All Over Albany

Sampling at Farmers Hardware

I'm back in Saratoga today. That means I've hit my quota for dining out in Saratoga for the year, right?

Maybe not, since the city keeps opening up restaurants with a velocity reserved for more urbane nooks in bigger cities. Maybe it's because of the high turnover (and higher rents) in this tourist town, or maybe it's because hungry Saratogians are demanding more options, but the dining scene keeps expanding.

Farmers Hardware is a good example of that growth -- reason enough to take a gander at the menu and do a little sampling.

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Oxtail egg rolls at Buddha Noodle

You know those online memes that show a horrifically frozen snowy scene and ask, "Why do I live in a place where the weather hurts my face?"

I know the answer: It's because the soup tastes better here.

Soup -- loosely defined -- could include anything from chicken noodle to chili, and it tastes better in the Northeast. If hunger is the best sauce, then is frigid temperature the best seasoning?

I went to Buddha Noodle on a sub-zero day to find out.

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Remembering Minnie Clark Bolster

A few items from Minnie Clark Bolster's collection. That's a high school photo of her in the lower right corner.

Minnie Clark Bolster -- who was passionate about Saratoga Springs, and served as an unofficial historian of the city -- died this past Saturday. She was 97 years old.

Bolster amassed a huge collection of items from the history of Saratoga. Her home was a like a mini museum. And two years ago she was nice enough to give us tour of the many pieces -- chairs, tables, skeleton keys from the famous Saratoga hotels, photos by her brother-in-law (George Bolster), postcards, books, paintings, and more. At the time her health was failing, but her mind was sharp as a tack and she was an engaging spirit.

Alfred Hitchcock. Saratoga Springs. Rocking chairs.

Sarah pointed this out on Twitter this week and something about it is just kind of oddly funny: Alfred Hitchcock visited Saratoga Springs in 1937 and took note of... the rocking chairs. From Donald Spoto's The Dark Side Of Genius: The Life Of Alfred Hitchcock (emphasis added):

The Hitchcock's American holiday proceeded with considerable public fanfare. The night after the dinner at the 21 Club, Hitchcock was interviewed on the New York radio program "Gertrude of Hollywood," where he overwhelmed his questioner with comparative facts and figures about the English and American film industries. Next morning, leaving their daughter in Joan Harrison's care, Hitchcock and Alma left alone for a two-day trip to Saratoga Springs, New York. "There it all was," he said afterward, "Houses with verandahs. And rocking chairs. Actually rocking chairs, with people rocking in them. I pointed them out to my wife and we stood and looked at them. If we have rocking chairs in England it is only as curiosities. But here you have them real life as well as in the movies." These bits of Americana impressed him, as did the rhythms of American dialect, and he carefully placed them all under the bell jar of his prodigious memory, where they later provided him with the signs of an easy familiarity that character of his best American films."

A few paragraphs earlier there's mention that, during his visit, Hitchcock indulged daily in two American delicacies: ice cream and steak -- he had ice cream for breakfast, and steak for lunch and dinner. While at the 21 Club, he had reportedly ordered three steaks, each followed by a serving of ice cream.

[via @SarahAllenTV]

Brew goes Pint Sized, plans second location (and a tiny bar)

The current shop on Lark Street.

Changes are coming to Brew, the popular beer/coffee shop on Lark Street.

Owner August Rosa says he's changing the name to Pint Sized. And he's opening a second location in Saratoga Springs -- what he believes could be the Capital Region's tiniest bar.

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Caffe Lena re-opening this month

Caffe Lena is set to open its renovated space December 30 with a show by The Suitcase Junket. The show is already sold out.

The historic performance venue has been floating shows among spots around Saratoga Springs over the last few months during the renovation work on its Phila Street building. The modernized space includes a new atrium and lobby, increased seating (100 seats, up from 80), a new sound system, new bathrooms, and update space for administration and visiting performers.

The project has been a partnership with Bonacio Construction, which is building a mixed-use condo project next door. Caffe Lena says it's at 75 percent of its fundraising goal.

A grand opening is planned for the spring when a new elevator will be completed.

Bullet latte at Kru Coffee

Universality is the philosophical concept that some truths exist regardless of the situation, place, or time. Some things are just universally true. That we will all die someday is a universal truth. Some would say the inalienable rights that our nation's founders fought for are natural, universal truths that cannot be augmented, fractioned, or disputed.

I thought the same was true for butter.

When has there ever been a food situation where adding a little bit of butter did not make the end product just that much better? More than the sum of its parts? Seinfeld would tell you that anything good and delicious was the result of adding cinnamon. He's wrong. It's butter.

But when I first heard about people adding fat -- butter, coconut oil, etc. -- into their coffee for an added boost of energy in the morning, I thought they were daffy. Isn't coffee wonderful enough on its own without being bastardized by pumpkin spice, blended up with ice, and topped with whipped cream -- or lubricated with a healthy knob of butter?

Turns out that butter really is a universal truth.

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Artisanal Brew Works

It seems like there's a new craft brewery/distillery/cidery popping up (almost) every month lately. The newest: Artisanal Brew Works in Saratoga Springs. The brewery has an opening party this Saturday (July 23) starting at 1 pm, with food from Nine Miles East.

Artisal Brew Works is in the former Serotta bike factory space on Geyser Road southwest of downtown near SPAC (map). Also located there: Upstate Distilling Co.

The two people behind ABW are both high school teachers. Over at the Saratogian, Lauren Halligan recently talked with them about how they got into the brewery business, and the types of beers they're making (there's an emphasis on Belgian styles).

Myths and misconceptions about the Battles of Saratoga at NYS Military Museum

The surrender of British general John Burgoyne at Saratoga -- this painting by John Trumbull is in the US Capitol. / image via Wikipedia

Could be interesting: Eric Schnitzer -- a historian and a ranger at the Saratoga National Historic Park -- will be giving a talk at the New York State Military Museum in Saratoga Springs this Saturday about some of the myths about the Battles of Saratoga, one of the key turning points in the American revolution. Blurbage:

Schnitzer will speak about the myths and misconceptions that have grown up around the battle, which hamper people's understanding of what really happened there in September and October of 1777.

He will discuss weaponry, commanders, personnel, and the training of the troops who fought on both sides.

Schnitzer contributed a chapter to the recently published book "The Saratoga Campaign: Uncovering an Embattled Landscape." The book focuses on the archeology of the battlefield and what is being learned there.

The talk is Saturday, June 25 at 1 pm. It's free, as is admission to the museum.

Earlier on AOA:
+ Saratoga National Historic Park
+ How to commemorate a traitor
+ Kosciuszk-who?

Season admission passes for the Saratoga Race Course now on sale

Admission passes for this summer's season at the Saratoga Race Course are now on sale. Grandstand season passes for the 40-day season are $35 each, and clubhouse season passes are $55. (Daily admission for the grandstand is $5 and $8 for the clubhouse.)

The season passes also include discounts at a group of Saratoga Springs businesses, as well as some regional attractions. Also: guaranteed admission giveaway items. Blurbage:

One of the most prominent offers included in the newly expanded Saratoga Season Perks program is the guarantee of a premium Saratoga giveaway item on the day of the giveaway, so long as the season pass or season ticket plan holder is in attendance at Saratoga Race Course and redeems the giveaway item by 3 p.m. Redemptions will begin when gates open to the general public.

The reservation process for restaurants at The Track also opened this morning via phone.

Agrippa Hull, Thaddeus Kosciusko, and how Thomas Jefferson didn't hold up his end of the agreement

Agrippa Hull and Thaddeus Kosciuszko

Somewhere between three and four hundred black men served in the Continental Army during the battle of Saratoga, one of the moments credited with the turning the tide during the American Revolution. It's difficult to tell exactly how many because soldiers were not identified by race on the roster. And like their numbers, many of the stories of the black soldiers of the revolution are missing from history.

One of the men at the battle we do know about is Agrippa Hull -- a free black man who served for nearly six years, most of them as a personal aid to Thaddeus Kosciusko, the mastermind behind the battle of Saratoga and the namesake of the twin bridges on the Northway.

Hull was the inspiration behind Kosciusko's effort to free hundreds of American slaves. An effort that ended up being thwarted by his friend -- founding father Thomas Jefferson.

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Renovations -- and a new neighbor -- planned for Caffe Lena

A rendering of the planned connection between the Caffe Lena building and the proposed mixed-use building. Here's a larger version and another view of the project. / image: Frost Hurff Architects

Caffe Lena announced today that it's worked out a $500k "philanthropic partnership" with Bonacio Construction in which Bonacio will get its parking lot next door for a new mixed-used building that will connect to the venue. (Here's the Google Streetview of that spot.)

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Spending a winter day in Saratoga Springs

Gray skies and freezing temperatures are outside. You don't want to leave the house because you have to layer yourself like a lasagna and the air hurts your face. Oh no, it's happening again. The winter time blues.

I crave the warmth and sunlight of summer just like you do, but it's no excuse to hibernate through winter! There are plenty of things to do warmly in and around the Capital Region to help shake off the wintertime sluggishness.

Let's start in Saratoga Springs. Forget about the track, SPAC, and Yaddo until summertime. Give some of these warm inside activities a try to forget about the world outside...

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Minnie Clark Bolster's personal Saratoga museum

More than 50 years ago in a Vermont antique shop, Minnie Clark Bolster asked her husband if he thought $3 was too much to spend on an old Saratoga bottle. Years later she would sell that bottle for $75. But more important than the profit, that day marked the beginning of an incredible collection of Saratoga history.

The collection came to include chairs, tables, and skeleton keys from the famous Saratoga hotels; photos by her brother-in-law, George Bolster; postcards; books; paintings; stories; and more. It takes up much of her home.

Bolster herself is a treasure trove of Saratoga history. Born in the Spa City in 1920, she's a 1938 graduate of Saratoga Springs High School who worked for lawyers and judges in the city for most of her life. She's written three books and is working on a fourth book about the land that is now Saratoga Spa State Park and the people who lived there.

Bolster's now 95 years old, and she's started parting with her collection, selling it piece by piece to friends, collectors ,and antique dealers in an effort to ensure these nuggets of local history have a good home.

Last week Minnie gave us a tour of what is left of the collection -- which is a lot. Here's a look...

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That new Saratoga quarter

The US Mint released a new quarter today that commemorates the Saratoga National Historical Park. Press release blurbage:

The quarter's reverse (tails side) depicts a close-up of the moment British General John Burgoyne surrendered his sword to American General Horatio Gates, a turning point many believe marked the 'beginning of the end of the American Revolutionary War.' Inscriptions are "BRITISH SURRENDER 1777," "SARATOGA," "NEW YORK," "2015," and "E PLURIBUS UNUM."

The quarter is 30th release of an "America the Beautiful Quarters" series, which is honoring 56 national parks. Five new quarters in the series are released each year.

Here are previous quarters in the series. The Saratoga one is pretty tame compared to some of the other scenes (Volcanoes! Geysers! Repelling from Thomas Jefferson's face!).

Earlier on AOA: Visiting Saratoga National Historic Park

image: US Mint

"Saratoga is the wickedest spot on earth."

So reported famous journalist Nellie Bly after visiting in the August of 1894 for the New York World in order to report on the scene at the Saratoga Race Course and the (then) village's various hotels and gambling establishments.

"Crime is holding a convention there and vice is enjoying a festival such as it never dared approach before," Bly wrote.

She described Saratoga as "gambling mad," with men, women, and children placing betting the horses at the track, and money flowing freely at the various casinos. She also interviewed Cale Mitchell, the village president and proprietor of Saratoga's "most notorious gaming rooms." A clip:

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"The citizens of Saratoga, recognizing the great popularity of cycling..."

This photo was part of a section not about cycling, but about the Saratoag floral parades. "No single event at Saratoga can perhaps compete with the grand floral parade given annually in September."

While flipping through the 1900 Saratoga Illustrated guide book for background on that ostrich farm, this photo caught our eye because it's just sort of goofy.

But we thought this nearby passage about bicycling in turn-of-the-century Saratoga Springs was interesting -- both because of the glimpse it provides of cycling before the advent of the mass car culture (production of the Model T would start in 1908):

The citizens of Saratoga, recognizing the great popularity of cycling, and the demands of so many visitors to Saratoga for proper facilities for this healthful and delightful exercise, have prepared several cycle paths especially set apart for the use of bicyclers. At considerable expense several delightful paths have been laid out, running from Saratoga Springs to various points in its vicinity. Recently a cycle path has been constructed along the side of the carriage road from Saratoga Springs to the several geyser springs. Another has been constructed along the south side of Union Avenue from Saratoga Springs to Saratoga Lake, making a route of eight miles for the round trip. Another very important path is from the village of Saratoga Springs to Glens Falls and return, making a round trip of forty miles.

After the jump is a set of cycle routes listed in the guide book -- it indicates there were cycle paths between Albany and Saratoga.

There's another photo/illustration in the book that depicts two very large rows of bicycles on Broadway (the image quality isn't great -- it's on pdf p. 29). And the descriptions of the some the hotels mention they provided bicycle storage rooms for guests.

Anyway, the guide book -- which is available as a pdf from archive.org -- is full of illustrations and descriptions as Saratoga Springs appeared around that time, including many of the grand hotels and other tourist attractions.

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That time Saratoga had an ostrich farm

As one does in Saratoga.

Albany Archives pointed out today that Saratoga Springs had an ostrich farm back around the beginning of the 20th century. And something about this photo of people riding in an ostrich-drawn cart made us want to know more.

So, from Saratoga Illustrated: The Visitor's Guide of Saratoga Springs (1900):

on Geyser Avenue, about a half mile from the village, is one of the entertaining sights of Saratoga and is a unique feature. Here in an enclosure of about two acres are exhibited some of the finest specimens of African ostriches, Chinese golden pheasants, and English pheasants that are to be found in any country. Birds of all ages are here to be seen with various developments of plumage--from the slender pin feathers of the baby birds a few days old to luxuriant and brilliant plumages of the full-grown ostrich weighing 250 to 300 pounds each. Most of the ostriches have been brought to Saratoga from the celebrated ostrich farms in Florida, Arizona, and California, but some of the wee birds have first seen the light in the buoyant Saratoga atmosphere. Each pair of breeding birds is kept in a small corral of about 50 by 150 feet, and are fed on clover, hay, corn, oats, barley, etc. The younger birds roam in troops in larger enclosures, and a group of birds running with their wings out- spread, alarmed, it may be, at some unusual sight, is a most beautiful spectacle. The birds are all named, and some of the breeding birds bear the names of such distinguished magnates as President McKinley, Queen Victoria, Mark Hanna, Joe Wheeler, Napoleon and Josephine, Admiral Dewey and Miss Manila, etc.

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Saratoga Arts Fest Fridays

A promo image for the Beekman Street Vintage Fest. SAF is pitching it as "part street fair, part street performance, the event offers an energetic mix of period music, costumed performers, antique cars, and great ethnic food."

Organizers of the annual Saratoga Arts Fest -- in past years an event at multiple locations around the city in June -- reformulated the idea this year as a series of single-location events on Fridays this fall.

And the schedule is now out -- it includes a street fest, a multi-genre music and dance event, a vaudeville circus, and a backstage look...

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Fun facts about Saratoga Race Course

Winslow Homer's Our Watering Place -- an 1865 depiction of racing at Saratoga

The Saratoga Meet begins tomorrow, and odds are you're going to make a trip or two to the ponies this summer or you know someone who will. There's plenty of time between races to take in the sites or pick your trifecta in the next race, but in case you're looking for a way to entertain your track companions, here are a pocketful of fun facts to pull out over drinks in the clubhouse or at the picnic tables at the paddock.

Got any you want to add? Drop them in the comments and make us all smarter.

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NYS Summer Writers Institute 2015

Claire Messud is on the authors who's part of this year's series. / photo via Claire Messud FB

This summer's schedule for the New York State Writers Institute's public readings series in Saratoga Springs is out. And as usual, the lineup is full of names you'll recognize, such as Michael Ondaajte, Claire Messud, Joyce Carol Oates, and William Kennedy.

The readings are on Skidmore's campus and are free and open to the public.

Let's get to it...

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Upbeat on the Roof 2015

Rosary Beard will be one of the acts up on the roof this summer.

The Upbeat on the Roof Friday evening music series returns to the Tang Museum at Skidmore this summer. And there's a strong lineup this year -- the schedule is post jump. It starts up in July this year.

The concerts are all on the roof of the Tang (thus the name). And they're free.

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How to commemorate a traitor

Remembering Benedict Arnold -- it's complicated

People are complicated. Which makes history complicated. Much more complicated than school textbooks might lead us to believe.

And in some cases, complicated history makes for complicated monuments -- like the monuments in Saratoga that commemorate Benedict Arnold.

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Audrey Munson, the model for The Spirit of Life

The model behind The Spirit of Life had a fascinating and tragic life of her own

(This post includes photos that could be considered mildly NSFW.)

This year the city of Saratoga Springs is celebrating its centennial.

So is its most noted statue: The Spirit of Life in Congress Park.

The sculptor, Daniel Chester French, is well known. But French's model for the Spirit of Life -- Audrey Munson, and the tragic story of her rise and fall -- have nearly disappeared into history.

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The burger at 15 Church

Ever have a cheeseburger change your life?

I haven't either -- though I've had plenty of cheeseburgers that remind me why it's good to be alive.

To me, cheeseburgers are prized because they're quick, filling, and relatively inexpensive. It's part of the reason they've lasted through decades, beyond trends.

For all those reasons, it never made much sense to me to have a cheeseburger on the menu of an upscale, top-rated restaurant. Why, when you are going to dine at an eatery that features Artic Char with quinoa, squash puree, Greek yogurt sauce, and pickled black currants -- or beef carpaccio with crispy oysters, fried capers, shaved Parmesan, and truffle emulsion -- would you order a cheeseburger? Facepalm.

If you want a cheeseburger, go somewhere that's going to give you that cheesy, fat-dripping patty of delight that with leave you just a few bucks poorer. (In that situation, Five Guys is my burger of choice.)

But then I ate the cheeseburger at 15 Church in Saratoga Springs, and I had a shift in perspective. I was trapped in a food identity crisis. I'm a thin-patty kind of girl who fell in love with a hockey-puck mound of ground meat. All I thought I loved/hated about a burger was being questioned.

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