All Over Albany

Checking out the Saratoga Ninja Lab

If you've ever watched the television show American Ninja Warrior and thought "I could do that" -- -- here's your chance.

The show -- on which ultra-fit competitors run through a punishing obstacle course -- has inspired an entirely new type of workout, and now you can try it locally.

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Following the many paths in Saratoga County

A clip from the map we rolled use the new data.

Check it out: Saratoga PLAN has released a new set of info about the many recreational trails and paths in Saratoga County. Blurbage:

Saratoga County boasts over 280 miles of recreation trails - with new trails added or improved each season. Saratoga PLAN is the keeper of a countywide trails dataset, which was originally compiled in 2011 and was updated during 2016-2017. The updates were made possible due to a network of tireless volunteers, important partners, and two skilled interns, Amy Marshall and Abigail Larkin. ...

Knowing the location, condition, and allowable uses on a given trail is imperative for recreation planning by everyone from the casual or serious user to local and countywide planners. Saratoga county is known for its trail diversity, including the urban Saratoga Greenbelt Trail, the historic Champlain Canalway trail, the nature trails of Moreau Lake State Park, and the more local loops offering enjoyable outdoor experiences in Saratoga PLAN's Coldbrook and Ballston Creek Preserves. Eventually, as new trails are developed, such as at Corinth Reservoir Recreation area, Anchor Diamond Park, or around Lake Bonita in Moreau Lake State Park, they will be mapped and added to the countywide trails dataset.

Saratoga PLAN has made the files available that geographic information systems can use as a sort of recipe to make maps of the trails. You can use an application like Google Earth to view them.

We downloaded info and rolled a map for easy viewing. Let's have a look...

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Death Wish Coffee gets a Super Bowl ad

Death Wish Coffee -- the hyper-caffeinated coffee brand that grew out of Saratoga Coffee Traders -- is going to have a TV commercial during the Super Bowl (er, right, The Big Game). Really.

Death Wish won a contest run by Intuit QuickBooks for the 30-second spot. The coffee brand finished first in a series of public votes. In addition to the ad time, Quickbooks also covered the cost of developing and producing the commercial.

The ad is embedded above.

Death Wish touts itself as "the world's strongest coffee ... created by using the strongest combination of beans and a perfect roasting process." It's available at Saratoga Coffee Traders in downtown Saratoga Springs (of course), as well as the Markets 32 in Clifton Park and Wilton, and online.

Roast beef at Wm. H. Buckley Farm

Happenstance is a wonderful thing. You never quite know what life is going to bring your way. If you are lucky, that means many delicious morsels will grace the path (luckier still if you are wise enough to embrace and savor them).

When I went up to Ballston Lake on Friday for a state Department of Agriculture and Markets press conference at Wm. H. Buckley Farm, I was expecting to get some insight on both new stories and story lines I have been following for a while.

I wasn't expecting to eat, let alone taste, some of the most tender and flavorful roast beef I've ever had.

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A few facts, controversies, and quirks from the Northway's history

As you know, the Twin Bridges' official name is Thaddeus Kosciusko Bridge. (Kosciuszk-who?) / photo: Nicholas Hepler at Wikipedia (CC-BY-2.5)

As noted by Albany Archives, the section of the Northway from Albany to around Glens Falls officially opened this week in 1961 (that is, Nelson Rockefeller cut a ribbon).

That got us rummaging through the history of the Northway -- ahem, excuse us, The Adirondack Northway -- and here are a few bits you might finding interesting...

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Waffles at Iron Roost

The nearest Waffle House is 127.94 miles away from Albany. What a shame.

I'm normally not a big proponent of chains, but few places understand the utility and magnificence of a waffle. Waffles are the superior batter-based, carb-loaded breakfast option. Pancakes are great, don't get me wrong, and so is French toast, but neither can be manipulated the way a waffle can.

Many places in the Capital Region serve waffles, but few embrace the true glory of the waffle the way Iron Roost in Ballston Spa does.

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Saratoga National Historic Park

This year I've been visiting local state parks. Today we are switching it up with a National Park located in Saratoga County.

Much of Saratoga National Historic Park is centered around its history as the site of two major Revolutionary War battles, making it an excellent stop for history buffs.

But the views and distinctive touring route makes this park worth a visit even if social studies was never your thing.

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In-between places: Waterford

The Capital Region is full of cities, towns, villages, and hamlets. And some of these places -- like Albany or Saratoga Springs or Troy or Schenectady -- get lots of attention. This series isn't about those places. It's about those other spots -- the "in-between" places.

The small village of Waterford is all about location, location, location -- along the water. Its spot at the convergence of the Hudson and Mohawk rivers has been a key part of history, and continues to play a prominent role in the village today..

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Hudson Crossing Park

This summer I'm visiting local parks to bring the scoop on each one to you. Today I'm headed north to Hudson Crossing Park. I've also already visited Cherry Plain, Moreau Lake, Grafton Lakes, and Peebles Island.

Hudson Crossing Park is a little bit different from the other destinations I've visited this summer. First off, it's not a State Park and subsequently has no admission fee. Also, it's specifically focused around environmental responsibility, and you can see evidence of that all around the park.

It may not have as many amenities as other locations, but the beautiful setting and unique eco touches make it worth a stop.

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Moreau Lake State Park

This summer I'm visiting local state parks and sharing the scoop on each one. I've already visited Grafton Lakes State Park and Peebles Island. Today I venture a little farther north with a visit to Moreau Lake State Park.

Located at the northern edge of the Capital Region, Moreau Lake State Park is going to be a bit more of a drive for some people, but it's worth a visit. The day use amenities are not unique, but the size and natural setting of the park is.

Moreau Lake State Park is certainly one of the more beautiful local state parks, and there's lots of space to explore.

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Eat Good Food

John and Jean Travis had run two successful restaurants, including the former Jonesville Store in Clifton Park, before getting into the food truck business three years ago with the Eat Good Food truck. The transition hasn't always been easy -- a sign on their truck reads: "The only thing more overrated than natural childbirth is the joy of owning your own business."

Even so, the experience has the Travises sticking to their core principles of serving fresh food made to order -- while having fun doing so. And along the way they've found success teaming up with other food trucks.

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2013 Showcase of Homes

The 2013 Showcase of Homes starts this weekend in Saratoga County, and runs each of the two weekends after (September 21-22, 28-29; October 5-6). It's basically a self-guided tour of big/extravagant new houses.

We checked this out a few years back. It was basically like walking through HGTV. It also made us wonder what people are doing with all that space in their bathrooms. Anyway, if the home design/remodeling/House Hunters thing interests you, there's usually some quality gawking.

There are 14 homes on the tour this year. And unlike in some previous years, the homes are mostly grouped together geographically, near Saratoga Springs. In fact, one of the homes on the tour is a condo in the new building on Broadway in Saratoga, "The Washington" (on the right).

Tickets for the tour are $20, and are good for each weekend. There's also a "Comfort of Homes" event this Friday from 5-10 pm in which eight of the homes will be open and samples of comfort food from various restaurants -- including Maestro's, Prime, and Capriccio Saratoga -- will be available. Tickets for that are $25 -- or $40, including a tour ticket. Proceeds benefit Northern Saratoga Habitat for Humanity and Rebuilding Together Saratoga County.

In-between places: Mechanicville and Stillwater

The Capital Region is full of cities, towns, villages, and hamlets. And some of these places -- like Albany or Saratoga Springs or Troy -- get lots of attention. This series isn't about those places. It's about those other spots -- the "in-between" places.

Next up: Mechanicville and Stillwater -- a city and town (and village) alongside the Hudson in Saratoga County.

If you haven't visited in a while, or ever, here's a quick look at the side-by-side river places.

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In-between places: Ballston Spa

The Capital Region is full of cities, towns, villages, and hamlets. And some of these places -- like Albany or Saratoga Springs or Troy -- get lots of attention. This series isn't about those places. It's about those other spots -- the "in-between" places.

First up: Ballston Spa.

If you haven't visited in a while -- or have never been -- here are a bunch of facts, tips, and highlights to get you started...

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Dennis Drue arraigned in Northway crash

Dennis Drue -- the driver accused of causing the Northway crash in December that killed two teens and seriously injured two others -- was arraigned Monday on 59 counts (52 of those felonies) in Saratoga County court. The long string of charges includes aggravated vehicular homicide, vehicular manslaughter, and driving while ability impaired. [TU] [Saratogian] [NYSP]

Drue pleaded not guilty and posted bail. [Daily Gazette]

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So people actually do get stopped for texting while driving

Almost 21,000 tickets for texting-while-driving were issued by police in New York State over the last year, according to numbers from the Cuomo admin. And, look, county-by-county numbers for the past year (year before that):

Albany County: 539 (75)
Rensselaer County: 163 (21)
Saratoga County: 326 (42)
Schenectady County: 69 (18)

(It appears that Albany County racked up that total thanks in part to a sweep this spring by the county sheriff's office that netted 230 tickets for talking or texting while driving. [Troy Record])

The totals were released to mark one year since the state law making TWD a primary traffic offense took effect. That means police can now pull a person over just for that -- before you had to be doing something else to get stopped (like swerving over the double yellow because you were sending email). And it looks like people are getting pulled over for it.

You might think you can text and drive with no problem -- we're all above average drivers, right (oh, wait...) -- but probably not. There's research that indicates a distracted driver is about as bad as a driver with a .08 blood alcohol level, which is the legal limit for drunk driving. (The New York Times produced a good series about the risks of distracted driving.)

All county totals after the jump, if you're curious.

photo: Flickr user mrJasonWeaver (cc)

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That ABC News story about GlobalFoundries

The much hyped ABC World News story about the GlobalFoundries chip fab and Malta aired last night. And it was shockingly bad.

As reported by ABC, the chip fab story is one in which a plucky "tiny American town" got together, put on a show, "beat out of the world," and is now "coming back to life." And (best TV reporter smile voice) look at those crazy white coverall suits people have to wear at a chip fab!

No mention of the fact this "tiny American town" isn't actually in the middle of nowhere, but rather is part of the 59th largest metro area in the country -- and in the middle of the most prosperous county in that metro area. No mention of the $1.4 billion in public incentives used to lure the fab project, including an unprecedented $665 million cash grant. No mention of UAlbany's College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering and its focus on chip fab research, the presence of which was key to attracting the fab. No mention of the billions in public and private investment going into this metro area for chip fab research.

There are so many angles to this story that could have highlighted both that Americans are capable of advanced manufacturing -- and the investment, complications, and side effects of attracting that sort of development.

What makes ABC's story even worse is that the correspondent, David Muir, is from upstate New York. He grew up in the Syracuse area, went to Ithaca College, and was on the local TV news in Syracuse. It's not like this place should be totally foreign to him. We're reasonably sure he's heard of the Albany metro area.

But attention is attention.

sPAW City

This could be good: an indoor dog park called sPAW CITY has opened in Ballston Spa. From the blurbage on its Facebook page:

Total of 4,750 sq ft in a climate controlled late 1800's post and beam 2 story barn right on the beautiful banks of the Gordon and Kaydeross Creeks in Ballston Spa, NY. When the weather is just right we have over 60 windows to open. Ahhh smell the fresh air...

2,000 sq ft of social space, coffee bar with seating and free WiFi if you just want to hang out with your "lazy" dog and socialize in a low key way. Yappy Hours, Parties, rentals and special events will be held.

2,750 sq ft of safe open play space with an abundance of toys and play equipment.

Here are photos of the space, the price info (starts at $8 for 2.5 hours for one dog during week days), and rules for the space. There's a grand opening tonight (Friday) from 5-8 pm with free entry.

The people behind the dog park are Keith and Amy Augustine from the gourmet dog treat company The Lazy Dog Cookie Co, according to its Facebook page.

We've thought for a while that someone should open a place like this in one of the many empty big box spaces around the Capital Region (but an old barn works, too). It could be useful during the winter or when it's been raining for days. A good dog is a dog tired from walking or playing.

photo via sPAW CITY Facebook

Healthy Living Market opening in Wilton

The Healthy Living Market in South Burlington, Vermont.

The Vermont-based Healthy Living Market and Cafe announced today that it's planning a new store at the Wilton Mall, aiming to be open next winter.

The market will occupy the space left empty by the former J.C. Penney at the mall. The company says the store will be about 35,000 square feet. (For comparison: the new ShopRite being built in Albany will be 65,000 square feet.) The company says it's planning to hire about 140 people.

The company touts its store as "a one-stop destination for natural groceries, fresh organic and local produce, locally sourced meats and poultry, crusty artisan breads, a world of cheese, health and beauty products, a complete vitamin/supplement department, freshly prepared foods and a broad selection of microbrews and wine."

We hear from a Vermonter that Health Living is like a Whole Foods or Fresh Market, but with an emphasis on local food. We also hear that its nickname around Burlington is "Wealthy Living," because it does tend to be high-end.

This will be the company's second store. Its first opened in South Burlington 26 years ago. If you've ever been to that store, we'd love to hear about it.

Full press release after the jump.

Earlier on AOA:
+ The local supermarket field is getting crowded
+ Trader Joe's confirms Wolf Road location

photo: Flickr user NNECAPA

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Pancakes at the Jonesville Store

Crusty. In a good way.

Clifton Park is full of secrets. To the outsider, it may seem like a vast wasteland of chain restaurants and suburban sprawl. However, tucked out of sight, just a few minutes west of the Northway in the hamlet of Jonesville is a little restaurant with incredible pancakes. But unless you are a townie, you might not have heard about them.

That is, unless you have happened to stumble upon the comments of a woman who goes by the handle Kerosena. She seems to be on a mission to single-handedly bring these pancakes out of the shadows and into the light of day.

Her tales of these mythical pancakes got me thinking about a trip up to Exit 10. But when I found out they use only real New York maple syrup, I grabbed my keys and was on my way to the Jonesville Store.

As it turns out, their use of local maple syrup was just one of many delightful surprises.

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A neighborhood where (economically) everyone's just about the same

Almost none of these things are not like the others.

The Country Knolls neighborhood in Clifton Park has the smallest income inequality of any place in the nation, according to the Census Bureau (with a handful of statistical caveats). That is, there's very little distance between the high and low ends of the income distribution there (Gini index of 0.214). Or, to put it simply, almost everyone there has just about the same level of household income.

Notes the Census Bureau in the report, U.S. Neighborhood Income Inequality in the 2005-2009 Period:

Country Knolls CDP NY, part of the Albany Urbanized Area about halfway between Albany and Saratoga Springs NY (see Map 2), has the lowest measured income inequality (though not different from the others in the table because of the small sample sizes)--0.214, or 46 percent of the U.S. figure.21 In these small places with low inequality, sorting is likely the source of the homogeneity in income. For example, in Country Knolls in 2005-2009, 96 percent of the people were White non-Hispanic; 85 percent of households are married-couple households; 97 percent of the people at least 1 year old were living in the same residence 1 year earlier; 26 percent of people 25 years and over had a graduate or professional degree; the median income of households was $107,589; and only 9 of 609 housing units were renter-occupied (1.5 percent).

That median income would put a household somewhere close to the 80th percentile for income in the Capital Region.

A tip of the hat to the TU's Chris Churchill for noticing this. And The Biz Review talked about it with Clifton Park supervisor Phil Barrett, who lives in that neighborhood.

[via @MickIAm]

Earlier on AOA: Capital Region income distribution

map: US Census Bureau

Office chair lacking a jet engine? Maybe he can help with that.

John Bowler atop the "mechanical lizard car."

This is fun: John Bowler, a contractor from Malta, is the host of a new show on the National Geographic Channel called Mad Scientists. From the blurbage:

Travel across America with host John Bowler as he ventures into gadget-filled garages and junk-strewn backyards to meet amateur inventors who are making amazing(ly weird) things! Test-drive a jet-powered minivan, a fire-breathing wheelchair, a water-powered rocket belt, and more. Once we've seen what these 'mad scientists' are capable of, John challenges each inventor to improve one of their creations, and, with his help, build the coolest, weirdest thing they can think of. And here's the catch -- they only have 48 hours. The results? Well, it might work and it might not, but either way, "It's going to get weird!"

After the jump, there's a clip from an episode in which they build a rocket-propelled motorcycle/office chair.

Bowler got an audition for the show through a college roommate who's producing the show -- and, as he told to the TU, "I'm fairly fluent in wacko."

Mad Scientists debuts tonight at 10 pm at Nat Geo.

(Thanks, Jessica R!)

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The Saratoga lip dub

The much-hyped Saratoga lip dub was released Tuesday night. The 8.5 minute video is set in downtown Saratoga Springs and includes a medley of songs by Train (the drummer for the band is from Saratoga).

The inspiration for the lip dub reportedly came from Emerson College's much-viewed lip dub -- the head of the Saratoga County chamber of commerce has a daughter who goes there and heard about it from her. The chamber is hoping the video will be a marketing vehicle for Saratoga. [Saratoga lip dub Facebook] [Post-Star]

Other cities have done this, too. A lip dub for Grand Rapids, Michigan is probably the most famous of that type -- it's been viewed more than 4 million times on YouTube.

The Saratoga video was shot on September 1 -- about 1,000 people reportedly showed up for the recording. [Saratogian]

It's impressive that organizers were able to coordinate that many people. But one side effect of having a crowd that big is that people's faces fly through the frame so fast that it's kind of hard to tell if they're "singing" (or whatever it's called in a lip dub).

Update: The Idiots wonder what else the money spent on this video could have been used for.

Showcase of Homes 2011

The 2011 Showcase of Homes starts this weekend in Saratoga County. It's basically a tour of crazy big/extravagant new houses.

We did this a few years back, and it did prompt a fair amount of who-needs-a-bathtub-with-25-jets questioning. But it was the closest we'll ever come to walking through HGTV -- and it was kind of fun to gawk at how the other 10 percent live. (That said, wouldn't it be great to see this kind of series in the Capital Region's urban areas -- a sort of Showcase of In-fill Development?)

This year's tour includes 19 houses. It runs for the next three weekends. Tickets are $20. Proceeds benefit a group of charities, including Habitat for Humanity.

The Malta Drive-in Market

The new market at the Malta Drive-in starts up this Sunday. It's scheduled to run each Sunday from now through early October.

The lineup for the market includes local artisans, antique dealers and food. It sounds kind of fun -- so we bounced a few questions to the market's organizer, Mike Thompson, about what we should expect...

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