Fun in Saratoga

New Year's Eve Specials at Mazzone Restaurants

The Table Hopping blog has the details here.

Is Van Halen coming to SPAC in 2012?

I don't know the answer to that question, but the popular rock band did just announce an "extensive" 2012 tour to celebrate the band's 40th anniversary (can that be true?  Are they - and we - that old?).  In any event the tour will be led by David Lee Roth, which is the Van Halen that I remember - so that is very cool.  Let's hope they make a SPAC visit - or two.  Marcia are you reading this?  Live Nation?  Let's hope.

 

The Cupcake Lab is reopening and other Saratoga Thoughts and news - December 27, 2011

OK, here we go with the last "Thoughts" post for 2011:

• Great news!  The Cupcake Lab is reopening - on Broadway no less.  Credit the You Idiot blog for catching the news off Facebook. According to The Lab's web site, it will now be called "Elizabeth's".   I was just thinking about Mike and Liz Phillips, the owners of the Cupcake Lab, and how their high quality food made from scratch will be missed.  The new location is a thousand times better in my book, and I am looking forward to getting some great food for a casual yet satisfying dinner on cold winter nights.  It's good to report about a restaurant opening rather than a closing.
• Speaking of the You Idiot Blog, it's gone five days now without dropping an F-bomb.  The over/under is seven, in case you were wondering.
• I noticed a couple of weeks ago that they are extending the Raiload Avenue Bike Path through the YMCA property all the way to RT 50 (Ballston Ave) across from the Saratoga Spa State Park Golf Course. The path now runs along the Y's New Street entranceway and the addition continues on  through the woods basically hugging the border of the Espey Manufacuring property, then takes a turn southeast ending at Ballston Ave maybe 2/10 of a mile NE of West Ave.  It looks like it will be a nice addition to something that is already great for walking, biking, and even rollerblading. 

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• I want to like the idea of Saratoga Beer Week, but I'm sort of turned off that Saratoga.com/Mannix Marketing is driving the bus here.  Am I missing something, or should the Chamber, Convention and Tourism Bureau, or the Downtown Business Association be taking the lead on bringing festivals and other events to Saratoga Springs?  Again, I am for the idea, just wondering out loud if there is a vision and leadership void being exposed here.  I sense this will bring some spirited comments but I'm just writing what I'm thinking. 
• I am hoping to get to Siro's Trattoria at the Lodge sometime this winter.  I'm curious as to how much business it will get this winter and wondering how the betting situation there is working out.  You can check out Siro's Trattoria web site here, and the Facebook page here.

This little ol' blog celebrated its five year anniversary this month!  Thanks for all of the readers and commenters that have been so supportive of me during that time.  Well, hope to see everyone at First Night - it is such a great event and is somewhat unique to Saratoga Springs.  Have a great week and a great new year!

Merry Christmas

Sure times are tough and things are far from perfect, but we have a lot to be grateful for.  Have a wonderful Christmas and New Year.  I hope to resume blogging this week.

Breakfast with Santa at Saratoga Hilton on 12/24

Breakfast with Santa at Saratoga Hilton on 12/24.

Hattie’s Mardi Gras benefit set for Jan. 14

Hattie’s Mardi Gras benefit set for Jan. 14.

Wishing Well running 12 Days of Christmas giveaways

Wishing Well running 12 Days of Christmas giveaways.

First look: Prime Bar & Grill in Clifton Park

First look: Prime Bar & Grill in Clifton Park.

Roosevelt Inn for sale and more Saratoga Thoughts

Here we go, more with news snippets than thoughts:

• I was driving up RT 9 from Exit 13 yesterday and I noticed that the Roosevelt Inn and Suites had a Roohan Realty sign out front.  Is this new, or has that sign been there for a while?  Well, in any event, that location is technically in the town of Malta and not Saratoga Springs, but as the Roohan Realty Listing says, it's the gateway to the city.  I hate to see any more signs of instability in the local hospitality industry but that's the reality we are dealing with right now. 
• I'm on the mailing list for the band The October Circle, which is playing this Friday at Gaffney's. Here is their message:  We'll be playing our last show of the year this Friday Night, December 16th at Gaffney's (16 Caroline St) in Saratoga. 
  It promises to be quite an extravaganza, although we'll spare you an overload of Holiday music (we like to leave that to the malls and radio stations)!  What we will have is plenty of great music, great dancing and great booze . . . How great is that?  The answer . . .
  pretty great indeed!  The show starts at 10 pm, so make sure you rest up, while visions of sugarplums dance in your heads!
• Saratoga Olive Oil is offering pashmina shawls with any order over $75.00.  Click here for more information.
• I hate to give downtown merchants any competition, but this is Saratoga related so I'll pass along the fact that the Saratoga Spa State Park is selling clothing and other items such as keychains and mugs with the park's name on them, which they suggest would make nice gifts.  Stop by the Administration Building lobby from 8am-4:30pm or call 584-2000 to find out more.
• If a Saratoga Spa State Park sweatshirt doesn't fit the bill, then maybe a nice gift basket from Putnam Market will. 
• I got some real nice gifts from G. Williker's recently.  They have high quality and intelligent toys, which are something very different from the stuff you'd get at Wal-Mart.

• The Times Union reviewed Sangwych in Sunday's edition.  The headline read "Not Even Half a Loaf", and it criticized the bread and "lack of attention to detail", among other things.  I had just an OK experience there last April, that I reported on here.
• The T-U also had a nice article on the new distillery planned for Saratoga Springs.
• As I previously indicated, the construction appears to be starting on PJ's Barbecue.  I saw a bunch of orange tape around the building when I drove by yesterday. 

Well, that's it for now.  Have a great week.

Grey Gelding owners to open Hudson Falls eatery.

The Post-Star has the story here:  share.