Fun in Saratoga

Steve Miller Band and Journey coming to SPAC in 2014

Steve Miller played at SPAC a number of times in the 80s and 90s, but he hasn't been seen in these parts for a long time. The legendary guitarist will bring his band to Saratoga Springs on June 14, 2014 in a double bill with Journey. I have friends that have seen Steve Miller's shows years ago and they said he's not that great in concert - and seeing the rocker turned 70 last month (!) that's not going to change. Nonetheless, he has a fantastic catalog of music (We'll forgive you Stevie for "Abracadabra") and I am looking forward to this show.  Go to Steve Miller's web site for more info.

New menu and Monday night live music at Brook Tavern

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. 

Latest Saratoga Snippets post available

My latest Saratoga Snippets Posting on Saratoga Wire can be found here.

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Click here for my latest Saratoga Snippets posting, with information about many things including Saratoga Race course reserved seating in 2013.

Latest Saratoga Snippets posting is on Saratoga Wire

My latest Saratoga Snippets Posting can now be found on Saratoagawire.com.

Check out the new handcrafted cocktail list from Panza's - 28 Tables!

I received the following information from Panza's/28 Tables regarding their new handcrafted cocktail list.  Damn these sure look good - to be blunt they make me want to drink!  Here is the release along with a few flyers:

At 28 Tables we are offering a new Handcrafted Cocktail list. Prices range from 9.00 - 12.00 and will offer about 8 drinks.  The new drink menu drops this Thursday night (7/26). 

We are still offering the late night menu on Friday and Saturday till midnight with the addition of a DJ starting at 10pm on Friday night.

Here is the drink list:

• The Piggly Wiggly Bloody Mary: Milk Stout Bloody Mary mix with Bacon Infused Vodka
• Lychee Martini : Vanilla Vodka, Lychee Puree, Cointreau, Ginger Simple
• Erratic Cuke: Lanazul Tequila, St. Germain, Cucumber Juice, Chili Infused Simple
• Risley Mule : Bombay Sapphire Gin, Lime/Mint Muddle, Ginger simple, Goslings Ginger Beer
• Tombstone Sazerac: Old Overhotl Rye, Amaro, Honey Simple, Peychaud Bitters, Lemon
• Zara Luxardo: Grey Goose vodka, Amaretto, Luxardo Cherry Juice, Cherry/Lime Muddle, Club Soda
• Man Law #2 : Rye, Sherry, Grand Marnier, Angostura, Soda, Brulee of sugar (yes we will be using a blow torch at the bar)
• Kentucky Sidecar: Red Stag Cherry Bourbon, Licor 43, Grapefruit Juice, peychaud bitters, spiced sugar, grilled orange
• Sparkling White Peach Sangria: House made Chardonnay and Brandy mix with peaches, apple and white cranberry, soda

OK these drinks look really good, and I'll be going there this weekend with some friends to try the place for dinner, so I'll report back on here how the drinks and food were.  Check back on here next week for a full report.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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!

Saratoga thoughts July 17, 2012

Heeere's Johnny Track season!  And here's what I'm thinking near the eve of the 144th meet of the Saratoga Race Course:

• If you love Saratoga a fraction as much as I do, then give a hand to John Morrissey, whose vision a century and a half ago to make Saratoga Springs a horse racing center (OK, a horse racing and gambling center) really made the Spa City what it is today, and ultimately saved us from becoming another Amsterdam, Utica etc.  Without John Morrissey (and  William R. Travers, John R. Hunter, and Leonard Jerome) we likely would not have a track season in Saratoga. If you don't know who John Morrissey is, then I'll link a Wikipedia entry on him here. That entry doesn't do him justice - and he wasn't all good - but he sure was a thinker and a doer, not to mention a great boxer.   
• The Saratoga Race Course meet may be starting on July 20th, but NBC's TV coverage of Saratoga won't start until three weeks into the season, on August 11th when the NBC Sports Network broadcasts the Grade 2 Fourstardave Handicap. That's a big difference from last year, when NBC was covering races starting on July 23rd.  Tell me again why Time-Warner doesn't carry HRTV? 
• Virgin Alexander, the movie filmed in and around Saratoga Springs, gets released on Amazon today, and presumably will also be available on Netflix as well.  Margarita and I saw it last year at the Spectrum, and you can read my review that I wrote about the movie here.  I'll also post a video of the trailer below - note that the opening scene is Gardiner's Alley behind Uncommon Grounds above Putnam Den.

• Damn they did a nice job on the Route 9P bridge over the Northway.  It looks clean and modern - not to mention roomy enough for bicyclists and pedestrians.
• If you were wondering what happened to Jamie Munks, who recently left the Saratogian, she is now writing for the Post-Star, which I believe is where she originally was working.  She wrote this article this week about the upcoming track season.
• Here's a Forbes article about Philanthropy in Saratoga Springs.  Don't worry, I didn't read it either.
• Did you know the National Museum of (Thoroughbred) Racing and Hall of Fame, located of course here in Saratoga Springs on Union Avenue, has an app that you can download?  I use the RedLaser app, but there are others too, to scan for apps, videos etc.  You can download Red Laser or one of the others and then scan this below to get the Racing Museum app: 

    

• So is Siro's Restaurant ever going to acknowledge on their web site that their original restaurant, you know, the one that's been around since World War 2, is located in Saratoga Springs - and not Manhattan?  Other than the music calendar and some historical references, you'd never know there is a Siro's in upstate NY.  Ditto Siro's Facebook page, which is all about Manhattan - just three days before track season. 
• Speaking of NYC, a reader alerted me to this New York Times article about Genting's Aqueduct Casino, which of course affects NYRA and therefore Saratoga directly.
• Around and about: It's the Final Week of the NYC Ballet at SPAC.  Next year, opening week will be final week.  What a change a few years makes. You have until Thursday to get $20 off a bill (minimum $60 total purchase) at Chianti.  Saratoga Coffee Traders talks about their family and offers a coupon here.  The Silks and Satins 5K will be held this Saturday, and they are still looking for volunteers.

That's about it for now folks.  I have a busy week ahead, so I have no idea if I will get a chance to post more before next week.  Enjoy opening day - the weather looks like it will be absolutely great!

Saratoga Thoughts July 9, 2012

It's summertime, summertime, sum sum-summertime, summertime, summertime, sum sum...you get the idea.  Here's one Saratogian's thoughts a third of the way through July:

• Damn can you believe track season starts at the end of next week?   I'm excited, albeit a bit concerned with how summer is flying by.  I took this pic below off of NYRA's Facebook page.

• I hate to see SPAC reduce the NYC Ballet's residency here to just one week.  I enjoy going, and I enjoy the fact that our city is about more than just horses.  The Saratogian had a good editorial on that important issue here.
• Elizabeth's Table has its outdoor patio set up.  I stopped in with my father-in-law on Saturday for a great lunch. 

• It seems like the Great American Grill restaurant at the Hilton Garden Inn is actually trying to be a....restaurant.  I keep seeing signs out there advertising breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and I think I saw some advertising in the Saratogian.  It just doesn't feel like a dining place that can get traction from much other than the hotel's guests.
• I guess it was pretty obvious that the Post-Star had given up on reporting Saratoga Springs news when they let Tom Dimopoulos go.  If there were any lingering doubts, they were erased when I noticed that the Saratoga Snippets blog is no more.  It only made sense, since Dimopoulos left there was no one left to keep it updated.
• The Firecracker 4 was certainly a success this year.  Both Margarita and I, not to mention my sister-in-law and father-in-law, ran it.  Looking forward to the Silks and Satins.
• It's blueberry season at the Saratoga Farmers' Market.  Don't forget the market is also open from 3-6pm on Wednesdays.  Also don't forget you can take the Saratoga Springs Food Tour at 12:30 from the Saturday market - damn I keep forgetting about that.

• Saratoga Springs Supervisor Matt Veitch was quoted in yesterday's Times Union about his appreciation for the Louden Trail, in Wilton, just outside the city limits.  It was a nice article that asked "three long-time Saratogians about their favorite Summertime Pursuits", but I can't find a link. The piece also included answers to that question from City Center President Mark Baker and Hatties Owner Beth Alexander (who incidentally did not list the Race Course Carousel as one of her favorite Spa City places).   In any event the article prodded Margarita and I to trek out to the country, strap on the high-end hiking gear (old running shoes and cotton shorts), spray on liberal doses of bug spray, and go on a long journey to find the Louden Trail.   The reality is that it was about 10 minutes away off the BJ's parking lot, but what a great little trail it was.  We enjoyed our 1 mile hike through the woods - where it was hard to believe that there was a shopping mall just hundreds of yards away.  It's a nice little gem and Matt Veitch should be proud of his accomplishment in getting that trail built.  If you haven't checked it out it's worth going to. 

• Margarita and I also made hopped on the Congress Park Carousel. No matter how old you are you should take a few rides per summer on the historic carousel, which is so perfectly situated in the park off of Springs Street.
• Margarita and I also stopped out to the Ice House Saturday night and danced a little to Garland Nelson and Soul Session.  That's a great band and! The Ice House used to seem so obnoxious to me (read: crowded) but that place is starting to grow on me.
Around and about:  Chianti is offering $20 off between now and Racing season. Maestro's counters that by announcing "Every Hour is Happy Hour".  The Saratoga Springs Preservation Foundation announced its summer events.  Here is a listing of the NYC Ballet nights at SPAC.  Here is the July update from Saratoga Arts.  There is some sort of big poker tournament event at The Parting Glass on Sunday, July 15th.  The Saratoga YMCA will be closed Wednesday from 9-11am for a "scheduled power outage".  Saratoga Olive Oil is offering July savings and a free gift basket. Putnam Market is offering Montgomery Cheddar - which they feel is "one of the best cheeses in the world."  OK, I'm there soon!  That's it for now folks, have a great week!