Fun in Saratoga

Sign up for one of eight Northshire Bookstore Reading Groups

I am copying an email below from Northshire Bookstore:

We are getting ready to launch eight reading groups in the new year!
Register now!

"Northshire Cookbook Reading Group" We will meet on the third Tuesday of every month beginning on January 16th at 6pm in the evening at Spring Street Gallery, 110 Spring Street.  If you love to cook, collect cookbooks, nosh on home prepared foods and talk of food and the kitchen, don't miss out on this irresistible group! Email Maureen Sager, [email protected] for more details.   "Truth and Tales Reading Group" Approaching each topic from a factual and then fictional perspective, the group will explore a myriad of topics from art, history, mythology, women's studies and religion by reading one book from an historical/biographical account, followed the next month by a fictional version of the same or similar topic. Email Maeve Noonan, [email protected] if you are interested in joining this group.   "Northshire Poetry Reading Group" Whether an anthology or work by an individual poet, each month, our poetry reading group will enjoy a new volume of poetry from which group members will choose a poem to be read aloud and then discuss. Contact Carol Graser at [email protected] to join.   "The Armchair Explorer's Reading Group" Travel the world with a selection of novels set throughout time and around the globe. Each month we'll explore a new country and discuss the characters and themes that make up the culture, giving each novel its unique atmosphere.Please contact Amelia Stymacks, [email protected], for more information.   "The End of the World Reading Group" Is the end really near?  Explore a genre that may be predicting the future without even knowing it.  Prepare for post-apocalyptic worlds, the thrill of hostile takeovers, dangerous dystopias, and more. Consider the end of the world with Tara and Jess E as your knowledgeable guides! To register, contact Jess at [email protected] or Tara at [email protected]. "'WeAreNotTooOldForThis' Reading Group" Are "adult" books just not cutting it for you? Do you love reading about early life struggles, first loves, angst and dreams? Whether it be contemporary fiction, paranormal romance, or sci-fi adventure, booksellers Tara and Paige invite you to join like minded adult readers of YA fiction. Contact Tara at [email protected] or Paige at [email protected] for more info. "Knit Wits Reading Group" Knit Wits, Northshire's new reading group for knitters is here to save you from cold lonely winter nights - or at least one of them every month! Designed for knitters of every level, we will try new patterns and read new books!  We will explore books of all different genres, and new knitting projects each month. Leah suggests listening to the audio-book while working on your yarn project - improve your mind and your wardrobe at the same time! Please contact Leah, [email protected] for more information about this fun monthly group. "Reading Salinger Reading Group" Starting with the new biography, Salinger, by David Shields, this reading  group will then move on to explore the remainder of Salinger's fiction.  The initial meeting will take place on Monday, February 3rd,  at 7pm in "the Library"  of the Crown Grill in downtown Saratoga Springs, with future meetings on the first Monday of every month thereafter. Registration will be limited to 15. Please email Pat Friesen, [email protected] to enroll or receive additional information

Tickets are on sale now for three great upcoming events!

Friday, November 15, 7:30 pm, Holiday Inn Saratoga:  Mitch Albom, The First Phone Call From Heaven             Friday, December 6, 7 pm, Saratoga City Center:  Doris Kearns Goodwin, The Bully Pulpit: Theodore Roosevelt, William Howard Taft and the Golden Age of Journalism            Wednesday, December 11, 7 pm, The Saratoga Ballroom of the Saratoga Hilton:  Ann Patchett, This is the Story of a Happy Marriage

The best in digital reading, here at your independent bookstore: Kobo

The Kobo Glo or the Kobo Mini are a great gift to give to the digital reader, while supporting your local indie bookstore. Kobo offers over 3 million eBook titles - including best sellers, hidden gems, Indie Next List great reads, and other recommendations - that can be downloaded instantly over Wi Fi, making it the ultimate in convenience. How to get started? Easy - one, two, three: Set up your Kobo account at kobobooks.com through a link on our website, or via your Kobo Mini or Glo eReader bought from our store. Login to kobobooks.com with your new account to browse, search for, and buy eBooks. Start reading! Download a free Kobo reading App here to read on your smartphone, computer, or tablet. (You can also purchase eBooks through the app. Sign into the app with your new Kobo account and continue to support this store. We sure do appreciate it!)

20% off Indiebound Hardcover Bestsellers!  Don't forget to check out the latest books on the Indiebound Bestseller List. Each of the top ten hardcover books on the Indiebound bestseller list is discounted 20% at the Northshire Bookstore. To see the latest bestsellers, visit us online or stop by the store.

Thank you for supporting independent bookselling!

Saratoga Springs Farmers' Market First Day at the Lincoln Baths on Saturday

Vendors will be on the lawn and inside the Lincoln Baths on Saturday Come explore at Saratoga Spa State Park! Farm & Vendor News DUCK AND LAMB: Elihu Farm kicks off the Winter Market with a cooler full of fresh duck. They'll also have a special on very small lamb shanks, $5.00/lb as well as large mutton shanks, $5.00/lb. (Pick up their recipe for osso bucco.) For stock or for small dogs, they have bags of lamb bones. CRACKERS: Try Saratoga Cracker's newest wheat-free flavor: Tater Crackers, an amazing cracker made with potato flour. All the homemade crackers are free of  preservatives, additives, soy, trans fats, anything artificial. Stop by for a sample. ABSENT: Anna Mae's Jams and The Chocolate Spoon will return to the market on Saturday, November 9. Saturday Highlights New Location: The Lincoln Baths building is located at 65 South Broadway, near the park's main entrance on Route 9. You can enter the driveways/parking lots from South Broadway/Route 9 or from Avenue of the Pines. There is plenty of parking in lots surrounding the handicap-accessible building. Once inside, there are staircases as well as an elevator to get to the second floor.  Photo Contest: To celebrate the new location, we invite you to take photos and enter them in the contest by November 17th. Images should capture both an element of the new location (building, architectural detail, park element) and something of the market. Complete details are here or pick up a handout at the market this weekend.  Giveaway Drawings: Enter to win market merchandise on both the main floor and the upper level. Entry boxes will be towards the back of each floor. Winners will be notified after the market closes, and can pick up prizes next week or thereafter.  Music: Running the River is a 4-piece acoustic band consisting of guitar, bass, fiddle and mandolin, who play an eclectic brand of music influenced by the Beatles, Bob Dylan, the Rolling Stones and Grateful Dead to the Kingston Trio, Hank Williams, Muddy Waters and Johnny Cash. They perform regularly to enthusiastic audiences throughout the Capital District, the Lake George region and beyond. Produce in Season Pears, apples; many types of greens including head and leaf lettuces, micro-greens, escarole, Swiss chard, collards, kale, spinach, arugula, bok choi; assorted fresh herbs; beans, beets, broccoli, broccoli raab, cabbage (red and green, Napa, Savoy), Brussels sprouts, carrots, cauliflower, celeriac, cucumbers, eggplant, fennel, garlic, kohlrabi, leeks, shiitake and oyster mushrooms (Saturdays only), peppers (sweet and hot), potatoes, pumpkins, radishes, rutabaga, salad turnips, onions, scallions, sweet potatoes, tomatillos, tomatoes, winter squash (buttercup, butternut, delicata, acorn, hubbard). Great White Pumpkin Winner Congratulations to Linda Whittle, who was last weekend's winner of the large white pumpkin at Fall Festival. Linda correctly guessed 57 pounds as the pumpkin's weight.    Market Recipe Peanut Butter Crumb Apple Pie Take home some Saratoga Peanut Butter and some fresh apples from the market and try out this recipe. All of our most recent recipes are on our website.

Sunday "Family Values" Meals at Maestros

    

Enjoy a great family meal together for a change.....and all for a great value. Only $20 per guest. October Menu Roasted Butternut Squash Bisque Toasted pumpkin seeds & crema Biscuit Basket Warm cheddar, cracked black pepper & sea salt, Apple butter     Choose from the following: Braised Veal Short Rib Chianti braised, bacon Brussels parmesan risotto Grilled Pork Porterhouse Forked baked potato, braised savoy cabbage Pan Seared Chicken Dijon cream sauce, warm French potato salad, green beans Gnocchi Potato gnocchi, leeks, roasted cauliflower, preserved lemon, roasted garlic, white beans, EVOO, grated Romano Jamaican Jerk Catfish Cedar roasted, rice & beans, creole sauce   Pumpkin Chiffone Cheesecake Squares Cinnamon Whipped Cream Each month our Chef's create a new menu which we serve from Noon-10pm every Sunday Make your reservation today!

Saratoga Snippets October 16, 2013

Well life, fatherhood, and a huge amount of back pain has gotten in the way of my blogging.  But that's OK, because I'm very happy being a Dad!  In the meantime, here's a few thoughts - most of which I've been meaning to write about for a few weeks now:

• It seems like quality sports writers from The Saratogian tend to leave our hometown daily soon enough.  That was the case with Nicole Russo, and is now the same thing with Andrew Champagne.   He not only put out good articles with commentary, but a lot of them.  His hard work paid off, and he is moving on to a Horse Racing TV network out in California.  Good luck Andrew!
• Sometime when I wasn't looking, The movie "Ass Backwards", which was partly filmed in Saratoga Springs and Albany, was released direct to video in September.  It reportedly will be released in theaters on November 8th.  If the facts that (1) the movie was filmed back in 2010, (2) had major financial difficulties and was shelved for a while along the way, and (3) went to video on demand before being released in theaters doesn't make you as uninspired as I am on this movie's prospects, perhaps the trailer below will seal the deal for you.  I always want anything associated with Saratoga to succeed, but this flick seems like a dog to me.  We'll know soon enough. In the meantime, you can watch the film on demand via Amazon.com.

 

• Speaking of movies filmed in Saratoga, how is it that I never heard of the movie "Aftermath" being filmed here in the Spa City?   Perhaps because it was filmed in 2006 and apparently has been mothballed until early this year, when it looks like it was shown at the Cinequest Film Festival.  The thriller, starring Anthony Michael Hall and Tony Danza, was also the last film for the late actor Chris Penn. Penn died in 2006, which is a clear indicator of how long this film has been languishing.  That's a heck of a delay, much worse than Ass Backwards.  Netflix lists the movie, but has a notation "DVD availability date unkown".  I guess there were scenes filmed at Clancy's Tavern on Caroline Street, but I don't know much else about the filming locations.  Please comment if you can add some knowledge on this.  You can watch the Trailer below:

 

• And continuing with movies, I am nothing less than thrilled about the new downtown theater.  Margarita and I are looking forward to walking downtown for some nice entertainment - and to have a clue what the Oscar-nominated movies are all about during the awards ceremony.  Of course, with a newborn baby in the house, I don't know how often we will get out, but it's exciting to know the movie theater is here.
• Shifting gears, it seems like the groundwork is being laid to develop the St. John Neumann residence next to St. Clements Church on Lake Avenue.  The parcel is apparently going to be split up so the vacant residence building is on its own parcel.   What else could that mean other than an effort to sell it? It's a picturesque site with many large beautiful trees giving nice shade and serenity to that area.  I hope any development there keeps those trees, the beauty of the building, and the residential nature of that neighborhood. I feel another condo development coming on.
• If you haven't been to Congress Plaza lately, the portion of the building slated for demolition is completely gone.  It really looks a lot different there.
• Speaking of Congress Plaza, I really appreciate the CVS plaza being open 24 hours.
• So when's Papa Johns opening?  Inquiring (and hungry) minds want to know. 
• I wonder how Jacobs and Anthony's is doing?  I was walking by there the other day and I want to go there in theory, but when I'm in the mood to go out to dinner it just doesn't excite me.  I was there for dinner once when it first opened and it was just OK.  The dining room is comfortable, but to me there are just better choices in that price point.
• I don't like the new Saratogian's print edition; the appearance has the appeal of USA Today.  It looks too much like the Times Union as well.  The extra-early deadline, imposed because the T-U is now printing the paper, is only going to make our hometown paper that much less relevant. On the plus side, the new web site looked sharp and clean at my first glance.
• Has Breuggers reopened yet? Will it ever reopen?
• Continuing on restaurants, I wonder which ones will close this winter.  There are usually at least a few that don't make it through the winter.
• I've been to Cookies & Milk a couple of times.  Really cool.  Go there.
• NYRA finally has what I call the floating horse numbers on the bottom of the screen for simulcasts. You know, those computer generated colored and numbered bubbles that show you where your horse is on the track. Other tracks have had them for years, but now NYRA tracks finally have them.  I can sleep well now.

OK folks, that's it for now. Enjoy the rest of the week.

Wonderful News!

Just over two weeks ago, Margarita gave birth to our beautiful daughter Antonella Eva.  Obviously, blogging comes way down the list after feeding her, diaper changes, reading to her and generally loving this precious gift that my wife and I have been waiting a long time for.  So hopefully in the coming weeks I will fire up the ol' blog and start posting again - after all I have so much to say - but for now, fatherhood comes first.  Take care folks - life is good!

 

 

 

Saratoga Snippets August 26, 2013

I haven't done one of these in a long while, so here we go:

• Did you catch Ramon Dominguez's tribute and award ceremony at the track today?  He is really a class act.  Read here to find more information about a fitting tribute to the great jockey who was forced into retirement due to an injury. 
• Well it's good to see great weather, a good crowd, and record handle for the Travers.  It was certainly an exciting race as well.  So much for the big three horses in that race, huh?  This should make the Breeders Cup all that more interesting.  Here's hoping NYRA has a strong final week to cap off a good season.
• I read a rumor on Twitter, and at this point that's all I could classify that as, a rumor.  The tweet said something about NYRA is considering going to 8 weeks next year.  I hope it was just simply BS, or a dumb joke.  If they do expand the season, we should all rebel and not show up until August 1st.  That had to be a joke.

Overheard between NYRA staff this morning ... 8 weeks of racing next year being considered. #thanksforthenametags

— Liz O'Connell (@nythoroughbred) August 25, 2013

 

• I'm not necessarily so offended, but does the Saratogian have any standards in their pink sheet advertising?   Is it worth the money are they getting for that strip club ad that's there everyday on the front page? It's just awkward.  
• Speaking of the Saratogian, did you see that it is now being printed by the Times Union and will go to press even hours earlier than it previously went?  Several employees who worked the press in Troy lost their jobs.  I hated the Saratogian's 10pm or so press time, but 8pm (or earlier?)  is ridiculous. There won't be a single sports score from night games.  I realize the directive, which also affects the Troy Record and other sister publications, came from well above, but that news was disconcerting. 
• I see Kings Tavern, across from the track next to where Sabinas used to be, opened back up this year.  It was closed last year and perhaps the year before.  I have to think that a bar steps from the two Union Avenue entrances would do a killing during track season.
• I am really enjoying reading the Saratoga Special - it's a newpaper that just puts me in a great mood.  I think I read on somewhere on its web site that they are going year-round next year.  Interesting.  Here is what I wrote about them a few weeks ago, in case you missed it.
• I tried ordering pizza from Marino's Sunday night, and was annoyed when I found out they were closed on Sundays.  I was surprised that was the case even during track season.  Despite my annoyance at Marino's unavailability, I have to respect a restaurant that is good enough to not have to eek every last dime out of track season, and had the confidence to take one day off a week, even in August.  We settled for a sweet crust pizza from D'Andreas, which I now realize only tastes good when you're drunk. 
• Congress Plaza to the north of Citizens Bank is kaput.  As part of the plan for a new hotel and retail, they demolished a large portion of the once forlorn strip mall.  I'm looking forward to seeing the new building start taking shape.
• I thought that Mini-Hulkster guy may have faded into oblivion, but this Times Union "Were You Seen" photo proved I was wrong. 
• The formerly Beverly's and Grey Gelding locations are empty for a second track season in a row. 
• Geez the street bands - and now magicians even - have proliferated in the past few years haven't they?  That's not a bad thing - it just adds to the allure of Saratoga in my book.
• And finally, are you catching Ron "Buzz" Brindle's weekly columns in Saratoga Wire?  If not, you should be.  Here is Ron's column from this past Friday.  

OK folks. That's it for now.  Have a great week!

A'Hearn painting and photography exhibit July 25 at Universal Preservation Hall

The exhibit will be shown on July 25th at UPH, as well as on Friday evenings August 2-September 6

Good Lord! What has happened to Breakfast in Saratoga???

It's gone downhill, that's what happened.  Steeply.  All these new restaurants backed by (apparently) big money, and Compton's is still the best we've got for that first meal of the day.

UPDATE: Read Best Breakast in Saratoga here.

Back in 2009 I posted an entry listing some great breakfast places in Saratoga Springs.  Trouble is, today there are no great breakfast places in Saratoga Springs, at least if you want something a little unique and higher end. 

I will copy still-relevant excerpts from what I wrote in 2009 to give an idea of where you can still get a decent (but not great) restaurant in Saratoga Springs. 

2009 excerpts follow:

If you read some of the books on Saratoga history, breakfasts in Saratoga during its heyday in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries were gluttonous feasts.  These weren't simply large breakfasts using today's standards, but huge buffets with steaks, fried chicken, ham and every other kind of meat you can imagine, plus of course all of the other accompaniments including "Saratoga melons", creamed potatoes, and corn bread.  I love food, but when I read what they had for breakfast back then I reach for the Tums.

The trouble with Saratoga breakfasts today is that they tend to be overlooked, and all the restaurant buzz seems to be about the dinners.  Well I say breakfast should regain its status as a great event in the Spa City!  Let's return to the gluttonous feasts as a cure for the hangover! 

Until that happens, here are my top picks for breakfast (by today's standards) in Saratoga Springs:

1. Compton's on Broadway near Church is an institution in town.  Both the menu and the, shall we say, ambience and comfort level, are very basic, but Compton's does basic right.   Compton's has trucker special type breakfasts that are hearty, cheap (around 6 bucks), and very good.  A typical breakfast at Compton's offers eggs, breakfast meat, spuds and toast - nothing fancy going on there.   

2.     Country Corner Cafe is on Church Street behind the post office.  They have some inspired choices and  I usually have good breakfasts there.

Some honorable mentions include the Bread Basket Bakery on Spring Street, which does not have full breakfasts but does have great baked goods and egg sandwiches, the Spring Street Deli which has the best egg sandwich in town, Ravenous, which has excellent crepes and the best pommes frites (french fries) in town, The Horseshoe Inn on Nelson,  and of course you can have breakfast at the track.

Well there are my thoughts on breakast in Saratoga, both in the past and the present.  Let me know what you think.  I hope you are winning at the track.  Lord knows I'm not.

 

Times Union article negative on the future of horse racing

Newsflash from the T-U: Fewer people are going to the tracks.  These articles on the predicted continued demise of the sport of kings continued with this past Sunday's Times Union article containing more bad news.  Ironically, on the front page of the Sunday Sports section was an article entitled "This Season's meet looking like a winner".  I guess those aren't entirely inconsistent; Saratoga is always listed as an anomaly in the declining attendance figures at horse tracks around the country. 

Nasty spill at Buffalo Raceway

I have seen a number of bad thoroughbred racing spills over the years, but fortunately never saw one at a harness track, although I heard they do happen.  Check out this scary looking accident at Buffalo Raceway this past Friday night.  Two drivers were sent to the hospital, one with a broken vertebrae and pelvis, but he won't require surgery and he is expected back in 5 weeks.  The Buffalo Raceway web site posted information on the accident, but only told how the drivers were doing and there was no information about the horses involved, which is a bit disturbing.