Fun in Saratoga

Check out nearly 200 old Saratoga photos on the Times Union web site

Click here to see some great old photos of Saratoga Springs (like the one of the track in 1938 below) on the Times Union web site.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

National Museum and Racing Hall of Fame to host Greg Montgomery - Travers poster artist

The below poster and post is from the National Museum and Racing Hall of Fame Facebook Page:

National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame The National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame will be hosting "An Evening with Greg Montgomery" on Thursday, July 19 at 7 p.m. Greg will be discussing his series of Travers Stakes posters, which he has been doing since 1986. The event is free and open to the public. You may also purchase the 2012 poster (pictured above) and get it autographed for $50. This will be a great event. Hope to see you there.

Saratoga Thoughts July 3, 2012

And let's see if I can start the week off with getting the ol' blog updated.  Here are one Saratogian' thoughts two and a half weeks away from track season:

• Speaking of track season, it sure is starting to feel like it already arrived with the crowds, traffic etc. It's not quite up to August levels, but you can feel the proximity.  That is a good thing.
• Catching up on some old news, despite the limited reassurances from the Saratogian, I can't help but feel sad to know their building got sold and they'll likely be out of there in three years.  I get it, it's cheaper to park someone at Uncommon Grounds on a laptop than to pay for an office in a valuable building - I just don't like it. 
• Speaking of the Saratogian, Jamie - we hardly knew ya!  Recently departed reporter Jamie Munks was there for about a cup of coffee before she left.  Let's hope they are able to find someone who sticks around for a while - JRC upping the paltry salary may help.
• I missed strawberry season at the Farmers' Market!  Damn.  I went there a couple of weeks ago later in the morning and they were sold out.  I went early on Saturday, but it's the very end of the season and the pickings were slim.
• There is a pasta dinner at the Holiday Inn tonight (7/3) for those running in tomorrow's Firecracker 4.  $12 will get you a dinner that Includes tossed salad, pasta with or without sauce and meatballs, rolls and iced tea or lemonade.  There will also be a doughboy eating contest right after the race with 7 Esperanto customers facing off against 7 chosen Firecracker 4 runners. 
• When did the Mexican Connection become a "Tequilaria"?  I ran by there last week and saw the sign said it was a Tequilaria and I didn't know if that was a new branding thing or something that's been around for years that I didn't notice.  I found some old pics online where the Mexican Connection sign said "Cantina", so there was a change somewhere along the way.  I see Mannix Marketing is handling their web site - well someone is doing a sloppy job along the way because the web site and Facebook Page alternately refer to the Nelson Avenue Restaurant as a "Tequilaria" and a "Tequilera". 

 

• On that same run, I noticed that the South Broadway Mobil is now a Red-Kap store.  As is the case with all Spa City gas stations, the gas there is still overpriced, in case you were wondering.
• 
  I'm damn excited about the new theater planned for the old Price Chopper location.  Tom Dimopoulos had an interesting idea when he tweeted that he'd like to see the Theater open up showing Saratoga films on all 11 screens.  The Times Union also had an article last week about the movie theaters that were in the Spa City decades ago.
• The You Idiot blog had a couple of interesting posts recently.  One was about the new 28 Tables keeping a full menu available until midnight, the other was the rumor about Orange County Choppers possibly opening in the old Borders location.  I got a kick out of reading the back-and-forth comments on his post about Chef Mark Graham going to Max London's.
• Another blog I like is Saratoga Mama, but she has gone back to family-friendly posts like "Vacation Bible School in Saratoga County – 2012 Roundup" and "More Perks from the Libraries in Saratoga County".  C'mon Colleen!  You have to utilize both of your talents, the first of course being the ability to write well on parenting issues in the Saratoga region, and the second to get fired up and go off on sub-par Saratoga Springs restaurants, and Ellwood Commons being a bust so far. Sigh.  I guess I'll go back to reading You Idiot for controversy and drama. 
• Speaking of Ellwood Commons, I see BBL Construction is opening a Recovery Sports Bar there.  Maybe they read Saratoga Mama's blog.

OK folks, that's it for now.  See you at the Firecracker 4!

 

 

Saratoga Thoughts June 4, 2012

Well I was sure busy last week, and therefore have not done much blogging.  I had a little bit of extra time this weekend, so here are one Saratogian's thoughts to start off the week:

• The Thirsty Owl Wine Tasting Room, at the former Kimberly Inn, sure is coming along.  The owners told the Saratogian back in October that they hoped to open by July 1st.  I'm not sure if they'll make that date, but track season seems like a go.    You can link Thirsty Owl's Facebook Page here.  That's good to see new signs of life on South Broadway - now if only the diner would open back up.

 

• Speaking of out of town businesses opening Spa City locations, I checked with Spot Coffee, the Canadian company with several locations in Buffalo that is planning on opening a location in the Market Center Building.  It looks like that location won't open until fall.  I recently stopped by one of the suburban Buffalo locations -it's a clean bright store that looks like it will fit in well on Railroad Avenue. 

• The vacant Peppers Market on Lake Avenue sure is looking...abandoned.  I think it's leaning even more than ever.   I'd like to see someone go in there and open it back up - I love cool neighborhood delis where you can get some good prepared food, the newspaper, and even a few groceries. 
• Did you see Universal Preservation Hall profiled in the Times Union in their front page article headlined "Old Churches Still have Prayer"?  Good for Teddy Foster and UPH for some positive press!  Check out the pics with the article.  Click here for UPH's monthly newsletter.
• The movie Virgin Alexander, filmed in and around Saratoga Springs, will be released on DVD on July 17. Well it wasn't a great movie but it was still filmed in Saratoga.   
• I attended a function at Longfellows recently - damn they have a good operation there.  The food was served to 70 people quickly and it was hot and delicious.  I was at a different catered event recently in a supposedly nice place (out-of town) and the food was cold and not good.  Good for Longfellows for being a great place - as well as its sister restaurant The Olde Bryan Inn. 

That was sure a rough storm last Tuesday. What a shame that old tree at Empire State College fell down - those big old trees are treasures and really add to the feel of Union Avenue.  Oh well I guess it's just Mother Nature again showing us who's boss.

Around and about:

The Final Deadline for the Firecracker 4 is June 4th - that's today folks. 

Check out Saratoga Olive Oil's June newsletter, which includes discounts, Fathers' Day specials, and more.

Check out information here on the Turf Club's Happy Hour and breakfasts.

Click here to read about SPAC's Gala.

OK that's if for now folks.  Have a great week.

Go See Avenue Q at Saratoga Arts Center this weekend

There are many reasons why Saratoga Springs is such a great place to live, and our arts scene is very high on that list.  My wife and I saw Avenue Q down in NYC last year and in Saratoga last weekend, and you have have a chance to catch this hilarious Tony Award winning play this Saturday or Sunday at the Saratoga Arts Center.   I highly recommend it, but don't let the puppets fool you - it's over the top with sexual humor and it's certainly not suitable for kids or those easily offended (or embarrassed).  Here's a good test: if you liked the movie "There's Something About Mary", then you'll probably laugh away at Avenue Q. It's more than just sexual content, and in fact it's better described as about real life adult challenges with a bit of sexual humor thrown in. The showtimes are 2pm and 8pm on Saturday June 2, and 2pm on Sunday June 3rd.  Click here for a Saratogian article on the play.

Listen to 91.1 WSPN Skidmore radio Saturdays from 8-9am to listen to Talk Saratoga

Listen to my friend Rick Thompson on Talk Saratoga WSPN 91.1 FM Skidmore Radio Saturday mornings from 8-9am.  The guest this Saturday (May 26th) will be Pat Kane, Co-Founder of Saratoga Citizen.  Phone in your questions for Pat at 580-5783 or email to saratogabroadcasting@gmail.com

Rumor Mill: A movie theater will be built on the old Railroad Ave Price Chopper location

If you want a blog spreading rumors with at least an 80% record of that rumor actually being a fact, then check out the You Idiot blog.  So with that being said, this blogger heard on the street that there will be a movie theater, possibly an IMAX, built at the location of the old Price Chopper on Railroad Avenue next to the new Market Center Building.  I don't have the impressive rumor-to-fact ratio as the You Idiot blog, who incidentally is reporting a rumor of a new cajun restaurant coming to town possibly at the aforementioned Price Chopper site, but my source has his ear to the ground here in the Spa City.  So it's only a rumor, but one that I would think most of us would like to see come true. 

C'mon Fatso just bust a move

Young MC may be a one-hit wonder, but damn "Bust a Move" was a fun song.  I just noticed that he is playing at Vapor Nightclub on June 9th.  Tone-Loc coming anytime soon?

 

 

Saratoga Thoughts May 14, 2012

 I don't have a lot of thoughts this week, but I do have a few links to share:

• Want 20% off your order at Saratoga Coffee Traders?  Click here

20% OFF your entire order. This coupon may not be used with any other coupons or promotions. Print out and present to cashier or show on your smartphone. Feel free to share this coupon with friends and family Exspires: June 15th 2012

 

• Check out Savoring Saratoga's blog post about the Saratoga Food Tours.
• Saratoga Arts has announced their 2012 workshop series.  They are all free and open to the public, and include topics like making slide presentations, copywrite and intellectual property, grantwriting workshop, and gallery submission process.  Click here to learn more.
• The Saratoga Farmers Market has a new Saturday vendor - Slyboro Cider House.  This isn't Hannaford mass produced cider, these people take it to a new old level:  Still ciders, sparkling ciders, ice ciders...Slyboro Cider House reintroduces the lost craft of American Ciders."  Cool!  I hope they have samples - I would like to try the ice ciders.  They sound sweet.

 

• Click here for the May newsletter for Longfellow's and the Olde Bryan Inn.
• Maestro's is celebrating a year at the new place.  Check out their party on Monday May 21.
• Here's the latest news from Saratoga Arts Fest
• I'm a little late, but check out local blogger Tom Noonan's comments on the Kentucky Derby, and be sure to look for his analysis on the site before the Preakness.
• It would appear that Chianti is going after the Vegetarian/Vegan dollar - at least on Tuesdays:

 

• Chianti's sister restaurant, Forno Bistro, is continuing it's Tuesday night takeout special:

Every Tuesday get two wood-fired pizzas or stuffed focaccie breads to-go for just $12. Add a 1/2 Tray of Forno’s Classic Mista Insalata for just $6 more. Join our email list or Facebook page to find out the featured pizza or focaccie ahead of time.

• Sticking with DZ Restaurants, if you like on Facebook their newest and yet-to-be-opened Restaurant, Boca Bistro, you can win a $500 gift certificate.

Not to show favortism to just one ethnic restaurant group, so Capriccio Saratoga has Skip Parsons performing every Thursday in May and is offering any pizza on the menu for $13.

 

 

• Don't forget The Wine Bar has some nice Monday night specials.
• Well that's it for now. Have a great week. Don't forget PJ's Bar-B-QSA is opening tomorrow (Tuesday)

 

 

 

Canadian artist Drake to appear at SPAC on June 14th

The singer announced Spring Tour with J. Cole, Waka Flocka Flame, & 2 Chainz and will appear at the Saratoga Performing Arts Center on June 14th. You can find out more on the official Drake web site here.