All Over Albany

The yin and yang of CDTA

Riding the bus: The good, the bad and the human grill of regret.

Let's face it: unless you live and work in the same building, commuting just about anywhere in the Capital District can be an exercise in cultivating patience. Using public transportation is no exception and, like driving, has its own colorful variety of stresses and pleasures.

I get around almost exclusively by public transportation, which has its own pleasures and challenges: from the people you meet (awesome to...less awesome), near death experiences, simple (and not so simple) kindnesses, and the zen of commuting.

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Hungry for Shades of Green

The Shades of Green storefront after it closed. Jewel of India is now in that space.

It might be silly and overly nostalgic, but years after its demise I'm still mourning the late great Shades of Green.

Like a lost love, absence has only made the heart grow fonder... and hungrier.

If you weren't in the area during that time or never had the pleasure, let me tell you, Shades was an absolute wonderland. It wasn't fancy: soups, sandwiches, and fresh-squeezed juices served from a small kitchen on Lark Street, but there was just something special about the food and the atmosphere. Vegetarians and non-vegetarians sat side by side enjoying meals that, regardless of labels, were just plain addictive.

Years after it closed, people are still lamenting its demise. And it left a vegetarian void in the Capital Region that has yet to be filled.

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Pride in Albany

It's that time of year again when Albanians take to the streets to celebrate Capital Pride.

In general, I'm not especially fond of our various fests, when the Lark Street and Washington Park areas are overrun with sometimes disrespectful partiers. They usually leave behind a sad swath of destruction that is at best annoying, and at worst shameful. Many Lark area residents (me included) either retreat to their homes or take the opportunity to spend a weekend out of town. Capital Pride, however, gets me excited. It's flamboyant and friendly, community-oriented and just a little bit risque.

This, friends, is a fest I can get behind.

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The Fantasy Lark Street

It's a gorgeous, sunny day and you're out for a stroll in your neighborhood. Half-eaten apple in hand, you pop into the post office to mail a letter and then head to the butcher for a pound of sausage and a ball of fresh mozzarella. On your way home, you stop at the food cart to chat with the owner and grab a bag of soft pretzels.

Now imagine all of this happening on Lark Street. Impossible, you say? Maybe today. But how great would that be?

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