All Over Albany

Photos from AOA6

These great buttons were made by Laura Glazer. (Thanks, Laura!)

Thanks to everyone who celebrated the AOA birthday with us this week at The Malt Room at Brown's in Troy. It was great to see so many people again -- meet a lot of people for the first time. We had a lot of fun.

Here are a bunch of pics from the party. Thanks to Andy Kainz and Marcie Pry for taking photos.

(there's more)

AOA birthday drawing: Lunch with AOA

It could be a "famous" local lunch place, or wherever. Your choice.

This week AOA celebrates our 6th birthday, but we're giving you the presents. Each day we'll have a drawing for some fun Capital Region stuff. You can enter to win a new "present" every day.

Drawing's closed!

We've had an awesome birthday week. Thank you to all the businesses who provided birthday "presents" for us to give away this week. And many thanks to the people at The Malt Room at Brown's for a great party.

But we're most most grateful to the readers, contributors, and members of the AOA community for making the last six years such a fascinating ride for us. As we've said many times before, the part of all this has been the people. It's been great to meet so many interesting people.

So our final birthday week drawing is a little different, but we think it will be fun: The AOA Editors will take the winner of today's drawing out to lunch at that person's favorite Capital Region lunch spot. (We'll leave it up to you to decide if that's a prize or not.)

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

What's one thing you've learned/thought was interesting via AOA? It could be something from a story here, it could be something someone said in a comment, could be whatever.

We'll draw one winner at random. That person gets to pick the spot for lunch. (The location is subject to the Editors' approval, but barring something weird or outrageous, we're probably going to say yes to it.)

Important: All comments must be submitted by noon on Monday, April 21, 2014 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 Tuesday, April 22 and must respond by 5 pm on Wednesday April 23.

AOA birthday drawing: cider, spirits, and beer

A glass of Nine Pin cider.

This week AOA celebrates our 6th birthday, but we're giving you the presents. Each day we'll have a drawing for some fun Capital Region stuff. You can enter to win a new "present" every day.

Drawing's closed!

Today's drawing is for those 21 or older. It includes:

+ A bottle of spirits from Albany Distilling Co.
+ Two free tasting flights at Nine Pin Cider Works
+ A $25 gift certificate to Druthers Brewing Company

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

What would be on your "must do" list for an epic night in the Capital Region?

We'll draw one winner at random.

Important: All comments must be submitted by noon on Friday, April 18, 2014 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 Monday, April 21 and must respond by 5 pm on Tuesday April 22.

Another year

There have also been about a thousand cupcakes.

Back when we were like, "Hey, we should start a website," a lot of things seemed possible. But probable? Not really.

Yet here we are, six years later, celebrating another year. Along the way we've learned a lot, worked a lot, and met a bunch of interesting people. The best part has been the people.

Thank you.

AOA birthday drawing: DelSo dinner, movies, cheese, and cookies

New World, part of what makes the DelSo delicious.

This week AOA celebrates our 6th birthday, but we're giving you the presents. Each day we'll have a drawing for some fun Capital Region stuff. You can enter to win a new "present" every day.

Drawing's closed!

Today's drawing prize comes from the DelSo:

+ A $100 gift certificate for New World Bistro Bar
+ A pair of passes to The Spectrum
+ A $25 gift certificate to go shopping at The Cheese Traveler
+ One dozen of Bake for You's signature White Chocolate Chip Cranberry Cookies.

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

The Delaware South neighborhood, or DelSo, is one of Albany's most interesting neighborhoods, with a mix of residential, restaurants, and shops. What is your favorite Capital Region neighborhood and why?

We'll draw one winner at random.

Important: All comments must be submitted by noon on Thursday, April 17, 2014 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 Friday, April 18 and must respond by 5 pm on Monday, April 21.

AOA birthday drawing: Brown's & Bilinski's

Made in Cohoes.

Drawing is closed

This week AOA celebrates our 6th birthday, but we're giving you the presents. Each day we'll have a drawing for some fun Capital Region stuff. You can enter to win a new "present" every day.

Today's drawing prize: Beer from Brown's Brewing Co. in Troy and a big basket of products from Bilinski's in Cohoes.

From Brown's: A growler and a $15 gift certificate to Brown's Brewing Co. (Must be 21 or older.)

From Bilinski's: A basket of products including:
+ Bilinski's All Natural Spinach & Garlic Chicken Sausage - 2 packages
+ Bilinski's All Natural Mild Italian Chicken Sausage - 2 packages
+ Bilinski's All Natural Sun-Dried Tomato & Basil Chicken Sausage - 1 package
+ Bilinski's All Natural Apple Chardonnay Chicken Sausage - 1 package
+ Organic Italian Herb with Porcini Mushroom- 2 packages
+ Buffalo and Blue Cheese Chicken Meatballs- 1 package
+ Chicken Parmesan Chicken Meatballs-2 packages

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

Since today's drawing is about birthdays and food and drink, what is your favorite birthday dinner?

We'll draw one winner at random.

Important: All comments must be submitted by noon on Wednesday, April 16, 2014 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 Thursday, April 17 and must respond by 5 pm on Friday, April 18.

*The gift basket has changed slightly, but is just as delicious. The last three items are substitutions as Bilinski's is no longer making the items originally listed.

AOA birthday drawing: Lark Street prize

Celebrate AOA's birthday with cupcakes (or something equally delicious) from Crisan.

Drawing is closed, but feel free to add your gift ideas for the Capital Region.

This week AOA celebrates our 6th birthday, but we're giving you the presents. Each day we'll have a drawing for some fun Capital Region stuff. You can enter to win a new "present" every day.

Today's drawing is a package of great gift certificates to Lark Street businesses:

+ A $100 gift certificate to Spa Virgo on Lark Street
+ Two $25 gift certificates to The Wine Bar and Bistro on Lark
+ One bottle of sparkling wine and a $50 gift certificate to Capital Wine (Must be 21 or older.)
+ A $25 gift certificate to Crisan Bakery on Lark.

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

If you could gift one thing to the Capital Region, what would it be?

Maybe it's an indoor water park, maybe it's peace -- whatever you'd like to give the region if you had the ability.

We'll draw one winner at random.

Important: All comments must be submitted by noon on Tuesday, April 15, 2014 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, April 16 and must respond by 5 pm on Thursday, April 17.

AOA Birthday Party 6

The bar at The Malt Room. It's quite nice.

Update: As it does every year, the party filled up fast. But there's a wait list set up on Eventbrite (link below). And in years past, many people on the wait list have ended up with a spot. So if you're interested in going, please add your name to the list.
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AOA is yet another year older, so we're celebrating. And you're invited. (Because of course you are.)

AOA6 will be at Brown's Malt Room in Troy on April 16 from 5:30 pm to 8:30 pm. There will be free snacks, cake, and a lot of interesting people.

Because space is limited, we do ask that you RSVP at the linked Eventbrite page. The party fills up very fast every year.

See you there.