Fun in Saratoga

The Ice Cream Man in Saratoga is open!

In a very well timed soft opening on the year's first warm weekend, the Ice Cream Man on South Broadway opened today!   It's open until 9pm seven nights a week.  Look for a more official grand opening sometime around the beginning of May.

Saratoga Springs' Healthy Living store newsletter

You can find that newsletter here.

Upcoming events at Northshire Bookstore

Click here to find out events at Northshire Bookstore  - Saratoga Springs.

Spend $50; get Half Off a Holiday Seed Wreath from Wild Birds Unlimited

Spend $50; get Half Off a Holiday Seed Wreath*

Products Designed by Experts Trusted Local Advice 3084 Route 50 - Suite 1 Saratoga Springs, NY 12866 (518) 226-0071

Spend $50;    Get 1/2 OFF a Holiday Birdseed Wreath*

*Valid at WBU-Saratoga Springs only. You can get a half-price wreath with each $50 purchase.  Not valid with other discounts, coupons, or offers or on previous purchases. Valid now thru 12/24/2013 while wreath supplies last.

Dark-eyed Juncos - The "Snowbird" Dark-eyed Juncos are often called "Snowbirds," possibly due to the fact that many people believe their return from their northern breeding grounds foretells the return of cold and snowy weather. Another possible source of the nickname may be the white belly plumage and slate-colored back of the junco which has been described as "leaden skies above, snow below." Juncos spend the entire winter in flocks averaging in size from six to thirty or more birds. Read more Fun Facts about our Bird of the Month, the Dark-eyed Junco.  December Nature Happenings December 21: Winter Solstice - the sun is at its lowest point in the sky. It's the shortest day of the year and the beginning of winter. Decorate a tree for the birds!  Pick a tree in the yard and decorate it with edible ornaments for your feathered friends. Chipmunks and bears are in hibernation. Read more of what's going on in nature this month in our December Nature Happenings.

Get a FREE Signed Stokes Field Guide to the Birds With purchase of any binocular or spotting scope over $100 New optics and a field guide would make a great gift for the nature-lover in your life! All our Stokes Field Guides have been signed by Don & Lillian Stokes Offer good through December 24th

Wild Birds Unlimited of Saratoga Springs, NY 3084 Route 50 - Suite 1 [email protected] | www.wbu.com/saratogasprings | (518) 226-0071

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. 

Latest e-newsletter from Healthy Living New York

 I am copying the latest newsletter from Healthy Living New York:

It's once again that all-too-magical time of year... Thanksgiving at Healthy Living! Our staff will be here with bells on to lead you where you need to go and help make sure your Thanksgiving table shines. THANKSGIVING: SENSATIONAL SIDES Friday, November 15th · 5:30–8:00pm · $45 Put away the boxed stuffing, ditch the canned cranberry, and chuck the frozen veggies; this class is all about from-scratch Thanksgiving goodness! Chef-Instructor Shannon Beckwith has tips-and-tricks galore to cut down on your time in the kitchen. These recipes are so easy, you'll think you were still cooking from a package! We'll be making simple stuffing, zesty cranberry sauce, a warm farro salad, and caramelized brussels sprouts. The dishes are as delicious as they are easy to prepare! Reserve your spot now. PRE-ORDER YOUR LOCAL TURKEYS—$3.19 /lb THROUGH NOVEMBER 22nd Think local this Thanksgiving and discover just how juicy and delicious your bird can be! We're offering fantastic local birds from three fabulous local farms — Buckley, Stonewood, and Misty Knoll — at an unbeatable pre-order price of $3.19 a pound ($4.49 a pound after November  22nd). Click to pre-order. PIE PERFECTION: PRE-ORDER THANKSGIVING PIES  If it's ease and elegance you want this Thanksgiving, our bake shop has you covered. Order your perfect pie today and rest assured that your guests—from vegans to the gluten-free and, of course, omnivores—will love the dessert you serve. Click to pre-order. MAPLE-ROASTED DELICATA SQUASH WITH GARAM MASALA This wonderfully warming, spectacularly simple side will have your Thanksgiving guests wanting more. The best part? It's vegan AND gluten-free, so all your guests can easily enjoy the delicata deliciousness. 3 lbs. delicata squash 1 TB + 2 tsp. Olive Oil 1/2 tsp. coarse salt 1/4 c. maple syrup 1 (or more) tsp. garam masala 1 TB apple cider vinegar Pre-heat the oven to 425. Cut each squash in half lengthwise, scoop out seeds and strings, then slice into 1/2 inch thick half moons. Toss with about 1 TB olive oil and salt. Spread in a single layer on the baking sheet and place in oven. Roast for about 20 minutes, turning once, until easily pierced with a fork. While squash is roasting, whisk together the maple syrup, vinegar, the garam masala and 2 tsp of olive oil in a small pot and heat until bubbly. Don't overheat, or your syrup will start to caramelize and get too thick. Brush or drizzle maple glaze over squash and return to oven for about 10 minutes to caramelize. Season with salt and pepper if desired; serve. PRODUCER SPOTLIGHT: BUCKLEY FARM Ballston Spa, NY The William H. Buckley farm in Ballston Lake is proud to offer organically fed, free-range Broad Breasted Bronze turkeys for your Thanksgiving meal! No hormones or antibiotics are given to these beautiful birds—just food, water, and a whole lotta love. You can really taste the difference!  NEW PRODUCT: OMMEGANG'S GAME OF THRONES "TAKE THE BLACK STOUT" This one's for beer lovers AND Game of Thrones aficionados! This deep, dark stout tastes of chocolate and caramel with an earthy, woody character and just a hint of spice. Winter is coming, so it's the perfect time to buy a big, warming stout like this one! Hurry in, it won't last long. CREATIVE CATERING Tired of doing all the cooking? You're in luck—our creative catering team specializes in custom holiday meals you and your family will LOVE! We have a long list of spectacular sides that can be custom-ordered for your big family fete. Most everything's available gluten-free, vegan, or both. For mashed potatoes, roasted yams, sage stuffing, and anything else your heart might desire, give our catering coordinators a call and let them take care of holiday meal planning. Stress-free and full of flavor... what's not to love? HOLIDAY PIE TASTING Friday, November 22nd · 12:00am–3:00pm · FREE! Planning on pre-ordering one of our Thanksgiving pies but don't know which one fits your fancy? Join us as we sample our phenomenal pies and get a good idea of what you like. Demo Coordinator Chris Davis will be there to answer questions and help guide you through the pre-order process. BELL'S BREWERY DEMO Friday, November 15th · 3:30–6:30pm · FREE! Kalamazoo, Michigan's Bell's Brewery is known far and wide for its fabulous beer. Join us and see what all the fuss is about! We'll be pouring Bell's Two Hearted Ale and Kalamazoo Stout. You MUST be 21+ and bring a valid photo ID to participate. OUR SALES We know you have holiday shopping in mind, so we've made it easy to save big on Thanksgiving necessities.  Farmers Market Organic Pumpkin $1.59 /15 oz regular price $3.39 ends December 3 Farmers Market Organic Pumpkin Pie Mix $1.99 /15 oz regular price $3.79 ends December 3 Glutino Gluten-free Cornbread Stuffing $4.79 /8 oz regular price $6.79 ends December 3 Arrowhead Mills Organic Savory Stuffing Mix $2.00 /10 oz regular price $4.29 ends December 3 Tofurky Feast $23.99 /3.5 lb regular price $29.99 ends December 3 Tofurky Roast $9.49 /26 oz regular price $14.99 ends December 3

Healthy Living Market and Café 3065 Route 50, Saratoga Springs, NY 12866 518.306.4900 Hours: 8am-9pm every day www.healthylivingmarket.com Copyright © 2013 Healthy Living Market & Cafe, All rights reserved. forward to a friend | unsubscribe from this list | update profile

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!

Bon Ton Fish Market is kaput; new Albany-based owner will reopen under different name soon

I stopped out to the small strip mall on Rt 50 in Wilton Sunday night only to see this sign below on the door of the former Bon Ton Fish Market. 

 

Employees at neighboring establishments advised me that the Greenwich, CT based Bon Ton, which opened in August of 2012, closed about a week and a half ago.  They further advised that an Albany-based person, whom they didn't know but apparently already sold seafood in some capacity, will reopen a fish market in another name at the same location within about a week.  Meanwhile, Moby Rick's seafood on Lake Avenue seems to be going well, at least based on my recent visit over the weekend.

 

Saratoga: Do you have tastebuds?

I can only assume that yes indeed, you do have tastebuds.  Well that's good because I have become a fan of Gatherer's Granola and want to tell you a little bit about it.  If you aren't familiar with that locally produced delicious food, then fork over the 6 bucks for a bag and become addicted like I did.  Gatherer's tagline is "granola for people with tastebuds" and it's a fitting one.  It's way above standard granolas - in a league of its own - and you will really enjoy it. You can get Gatherer's Granola at numerous stores both in and out of the Capital Region, and in Saratoga you can get it at Five Points, Four Seasons, Healthy Living Market, For Earth's Sake on West Avenue, as well as Price Chopper. 

 

I not only like the product, but I've become a fan of the company and Gatherer's Granola founder Sandro Gerbini.  He's simply a young and energetic capital region entrepeneur that didn't get the memo that you're not supposed to earn a degree from RPI and then go out on your own and make granola.  We need more of his type in this region. 

Gerbini has initiated a fundraising drive via Kickstarter.com so his company can launch its new gluten-free granolas.  If you look at this entertaining video above, which is just three minutes long, you can learn about this endeavor and perhaps donate a dollar to his campaign.  Just a dollar is good.   If you contribute at certain levels, he will give you Gatherer's Granola items ranging from articles of clothing to making your own custom granola using the ingredients you desire.  Cool stuff. So check the video out, and then link here to find out more.