Fun in Saratoga

Fewer than 200 openings left for the Saratoga Springs First Night 5K

Those last few will go fast so register for the Saratoga Arts sponsored First Night 5K here.

Northshire Bookstore December Newsletter

Some of this did not format correctly when I copied it on here, so to read a properly formatted page - click here.

Do you want to receive weekly event reminders for our new Saratoga Springs store; including author events, children's events, and store promos? Sign up here. Small Business Saturday  Saturday, November 30th Please join us this year for Small Business Saturday. The day we all think small! #SmallBizSat   In celebration of Small Business Saturday we'll be joining with Indie Bookstores across the country to celebrate Sherman Alexie's initiative, "Indies First". (read his letter here).  And in that spirit, one of our favorite local authors, Megan Mayhew Bergman, will be at our Manchester store as a bookseller! Megan will be walking around our store to meet, greet and personally help you pick out great books for you and your loved ones this holiday season!     For all your support we'd like to add, "Thanks for Shopping Indie!": Our booksellers have selected some of their favorite titles and if you purchase one you'll receive a $5.00 Northshire Gift Card. Look for the books with the Thanks for Shopping Indie bookmark. Every month the Northshire Bookstore puts a Spotlight on a local non-profit in various ways. Please join us as we honor the charitable, compassionate, and educational work of our neighbors throughout the region.     Give the Gift of Reading to Hundreds of Area Children. Please donate to our Book Angel Program! Help us to ensure that children who would benefit from the gift of new books receive them this Christmas! We will donate 1 book for every 5 our generous customers give, wrap and deliver them all just in time for Christmas. Look for the canisters at registers or for the tree on the Children's floor! Manchester Reading Groups this month at the Northshire, click here to see what we're reading, then join us! Northshire Classic Mystery Northshire Mystery and Thriller Northshire Women Read Northshire Cookbook Reading Group The Dark Side Reading Group Northshire Fountain of Youth Northshire Poetry Reading   Our Saratoga Reading Groups will launch early in 2014. Email us at [email protected] if you're interested in any of the following groups:    Northshire Cookbook Reading Group Truth and Tales Reading Group Northshire Poetry Reading Group The Armchair Explorer's Reading Group The End of the World Reading Group 'WeAreNotTooOldForThis' Reading Group Knit Wits Reading Group Reading Salinger Reading Group STAFF PICKS What we're reading and can't wait for you to read!  - Early word on Alice Hoffman's new novel (hint: pre-order now!) - Looking for a fun movie? - Holidays with (and for) the kids We have hundreds of great books in stock in our Manchester store and not enough room to display them all. Please ask a book seller if there is one you are looking for or browse the section for one you did not know you wanted!      For more information on any of the used and rare books in our store, send an email to [email protected] or search here. We have partnered with Kobo to offer the best in digital reading! The Kobo is a great gift to give to the digital reader, while supporting your local indie bookstore. We're honored to be the winner of the BPRNE's 2013 Independent Spirit Award .   The 2012 Vermont Governor's Awards for Environmental Excellence   Awarded to the Northshire Bookstore in partnership with Alan Benoit.  Click here to find out why we were awarded Winner of Best of New England Travel 2011 Best Bookstore Manchester, VT   Saratoga Springs, NY  Gift Giving Made Easy Consider purchasing a Northshire Bookstore Gift Card, and take the guess work out of shopping! Thank you for Supporting Independent Bookselling! VT Store Hours: Open Daily at 10 am  Sunday - Wednesday till 7 pm  Thursday - Saturday till 9 pm 4869 Main Street  Junction of Routes 7A & 11/30  Manchester Center, VT 05255 VT 800-437-3700  VT 802-362-2200 NY Store Hours: Open Daily at 10 am  Sunday - Monday till 9 pm  Tuesday - Saturday 10 pm 424 Broadway   Saratoga Springs, NY 12866 NY 855-339-5990  NY 518-682-4200 www.northshire.com Greetings, All of us here at the Northshire Bookstores wish you a very happy holiday season.   We have much to be grateful for this year with the birth of our Saratoga Springs store and the continued success of our Manchester store. We are looking forward to welcoming many friends on Black Friday, Small Business Saturday, and throughout the holiday season.  Please remember that how you spend your money has a big impact on the vitality of your community.  Keeping your shopping local and independent is the best way to reinvest in your community as your dollar will circulate many times and have lasting impact. This is an important time of year for us and most small businesses - we thank you for your support.   Please consider joining us in making sure area children receive at least one book as a gift.  Our Book Angel program identifies children who would not otherwise receive a book (with the help of local schools) and makes it easy for customers to buy books or donate money for us to choose books for these youngsters. We give out well over 500 titles in the Manchester area each year and are looking forward to expanding the program to Saratoga.  Even if you can't make it into the store, you can donate on-line.  Thank you for supporting this wonderful program.   Our event with Doris Kearns Goodwin on December 6 is sold out, but there are still some tickets available to see Ann Patchett on December 11th. Both events are being held in Saratoga. Don't miss this special opportunity to see and hear this world class author.  Northshire Bookstore has the best in books, as well as a huge array of unique gifts, AND in each of our stores an entire floor devoted to kids. We are truly a one-stop shopping destination. Happy Holidays to all! Chris Morrow and the entire Northshire Staff. Featured December Events  Saturday, December 7, 5 pm. Bless the Dogs: The Monks of New Skete . Join Brother Christopher and a canine companion  to discuss and demonstrate training techniques. A delightful celebration in words and pictures of the special relationship we have with our dogs.    This event is scheduled in Manchester. It is free and open to the public.  Wednesday, December 11, 7 pm, Ann Patchett presenting This is the Story of a Happy Marriage. An irresistible blend of literature and memoir, This Is the Story of a Happy Marriage is a unique examination of the heart, mind, and soul of one of our most revered and gifted writers.    This event is scheduled in Saratoga. Tickets on sale HERE.    Friday,December 20, 7 pm:  Esteemed art critic and biographer Deborah Solomon presents her her spirited and authoritative biography, American Mirror: The Life and Art of Norman Rockwell. Many of our friends and neighbors recall Mr. Rockwell vividly and, in some instances, even posed for him; don't miss this very special final event of 2013! This event is scheduled in Manchester. It is free and open to the public. New Books for Decmmber    A Charlie Brown Christmas: The Making of a Tradition, by Lee Mendelson, Hardcover, $19.99 No holiday season would be complete without watching Charlie Brown, Linus, Lucy, Snoopy, and the rest of the Peanuts gang give a forgotten tree a little love, recite the Christmas story, and sing "Silent Night." A Charlie Brown Christmas: The Making of a Tradition is a delightful and fitting salute to the holiday special that never fails to deepen your love of Christmas, touch your heart, and give you hope. Read more...   Big New Yorker Book of Cats, by Anthony Lane, Hardcover, $40.00  Look what The New Yorker dragged in! It's the purr-fect gathering of talent celebrating our feline companions. This bountiful collection, beautifully illustrated in full color, features articles, fiction, humor, poems, cartoons, cover art, drafts, and drawings from the magazine's archives. Read more...       Puddin', by Clio Goodman, Hardcover, $25.00 The classic American treat finally gets its due: foolproof pudding recipes, from irresistible standards to inventive modern twists, by the chef and owner of New York City's popular pudding destination. Read more...       Jeeves and the Wedding Bells,by Sebastian Faulks, Hardcover, $25.99 This clever tribute to brings a smile to those of us who have read and re-read the many Wodehouse novels and have always wished there were more. The voice and the tone are just right and at times the reader forgets it is not the original. If anything, Faulks humanizes Bertie Wooster and smartens him up while propelling this character to a final act of closure. Delightful! ~ Reviewed by Karen Frank Read more...       Through the Evil Days, by Julia Spencer-Fleming, Hardcover, $25.99 As the days and hours tick by, Russ and Clare fight personal and professional battles they've never encountered.  In the course of this one tumultuous week the lives of the Millers-Kill residents readers have come to love and cherish change forever.  Readers have waited years for Through The Evil Days and Julia Spencer-Fleming delivers with the exquisite skill and craftsmanship that have made her such a success. Read more...       The Smithsonian's History of American in 101 Objects, by Richard Kurin, Hardcover, $50.00 The Smithsonian Institution is America's largest, most important, and most beloved repository for the objects that define our common heritage. Now Under Secretary for Art, History, and Culture Richard Kurin, aided by a team of top Smithsonian curators and scholars, has assembled a literary exhibition of 101 objects from across the Smithsonian's museums that together offer a marvelous new perspective on the history of the United States. Read more...     Children's Books The Snow Queen: A Pop-up Adaptation of a Classic Fairytale, by Yevgeniya Yeretskaya,  Hardcover, $24.95 This new holiday book features amazing paper engineering and pop-ups from the same paper engineer that developed the best-selling Snowflakes title. This unique pop-up interpretation of a beloved Hans Christian Andersen fairy tale is destined to be another classic to be enjoyed for years by the entire family.  Read more...     Cinder: A Chicken Cinderella, by Jan Brett, Hardcover, $17.99 Jan Brett sets her Cinderella story in a snowy Russian winter where one magical night, Cinders, the most picked upon hen in the flock, becomes the most loved by Prince Cockerel when she arrives at his ball looking so beautiful that even her bossy sisters don't recognize her.  Readers will find these dressed up chickens comical as they pour over the extravagant setting, including a "WOW"-inducing double gatefold of chicken couples whirling around the ballroom. A feast for the eyes sure to become a perennial favorite. Read more...   The Kingdom of Little Wounds by Susann Cokel, Hardcover, $22.99  A young seamstress and a royal nursemaid find themselves at the center of an epic power struggle in this stunning young-adult debut. On the eve of Princess Sophia's wedding, the Scandinavian city of Skyggehavn prepares to fete the occasion with a sumptuous display of riches: brocade and satin and jewels, feasts of sugar fruit and sweet spiced wine. Yet beneath the veneer of celebration, a shiver of darkness creeps through the palace halls. Read more...  Independently Published at Northshire   Hot off the Presses! This book has just been published by ShiresPress. Come into the store or  click here for a list of our recently published books.   A Shepard's Story by David Hall Paperback, $12.95 The verses of this book were written in 1982 and first read at a Christmas Eve service at the church David was then pastoring in upstate New York.   This book is dedicated to the memory of his mother, Helen Hall, who first read to him the Biblical account of Christ's birth. Many thanks to David's four beautiful nieces, Josie, Debora, Emma, and Amy Hall for their illustrations. David Hall lives in upstate New York and is now in his tenth year teaching the Bible at Grace Christian School in Bennington, Vermont. Read more...   Interested in publishing with us? Visit our   Publishing page for more information.

Saratoga Snippets

These "snippets" posts are hard for me to write b/c they often take 2+ hours to create and edit.  With a three-month old at home I'm lucky I have time to shower.  Well I'll try writing this over a few days and see if I can fit it in here and there.

• Margarita and I were out Greenwich way a while back and we stopped in to the Ice Cream Man for a sandwich.  The staff there tells me to look for the new Saratoga South Broadway location to open in May or June of next year. 

 

• While heading out Rt 29, we noticed that the former Mango 29 Deli, near Schuylerville, is now "Joe's Deli".
• CORRECTED:  I haven't had a chance to go into the new TC Paris Sweet Mimi's Bakery in the former Beverly's location.  That place sat empty for almost two years, so it's good to see it filled.  TC Paris is on Henry Street where Inferno Pizza used to be - I would like to check that out to.  Thank you Alexandra for alerting me to my error.
• Speaking of closed Saratoga eateries, I miss the Saratoga Diner and Restaurant.  All those empty restaurants on South Broadway and nobody wants to open a good diner.
• Purdy's has been the big dog of Saratoga liquor stores, but now that they expanded into the neighboring former Hallmark store, it's even a bigger dog.  Look out little dogs.
• Friday, November 29th is the last day to receive your early registrant discount and save $5 for this year's First Night Saratoga 5k Run. So don't wait another day - register today at www.saratoga-arts.org/firstnight/5krun to be a part of a great Saratoga tradition!
• If you thought this year's July 19th track opening was early, you were right.  But if they open on their usual opening Friday, the 2014 opening date will be an even earlier July 18th.  Let's hope NYRA has since squashed any dumb ideas to open earlier. 
• I sure miss Andrew McGuire, the former Saratogian Sports reporter.  Our hometown daily's thoroughbred horse racing coverage has plummeted since he left.  AP Wire stories just don't do it for me.
• Continuing on that subject, I wrote a long posting about how the Saratogian's Breeder's Cup coverage showed how some of their weekend sports deadlines were around 7pm.  Trouble is, I was never able to finish it and it quickly became old news.  Nonetheless I put a lot of work into it and again it pinpointed just how early the Saratogian's weekend publishing deadlines are, so I'll link it on a back page here if you care to read it in it's incomplete form.
• Hate to pile on our hometown daily, but they got scooped on their own story about paywalls going up on their web site.  Both Saratoga Wire and All Over Albany were days ahead of the Saratogian's announcement of it.  There never seems to be a sense of pride, ownership, or timeliness of news items at the Saratogian - items they should own and/or be the best at. You'd think they'd at least want to be first to report important news items about their own publication.
• I see Gaffney's new addition came out looking nice.  I don't get downtown as often as I used to - and I get to downtown bars even less these days - so some of these snippets are reporting months' old news.  Gaffneys will be holding a South American wine pairing on December 7th.  Click here for more info.

• Not too far away from Gaffneys, I see there is a new cigar shop on Putnam Street on the other side of Izumi Restaurant.  Check out Adirondack cigar shoppe's web site for info.
• Sometime when I wasn't looking, 13 Caroline became the Caroline Street Pub.  Heck for all I know that's been the case for years.
• Also when I wasn't looking, the Crown Grill became "The Crown Grill at the Circus Cafe".  Back in April, when the Crown Grill first opened, owner Colin McLean told the Saratogian "The Crown Grill will be upscale-casual and will offer guests a separate and distinct dining experience from Circus Café,".  I guess that "separate and distinct" part is out the window.
• Also when I wasn't looking, someone plowed down the old house and motel cottages on Ballston Ave near those white condos abutting the Saratoga Spa Park.  I wonder what the plans for that now open lot are.

• What's going on with that building immediately adjacent to the Best Western on South Broadway?  It's seems like it's been half built - or half rehabbed - for 3 years now.  It looks terrible.  Did somebody run out of money?

• I don't want to put this last because I'd hate to end on a sad note.  I just wanted to say I knew Kyle York a little and I thought he was a very interesting, nice, and intelligent guy. I was very sad to hear about his untimely death. RIP Kyle. 
• Finally, did you catch this opinion piece in the Times Union this past weekend about Las Vegas style casino gambling in Saratoga Springs?  Interesting.  I have mixed feelings on the issue, but I think it's important to point out that someone voting "NO" for a constitutional amendment for Vegas-style casinos in the state, might not necessarily vote "NO" to Vegas-style casinos in their municipality once the electorate of the state has already approved the amendment.  In other words, some could have been against the amendment, but after it passed they might think that since it's going somewhere, it should go to Saratoga.   Just a thought.

Hey everybody have a safe and happy Thanksgiving!  I am a blessed person so I have a lot to be thankful for. 

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 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.

First Night 5K registration is open

In yet another sign that winter is on its way, The First Night 5K registration is now open for you brave and hearty souls who choose to run it.  As in the past few years, the number of runners will be capped at 1,500, so be one of the early registrants and you won't have to worry about getting blocked out. 

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

Latest Saratoga Snippets posting on Saratogawire.com

And you can check that out here.

Saratoga thoughts July 23, 2012

Thought, thoughts, and more thoughts.  Here we go.

• Wow! What terrific weather for opening weekend.  What unfortunately wasn't so terrific seemed to be the attendance - there was a nice crowd but plenty of empty seats, parking spaces, and from my very unscientific perusal - hotel parking spaces.  That is not a dismal thing - I think it's just the fact that many people, both Capital District residents as well as out-of-towners, don't get too excited about track season until August.  Still, with the near-perfect weather, I would have liked more people.
• One guy who wasn't complaining this weekend was jockey Ramon Dominguez.  Congratulations Ramon on your record six wins on Sunday!
• I really appreciated the weather during the Silks and Satins 5K.  It was cool and almost misty during the race - and Margarita and I enjoyed the run through the east side.  A big thanks to all the volunteers and corporate sponsors.
• Well there sure was a lot of hoopla about the food choices this season at the track.  The owner of Hattie's sure complained with her new location in the Carousel, but there was a line for me to wait in when I went to Hattie's stand at the track on Sunday.  I would think twice about going to Hattie's again - I made what I thought was a simple request and asked for an extra plate so the three of us could share a fried chicken dinner and a few salads and they said they didn't have any.  I pointed to the containers they serve the food in and they said they are inventoried and they couldn't give one of them either.  Four pieces of fried chicken is a lot for one person for lunch on a hot day - so we wanted to share.  C'mon Hattie's get with it.
• On that subject, it would be nice if they could reserve some of the tables in the Carousel for the diners at Hattie's, Shirley's etc. - there was nowhere to sit because the betters just sort of squatted there.  The kicker, and therefore the answer, was that the upstairs part of the Carousel was completely empty. If they set it up for betters to sit (with TVs etc.) so the diners could dine downstairs that would work.
• Still talking about track food - I see Duo also has a booth.  I'm just not feelin Sushi at the track.  I'm also not feelin Moe's - not so much an anti-Mexican thing - just an anti chain thing.  Chains are fine in their place - like Wilton. 
• The music at Hats Off Weekend was fantastic as well - at least the two bands I saw were.  Maximus, playing on Caroline Street, was really good.  The lead singer reminded me of Leather Tuscadaro - at least from 30 feet without my glasses (You probably have to be over 40 to get that Leather Tuscadaro reference).  Captain Squeeze and the Zydeco Moshers were just phenomenal, and I really enjoyed their last set, which included not only their signature cajun numbers, but some inspired renditions of Beatles and Doobies songs, to name a few. 

 

What wasn't so great was my experience on the Saratoga Chamber's web site when I looked up info for the Hats Off Festival.  I had to search the relatively small font on the front page to find the Hats Off information.  That information should have been featured in a large banner or something, but the Saratoga chamber's web site is old and tired - even the colors are drab - and doesn't offer a way to feature timely information.  Maybe a new site is already in the works, but if not then they really should get going on that. 

• When I was downtown during the festival I hated seeing the empty storefronts - the old Borders and Grey Gelding locations sure stood out.  But there were some bright spots - like the new place in the old Divinly Revolution location, and Boca Bistro sure looked great.
• Going further down Broadway, I predicted a while back that the Thirsty Owl Wine Tasting room would be open by track season. As the below picture shows, it sure seems like they are doing major work there and there is still a ways to go.  They originally hoped to open by July 1st, but it seems more like it will be late August before they finish. Travers weekend? 

 

• Attorneys for trainer Rick Dutrow, whose 10 year suspension was just upheld by the State Supreme Court Appelate Division, defiantly declared they would appeal the latest ruling to the New York State Court of Appeals.  The sports reporters covering this case apparently weren't well versed on the New York court system, because the two articles I read failed to mention that Dutrow has an extremely low chance to even have his appeal heard by New York's top court, much less win.  Dutrow must request "leave to appeal" and those requests are rarely granted - in probably well less than five percent of the cases.  Obtaining leave to appeal can be done, in fact I was involved in a successful effort once, but the odds are against him - and this is just to get his case before the court - then he has to win.  If Rick Dutrow doesn't think these justices read the papers, and therefore know about the problems in the horse racing industry as well as Governor Andrew Cuomo's recently expressed concerns, he's not smelling the coffee. My money says this appeal goes nowhere.
• Let's end with some pizza.  I'm not a big coupon user but Inferno Pizza has some pretty good coupon deals in the Saratogian's What's Happening Thursday insert, as well as on-line here.

OK folks, have a great week.  See ya at Inferno!