What's up in the Neighborhood
Among the topics in this most recent spin around the Capital Region's online neighborhood: nudity, recycling, pools, the Decemberists, playgrounds, lists, cake, bacon, South American reds and trash bags.
Skidmore Unofficial had an Onion-like response to the recent fuss about Skidmore students openly smoking pot.
Brian hit up Albany's electronics recycling day.
Ashallan reports the pool at Thacher Park has seen better days. (And check out this great pic from the Indian Ladder trail!)
Rob raised the bar for being a cool parent.
Small-bany pointed out the little-known "playground with no grass" at the ESP.
Kristi highlighted another local fashionista.
Check out this found list that found its way to Naomi.
Lily had some "omfg... so good" red velvet birthday cake at Bucca di Beppo.
Mr. Dave tried Price Chopper's pre-cooked bacon. Yep, it's bacon. That comes already-cooked.
And Laura found a pineapple... just a little bit out of place.
Tweets of the week
From @AlbanyKelly: "roommate's taste in trash bags is like her taste in men: big package for a little money, full of holes and drives me crazy. I like forceflex"
From @Mrs_Misanthrope: "Saw guy in tiger outfit protesting downtown yesterday. Couldn't read sign from car. Anyone know the deal? Someone steal his Frosted Flakes?"
From @kinthedell: "I am almost 100% certain that the time warner network consists of popsicle sticks and string"
From @Ellsass: "I think Time Warner just rolled out a 1 byte bandwidth cap for everyone"
(Roadrunner was down for a while this past weekend)
From @lucymenard: "They KNOW my kid at the wine store in Delaware Plaza. They know he prefers South American reds."
There's a lot more going on around the Neighborhood, check it out. We just added a few more sites. If you know of another great local blog we should include -- or person to follow on Twitter -- post a comment or send us an email: editors |at| alloveralbany |dot| com.
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Comments
Aw man, the Thatcher Park pool pics were depressing. I used to go there all the time as a kid. I love the black-light sensitive hand stamp you would get going into the locker room. I would get either a fish fry or grilled cheese, and lemon italian ice at the snack bar practically every time. I jumped off the high dive.
*sigh* Just another piece of my youth is gone forever.
... said Summer on Apr 29, 2009 at 12:52 PM | link
Thanks...I'm not sure of The Decemberists cachet among my son's friends, but I'll take whatever I can get.
... said Rob on Apr 29, 2009 at 1:13 PM | link
The State says the pool will reopen in 2010 ---but who the heck knows these days? http://tinyurl.com/djz3cq
... said Rob on Apr 29, 2009 at 2:22 PM | link
Some Thacher Park employees told my mother a couple of summers ago that the park was originally promised state grant money under Pataki to re-do the pool. Then there was an administration change and the grant money fell through.
Unfortunately, they'd already begun tearing up the pool/grounds before the grant money failed to materialize. It's espeically sad because the pool was where they took a lot of summer camps from Albany - inner city kids who often had little other access to a pool.
... said jess on Apr 29, 2009 at 2:35 PM | link
It's funny that Rob brought his son to the Decemberists @ Amherst. I played a similar/opposite role, because I brought my Dad to the same show! I try to get my parents listening to current music, and my dad really enjoys The Decemberists - we had a lot of fun despite the hot and smelly venue, ridiculous security and as rob said, the atrocious opening act.
For all Decemberists fans that missed this show, they'll be coming back to Northampton in August for an outdoor performance of 'The Hazards of Love'! Definitely not to be missed!
... said Paul on Apr 29, 2009 at 2:52 PM | link
I am pretty sure the first pool I ever went in was the one at Thacher Park...and based on the date given for its construction I hate to say that the place must have been pretty close to brand new when I went there!
... said Bob F. on Apr 29, 2009 at 3:37 PM | link
Bus ride 10 cents, 75 cents to get in. I never had the nerve to jump off the high drive. Another loss for the area.
... said Jen8 on Apr 29, 2009 at 8:33 PM | link
Thanks for letting me in the neighborhood this week AOA! The Thacher Park pool was just so sad to see. I used to swim there all the time as a kid, as a counselor I took hundreds of kids to the pool through the years, and am a little sad I won't be able to share the experience of the pool with my child. Hopefully the pool can be reevaluated when the state can loosen it's belt a little...fingers crossed that's before 2022.
... said ashallann on Apr 30, 2009 at 7:52 AM | link
I remember when the playground with no grass was made of these weird wood structures that looked like art, that didn't have fancy things like swings and slides, and instead of rubbery mats it was all sand :D
... said Kater on May 3, 2009 at 7:34 PM | link
@ Kater: Those wooden things are still there but in a different area. They're situated in a grassy area between the Corning tower and the wall bordering Madison Ave. If you're facing the museum it's on the left, opposite the rubber playground.
... said Summer on May 4, 2009 at 9:55 AM | link
I plan on spending 4th of July weekend in Albany and was looking forward to visiting the Thatcher Park pool. I remember swimming there in the early 1980s and it was so pristine, situated on top of the mountain. I'm sorry to hear that it is no longer there.
... said Leona on Jun 15, 2009 at 7:14 PM | link