkshire County, Massachusetts.  He seemed like a hard worker and I believe did a very good job for our local newspaper.  I wish him well.
• I went with a large group out to DiDonna's Restaurant on Saratoga Lake yesterday for breakfast.  The food was good and their dining room has a great view of the lake.  The problem was that they just didn't handle our large party (9 adults, 4 kids) well and there was what seemed like a 15 minute span from when the first breakfast came out and the last breakfast.  I realize that's a large party, but as a former short order cook I nonetheless thought they needed to have it more together.   We still enjoyed the place overall and will give it another go at some point.  You may recall the T-U did a nice review of DiDonna's back in March.   
• I just noticed that Empire State College has installed "Blue Phones" on their Union Avenue property - I assume they did the same at the West Avenue location as well. Blue Phones are emergency phones that automatically dial police or security when picked up or are otherwise activated - they're often installed specifically as a level of protection against sexual attacks on college campuses.  Wheras Empire State College does not have a traditional student body attending classes on campus, they nonetheless do have staff leaving in the dark (especially during the winter when it's dark by 4:30) and I assume other evening events, so this extra level of protection is certainly a good thing.   BTW the blossoms are out on the college's Union Avenue property and they look and smell beautiful. 

 

Well as usual I have more to write but not enough time, so this is it for now.  Have a great week.

Saratoga thoughts

OK it's been a few weeks since I last threw out some random thoughts.  Here we go:

• It's great that both the Oklahoma Track and PJ's Barbecue are open.  I've been to the former already, but not the latter.  I need my PJ's Barbecue and the soonest I can get there is Friday.  Hmmmm good Catholic or PJ's Barbecue...decisions...decisons. 
• 
• Getting back to the Oklahoma Track - I have heard that NYRA is considering ways to give the public more access there - and that would be a great thing.  It's such a gem and seeing all of those horses train in the morning is such a wonderful experience, but there are so few of us, namely horse owners,  that have that privilege.  I would like to see them open up the Oklahoma Track, not charge anything, and watch how that increases both springtime and early summer visits to Saratoga and attendance at the track in July and August.  With all the kids that will be there, they will be creating new fans for decades.
• If I thought that seeing the signs announcing Borders' closing sales were depressing, then seeing that building now sitting there all dark and empty is downright morbid.  Let's hope the predictions that it will be filled soon are true - Broadway and downtown needs such a prominent location filled. 
• Hot Dog Charlie's has bacon cheese fries????  Why didn't anyone tell me that?

 
 

• Speaking of fries, the new McDonalds is sure taking shape.  It's two stories and situated very close to the road (South Broadway).  As far as McDonalds buildings go, it seems like it will certainly be a noticeable improvement from the old one.

 

• I had a sandwich recently at the new Sangwych on Putnam Street.  It was good, but the problem is that I'm trying to eat healthier and eating a pile of meat on a soft processed flour bun is not exactly my idea of healthy (please conveniently ignore what I previously said about PJ's and my love for bacon cheese fries). My idea of a good sandwich is the Angelina's Apples turkey sandwich from The Bread Basket.  It's filling, but the on-site baked fresh bread and the apples give it a healthy feel.  I do hope Sangwych does well and I will be back, but at reasonable intervals.
• Speaking of that stretch of Putnam Street, I was walking past The Putnam Den with my wife about 7:30 last night and the bar had an outdoor tent party going with several bands and a large crowd.  A check of Putnam Den's web site told me the the band Rusted Root was playing at 9PM.  From the looks of the crowd, sound of the music, the "hemp oil organic pizza crust" being offered, and finally, the Saratoga Springs Police arrest I witnessed nearby of a few attendees, I'd say that location had more pot last night than the entire rest of the county.  People were having fun dancing and several other pedestrians joined us along the alley watching the band and listening to the very good music. Good for Putnam Den for bringing in a national act with a loyal following.
•  
• It's time for Congress Park Center to fix their clock.  The one facing Broadway is about 12 minutes off from the one facing Congress Avenue.  This is a hard hitting blog folks, reporting on the stories that really matter. 60 Minutes has got nothing on me. 

 

• Some restaurant snippets:  I had good meals recently at Cantina and Limoncello. I walked by Dine last night and was surprised it was still open, considering the owners of the Abany Restaurant Cafe Capriccio plan to open up in that location in May.  Both Forno Bistro and Chianti will be closed for Easter.  Is it just me, or does Primo's, in the Inn at Saratoga, seem like it's well below the local radar.  I have heard good things about it, it's just that I easily forget it is there.  Well maybe we'll give it a try sometime soon. 
• Continuing on with local food establishments, I got an email a while back that said "how about showing johnny's some love! The best ice cream shop in saratoga!!!" Well there you go - I gave Johnny's some love.  Have a great day folks.

Saratoga thoughts

Here are some of my random thoughts on what I hope is one of the last snowy days of the year.  Hey a guy can dream can't he?

• My wife and I made it to the dance flurry last weekend.  It is of course a great multi-cultural event that brings a lot of people to Saratoga Springs.  While there, I had a chance to check out the new additions at the City Center and, while I can't say there's anything pretty about a couple of boxey rooms, they certainly made formerly underutilized space very functional. It will be good for attracting larger groups so I was happy to finally get a look at it.  BTW, thank you Joe Bruno for the state funds to make that happen.
• I thought it was pretty cool when Saratoga Springs was featured on The Price is Right last week.  While watching, besides noting that Drew Carey looked extremely uncool, I wondered why NYRA and Saratoga Springs didn't promote Saratoga's spotlight on the show earlier in the week just to get the tons of free press leading up to it.  Maybe The Price is Right had some sort of clause that they couldn't announce it until a certain time, but if not then I think it should have received better promotion ahead of time. 
• I was on Long Island recently and I had a really fantastic brunch at a nice place on a little cove on the north shore.  I will post two pictures below, one a close up, of this real nice dish I had with eggs benedict served, not on an English muffin, but a cake of hash browns.

 

 

 

It was every bit as delicious as it looks.  So what's my point?  Beverly's serves a great breakfast, but does anyone in town serve a high-end brunch?  I understand the Gideon Putnam has a buffet brunch on Sundays but I haven't been there for it - I would like to try it one of these days.  If anyone has been to the Gideon for brunch please let us know how it is, or if anyone else knows of a good brunch place in Saratoga please comment.

• On that last question about a good brunch place, I hope nobody said "Boston Market".  That being said, the Saratoga Springs location was part of the chain's recent efforts to "enhance the customer's experience... blah, blah, blah".  Basically, rather than giving you your turkey and marshmallow sweet potatoes McDonald's style, they will instead give you real plates and table service now.  Boston Market's food seems so loaded with salt and sugar, but for about 8 bucks I can get a halfway decent meal with vegetables in it, so it's a good occasional choice.  The real china and table service doesn't really make a difference to me - just give me my chicken and leave me alone, but, whatever.
• Staying on that stretch of South Broadway, It looks like Duo Japanese Cuisine and Lounge will be opening up in the first half of March.  I stopped by there week and the inside looks great and, to keep using a word I use often to describe the place, funky.   I will post two pictures, before and after, of the place and in the second (more recent) photo you will notice that they are presently hiring and that they did some work on the windows.  They did a ton of work on the inside so give these guys credit for effort and vision at this point.

 

• Speaking of Asian restaurants, did you know that Sushi Thai Garden now delivers?  They apparently started doing so a couple of months ago. I think they are the best asian restaurant in town so adding delivery is a good thing for lazy bloggers like me.
• Best Sandwich in town?  Ben and Bill's Deli at the Ballston Avenue Price Chopper, hands down.