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Published: March 4th 2008
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While home in the cold and snowy north, we try to make the best of it .... outdoor and indoor activities abound here in upstate NY and we are close enough to Vermont to take a quick trip now and then to visit our daughter Beth and her family in the Rutland/Killington area; and even took a quick trip to Cape Cod to visit our friends, the Taylors.
Schenectady's Central Park is great in winter - the city just sponsored a wonderful Winter Carnival with a Chili Cook-Off, sledding, skating, and tons of other activities. We spent a sunny afternoon snowshoeing on the Golf Course in Saratoga Spa State Park and noticed a nice crowd heading for a play at the park's Home Made Theatre. A group of female friends and relatives hied ourselves over to Rutland, Vt. one evening for a play in the beautifully restored Paramount Theatre. Nice Italian dinner for 10 of us prior at Sabby's (directly across the street from the Paramount). Sister-in-law, Anne and I took a detour to Lake George on our way home from Rutland that night and met Joe and Wes at McMahon's log cabin on Harris Bay. We lit the fire,
played cards, and snuggled in for the night. We watched the ice fishers arrive in droves in the morning (it is a very good perch year in Lake George) and Wes made a us a memorable breakfast! Wes and I took advantage of a gift of tickets to Proctors Theatre, Schenectady, another beautifully restored theatre that has further developed into a true arts center (visual and performing). We saw a touring production of the Broadway musical "Dirty Rotten Scoundrels" which was cute and fun - one amazing scene where one of the leads mimics an innane inbred "brother. is memorable. Great sets and costumes, wonderful choreography! We had dinner before at Aperitivo Bistro, near the theatre, downtown on State Street, Schenectady. This is the latest addition to Angelo Mazzone's restaurant empire. This is fun, very 'New Yorky,' we ordered four appetizers to split, a bottle of wine, and a dessert that takes us back to Italian Festas in Mechanicville - Pizza Firte Bites (removed somewhat from our hometown's tradition with a selection of hazelnut, dark chocolate and raspberry sauces). The appetizers were beef carpaccio, osso buco, lobster/shrimp spring rolls and bacon wrapped scallops. Yumbo!
A visit with Zita to
the Hyde collection in Glens Falls one recent winter afternoon was exceptional - a docent, Barbara Coughlin (not Beth's mother-in-law - just same name), asked us if we would like a tour of the house museum after we had viewed the visiting exhibit - we were in for such a treat. We had both been to the Hyde many times; but with this tour got such incredible insights into both the marvelous collection, and about Mr. and Mrs. Hyde, the couple who brought incredible treasures from European trips during the turn of the century.
Some of our favorite restaurants visited between Christmas and now included the Log Jam, Lake George, where we elected to eat in the bar by the fire place; Kelly's Tiny Hot Dogs, Ballston Spa where take out mini dogs with the works are .65 each! And, following that theme, Dinky Dogs on South St. (off of North Jay St. - Little Italy, Schenectady) where they serve mini burgers, mini steak sandwiches, and mini fish sandwiches in addition to the dogs). Koto, near the Albany International Airport where the Cooking Tables on a Saturday night teem with SUNY Students; Fifty South, Saratoga Springs (really just north
of Ballston Spa) where amazing chef owner Kim Clopstock (who made a name for herself as a caterer to the stars and high end Saratoga events) has found a fine home; Carney's, Ballston Lake, our own "Cheers" which rightfully can boast the best area St. Pat's party and features Tuesday night "fiddler sessions" during the months of February and September; Scotti's, Schenectady, a little jewel of an Italian restaurant on Upper Union St., with Chef / Owner Guy Sementili at the helm; Home Style Pizza, Schenectady (for table service and catering) Anthony Adonino makes the best eggplant parm - also HomeStyle is recommended (either Upper Union Street or the Glenville locations) for your gelato and so many other treats; Charlton Tavern, Charlton (cozy and homy); Chez Pierre, Saratoga Springs (French without pretention); Sam's Chinese, Ballston Lake, why go to a 'shopping center' chinese restaurant when you can be sure of fresh ingredients from an independent restauranteur and sip a draft while waiting for your take-out order; and Panza's, Saratoga Lake, some of us have been coming to Panza's since 1948. Great all round, special occasion, restaurant, but on Wednesday night they serve our All Tine Family FAVORITE pizza made in
Panza's wood fired ovens by Chef owner Tony Panza and his father Andrew (who calls me Linguini, since my sister is Ziti (really Zita) - which we both love!). Speaking of pizza, Crust Above, on the road down from Killington to Rutland has great pizza (phone your order ahead while you are leaving the mountain and eat-iin or take out). Continuing on in an eclectic fashion: Mr. Wasabi, Upper Union Street Schenectady serves up a great lunch with two "rolls" mine were spicy tuna and eel - and tea, soup or salad for under $8; Muddy Cup in Proctors Arcade, State St., Downtown Schenectady, a great place to meet, read the paper, people watch, and enjoy a warm beverage and pastry; Shirley's Diner on West Ave., Saratoga Springs which serves a great breakfast; The Bread Basket on Spring St. in Saratoga is also great ---one recent Monday, when it was closed, we found the Spring Street Cafe/Deli about three blocks east and had a wonderful (and almost too generous) soup/sandwich lunches; and we loved the golumbkis and pierogi that I picked up one day at the Labrador Cafe and re-heated in a frying pan home. A dog themed restaurant on
Keyes Ave., in the Upper Union St. section of Schenectady is owner/operated by Sylvia and Chuck James,retired teachers who know how to cook up wonderful comfort foods.
I tend to be SO opinionated about national chains. While not high on our list, restaurant franchises hold to "standards" that can be trusted - they are great at airports. We recently tried Macaroni Grille at Orlando Airport and Chilli's at Tampa Bay Airport and would try them at home (both have Wolf Rd. locations in Albany County) in a pinch. TGI Friday's, Saratoga Springs was very speedy (and yummy) on a Friday Night when our movie was scheduled in less than an hour; and who doesn't like Friendly's, where a little pre-school friend ordered an adorably decorated children's pancake (think smiley face with m&m features, bacon strip braids, and whipped cream details) while her mother had a business meeting one recent morning. Made me wish I was four!
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Silver Back Cuda
Joanne & Wes DeVoe
Another Schenectady/Cap Reg Blog
There is another entry about Schenectady, Saratoga, Ballston Lake, Albany, etc. at; http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/New-York/Schenectady/blog-138586.html