Fun in Saratoga

Check out this weekend's offerings in Saratoga Springs

I wrote an entry on the Times Union's residents' blog about lots of fun stuff happening this weekend.  Sure it's cold but the whole point of my entry was that we are fortunate to have so many entertainment options so get out of the house this weekend and check out what this great city has to offer.

Banana Cream Crunch and more at Virgil's House

 Check out this wee's special from Virgil's House:

 

 

BANANA CREAM CRUNCH- ONLY  $3.50

Regularly $4.99

 

 

Stonefield  Farms Creamy Organic Vanilla Yogurt
Layered with fresh bananas and

Topped with crunchy bran.

 

Come in and take advantage of a great price on a great snack

and it's good for you too!!

Just print out this coupon and stop to see us at

 

 

Offer expires 2/5/10

Saratoga Springs Farmers' Market News

I am copying below the weekly email from the Saratoga Springs Farmers Market:

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Saratoga Springs Farmers' Market January 29, 2010     ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Market News: ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Live Music this week will be provided by pianist Katie kuhn.  Katie is a new artist for our market, but she comes with a large fan club and we are thrilled to have her with us this Saturday! Ana Mae and her jams are taking January off to replenish stock.  ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Thank you to all who contributed to ACTION AGAINST HUNGER--HAITI RELIEF!  The market table took in over 400.00 that was sent to Action Against Hunger--Haiti Relief.  This organization is tops in providing food and water during crisis situations.  They were one of the first organizations to get water and food to Haitians after the quake and their headquarters are in NYC.  ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The Market Table now has hot chocolate and tea for sale!  We continue to provide "market money" (tokens) for those short on cash, but are carrying credit cards or EBT cards. Please note that the market pays a per swipe fee overhead for this service.  It would be appreciated that people keep their cc swipes to $10 or more.   Market tote bags (canvas and insulated),  t-shirts and Gift Certificates are available!    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Parking is on the both sides of the school.  Please, no parking next to sidewalk in the front.  Parking in front of the school should be for our senior citizens and those with physical limitations.  If you can walk easily, leave the spaces in front for our patrons who cannot.  Thank you. Keep warm! Vendor Infomercials ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ We at the famers market LOVE OUR MARKET and we are going to be celebrating this for the next month with various offerings by different vendors.  Market Table will be offering samples of Famers' Market Chowder starting at 10:30am. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Buy the Local Living Guide : : Good for your Wallet. Good for your Community. www.locallivingguide.com Become a Fan | facebook.com/locallivingguide ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ If you haven't already:    ENTER THE  VALENTINE MARKET BASKET RAFFLE !! Come to the market table to enter.  $2/entry, or 3 entries for $5.  Look at all you will win if your name is drawn 11:30 am Feburary 13 FOOD PRODUCTS & SUNDRY  GOODS: *  Saratoga Peanut Butter Company, One Jar Plain Jane Creamy Peanut Butter *  Joy of the Journey Farm, Talc-Free Powdr, Wintergrn/Peppermint/Eucalyptus *  Solively,Jar of Olive Tapanade *  Frenchy Loeb Jewelry, Be My Valentine Necklace and Earring Box Set GIFT CERTIFICATES & COUPONS *  Pleasant Valley Farm, One Produce Item from their Gift List *  Bridge to Health, Jodi Kelsch, 15 Minute Massage *  Saratoga Potato Chips, 2 Bags of Potato Chips *  Elihu Farm, Two (2) Dozen Eggs *  Sheldon Farm, 10 lb. Bag of White Potatoes *  Brookside Farm, Package of Gound Beef *  West Village Market, $10 Gift Certificate in Baked Goods *  Argyle Cheese Factory, $5 Gift Certificate towards Cheese *  Longview Farm, $20 Gift Certificate OVER $150.00 IN MARKET PRODUCT!!   ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ RECIPE OF THE WEEK ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  Shrimp and Spinach Chowder   It's Chowder Time in the Spa City!  There is nothing like a good cup of chowder on a cold winter day to make you appreciate the warmth food can generate.  This chowder is so simple to make and yet it provides a delicious one-bowl meal.  Full of spinach and shrimp with just the right touch of lemon and nutmeg, it sets the tastes senses into orbit.  It is made even better when one uses local fresh spinach, potatoes, carrots, onion, herbs, milk and cream found at the Market.Sorry, but you will have to go to the store for the shrimp and herbs.  (True Locavores can substitute local chicken for the shrimp and vegetarians can omit meat altogether!)   Soup Base: 4 cups low salt chicken broth (or vegetable broth) 1/2 cup yellow onion, grated 1/2 cup carrot, grated  (I will often use frozen local corn in I have it on hand as well) 3 c red potatoes, cut in chunks (approx 1 lb) 1 t. kosher salt 1/2 t. fresh ground pepper 1/4 t. fresh grated nutmeg White Sauce: 6 T. unsalted butter 6 T. flour 1 cup cold milk Soup Add ins: 8 cups fresh spinach, stemmed, cut into ribbons (~4 bags at the market) 1/2 lb. medium shrimp, peeled and devined red pepper to taste 2 cups heavy cream, room temperature Garnish with lemon zest curls   Simmer all the ingredients of the soup base in a stockpot for 15 minutes.  For the white sauce, melt the butter in a saucepan, remove from heat and whisk in flour until smooth.  Whisk in milk into butter mixture and put back on stove over low heat.  Keep stirring to prevent lumps and cook for 2 minutes and immediately pour into simmering soup base, continuing to stir.  Add the spinach and shrimp to the soup, cooking approximately 3 minutes.  Remove from heat and stir in cream and red pepper (to taste).  Garnish with the lemon zest curls.  This will serve 8 cups of soup. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The Saratoga Farmers' Market is open for its winter season, Nov.-April, Saturdays 9a-1p at the Division Street School in Saratoga Springs, NY. (go to our website for a map to our winter location.) For more info go to www.saratogafarmersmarket.org

Mino's closed by state tax officials

From the Table Hopping blog - Mino's Japanese Bistro has been seized and closed by state tax officials for failure to pay state sales tax.  Apparently the owner is opening a new restaurant in Ballston Spa.

Gitch Yer Swagger on

Or, my alternate heading: Why you should stop getting $13 haircuts at a chain salon in a strip mall.

I was on Caroline Street last week and found myself in front of Swagger, the cool barber shop ("haircuts and whatnot") with just the right amount of attitude at 40 Caroline Street across from D'Andrea's Pizza. (ADDED: Swagger has since moved to 15 Ballston Avenue across from Pizza Hut, Starting Gate Bar & Grill, and Strike Zone Bowling Alleys) 

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I knew I'd love the place the second I walked in.  In fact, I felt like an idiot for not discovering it sooner.  The wait at Swagger is 90% of the reason I will keep going there.  First of all, the music they play is more than just cool, it's just a great and unique mix and style.  I thought at first it was simply a Country/Southern Rock/Rockabilly mix, which itself would have been fantastic, but then I heard some Bee Gees and some vintage B-52's (pre "Love Shack", thankfully) and I knew I found my haircut home for the next few decades. 

  
If the music didn't sell me, then the decor, with great photos as well as movie and music related posters and other just cool stuff, would have done the trick.  Have I mentioned yet that the place was cool?  Finally, when my eventual, ummm I guess barber, Jenn (let's just say she's very different from the barbers I had when I was a kid, that's for sure), offered me a beer, I was in Caroline Street Utopia (at least Caroline Street afternoon utopia - later in the evening my Caroline Street utopia involves bars and even later it involves Esperanto, but I digress).  And it's not mainstream and wimpy Bud Light or Corona they offer - nope - Swagger offers Pabst Blue Ribbon and Schlitz beer - the same blue collar cheap stuff with a bite that I used to steal from my Dad 25 years ago.  Good brew, and it fits right in there.

 

Owned by Daniel Breen, who mans the other barber chair, Swagger is open Monday through Saturday from roughly 10am-7pm, with the exact hours a bit flexible depending on the number of appointments,  which are recommended (518-260-2112), but walk ins are welcome and they will do their best to fit you in.  Swagger offers haircuts ($18) and shaves (the "whatnot" I guess).  Jenn is also available to cut womens' hair, Dan sticks to mens' cuts and picking the music.  Oh and BTW not only was the experience great, so was the cut.  My boss says I look great - asks me if I'm losing weight.  Support your local cool business and go there soon!

 

Click here for a Saratogian write-up on Swagger.  Click here for some well written reviews on Yelp.

ADDED - The T-U's Saratoga Seen blog just linked this entry -  Thanks Christen!

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Blogger enjoys Bettie's Cakes

I've never seen the Heather Eats blog before, but it looks fun. She recently stopped by Bettie's Cakes and blogged about her experience there.

 

Click here for my original entry on Bettie's Cakes.

Blog links

I am posting a couple of blog links from the T-U's Table Hopping and Saratoga Seen blogs, respectively:

• Saratoga Chowderfest to feature 50+ restaurants this year
• Racino won't be open 24-7

Click here for my previous entry on Chowderfest and the Bartenders' Ball.

Maestro's Super Sunday $5 entree deal

For information on Maestro's January 2nd 2011 $5 entree specials, click here.

I just received the following email from Chef John LaPosta from Maestro's Restaurant:

Maestros "A Fine American Bistro"  371 Broadway, Saratoga Springs, NY 12866 518.580.0312   www.saratogamaestros.com

Super Sunday $5 Entree Deal    Sunday February 7th  Maestro's "A Fine American Bistro"  Greetings! The $5 five o'clock entree has just been made even better! Join us Sunday February 7th for our Super Sunday $5 entree special! Reservations are highly recommended, we sell out fast, Three Seatings All $5 Entrees 5:00pm.....6:30pm.....8:00pm    Menu for Super Sunday $5 Entree Deal    Red Wine Braised Beef Brisket Braised purple cabbage, boiled red potatoes   Roasted Free Range Chicken Mashed potatoes, winter vegetables, chicken jus Baked Cod Scrod Parmesan crust, asiago grits, wilted spinach, tomato chive vinaigrette Winter Vegetable Risotto Grana Padano risotto with winter vegetables   Each Just $5      Remember there are a few rules! 1. Your entire party must be here to be seated and you must be seated on time 2. Sorry no take out 3. You can order as many entrees as you wish but they are all served together 4. No split plates, or checks and only 1 credit card per table 5. You must show up with the full number of guests reserved for 6. No other discounts or coupons including simply certificates  Sincerely,   John LaPosta Maestro's "A Fine American Bistro" 518.580.0312

Save 25% Enjoy lunch with us and receive a 25% discount on your entire check. Limit 1 coupon per table. Limit of up to 4 guests Offer Expires: May 1st 2010

Think Spring! Think Kentucky Derby!

It's almost February, which means winter is approaching the halfway point.  I enjoy each day, but I do finid myself looking forward to winter's end and spring's beginning during late January and February.  Thinking about the Kentucky Derby can be a fun diversion during a cold winter day, and I enjoy reading Michael Veitch's articles in The Saratogian about up and coming horses that may make things happen on Derby Day.  Veitch's article in today's edition is about just that, and I am posting it here for a winter day diversion.

Live NYRA web chat this Friday night January 29, 2010

From NYRA:

NYRA EXECUTIVE VP HAL HANDEL TO PARTICIPATE IN LIVE WEB CHAT     The NYRA Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Hal Handel will participate in a live web chat on Friday, January 29 at 8:00 p.m. EST.    Handel joined NYRA in September of 2007 and has held executive roles at Philadelphia Park , Monmouth Park, and the Meadowlands. He has previously served as the Chairman of the Thoroughbred Racing Protective Bureau, President of Thoroughbred Racing Associations, and Trustee of the American Horse Council. Handel brought a legal background to the racing industry, having been Deputy Attorney General for the State of New Jersey Organized Crime & Special Prosecutions Unit and also the New Jersey Racing Commission.    Fans interested in carrying on a live dialogue with Handel may log on to http://www.nyra.com/livechat beginning this Friday at 8 p.m. No pre-registration is necessary and users may simply type questions and comments in the chat field at the bottom of the page for Handel to address.

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