All Over Albany

The week ahead

Here are a few things to keep in mind, look forward to, or keep busy with this week, from the weather, to the Travers, to the fair o' the week, to poets, to canning, to nano, to kids stuff, to music...

Weather

Here's the paraphrased forecast:

Monday: Some sun, also some scattered thunderstorms, more chance of rain into evening. Highs in the upper 70s. Cool overnight.

Tuesday: About the same, small chance of thunderstorms in the afternoon.

Wednesday: Sunny and 80. Slight chance of rain.

Thursday: Sunny and 80.

Friday: Sunny and 80.

Weekend: Continued.

If you listen closely, you can hear whispers of fall.

The Travers

It's the biggest week of the season at the Saratoga Race Course, with the Travers Stakes -- the biggest race of the season -- on Saturday. There will be events at The Track all week leading up to the race. And the first post time on Saturday is an earlier-than-usual 11:35 am.

Among the special events this week at The Track and in Saratoga:
+ Wednesday: the Stewart's ice cream eating contest, with three age groups -- kids, teens, and adults. Registration is at noon.
+ Friday: Battle of the Brews, a tasting of beers from regional and national brewers ($30). A benefit for the American Red Cross.
+ Friday: Travers Eve Festival in downtown Saratoga with "strolling entertainment" and giveaways (Saratoga will be packed with all the crowds in town for the race the next day).

Fair 'o the week

This week's county fair: the Washington County Fair, Monday-Sunday, at the Washington County fairgrounds in Greenwich. All the usual fair fare: rides, exhibits, entertainment, food. $10 adults / under 14 free / all week $30 / ride tickets are extra

Stories and poets

Front Parlor
The Front Parlor storytelling series is at the Olde English in Albany Monday evening. This month's theme: "vacation (or roadtrip)." 7:30 pm

Nitty Gritty
The Nitty Gritty Poetry Slam is celebrating its once anniversary Tuesday night at Valentine's by welcoming back all of its winners from the previous year. The night will also honor the poets who competed at the recent National Poetry Slam. sign up begins at 7PM, open mic 7:30, slam 8 pm - $5 ($3 students)

Can it

Tuesday at the Arts Center of the Capital Region: an intro class on waterbath canning with the From Scratch Club's Christina Davis. "The class provides an intensive up-close opportunity to learn to make pickled vegetables & the basic safety and techniques to return home to 'put up' the summer's bounty." Canning's one of the those things where it's probably not a bad idea to learn from someone with experience (botulism really has a way of spoiling things for everyone, you know). 6-9 pm - $60

Also this week at the Arts Center...

Sausage: It looks like Christian Noe's popular sausage making class still has two spots left on Monday.

Bacon: On Sunday there's a class on how to make home-cured bacon with Erika Tebbens (also a FSC class).

Alain Kaloyeros

Alain Kaloyeros will be giving a talk about "the groundbreaking research and development being carried out at the Albany NanoTech Complex" Thursday evening at the University Club in Albany. If you're curious about what's going at the rapidly expanding UAlbany College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering complex, this sounds like a good opportunity to hear about it directly. Presumably he'll also talk about the partnerships with which CSNE is involved for the re-use of Kiernan Plaza in downtown Albany. reception at 5:30 pm, talk at 6:30 pm - $25, reservations required (463-1151)

Pass It On

The bi-annual Pass It On consignment sale for kids stuff is this Saturday and Sunday, at a new location -- the SportsPlex in Halfmoon (previous sales have been at the Albany Academy field house). Pass It On is big and very popular. There are usually good deals on gently-used kids stuff. Your best bet is probably to go first thing Saturday morning -- Sunday is half-price day (for whatever's left over from Saturday). (The sale technically starts on Friday, but it's only open to volunteers, consignors and new parents (new parent registration is closed).) Saturday 8 am-9 pm, Sunday 9 am-4 pm - free entry

Music

Monday: Wynton Marsalis Quartet at Tanglewood
Jazz royalty. 8 pm - $21 and up

Wednesday: Changes in Latitudes at Troy Rockin' on the River
Jimmy Buffet tribute band. 5 pm - free

Wednesday: The Dependents at Caffe Lena
Big voice. 7 pm - $5

Friday: MaryLeigh and the Fauves at Putnam Den
With: Lunic. 9 pm - free

Friday: Deja Voodoo Boys at Upbeat on the Roof at the Tang
New Orleans swing. 7 pm - free

Friday: Wilhelm McKay at Hudson River Coffee House
Indie folk/country rock from Asheville, North Carolina.

Saturday: Eastbound Jesus at Putnam Den
With: The Mallett Brothers, Blind Owl Band. 9 pm - $5

Saturday: Red Baraat at Helsinki Hudson
A nine-piece band that plays a fusion of bhangra and funk -- it works. 9 pm - $15

Sunday: Chick Corea and Gary Burton at Tanglewood
"Exploring their unique takes on 'standards'." 8 pm - $19 and up

These are a just a few things for this week. Know of something people should be looking forward to this week? Please share!

Look for our "Stuff to do this weekend" post on Friday.

The Saratoga Race Course and the Arts Center advertise on AOA. And AOA is a media sponsor of the Kaloyeros talk at the University Club.

photo: NYRA