AOA7 drawing: New World Bistro Bar + The Spectrum

spectrum new world composite

Drawing's closed! Winner's been emailed!

This week AOA celebrates our 7th birthday, so of course that means presents. Throughout the week we'll have drawings for fun Capital Region stuff.

First up, dinner a movie. This drawing includes:

+ A $50 gift certificate to New World Bistro Bar in Albany

+ Four movie passes to the Spectrum 8, plus a Spectrum tote bag.

To enter this drawing, please answer this question in the comments:

New World and the Spectrum are two highlights of the Delaware Ave neighborhood in Albany. What's a highlight of your local neighborhood, and why?

We're hoping to learn about some fun/interesting stuff. We'll draw one winner at random.

Important: All comments must be submitted by 5 pm on Tuesday, March 24, 2015 to be entered in the drawing. You must answer the question to be part of the drawing. (Normal commenting guidelines apply.) One entry per person, please. You must enter a valid email address (that you check regularly) with your comment. The winner will be notified via email by 5 pm on Wednesday and must respond by 5 pm on Thursday, March 26.

Comments

Me, because I am awesome.

I live in the Burden Ironworks neighborhood of South Troy. Highlights include, the beautiful Burden Church, which is now the CAC Woodside artist residency, and the remains of Burden Ironworks, if you know where to find it! The food highlight in my neighborhood is the Deli and Brew!

I live on State Street across from Washington Park, and the park itself is the highlight. I love the feeling of living in an urban setting with a huge green space literally right outside my door. Brew on the corner of State and Lark is another highlight. Love their can selection :)

Well, I live right on the line of Niskayuna and Schenectady (officially a resident of Schenectady). I'd say two highlights of my local neighborhood are the Niskayuna Co-op and the Schenectady Greenmarket.

The highlight of my neighborhood is The Breaks Coffee House and Provisions. They're bringing ethical, sustainable food to Lark Street and have great hours. They also just started delivering for lunch! There is even a deal on Groupon right now.


Check out the Brakes Project and read about their commitment to sustainability.
http://www.thebrakesproject.org/

I love the hudson-jay park right near my apartment. In the summer, people are always laying out and grilling!

LePage's Market in downtown Cohoes! A great little mom & pop shop right by the falls that has a surprisingly robust offering of beer, Boars Head cold cuts & sandwiches, and ice cream window in the summer.

One of the early signs of summer is enjoying a cone while marveling at the roar of the water.

The recent opening of BREW on Lark Street has been a delightful option for those hard to find craft beers. August and the staff are always helpful and knowledgeable when I go in there with a hundred questions.

Perfect Blend coffee shop on the 4 corners, Delmar. Coffee and scones are good, but the standout is their community involvement. Kudos, guys (and we're *really* looking forward to the wine bar addition!)

The Crossings is a highlight of the Colonie area. A perfect place to get a run in a tranquil area.

Walkability/Bikeability: Hackett multi-use path, everything on New Scotland within a 20 minute walk/7 minute ride.

Washington Park there are so many things to do there...take a walk, jog, picnic, fairs, festivals, 401k races, watch a play, walk your dog, bike, practice your golf swing, Frisbee, volleyball ,football, playground the possibilities are endless..Have fun Colleen

All the new places to walk to in downtown Schenectady are definitely the highlight of living in the Stockade.

Henry Hudson Park in Glenmont. I think it might be a good place to bring dogs early in the morning if I were the sort of person who would flaunt the town's anti-canine laws.

I live in the North Central section of Troy, near the top of the hill. This gives me easy access to Frear Park for fishing, hiking, longboarding, sledding, and the Park Pub's Peanut Butter and Jelly wings (TRY THEM).

Also, a run to and around Oakwood Cemetery and down the wooded path to the secret waterfall, then to the bike trail that runs behind Lansingburgh High is a great way to start or end the day, once it warms up of course!

Tierra Coffee Roasters! I love being able to walk a block to get a Sunday cappucino and hang out.But our neighborhood is also lucky to have Madison theater, madison cafe/juniors/pourhouse/the point. So many things in walking distance.

I live in the Nisky neighborhood by the high school. Highlights are the beautiful, walkable community of unique houses, all with interesting character. The Niskayuna Co-op is a hot spot, and in the plaza just across the street is LT's Grill, known for its amazing dry rub wings. The Dean Street park is also a favorite for Niskayunans in our neighborhood.

All the interconnected walking trails in the Albany Pine Bush

Tierra on Madison Ave!

I live in Schodack so there's not a lot going on but I live within walking distance of Kristy's Barn with another small farm stand in between. When I buy local I really mean it.

I live very close to Union College in Schenectady and in addition to a ton of awesome restaurants nearby, one of my favorite highlights of our neighborhood is Schenectady Central Park. We love playing frisbee golf there after work on nice afternoons!

That's not an easy one, but I'll go with the generic; the architecture, because it's beautiful. I consider my neighborhood to stretch from Russell Sage to Washington Park (Troy). Plenty of worthy establishments, but the buildings lend a lot of soul.

I live in the Heldeberg area and hands down: Gastropub. Want a quick beer? Sure. The dinner I'm cooking is running late so I want a small appetizer while I wait? Ok. It's someone's birthday/holiday/date night? Perfect. Just in the mood for a good pizza? On point. Someone wants a nice cocktail? Got it.

Total highlight to be able to walk to a place that does food so well, and really suits just about any need I have.

I live off of Central Ave near Fuller Rd. Central Ave is a major road but sort of forgotten as a community. I love that I live in such a cultural neighborhood. I have Indian, Italian, Chinese, Thai etc. restaurants at my back door.

Representing Center Square we have the amazing Stacks Espresso (http://stacksespresso.com/) and the truly wonderful Dove and Hudson Books.

I chose Stacks because Ron and team are nailing it right now. They are one of, if not the only, multi-roaster house in the region. Every month they feature beans from some of the best roasters in the country. And the baristas know the beans and put serious time and effort into dialing their shots in just right. In addition to the great espresso, they have a well curated selection of delicious treats from Crisan, Psychedelicatessen, and other local bakers that completes the big city craft coffeehouse experience in our own little "village in the city."

What hasn't already been said about Dove and Hudson? I make a point of seeking out used bookstores whenever I travel, and there are few that I have found that are as good as Dove and Hudson. Yes, you can certainly find larger selections elsewhere, but it's hard to beat to like-new quality and low prices at Dove and Hudson.

And it should not come as a surprise that Stacks and Dove and Hudson are better together! So what are you waiting for? Go pick up that brainy lit-fic book you've been looking for and enjoy it at Stacks with a pour-over and a warm Crisan croissant at Stacks.

The Oakwood area of Troy has a wonderful woody bike path that runs parallel to Oakwood Cemetery.

The Snowman. It's open for the season.

I live in Delmar, and the best thing about the area is the rail trail. Love it.

I leave near DelSo as well and some additional highlights are the Albany Public Library, Prinzos, Cardonas, Andy's, Empanada Llama, and other great local businesses that make it such a nice walkable neighborhood.

I live across from Washington park and it's hard to choose just one highlight, so I'll choose three. The Lionheart for the best happy hour in Albany, Stacks for the amazing coffee, and the Park itself for all the great events, especially the Play in the Park series.

Stacks! Definitely Stacks. It is nearly perfect. The only way, literally, that I can imagine it improving is a slightly better selection of baked goodies, but that's not to say what's there doesn't already entice me plenty.

We as well live in the Helderberg neighborhood of Albany. The highlight for us (aside form awesome restaurants like the Gastropub) are our excellent neighbors...that and the neighborhood garage sale on June 13th!

I am located in Center Square, and although I wish for more great things to rebuild the neighborhood, there is still so much to enjoy. The beautiful architecture is a definite highlight - just looking up and around can provide a new daily surprise. The Palais Royale is an excellent establishment, as well as Oasis nearby - such excellent food.

I live in the Delaware Ave area, so in addition to NWB and Spectrum that you've mentioned, I'd have to add: 1) Fort Orange General Store for an awesome collection of curated handmade wares (http://www.fortorangegeneralstore.com/); 2) Bake for You for their amazing scones, croissants, cookies, etc. (http://bakeforyou.com/) and 3) The Cheese Traveler for their great specialty cheese and charcuterie selection and knowledgeable staff (http://thecheesetraveler.com/).

In my part of Pine Hills the biggest highlight(s) are Madison Theatre/Tierra Coffee and Store, as well as Madison Pourhouse.

I live in Downtown Albany, and The Hollow is definitely a highlight. Great food, beer selection, and a commitment to bringing quality musicians to Albany.

The highlight of my neighborhood is Washington Park. It's a great gathering place for friends in the summer.

The Mansion District in Albany has the Hill Street Cafe, which has great people, great service, and amazing pub food. Not to mention it's a great place to watch a game (which someone without cable living a couple houses down really appreciates!).

The pond at UAlbany - I love taking walks there all season, but especially in the summer because you can spot muskrats, herons, and other wildlife sometimes.

DelSo: Biking/jogging distance to the Normanskill.

I love being able to walk to the Albany Public Library Main Branch from our Center Square apartment.

You said it, I live in the Delaware Ave neighborhood; and, being walking distance from the movies and so close to the thruway/787 were big buying points.

The Empire State Plaza at night - my own personal dog park

Troy: For me personally, there are a zillion things I love about Troy, but most of all, I live in the brownstone next door to Bacchus, and I love coming home, parking my car and walking toward my building, inhaling the sweet scent of wood-fired pizza cutting through the cold air.

It's no wonder that I'm not 300lbs. by now.

Westland Hills Park ...because we cannot have too many city parks

I don't live in the most interesting neighborhood but La Mexicana is in walking distance! and on the way back from stuffing your face you can pick up desert at Uncle Sam's.

I live by Lincoln Park, a great place to walk, run and enjoy the weather once it gets nice. Also close to the plaza and museum for other fun activities!

As a resident of Slingerlands, the rail trail is a great amenity. It is a lot of fun for walks/runs when the weather is nice, and also good for snowshoeing in the winter.

I live out in Glenmont. I'd have to say my favorite local highlight is the Jericho Drive-In and their awesome ice cream stand Twist! Glad to see they'll be around for another season!
http://www.jerichodrive-in.com/

The Compound and around the corner to the Ruck in Troy (4th-Congress-3rd Streets). It is a vibrant and resurging neighborhood offering affordable quality entertainment for my 30-somthing demographic

The Pine Bush is practically my backyard -- so many trails to run, bike, walk, and explore with my family. It is hands-down one of my favorite things where I live.

I live on Madison, across from Washington Park. I've recently begun house-hunting outside of Albany and what I will most is the park and all the activities they host throughout the warmer part of the year. It's been fantastic to wake-up and walk to a show, festival, or just enjoy a picnic!

The lavender bushes that grow along our run route.

Ragonese Imports, I live on South Lake near New Scotland Avenue. AMAZING eggplant subs, tiramisu, fresh pasta, you name it!!!!!!!!!!

My vote is The Madison Pourhouse for the Pine Hills area

The Madison Pour House is my favorite bar. They always have a great selection of beers and the staff is friendly, efficient and knowledgeable. Great prices, too. Also the music is awesome and the atmosphere is always warm and inviting.

I live near Buckingham Pond - a delightful oasis in the middle of the city!

Palais Royale in Hudson/Park on Jefferson St. As good a dive bar as you'll find anywhere!

Watching the brutal blood sport shuffle board games from my balcony overlooking the Atria Adult Home - and making friendly wagers with my neighbors.

I live in the East Greenbush area and I would say a highlight of my neighborhood is Srisiam Thai Restaurant. It's a quaint little restaurant with delicious, authentic, and affordable Thai food.

The highlight of my neighborhood is the Crossings park! It is a great place to visit all year round and walk, run, take the kids, shop the farmers market. Oh yeah and Scoops Ice Cream stand right down the road from the Crossings. Ahhh warm weather...............

In Delmar, a local highlight is the Delmar Farmers market. It is a wonderful place to buy fresh food and local crafts, and is a draw for residents and travelers.

Kinnaree - it's around the corner and I am always grateful!

The highlights of my neighborhood are the Schuyler Pastry Shop, Mac's IceCream!!!!, Patrick's Pub. This is the Port Schuyler neighborhood in Watervliet, and things are picking up!

Cheesecake Machismo!!

Because amazing cheesecake makes a neighborhood amazing. Because Lynn and Bam live here, too.

There is no better reason than Cheesecake.

I win.

Being able to walk on all of the canal, river, and island trails around Waterford.

Mid Way Cafe in Ravena - best diner around for food you swear is from your mother's (or father's) kitchen.

I live in a residential neighborhood in Guilderland, and I don't think we have anything on the level of the incredible Spectrum 8, which is a jewel of our whole region, not just the Delaware Ave neighborhood.

That said, I think that the Best Cook chinese restaurant is one of the highlights of my neighborhood. Not only is it some of the better Chinese take-out in the area, it has one of the friendliest staffs around.

Moxies Ice Cream Stand! And Labella's in Wynantskill. Also, Pinewoods Cemetary

Quality of life along New Scotland Ave near the Pine Hills neighborhood of Albany has improved vastly (and unexpectedly) over the past few years. I moved away from here a couple of years ago and couldn't help but move back after seeing it's evolution. The stretch of restaurants and bars on New Scotland b/w Quail and Ontario alone has been so revitalized, it's barely recognizable from even a few years ago.

You've got old standards, like The Fountain & Graneys, that keep the neighborhood grounded. Newer offerings such as Beer Belly, Gastropub, and Midtown Tap & Tea Room provide innovative fare and a more refined ambience for after-work socializing and date nights. Sake Cafe and Kuma Ani have some of the best sushi and Asian cuisine in the city. And there's The Wine Shop (actual name) for when you need supplies for spending a night in - it's great to have local businesses with owners who feel like they're a part of the neighborhood.

Combined with the calm residential side-streets and the green space of nearby Buckingham Pond, I can't think of a more pleasant or practical area to live in Albany.

Capital Hills/surroundings
It's good for all seasons, walking, sledding, dog park, golfing (obv.)

I live on Second Street in Troy, just a few blocks from the Rensselaer County Historical Society with their fabulous local history library at 57 Second St.

I live in Center Square, and one of our many highlights is a The Brakes, a new coffee shop with great vegan food and a noble cause - combatting climate change through education.

Colonie crossings is absolutely the highlight of the neighborhood. Next would be beff's which just relocated so I'm excited to try the new restaurant in its place!

I live on Willett street on Washington Park. A huge highlight of the neighborhood--and this is true for all of Center Square, but particularly on the park--is the incredible architecture. How cool is it to be able to glance down what looks like a tiny driveway/alleyway and see a whole beautiful carriage house that people are living in tucked away behind all the row houses? I feel like I'm always discovering new details when I walk down the street.

The Bach Branch of the Albany Public Library. It's a great little library with a helpful staff. Oh, and Beer Belly. I love being able to walk to place where I can get a six-pack of Jack's Abby.

A walk up and down 5th Ave and Caroline St in Saratoga to see the horses working out or getting bathed before the races.

Café Capriccio is a highlight of my Mansion Hill Neighborhood.

I live in this neighborhood and in addition to these two gems, I would say Mingle is also a definite highlight!

I live in the Delaware neighborhood and really enjoy the Spectrum. I also love going to Emack and Bolio's for their live music and yummy ice cream!

It's hard to even know where to begin in the DelSo neighborhood...the options for eating, entertainment and recreation are all outstanding and have been well-named here already. I think one of my favorite things would have to be the actual neighbors who make up my 'hood. There's always someone to borrow a lemon from or share a bottle of wine with and we have a real sense of community. It's awesome.

Upper Union St in Nisky - so many cool little shops and restaurants.

Living in the awesome Helderberg neighborhood - Fountain's meatball and eggplant pizza and the amazing draft list and 1 dollar oysters at the Beer Belly are certainly a highlight that we are more than privileged to have in our neighborhood.

Also my neighborhood! Love the library and our farmers markets on Tuesdays through the summer, Sweet Basil, Pho Yum for some awesome takeout pho, and how much more walkable the neighborhood is becoming.

A highlight of my neighborhood is the landscaping at the intersection of Madison and Western. I love the plants and flowers that appear there with the seasons, especially the tulip display!

I live in the Four Corners area of Delmar and the Saturday Farmers' Market is a highlight of the neighborhood. It's also nice to be living in a quiet community while still being within walking distance to restaurants, grocers, and the library.

The french toast at Betty Boop diner in the Mansion District. Yum!

Buckingham Pond!

My soon to be neighborhood will be Troy! The highlight is its walk-ability, I can easily get to all the awesome restaurants and the farmer's market!

At the edge of Pine Hills at the end of Madison Ave between S Allen St and S Main St are two blocks of a great group of shops.

There's a barber, laundromat, movie theater, coffee house, pharmacy, grocery store, bagel place, Indian; Chinese; Italian; and American food, sports bar, pub, fine dining, tattoo parlor, etc. So the highlight for me is having such diverse and unique options to choose from, all within walking distance.

Pine Hills is a great neighborhood to take a run or walk through. Sidewalks are generally wide and there are always characters around to take entertain.

I also love the number of parks in the area. Washington park is a stones throw away, but there's also Ridgefield, Buckingham Lake, and more to take in on warm days and nights.

The Hudson Jay park, we've met so many great dog parents there and love running into familiar faces around the neighborhood. Its a friendly space that helps foster a sense of community.

Wolf Road! The mall, restaurants, shops, grocery stores, bars, access to the Crossings... The heart of Colonie!

The history in Albany goes back hundreds of years. I love how it is represented in my neighborhood by the various dwellings. I like to imagine how LOUD it must have been 140 years ago from the sounds of horses hooves on all the cobblestone! Although drinking all the beer made here probably helped!

My neighborhood is Center Square in case you couldn't guess! Stables for the Amsdell Brothers Brewery are on my block.

A new place called Spindles just recently opened in Cohoes. It's great to see a little life coming into downtown in the form of a cute and cozy wine bar.

Mr Pio Pio take out & Madison Pour House in Pine Hills.

he highlight for my neighborhood is access to the Mohawk River and the bike path - just down the road!

Hudson/Park is central to Downtown, Del/So, Center Square, and Upper Madison. Very walkable and home to one of our area's only urban supermarkets, currently getting it's much-needed renovation.

Ale House & Bella Napoli. North Central got it all it needs right there.

We hover between DelSo and Helderberg, right off Whitehall. It's kind of perfect: walkable to New World and Spectrum, walkable to New Scotland's attractions like Beer Belly, and walking distance to our gym (the JCC).

DelSo = Empanada Llama. Get the empanada with beef and raisins. It's the best!

Bake for you. Delicious treats made by great people.

Great, diverse architecture.

McGeary's Irish Pub is the best bar in the larger Albany neighborhood because on autumn Sundays it is the best place east of Buffalo to watch a BILLS game!

I live in Chatham. For me, Main Street is like the spectrum Block on Delaware Ave. Dinner at The Blue Plate Diner or Destino, followed by a movie at the Crandell Theater, followed by a drink at the Chatham Brewery is about as perfect as it gets.

Washington Park...great park to go explore, chill out, play frisbee/other games and attend performances/festivals during the summertime.

I live off Lark Street by the park, and it's really tough to pick something in my neighborhood that really stands out. There's the architecture, the great restaurants and cafes, Washington Park, great transit, lovely streetscapes, the proximity to everything. But I'm going to go with the Little Free Library, next to the Westminster Church on State Street, that is a miniature replica of the church itself. I love these things, but the replica aspect just makes it so charming!

It's all about Albany's Helderberg neighborhood. From The Fountain for it's amazing pub style pizza, to MidTown Tap and Tearoom for it's upscale cuisine delights, to Gastropub and Beer Belly for their awesome craft beer selection and electric eats- There's so much to boast about! I feel extremely lucky to call this neighborhood my own!

Buckingham Pond is a well kept secret with most. It's great for picnics, hiking, kyaking, fishing, bird watching/listening, smells of spring and summer, people watching, butterflies, turtles, goldfish, and just sitting on a bench and reading. All the houses are well kept, unique, filled with ernest middleclass Albanians.

The Beer Belly. I'm proud to have the best beer bar in town on my block.

The Bach Branch of the Albany Public Library is a beautiful part of my neighborhood. I love stopping in and seeing all the groups meeting and participating in activities together.

I live in Center Square and the Albany public library is a great resource for the neighborhood. I wish I'd checked it out sooner.

Toll Gate makes Slingerlands.

Buckingham Pond! Because... baby ducks.

Love Flavors of India over by Townsend Park on Washington Ave. in Albany. Really good Indian food and the people are so nice.

New Scotland Ave. neighborhood, beyond the Thruway overpass: country in the city. Golf course, dog park, community garden.

I live in the Melrose Neighborhood - and everything is within walking distance. No car needed!

The Pine Hills branch of the Albany Public Library, great places to eat - Jrs, The Point, Madison Café, Brueggers, the Pour House, The Curry House, among others, Price Chopper, two banks, and many businesses.

It is easy to catch a bus and travel anywhere in the capital district. University at Albany is less than 1 mile away and the State Campus is close as well.

The variety of restaurants on New Scotland Ave between Ontario and Quail is great!

beer belly, sake cafe, lots of trees, family owned houses, and walk-ability

I love that I have a park in my neighborhood, the Crossings is a great escape any time. Stop at Franks for ice cream or dinner for the complete package!

Aperativo... yum :)

In Scotia and Glenville one of the highlights is the Scotia Cinema. It is a classic small town theater that shows superb second run films at a great price and doesn't gouge you for popcorn.

Defazio's pizza. Well, because, Pizza!

All the running routes that are possible around New Scotland Ave. So many sidewalks and a quick jaunt over to UA loop.

The park, because it's green

Yes, it's polluted, and yes even though the fishing is great you can't eat the fish, but Nassau Lake is one of the highlights of my neighborhood. It's a beautiful lake with lots of geese, herons, a pair of bald eagles (recent transfers), and plenty of other wild life. It's great for kayaking or canoeing or drinking on a pontoon boat (so I've seen). Also, in the summer we got the Pirates Lakeside Grill and our own 4th of July fireworks show.

The pine bush. Just hop across the street to see a beautiful new landscape every season.

The new public library on New Scotland Ave. because it's open and free for all.

Bethlehem Public Library.

The view of the Capitol in between the historic Center Square buildings

Pinebush preserve. It is especially nice during the fall.

The Snail Lady lives in a haunted Victorian in the middle of our block. She spends her days mucking out the drains and scowling at pedestrians, people driving past in their cars, small aircraft. Her vivid grumpiness has kept the drug dealers from encroaching any further from the north and west of the city. Even the bullets coming from the basketball court down on 9th seem to re-route, or die and fall harmlessly to the street like seed pods for the Fuchsia Lady to gather up in a coffee can for planting later on a warm moonless night in June.

I love the flower shop on Lark because I can get something to brighten up my apartment in winter.
I love Capital Wine and Spirits because tastings give me something quick and fun to perk up a Friday night.
I love the main branch library for having all the travel books and vonneguts I need.
I love Oasis and the Dutch Pot for dinner, and Cheesecake Machismo for dessert.
The thing that I love most though is Washington Park -- I am so lucky to have such a big and beautiful backyard to exercise and relax in.

I love the Crossings park and Koto Japanese Steakhouse near me!

We live close to Main and Madison and frequent the Madison Theatre and the Pourhouse. Walkability is huge! When the weather is nicer, we often walk down to the Spectrum for a matinee.

Buckingham Pond. I lived two blocks away and never realized it was there for a few months. I ran by it and have been going over ever since.

The Fountain!

The whistling kettle down in Troy is a nice lunch spot!

Madison Theater is the greatest! Classic movies and the best popcorn around!

Madison Station, taco Tuesdays...yum!

Anton's across from St. Peters! Greek nachos are a highlight for sure!

I live in the large Kennewyck Development in Guilderland. The neighborhood itself is the highlight of my neighborhood. For those looking for suburbia - the 190 houses mean plenty of other kids for my kids to play with and plenty of neighbors to meet and hang out with. Wew are also close to Western with lots of nice shops and restaurants and that big Mall.

Buckingham Pond and the general walkability and scenery of the neighborhood makes me happy.

It wouldn't be small town Voorheesville without Smitty's Pizza at the base of the Helderberg Mountains!

I live on the border of Niskayuna and Schenectady ~ two of my favorite things (and there are many from which to choose) about this area are Soluna Yoga and the Schenectady Green Market! Both add much to the quality of my life!!

Breakfast at Don & Pauls in Waterford with a side of back room billiards action.

Lee Lin--fave American Chinese restaurant of all the US places I've lived (incl. Troy, Latham, Albany, Loudonville, near Boston, TX)

Wherever there's an affordable multi-family property for sale, because we're looking to buy!

The amazing modern sculpture on the ESP.

Waiting for that Latham mall to finish...

I enjoy walking around East Hills, when it's not freezing out.

I live in Center Square. Cheesecake Machismo, El Mariachi, Ben and Jerry's-- try them and you'll know why!

The upcoming wine bar in Delmar!

I absolutely love walking around Lincoln Park, especially when all the teams are there playing. I love how it is both peaceful and buzzing with energy at the same time.

City Hall, because its the best looking building in the city!

The New Scotland Ave library, a great place to visit, explore, and learn for all ages.

I would have to say the Ruck is the highlight of my neighborhood. It's a staple, the people who have been going forever continue to go to. In the 5 years I've been going it has gone from simple dive bar with a decent selection of craft beer, to a bar with three floors, a much bigger selection of craft beer, and a menu that you would never expect from a bar. They continue to grow and change, and I believe the next step is a patio. Also the way that they support the community and sponsor so many events makes me glad to be a patron there.

I live in Clifton Park and the Schmaltz Brewery is totally a highlight of my neighborhood. Local beer and trivia night, best pairing ever.

Stacks Espresso Bar. Having an inviting coffee shop to read the paper in on a Sunday morning makes my neighborhood feel like home.

St. Sophia's Greek Church in the Crestwood neighborhood for the Greek Festival in May.

The Snowman! Because delicious ice cream you can walk to makes you feel like you've actually earned it :)

Not to brag, but, my awesome compound back yard shared with my neighbors is a highlight in South Troy. We have flowers, veggie gardens, one big tree, and 3 yards fenced into one giant one. People walk by and ooh and ahhh, or come in and say "I had no idea South Troy had anything like this". Ok, so I guess I bragged.
But ALSO DeFazio's!! And I can't wait for the big expansion into the vacant Vanilla Bean!

Bella Napoli for sweets and treats!

Buckingham lack and surrounding area! Favorite place for a run!

Saratoga Spa State Park. Swim, run, walk, explore plus farmers markets on the weekends. It's the best!

Nine Pin!!!

My neighbors. Always there to help one another. And the trees.

We live in McKownville in Guilderland right on the line between the suburbs and the city of Albany (12203 zip).

The best thing about our neighborhood is walkability: UAlbany on one side, Stuyvesant Plaza on the other and Uncommon Gorunds and that small plaza not far away.

The pond on the UAlbany campus is great for walking. We love birdwatching there (wood ducks last fall!). NYSWI and other university events are great for evenings out.

We are some lucky ducks!

Delaware Ave/ off Whitehall. Cardona's Market for the El Sid & Stewarts, because walking distance.

New World and the Spectrum are two highlights of the Delaware Ave neighborhood in Albany. What's a highlight of your local neighborhood, and why?

OnTheFarm on Troy-Schenectady Road. Deliciously greasy burgers, superb milkshakes, and the only place where I've been able to get a decent Ice Float.

I live in Guilderland and Dorato's has some pretty sweet wings.

I live in Colonie off Central Ave, so discussions of "jewels" are few and far between. However, I love that I live on a quiet street that is close to so much - restaurants, grocery and department stores, and even local dive bars and mom and pop delis.

Hudson-Jay Park, where we bring our basset hound every day after work. Lots of the dog owners in the neighborhood hang out there with their pups, and it's a lot easier for us to get to than Washington Park!

I live in Hudson Park - I'd say the highlights are Stack's coffee shop, Oasis Cafe's delicious felafel, Jewel of India, and despite it's general griminess - being able to walk to the Delaware price chopper 24 hours a day has changed everything. Urban living rocks.

Hollywood Drive-In, because it's a drive-in!

Washington Park for morning runs and lazy afternoon picnics!

I live in Guilderland, it has to be the Pine Bush preserve for the uniqueness of it.

Albany's public libraries. All of them.

The Wine Shop on New Scotland Ave is the best. And I can walk there.

I live near the Lake end of Washington Park, and aside from the Park itself, I'm gonna say Dan's Place Two. Walk in on a sunday morning, sit at a slightly tippy diner stool and get some perfect, greasy eggs, corn beef hash, and pancakes to start the day.

Buckingham pond

In Guilderland/Altamont: French's Hollow. Kind of grew up there.

I live on the border of Latham and Watervliet...for Latham, we have some hidden gems...Roma Imports, Euro Deli, Bella Napoli and DiNipro...just to name a few...in Watervliet...Schuyler Bakery, Local Flavor...Nora's and Bob's Diner...no it's not a neighborhood per se....but we definitely have great places!!!

I live in Burnt Hills. The library is wonderful and the staff are all incredibly helpful and friendly. Carney's Tavern is a hidden gem with the best burgers I've ever had and fantastic live music on the weekends.

Center Square has so much to offer within walking distance! I love being so close to Washington Park and all the fun bars and cafe's on Lark Street. I have also enjoyed learning about the awesome histories of all the buildings that surround my apartment.

I live in Bethlehem, and Elsmere Elementary School should be lauded as an outstanding example of both academic and cultural education.

I live in Center Square - walkability is a huge positive aspect of the neighborhood for me. Great cup of coffee and a good book? Stacks and the APL main branch. Nice dinner out? Wine Bar and their amazing staff. Spot to enjoy the summer sun or an afternoon run? Washington Park. And it's all just a 10 minute stroll from my apartment.

The neighbors. I'm fortunate to live in a neighborhood with homeowners of the same age and with similarly-aged children. Getting together happens frequently and naturally and is tremendously enjoyable!

I like having lark st. close by.

Ragonese and the library on New Scotland.

Not really in my neighborhood, but the old NYS Library that is in the Education Building is really cool also. Not sure if it is a place the public is allowed into now, but I use to go there when I was a kid and look at the high ceilings and the old elevator and all the cool details.

We live in the Woodlawn section of Schenectady and we love to support local businesses like La Mexicana, Blue Ribbon and Bumpy's Polar Freeze!

I live in Clarksville and the highlight here, by far, is Jake Moon! I tell everyone I meet to make the trip some weekend morning for their breakfast. Though it is a small restaurant, their farm fresh ingredients make it a breakfast worth the trip!

I live in the college area by Washington Park and there's a lot of the same old stuff, but the Bread and Honey café is really a nice little gem. They have limited hours but great vibes and baked goods!

I like movies and food...

I like in McKownville/Guilderland and a highlight of our neighborhood - second only to my fabulous neighbors - is its walkability. The town just put in new sidewalks on Western Ave and this was such a huge improvement because it was really hard to walk safely with my children and take advantage of the great stores at Stuyvesant Plaza or University Plaza.

Lincoln Park is the highlight of the Hudson/Park neighborhood. It's underused and overlooked by people who frequent Washington Park. Walking around the bowl, playing fetch, and just watching people play sports when the weather is nice are great ways to spend a nice Saturday.

I live in the Normanskill neighborhood. The best thing in our neighborhood is the Capital Hills Golf Course. Walking there in the spring/fall and skiing in the winter is tops!

The troy farmer's market!

While not many people look at Fulton Street in Troy as a safe place to live, I live right off of this block and consider it one of the best things about my neighborhood. I've gotten to know many of the business owners and frequent those businesses regularly. The Fulton St. mini mart hands down has the best beer prices- 24 ounces for $1.50! Shalimar works around my vegan diet and even shares some of their recipes with us and First Choice Caribbean Caribbean food fills our bellies before every Farmer's Market at the shop. We are within a short walking distance to Nibble, have an amazing view of the approach each morning with the sunrise and can hear the church-goers singing each Sunday throughout the summer months. My neighbors aren't nosey but they look out for you- no one wants to see a car towed or ticketed.

I live in Center Square, and Stacks Espresso Bar on Lark St. is most definitely the highlight of the neighborhood. The coffee and lattes are delicious, the staff is knowledgeable and always happy to share interesting information about their drinks. Their cold brew coffee is my go-to all through summer.

Remsen Street in Cohoes is slowly coming back to life with The Foundry for Art, Design & Culture, Cohoes Music Hall - which is still hanging on despite recent problems - and Spindles wine bar now firmly established. My favorite thing is still Smith's of Cohoes though. Built almost 150 years ago, and with a bar from Tammany Hall, you can immediately feel the history hit you when walk in. They also have an impressive menu. Even though the beer selection is limited and the bar staff is less than attentive, when they have a good rockabilly band playing it just doesn't matter. I love the place!

River Street in Troy! Great place to walk with friends when the weather is nice

The highlight of my neighborhood (upper Western Ave) is Lilac Blossom, an Asian fusion restaurant. They have the best eggrolls, and great pad thai. And when you wanna keep it lighter, they also have delicious steamed ginger chicken, and chicken chow mein made with cabbage and bean sprouts.

I live in Waterford and love to frequent McGreivey's. We like to sit in the bar area and can enjoy a burger or a fine dinner. It always has that neigborhood feel. Oh, the Erie canal system is pretty darn cool too!

I live on Madison Avenue, between Lark and Dove Streets, so in the Center Square neighborhood. In my opinion, a highlight of this neighborhood is the architectural style of the old row houses. I love walking the streets throughout the neighborhood to admire the various colors of the brick and the shutters, how people have planted their window boxes and stoops, and the look and feel of each individual block. It's fun to imagine what life was like in the area 150 years ago!

I live in the Campus area and I love our proximity to Buckingham Pond. We take almost nightly walks during the spring and summer months to enjoy the park, fountains and running loop!

Hill Street! Go Mansion District!

Sidewalks, Buckingham Pond, Tierra Coffee, and The Point!

The Crossing and William-Sanford library are the highlight of Colonie for us. Great places for kids!

Dove and Hudson is one of my favorite bookstores anywhere and just happens to be a few blocks away from home. Great selection of newer and hard to find books with an owner who knows exactly what he has.

I live near St. Peters Hospital. Isn't it sweet chocolate shop hits the spot

Capital Wine Shop on State and Lark for good, affordable wine and fantastic staff, and the Daily Grind for the best breakfast sandwiches in town!

I live and work right off of Madison by Washington Park and my favorite place to go by far is the Hudson River Coffee House. Their coffee is always outstanding, they make a mean latte and the egg sandwiches on freshly delivered bagels are amazing. Also they always have a tasty scone waiting when you need a little sugar kick. And the service is always prompt and friendly, often times remembering your order and your name. It makes my walk to work a little better every morning.

Lombardos!

The footbridge in Washington Park!

Jericho Drive In

As a resident of the historic Stockade, I enjoy the amazing architecture, the parks on the Mohawk river, and the Van Dyck Lounge (for food, beer, and entertainment a block away).

Bonobo Café on Madison is just around the corner from where I recently moved to. Love the eclectic art on the walls from local artists and can get a great cup of coffee, too.

empanada llama

I live in downtown Troy, and there are SO many awesome places, most of them owned by Troy locals--Nibble Inc, Sweet Sue's, Slidin Dirty, the Malt Room, Market Block Books, Troy Cloth and Paper, the Confectionery--just to name a few. Also the Troy Waterfront Farmer's Market is the best.

Bubble's Restaurant in Mechanicville. Great food and ice cream and good people!

I live in the Whitehall Road area of Albany, and do enjoy having the JCC facilities close to me.

Getting to chat with all my friends and neighbors, encountered while running erands in my neighborhood of downtown Troy.

I have lived in the Pine Hills all my life.
Washington Park is the essential all season park with ice skating in the winter, lights, summer plays, fall festivals, and of course the Tulip Queen Festival!

Lionheart and Washington Park. Best happy hour in Albany next to the best park in Albany! Can't beat it.

this is my neighborhood - but if i had to choose another highlight near me i would choose Cheesecake Machismo and Lark Tattoo. Two great businesses owned and staffed by truly excellent human beings.

The village of Scotia where I can go for a jog along the Mohawk River, go home and shower, dine at Jade Bistro if I'm in the mood for an artistic meal of sushi or dine at Mohawk Tap Room if I'm craving a burger and a beer, catch a movie at my favorite old time movie house, Scotia Cinema, and finally, if isn't past closing, end the night at Jumping Jacks for ice cream!

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For a decade All Over Albany was a place for interested and interesting people in New York's Capital Region. It was kind of like having a smart, savvy friend who could help you find out what's up. AOA stopped publishing at the end of 2018.

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