Drawing: Wine & Dine for the Arts gala tickets

wine and dine for the arts wine glasses

Drawing's closed! Winner's been emailed!

The annual Wine & Dine for the Arts food and wine festival in downtown Albany starts January 14. The multi-day event includes tastings, chefs and restaurants, seminars, and competitions for sliders, baristas, and bartenders.

The grand gala reception and six-course dinner that Saturday night is sold out -- but we have a pair of tickets for it. And we're giving them away.

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

What is your 2016 resolution for the Capital Region?

It could be big, it could be small. It could be for yourself, it could be the area generally. We'll pick one person at random.

Though tickets for the gala are sold out, tickets for the festivals other events are still available -- including the mayor's opening celebration at Albany City Hall that Thursday, the grand tastings on Friday and Saturday, the Slider Slam on Friday, and the barista competition pairing coffee and donuts on Saturday.

Important: All comments must be submitted by 11:59 pm on Friday, January 8, 2016 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 noon on Monday and must respond by noon on Tuesday, January 12.

AOA is a media sponsor of Wine & Dine for the Arts.

Comments

Run a mile every day!

Try more new, local restaurants....and give them more than one chance!

I'm going to get out and try to do more stuff in 2016 than I did in 2015! There are so many new places to eat!

See more live theater and hear more live music!

To take better advantage of the wonderful state parks and outdoor events that we're lucky enough to be so close to. For Christmas we got a family membership to the Adirondack Mountain Club and an Empire Pass.

To kick off our resolution, we went for the New Years Day hike at Mt Greylock which, while a bit treacherous in spots, was a great way to spend the first day of 2016.

Pick one of my fancy cookbooks and cook my way through it one page at a time, until it is complete. In doing so it will force me to try new foods and gain more skills.

I want to convince Nippertown to start publishing a hard copy paper to replace Metroland!

Cook Pho...including making a 48-hour beef broth

My resolution is to get out and do more local stuff! farmer's markets, museums, concerts... supporting local endeavors just plain old feels good!

To figure out how I can get even more involved with my neighborhood. I love where I live and would enjoy meeting more people, committing to acknowledging those people I see everyday, and maybe some clean-up projects as well (the same dirty diaper has been just off the sidewalk for months...)

To make the Capital Region more bike friendly and to see more bikers on the roadways.

I would love to see something great move into Justins.

Try to spend more time in Lake George this summer.

Check out more of the restaurants in Troy.

Complain less, do more!

To get more involved in the region and the local community - to take advantage of more local events, get involved with charities, join new activities and community groups.

To smile or say hi to people I see when taking a walk.

Take more neighborhood photos pf Albany.

This is both a personal and capital region resolution. I want to visit and eat at more locally owned businesses, no more overrated franchises. If I want to see the area grow, I have to do my part and support them. With that I want more locally owned businesses, shops, restaurants, etc to come to the area.

I resolve to be a booster for Albany - and present it in a positive light to everyone, especially the naysayers and negative nancys.

Just get outside and enjoy nature more often!

I'd like to win an AOA drawing this year!

To be more of an adult and be better with finances

More designated bike lanes! Thanks.

A better Lark Street

To be able to speak up and not hesitate standing up for oneself!

More kindness

More local small businesses and restaurants. And more concerts!

More live music and theatre in the awesome capital region venues

Resolution 2016-To Enjoy Troy, and all of its wonderful offerings, but to also be involved in organizations that help those that have been forgotten about in Troy. The downtown area is getting better every day, however the rest of the city needs to be revived as well!

Volunteer more!

Listen more. Not just to other people, but I want more music and to hear more stories.

To go to as many local events as possible regardless of the weather!

Talk less, listen more.

Eat at Ala Shanghai and Tanpopo.

Go to every NY brewery.

Not be so hard on myself!

Do more in downtown Albany.

If i win the lottery invite Mary & Gregg to dinner at 677 Prime!

More eye contact and smiling at any pedestrian who is sharing the sidewalk and happens to be looking up from their phone.

Experiencing more of the Capital Region wining/dining/adventurous side....there is a lot to explore

Do yoga.

Go see more local live music

I challenged myself to take a photo-a-day for the year. Each day has a different theme. Project366 - It's a Leap Year!

Utilize more area parks and trails.

Capital region should but more art in the new year.

I would love to start volunteering more! Just be more kind and helpful in general.

My 2016 Capital Region resolution is to shop more often (monthly, if not weekly) at local farmer's markets. Healthy eating and shopping local!!

To find a bigger and better space to call home in Center Square or the surrounding area.

My 2016 resolution and hope for the Capitol Region is that it develops a taxi transportation system that is safer and more reliable with fair, consistent rates and more oversight. (Maybe then I can finally have an unplanned night out in Troy without fear that I will be forever stranded across the river).

Try all the new local restaurants!

To stop at every yellow light I encounter!

My resolution for the capital region is to be kind and to encourage kindness in others. We live in a great place, we just need to appreciate it and each other more.

Go on more "city hikes" through Albany.

Sometimes after work I need a "third" place ie not home/not work to go to decompress. I'd like to work up the nerve (or skill?) to go have a drink by myself if I don't have a friend to meet up with. People in England do it at pubs all the time and I want in!

Be more mindful to use/create less waste

To explore more outdoor areas in the Capital Region

Can we all be just a little nicer to each other? Step back, take and breath and think before you complain to people?

Road diet.

To do something kind or useful for someone every day.

Peace and tolerance for all. All lives matter.

To practice one act of kindness to another human being every day and keeping a journal of my actions.

I want to start hiking in the Adirondacks. Lot's of my friends do it, and I think I should take advantage of this wonderful resource we have right in our backyard. I already like the outdoors, and exercise, so it seems like the perfect fit.

I vow to finally get current with 'Shameless' - I've been seasons behind for seasons, 'cause who has time for TV?

Be mindful, kind, generous, active and optimistic

Eat more locally. Try new local restaurants and make full use of the farmer's markets in all seasons!

Walk more so I can better observe, more deeply reflect, and hopefully somewhat understand.

Cook more!

To walk more, drive less, and maybe even bike to work a few times in 2016.

To take advantage of Troy! I've lived there since July and have yet to take advantage of all the great things it has to offer

really listen to people more when they talk, and eating better :)

Continuation of the development of downtown Albany! It would be nice to see some affordable condos for those that can't spend 300,000.

No more cookies.

Be friendly to strangers in the hopes of slowly building a stronger, more positive community.

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