Fun in Saratoga

The Wine Bar has a $20 three course menu on Tuesdays and Wednesdays

Chef John Ireland announced both via a comment on here as well as his blog (which also has the menu posted) that The Wine Bar will offer a three course $20 menu on Tuesdays and Wednesdays starting this Tuesday March 2nd.  This sounds pretty good, but still doesn't match up with the $5 specials offered by Maestro's and now Max London's.

Read my previous review of The Wine Bar here. 

Click here for my previous entry on the cheese offerings at The Wine Bar.

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Carly Simon reveals subject of song "You're so vain", which has a Saratoga reference

OK Carly, but who's the horse that naturally won?

Well, this is obviously a gimmick to sell Ms. Simon's newest album, which not so coincidentally will be released next week and has a reworked version of her 1973 #1 hit song "You're so vain" but...hey, anything with a Saratoga reference is fun to me.  The singer kept people guessing for nearly four decades as to who the subject of her ire was in the song.  Most of you probably know the Spa city reference when she sang "Well I hear you went to Saratoga, where your horse naturally won".  Many famous men were suspected to be the, for lack of a better term, jerk of the song, including but not limited to former hubby James Taylor, as well as Mick Jagger, Warren Beatty, Kris Kristofferson, Cat Stevens, and a few others. Ms. Simon revealed recently that it wasn't any of them, but apparently record producer David Geffen. 

Now you can sleep better at nights.  And all these years I thought she was singing about the Riggis.

Groundhog, Schmroundhog - PJ's opens in 7 weeks which means spring is almost here!

Don't let those piles of dirty snow out your window fool you, spring is just about three, yes three, weeks away.  My favorite sign of spring (and summer!) is the opening of PJ's Barbecue - Saratoga Springs' most fun restaurant - which will occur exactly seven weeks from today on April 17th.  PJ's web site has a countdown meter til the opening, which as of this morning shows happening in 49 days.  Another sign of Spring and summer will also happen about that time - the opening of the Oklahoma training track.  Woohooo!

 

Newsletter from the Springwater Inn

In what is apparently a new communications approach to Peter and Leslie DiCarlo at the Springwater Inn, they just put out an e-newsletter that I am copying below:

The Springwater Inn Saratoga's East Side Neighborhood Bistro & Bar corner of Union & Nelson 584-5051 Greetings from The Springwater Inn! We have been getting technically more adept and are excited about being able to communicate so easily with all of you. We are a bit slow but hope to master updating our website in the next few weeks. Who says you can't teach an old dog new tricks? We've been busy this time of year working on improvements to both the front and back of the "house". Some, like new menu items, rotating microbrews and fresh flowers on the tables will be apparent; others like rearranging the kitchen and the addition of our daughter, Christina to our office staff will not, but we hope it all adds to your experience at the Springwater. For those of you that are keeping track- we did not have a February Gift Certificate winner- but we will have 2 for March next week. (Leslie dropped the ball...) The past snowstorm has made a lovely wonderland view out our windows and the fire is roaring- we look forward to seeing you.    Leslie & Peter           Winter Berries in our window boxes. Jeff Walton acoustic guitar in the Taproom every 1st & 3rd Wednesday Join our Mug Club!!! Get a hand engraved 21 oz glass mug. Enjoy:  special priced microbrews "Bartender's Dozen" (get your 13th free)  and  Special Events St. Patricks Day  at The Springwater means Corned Beef and Cabbage Guinness Specials and other fun Irish goodies with the music of Jeff Walton & Tim Wechgelaer from 7pm to 11pm Unsubscribe  [email protected] Forward to a friend | Update your profile Join us on Facebook!!! TO VIEW OUR MENU  Our mailing address is: 139 Union Ave Saratoga Springs, NY 12866 (518)584-5051 [email protected] Copyright (C)  2010 SpringWater Inn  All rights reserved.

Newsletter from the Springwater Inn

In what is apparently a new communications approach to Peter and Leslie DiCarlo at the Springwater Inn, they just put out an e-newsletter that I am copying below:

The Springwater Inn Saratoga's East Side Neighborhood Bistro & Bar corner of Union & Nelson 584-5051 Greetings from The Springwater Inn! We have been getting technically more adept and are excited about being able to communicate so easily with all of you. We are a bit slow but hope to master updating our website in the next few weeks. Who says you can't teach an old dog new tricks? We've been busy this time of year working on improvements to both the front and back of the "house". Some, like new menu items, rotating microbrews and fresh flowers on the tables will be apparent; others like rearranging the kitchen and the addition of our daughter, Christina to our office staff will not, but we hope it all adds to your experience at the Springwater. For those of you that are keeping track- we did not have a February Gift Certificate winner- but we will have 2 for March next week. (Leslie dropped the ball...) The past snowstorm has made a lovely wonderland view out our windows and the fire is roaring- we look forward to seeing you.    Leslie & Peter           Winter Berries in our window boxes. Jeff Walton acoustic guitar in the Taproom every 1st & 3rd Wednesday Join our Mug Club!!! Get a hand engraved 21 oz glass mug. Enjoy:  special priced microbrews "Bartender's Dozen" (get your 13th free)  and  Special Events St. Patricks Day  at The Springwater means Corned Beef and Cabbage Guinness Specials and other fun Irish goodies with the music of Jeff Walton & Tim Wechgelaer from 7pm to 11pm Unsubscribe  [email protected] Forward to a friend | Update your profile Join us on Facebook!!! TO VIEW OUR MENU  Our mailing address is: 139 Union Ave Saratoga Springs, NY 12866 (518)584-5051 [email protected] Copyright (C)  2010 SpringWater Inn  All rights reserved.

Mama Theresa's cooking classes coming up including one this Sunday

One more chance to sign up...

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Saratoga Springs Farmers' Market News February 26, 2010

I finally made it to the winter version of the Farmers' Market last week at the Division Street Elementary School. I have been to the market in previous years when they held it at the Salvation Army building. I'll get the bad out of the way first:  I hate the fact that the Division Street School location is not downtown.  The good is that the school offers a larger room (gymnasium) and there were a lot of people there and it had a very lively feel to it.   The Salvation Army location had a sedated feel to it, so even without the downtown location the school is an improvement. Here is this week's e-newsletter from the good folks at the market:

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Saratoga Springs Farmers' Market February 26, 2010     ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Special Cooking Demo this week!  Mary Turner will be cooking up some delicious sauteed celeric and onion.  Mary is incredibly passionate about fresh ingredients from local sources.  Her style is part regional with a Mediterranean flair.   "Much of what is available at farmers markets here in upstate New York is familiar to what I have seen in California and in Southern Europe.  The diversity is unique and deserves to be celebrated.  I am challenged and excited to be working in the arena of locally grown and produced products." ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Market News: ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ February is  Heart Healthy Month at the Market!!   This month at the market we are going to be featuring how much your heart belongs to and benefits from the market and its products. Check out our recipes each week and all our heart friendly featured products.  February is all about heart--may your's be healthy and strong! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~   Sheldon Farms' Market Raffle is hot!  Check out the raffle at Sheldon's table.  Lots of chances to win market gift certificates AND grand prize is DINNER FOR 2 AT MAX LONDON'S!!!  All proceeds to help defray costs of renting the gym at Division School. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Live Music-- Running the River will make their lively debut at the winter market!  This group is a favorite for the summer market and I am sure they will become likewise at the winter market.  Come and enjoy their great tunes. Ana Mae, Bridge to Health, Frenchy Loeb Jewelry and Solively will NOT be at the market. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 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! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ First meeting of the Friends of the Market will be this Saturday, Feb 27, at 1:45 at 28 Clinton St, courtesy of Mountain Media (near the downtown Price Chopper).  Contact Suzanne, at the market table or by email at [email protected] to let her know you can come (or are interested in being involved). ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ SARATOGA COUNTY FARM BUREAU RURAL URBAN DINNER ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ KEYNOTE SPEAKER: PATRICK HOOKER, NYS AG COMMISSIONER Friday, March 26 6pm--Guests Arrive, 7pm--Dinner PANZA'S RESTAURANT, Rte 9P, Saratoga Springs $20pp RSVP To NYFB Regional Office  866-995-7300 This dinner serves as a bridge for individuals outside of the agricultural community to network and interact with ag professionals.  The dinner has successfuly built relationships between farmers and no-farm neighbors in Saratoga County. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ RECIPE OF THE WEEK ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  Heart Healthy (from the kitchens at the Mayo Clinic) ORANGE ROSEMARY ROASTED CHICKEN The key to flavor and nutrition in chicken is being sure where you chicken "grew up".  At the Saratoga Farmers' Market you can be sure your chicken is pure meat, not full of water or hormones/chemicals, and raised in eco and bird-friendly bio-sustainable manner.  Chickens raised in such style provide wonderful meat, lean, full of protein and rich in flavor.  If you are worried about your heart, our vendors can tell you, their chickens are worry free wonders for culinary delight.  Enjoy this meal, guilt-free.  Its pure delectable wholesomeness!  Note, rosemary is a wonderful herb that contrasts beautifully with the sweetness of the orange juice, but use it as directed--too much is overpowering. Ingredients 3 skinless, bone-in chicken breast halves, each 6 ounces 3 skinless, bone-in chicken legs with thigh pieces, each 8 ounces 2 garlic cloves, minced 1 1/2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil 3 teaspoons fresh rosemary, minced, or 1 teaspoon dried rosemary 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 1/3 cup orange juice Directions Preheat the oven to 450 F. Lightly coat a baking pan with cooking spray. Rub each piece of chicken with garlic. Dab fingers in oil and rub with oil and sprinkle with rosemary and pepper. Place the chicken pieces in the baking dish. Pour the orange juice over the chicken. Cover and bake for 30 minutes. Using tongs, turn the chicken and return to the oven until browned, about 10 to 15 minutes longer. Baste the chicken with the orange juice from the pan as needed to prevent it from drying out. Transfer the chicken to individual serving plates. Spoon orange juice from the pan over the top of the chicken and serve immediately. Nutritional Analysis (per serving) Calories 170 Cholesterol 76 mg Protein 25 g Sodium 70 mg Carbohydrate 2 g Fiber 0 g Total fat 6 g Potassium 245 mg Saturated fat 1.5 g Calcium 16 mg Monounsaturated fat 3 g ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 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

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Saratoga Springs city taxes are due

It's another one of those don't blame the messenger posts.  City and county tax payments, whether it's the first quarter bill or the whole shebang, are due this coming Monday, March 1, 2010.  There is a discount for paying it all by March 1st, or looking at it differently there is a fee to pay it in quarterly installments.  If you are a Saratoga Springs property owner that did not receive a bill then go to the Commissioner of Finance office at city hall or call 518-587-3550 ext. 2552.  You can drop your payment off to city hall or get the envelope postmarked (not a meter mark) by March 1, 2010 to avoid late fees.  Click here  for the tax payment page on the Saratoga Springs city web site.

Tax payments may be mailed to the Commissioner of Finance, PO Box 328, Saratoga Springs, NY 12866-0328 or hand delivered to City Hall at 474 Broadway. The tax office is located on the first floor of City Hall, first door on the left when entering from Broadway. The office hours are Monday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Tuesday through Friday 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. All checks should be made payable to COMMISSIONER OF FINANCE.

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Tom Petty at SPAC

I found this off the Post Star's Saratoga Snippets blog.  The long and short of it is that Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers are performing at SPAC on August 27,  2010, and tickets will go on sale as early as March 5th. 

 

 

I went to the 2006 Petty show, and it was scary crowded with hordes of young people - inexplicably including teenagers who were probably in diapers the last time Petty had a hit.  Some of them were drunk and I smelled plenty of pot - it was an intimidating crowd to say the least.  What I will say is that I really didn't see outright problems but man the potential sure seemed there and I wrote at the time that the concert seemed oversold. Hopefully this year's concert's opening act, Crosby, Stills and Nash - who are great artists but not exactly Gen X heroes at ages 69, 65, and 68 respectively - will scare some of the kids away and make a more manageable crowd.  I mentioned that this year's Petty show is August 27th - Yep - the day before the Travers Stakes on August 28th.  Damn the Spa City will be nuts that weekend.

 

Click here for my previous entry about Tom Petty's multiple disc offering, which includes a live song performed at SPAC in 2002.  I would have to say that his album, yes, album, "Full Moon Fever" is probably one of the best albums I have ever owned.  I bought it in 1989 during the best times of my life (read: I was young, in college, and often drunk) and the whole album is great but I especially love the song "Runnin' down a dream."

Click here for information on the Doobie Brothers and Chicago performing at SPAC on July 3, 2010.

Click here for Dave Matthews at SPAC.

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Tom Petty at SPAC.

Finally! Another Saratoga Springs restaurant is offering a $5.00 deal

I was wondering when some of the other Saratoga restaurants would follow Maestro's creativity and realize that a $5.00 deal makes sense and gets people in the door to still spend some money on wine, dessert etc.  I've noticed that just about every restaurant in Saratoga is offering attractive specials, but the $5.00 deals at Maestro's and now Max London's are by far the best.  I found this on Steve Barnes' T-U Table Hopping blog.  He also had a few other Saratoga related entries today:

• Wine Dinner at Wishing Well

• Nutrition expert to speak at Skidmore