All Over Albany

A peek inside the new RAD Soap Co. store at Stuyvesant Plaza

We had a few minutes Monday to stop into the new RAD Soap Co. store at Stuyvesant Plaza.

It's the first permanent retail location for the local company, which started in Cohoes and now produces its soaps, creams, and other personal care items in Menands. Up to this point RAD products has been available local farmers' markets (such as Troy and Schenectady), in various retail locations, and online.

The Stuyvesant Plaza shop, in the storefront previously occupied by the Sorelle Gallery, opened November 18. Its hours are Monday-Friday 10 am-9 pm, Saturday 10 am-8 pm, and Sunday 11 am-6 pm.

Here's a handful of pics from the new store...

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Checking out Blaze Pizza

The Stuyvesant Plaza location.

Blaze Pizza -- a fast-casual pizza chain -- opened last Friday in Stuyvesant Plaza. It's the second location in the Capital Region -- the first opened at Mohawk Commons in Niskayuna last fall.

The Blaze concept is sort of like Chipotle, but for pizza -- you walk in, go through the line telling them what you'd like on your pizza, and then the pizza goes into an oven for a few minutes. They call your name, you take the pizza to your table and eat. It's about $8 for a pizza that can feed 1-2 people depending on how hungry you are/whether you also get a salad.

We're always looking for an excuse to 1) eat pizza and 2) meet up with the Tournament of Pizza crew. So we got the band back together and went to taste some pizza.

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Johnny Weir at the Book House

Olympic figure skater Johnny Weir will be at the Book House at Stuyvesant Plaza this Saturday evening to sign copies of his new memoir, Welcome to My World. In the book, he reveals that he is, in fact, gay.

Weir is a three-time US national champion. He competed at the 2006 and 2010 Winter Olympics. He's also known for having quite a flamboyant personal style.

The event at the Book House starts at 6 pm on Saturday.

photo: NBC/USOC

Chipotle at Stuyvesant Plaza opens Tuesday

Between Trustco and Peaches near the Fuller Road end of the plaza.

Updated Monday evening with porky details.

The Capital Region's fourth Chipotle opens in Stuyvesant Plaza on Tuesday. We stopped by today to check it out -- and in the five or so minutes we there, six people were turned away from the not-quite-open-yet location. (Exclaimed one girl into her mobile right after, "Tomorrow!?!?!")

There's no opening day free food this time around. The friendly guy we talked with today said the crowds on previous free burrito days had been overwhelming.

He did let us in for a quick peek. A handful of photos for the curious are after the jump.

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Still no verdict in Bruno trial, new Saratoga police chief named, man allegedly walks out of jewelry store with $29k necklace, light rail for Saratoga?

Joe Bruno Trial: still no verdict. Jurors will be back for a seventh day of deliberations today. [TU] [CapNews9]

Christopher Cole will be Saratoga Springs' next police chief. He's a 20-year veteran of the force and the son of a Saratoga cop. Incoming public safety commissioner Richard Wirth, who had protested a chief being picked before the start of his term, appeared to be happy with the selection. Ed Moore, the current chief, announced his retirement in order to save the department money -- and perhaps layoffs -- though it's unclear how much money will actually be saved. [Daily Gazette $] [TU] [Saratogian] [Post-Star]

RPI celebrated the the ten year tenure of president Shirley Ann Jackson this past weekend. In a speech Saturday, Jackson said the school had become "re-enrgerized, reinvigorated and refocused." And Aretha Franklin's performance at EMPAC Friday night was fantastic, apparently. [WNYT] [Troy Record] [Troy Record]

Rivers Cuomo -- of Weezer fame -- was apparently hurt when his tour bus rolled over on the Thruway near Amsterdam Sunday. The TU seems have gotten some indication that Cuomo was eventually taken to Albany Med. The bus apparently skidded after hitting some ice. [Fox23] [TU] [CapNews9]

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Barber poll: Jean Paul

AOA Greg was in a long-term haircutting relationship for the better part of the last decade. And then he wasn't. Suddenly unattached, Greg was at a loss for where to get his hair cut. So he asked the AOA crowd -- and it had a bunch of good suggestions. Now he's playing the field, in search of a new shop.

Thanks to everyone for all the great suggestions. I'm looking forward to checking out a bunch of them (though, sorry Siobhan, there will be no weaves).

The first stylist up suggested herself: Rebecca at Jean Paul in Stuyvesant Plaza.

Update: Rebecca has since moved down the street to V Salon.

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Bruno trial Day 3, shouting over post office closures, seasonal flu still on the way, "water celery" snags development plans, school lunches go local

Joe Bruno trial Day 3: a former official with a Connecticut investment firm testified called Bruno an "introducer" and said the senator brought $140 million worth of investments to the firm. And an attorney for the investment group, testifying with an immunity deal, said Bruno relationship with the firm wasn't vetted by the ethics committee because it was "commonplace." Yesterday also included testimony by NY Daily News columnist Bill Hammond and SPAC president Marcia White, who was once Bruno's spokesperson. [TU] [CapNews9] [Fox23]

Andrew Cuomo announced yesterday that his office has filed an anti-trust suit against Intel for allegedly abusing its monopoly power to keep AMD down. Any penalties assessed against Intel could help AMD, which is the biggest customer of GlobalFoundries -- Cuomo says the GloFo chip fab project in Malta had nothing to do with the suit, though. [NYO][NYT][TU]

The man accused of being the shooter in Troy's Second Street homicide was released on his own recognizance yesterday after the Rensselaer County DA's office wasn't ready for a preliminary hearing. [TU]

More than a hundred people showed up for the public info session about the potential closures of the Pine Hills and Delaware Ave post offices. The crowd included Jerry Jennings, and Common Council members Shawn Morris and Cathy Fahey. The exchanges between the crowd and USPS officials apparently got a bit heated at times. [TU] [CapNews9] [Fox23]

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State Senate break reportedly near, Biden coming to area, layoffs at the TU, mouthwash defense surfaces, liquor license denied because of Salvation Army

It's now been a month since the state Senate upheaval started. The two sides are reportedly nearing some sort of resolution. The Democrats known as "The Three Amigos" (that includes Pedro Espada, who's sided with the Republicans) are threatening to do something (it's not clear what) if there isn't a deal by Thursday. Two of the Amigos plus another senator walked out of the Dems' session yesterday -- and apparently other rank-and-file members are feeling "frisky." [Daily Politics] [PolitickerNY] [TU] [AP/Troy Record]

It does seem like something is up -- David Paterson has requested statewide TV time for 5 pm this evening. That's prompted speculation that he might try to dislodge the situation by appointing a lieutenant governor (which would, in turn, probably set off legal throwdown). [Daily Politics] [TU]

If it's any consolation, the senators' pay has been stopped. [NYDN]

Joe Biden will be in Clifton Park tomorrow to tout the federal stimulus effort. He'll be speaking at Shenendehowa High School. This will be the first Vice Presidential visit to the area since 2000. [TU] [WTEN] [Daily Gazette]

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Our first meal at Creo

You know, where Mangia was at Stuyvesant Plaza.

After hearing all the hype, we were curious about Creo and figured you might be, too. So we stopped by for dinner last night on the first day it was open to the public.

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X's to O's Vegan Bakery

Best enjoyed with a glass of soy milk?

I love Etsy's search local function. It's how I found X's to O's Vegan Bakery, located right here in Albany. It bakes up vegan cookies, cream-filled canoe boats, brownies, and custom items like cupcakes, cakes, and pies. But how do you know if mail-order (vegan!) baked goods are any, well... good?

I was glad to take one for the team here.

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Back to basics at White House | Black Market

The rumor is true: White House | Black Market, a higher-end women's clothing store located in Stuyvesant Plaza, carries exclusively black and white items. Full of pants, shirts, blouses, dresses, skirts, and all manner of accessories from shoes to scarves to clutches to jewelry, shawls, the style is contemporary and elegant for casual, work and dressy occasions.

While you might think that a store full of only black, white, and black and white clothing could be boring, the variety of styles ensures that it's not.

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Mangia no more

Out with the old, in with the Creo.

Earlier on AOA:
+ The Mangia auction: everything must go
+ Can we get 3, can we get 3, can we get 3?

The Mangia auction: everything must go

"Don't bid if you don't have any money."

What remained of the Mangia at Stuyvesant Plaza was auctioned off this morning. And everything had to go. Literally. They started at the front door (it went for $2) and methodically worked through everything that was left in the restaurant: picture windows, wainscotting on the ceiling, exit signs, the hostess stand, booths, stoves, grills, pots, ovens -- it was all up for sale to the highest bidder. Here are a handful of the items and what they sold for...

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A moat for Stuyvesant Plaza

Now all they need is a drawbridge.

As of 10 AM this morning Western was closed in both directions by Stuyvesant Plaza (between Fuller and Schoolhouse). You could still get into the plaza via Fuller.