Fun in Saratoga

Saratoga is simply awesome!

Even on a dreary January day, living in Saratoga Springs is great!  Today was anything but dreary, and March really did go out like a lamb.  The sunny skies and the 50 something degree weather really picked me up.  It's amazing what you miss when you're always in a car. Although I convinced myself that I walk so much, my walking is, at least in the colder months, limited to an occasional stroll to Beverly's on Phila Street, and traverses to the bars on Caroline Street or the coffee places on Broadway.  It wasn't until today that I realized just how much there is to see on foot.  As the weather improves, I hope to discover more on my walks, runs, and bicycle trips.

What got me talking about this is that I did a 4-1/2 mile run from the new west side YMCA today.  I discovered a bicycle/walking path that I had read about in the past, but never went on, and I made my loop through Congress Park.  It was just a great run - the park had a lot of people in it enjoying the day and I really am glad I discovered the bike path.  I would like to give credit to both the designers and builders of that path. I love the fact that it is really two paths - an ashpalt path for bikers, walkers, and rollerbladers, and then a fine gravel path next to it (lots of pebbles) which is easy on the knees for runners, plus it has decent drainage.  Very well done!  I tried finding a map of it but was so far unable - I'll keep this positive and simply say the Saratoga Springs city government web site has a way to go.  The path isn't that long - maybe half a mile.  It goes from New Street/Congress Ave, across from the YMCA entrance, to West Circular Street - more or less behind the Ballston Ave Price Chopper.  Again I liked the fact that it was really two paths.

I will post several pictures of my run route below - although these pictures were from later in the day after I ran home to get my camera.  Some of them will be obvious, and some I will explain here.  I never saw that staircase, which is apparently a memorial, that went from the south side of the park up to the Holiday Inn north parking lot.  It was a really nice touch to that area of the park, although because it was so late in the day the lighting wasn't ideal, so it may be dark.  I have a few of the bikepath (thank you to the fella who posed with the kids on their bikes) and then a few of the YMCA and what apparently is the beginnings of another bike path (I believe an eventual extension of the other) which starts on West Ave and goes behind the YMCA.  I have mentioned before that the new Y is a bold and stately building - you will notice that they need a nice bold sign or lettering identifying the building - out front.  I am guessing that is in the works. 

George Fletcher's upcoming gigs

Coming up next week:

NEW VENUE! Thursday, April 5. The Tequila Mockingbirds at One Caroline Street.

Friday, April 6. The Tequila Mockingbirds at thirteen

Saturday, April 7 (DAYTIME). The Tequila Mockingbirds at the annual Greater Capital Region Guitar Show w/ The Buggs and The Brandon James Band!!

Coming late May/Early June: BLUE MONDAY at Doc’s Steakhouse.

Coming Sunday, June 3. 7th Annual Caroline Street Arts & Blues Fest (and Chili Cook-Off) starring Chicago blues legend, “Little” Sammy Davis and his band.

Coming in July: The Return of Dark Day Blues at Saratoga City Tavern with George Fletcher’s Bourbon Renewal. Every Tuesday, July 24 through August 28.

May we suggest you reserve Bourbon Renewal or The Tequila Mockingbirds for your Private Wingding, Backyard BBQ or Swinging Shindig now! Licensed in all 50 states! Call (518) 542-9985.

THANKS TO ALL OF OUR LOYAL FRIENDS AND FANS FOR VOTING THE TEQUILA MOCKINGBIRDS THE REGION’S “BEST ACOUSTIC DUO” IN THE METROLAND “2007 READER'S PICKS″ POLL

With everlasting love and gratitude,

Pete and George

The Saratogian and the Times Union

I will say the Saratogian has improved somewhat lately - more Saratogian editorials (as opposed to guest editorials or other newspapers' editorials) - and a web site with much more content to name a few things.  Nonetheless, as a fairly new resident of Saratoga Springs, I'm not only unimpressed, but still disgusted.  They went from abysmal to... somewhat less abysmal.  I truly believe that the folks at the Journal Register Company must be watching and listening because this modest improvement seemed to take effect soon after a number of local bloggers pointedly criticized this often unprofessional and sloppy publication.  I encourage my fellow bloggers to keep watching and overlooking - hey someone has to - and make sure your criticism includes a mention of the Journal Register Co.  I plan on doing some research in the coming weeks on that company, and just how we can best get their attention.  Maybe we need to do the same with some of the advertisers and subscribers of the Saratogian. 

On a related note, here is an article from the Albany Times Union about a new Theatre troupe moving to a new location in Saratoga Springs.  One of my constant criticisms of the Saratogian is that they are getting scooped on news happening sometimes within sight of their Lake Avenue headquarters, which often asks me if they have any pride as a newspaper.  This article in the T-U is yet another example of that.

Couple of Saratoga newslinks

Just in case you would like to get involved with Saratoga County's celebration of the 400th anniversary of Henry Hudson's voyage up the Hudson, the Times Union has some information on that in this article.

Also, the Saratoga Performing Arts Center (SPAC) announced they are celebrating the "grand reopening" of their newly refurbished center.  They apparently did some nice upgrades, the most noticeable one being the replacement of the 5,000 hard plastic seats with cushioned ones.  That's a nice step, and I have mentioned before on here that Marcia White is doing a great job in leading that organization.  Here is the Capital News 9 link on that story, which includes a video option. 

Saratoga Springs articles in Sunday Times-Union

Just in case you did not get the Sunday Times-Union, I am posting a couple of articles about issues that have been in the news a lot lately here in Saratoga Springs.  The first article is about Stewart's Shops plans to raze the gas station at the corner of 9P/Union and East Avenue, and the second article reports about Casino developer Steve Wynn dropping out of the competition for New York's racing franchise.

Saratoga thoughts and a question

OK, First of all check out I-Saratoga's entry on The Saratogian.  I have grown tired of posting on the Saratogian's laziness, sloppiness, lack of professionalism etc. but luckily others are on the watch.  Great Post, and please keep it up.

Music: I saw Tequila Mockingbirds at Dozer's just outside the city limits on Geyser Road last night.

(Map of Dozers Bar and Grill)

I was cutting over through there on my way back from Buffalo, and I caught George Fletcher and Pete Pashoukos' last two songs.  Great stuff.  Do yourself a favor and get out to see them some night.  I am reminded of a great quote that was in the Buffalo News several years ago - and I apologize if I am repeating this from an earlier post but I love this quote so much.  The Buffalo News reporter was interviewing the owner of a Brew Pub that was about to open in downtown Buffalo.  The reporter, noting that downtown Buffalo already had one brew pub, asked if downtown Buffalo could support two brew pubs.  The bar owner reacted in an almost angry way, and responded "Our competition is not other brew pubs!  Our competition is TV sets!  People need to get out of the house and enjoy what this city has to offer!"

I love that response, and the same advice applies right here in Saratoga Springs.  Go see one of George Fletcher's two bands some night, or some other musical act. 

Austin, Texas is known as the local music capital of the world, and you can find live acts in 20 bars on a Monday night - it's a great scene and a vibrant city. I don't know if we'll get live acts on a Monday here, but we have plenty on the weekends.  Tonight I plan on seeing Ernie Williams at Bailey's Cafe.

(Ernie Williams)

OK, finally, a request for a recommendation.  Anyone know a decent General practitioner Doctor in this area?  I have a Doctor way out in Rensselaer County and he's great, but it's a haul.  I'd like to get a GP closer to home - I'd like someone who is really up on modern medicine and obviously has good people skills etc.  I'm lucky enough to be healthy ,but I don't take it for granted, and I am getting pretty disciplined about physicals, tests etc.  It will be easier to be disciplined if I have a Doctor right here in town.  Thanks for any help you can give me - you can email me the info if you don't want it posted as a comment. 

If you're not on the Ruddys' email list...

...you won't have any idea what this posting is about, so disregard.  For the rest of you on the list - any mean thing I ever said about Jess was (1) true and (2) rather enjoyable to write.  Oh, she was accurate about the blackmail part, and it will be soon enough where she'll have herself in a spot (think embarassing if it gets out) and the only way to get out of it will be to let me write another email.  Ha ha I love winning.  Anywho - the real blog she should have directed you was to this one:  www.funsaratoga.typepad.com/albanydance - that one is more about the dance and music scene in Albany.  Take care folks in email land, and for the regular readers of this blog (both of you) sorry to have confused you.

Whole Foods followup

I just wanted to thank Blogmaster G for alerting me to the Times Union business article on Whole Foods.  I commented in the entry two down ("Saratoga thoughts") about how it would be good to get a Whole Foods in Saratoga Springs or at least somewhere in the Capital District, but didn't realize this article was out there.  Also, I like Blogmaster G's entry about donating to the much needed and anticipated refurbishing of Universal Preservation Hall, and I encourage you to read it.

Saratoga Room

I have been to the Saratoga Springs Public Library probably 30 times since moved here, and don't ask me how I missed "The Saratoga Room" off the second floor all those times.  Well, again, sometimes I'm oblivious to what is around me - see "Yum" entry below.

So anyway I did notice it this time and I walked in.  What a cool place - it's basically another historical society for Saratoga.  I never knew there were so many books that were about or had a relation to Saratoga.  In addition to the books they have maps, city directories of people from the late 1800s, old photographs, Skidmore yearbooks and other Skidmore items (BTW - did you know there was a short lived second college in Saratoga Springs in the 70s - but I forgot the name - anyone know?), documents and files organized by street, family name, buildings and many other ways.  Always looking for a way to procrastinate on my workouts, I thoroughly enjoyed looking through the books and files for over an hour. 

The staff is knowledgable and very helpful - they are true history buffs because they seemed excited to help me.  Well stop in and check it out someday - although they have limited hours - which is probably why I missed the room so often.  Yet another cool thing that makes this area special. 

Saratoga thoughts

Well, yea, the snow is no fun, but spring is four days away, and it might get to 60 degrees by next weekend, so I'll deal with it.  Hey at least we don't have much of a flooding problem here in Saratoga Springs - other areas aren't so lucky.  For those of you presently out of town, click on the picture below for the Capital News 9 story, with a video link, on the storm. 

On a different topic, I absolutely love the new West Avenue Saratoga YMCA.  It even surpassed my expectations - and they get extra credit for the outside, which has a real stately look to it as well.  I would post a picture of the outside, but I am having camera problems.  I will post a picture of it's gym below.  Note the well designed running track on the top.  The whole place is modern, spacious, comfortable and bright - just what I need when I am dreading my workouts, which will be about an hour after I finish this entry.  Now they really need to overhaul the Wilton branch, which really looks, and is, old and tired by comparison.

I love the new Y, but I still hate the Saratogian.  God what an awful newspaper.  I don't even want to go into it much anymore - although it wouldn't be redundant because they keep finding new and more awful ways to embarass themselves.  I used to ask if they had any pride - but I've come to the conclusion that they don't - so I'll stop asking.  Apparently the folks at the Journal Register Company don't care about quality either; it must be all about profits. 

Finally, ending on a positive, or at least hopeful, note, what do you think it would take to get a Whole Foods Supermarket in the Saratoga area?  I love those stores, but the closest one to Albany is probably in White Plains.  If you haven't ever been to one, they are just a joy to shop in - the food is fresh, healthy and just a little different (read: better) than the other supermarket chains.  Being from Buffalo, I am also a fan of Wegmans, but I don't see them coming here because they would have to compete with the established chains head on, whereas Whole Foods would carve out a niche.  Well, if you would like to contact them to lobby them to open one up around here (Clifton Park seems to make sense) they actually have a special email address to request new stores.  Please email them at that address and maybe we can get it done.