All Over Albany

What's up in the Neighborhood

From Sebastien's recent trip to The Gunks.

Among the topics in this most recent spin around the Capital Region's online neighborhood: moving to Albany, bike commuting, the 1880s, the Frear Building, magnifique with a side of sacrebleu, the escarpment, moths, lobster, sliders, cheating, downtown Saratoga, running uphill, and a remembrance.

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Photos from the AOA Burger Lab at Central Steak

Josie's submission, "The Whole Hog." Said one judge: "Thank god this is small because it could kill you."

We had a lot of fun at the AOA Burger Lab at Central Steak last week.

There were so... many... sliders. It was great to see all the combinations of toppings people put together on their tiny burgers. And we raised some money for the ASAP Daisies.

Five burger combinations submitted here at AOA were put to a taste test by our panel of judges. And we would have never guessed the winner.

Here are the results and a bunch photos...

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My Exit: Gina Marie Cannistraro

Tonight: Beats by Gina Marie

It's Monday, which means WEXT is running another My Exit show -- where the listeners get to pick their own playlists.

Here's a look at what's coming up tonight:

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What's up in the Neighborhood

Among the topics in this most recent spin around the Capital Region's online neighborhood: not donating, Upstate New York Bucket List, the crazy woman shouting, ramps, a Saratoga food tour, Mother's Day, fried chicken, voting, customer service, and therapy.

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The new Tulip Queen

The 2012 Tulip Queen is Emily Finnegan, a UAlbany junior from Colonie studying political science, globalization studies, and Spanish. She's done volunteer work in India and Guatemala. And she's on the UAlbany track and cross country teams.

Here are all the finalists -- it sounds like any of them would have been worthy picks.

Mother of the Year This year's Mother of the Year is Helen Hagen. Paul Grondahl wrote a story in the TU this past weekend about Hagen and two of her friends -- among them, they have 22 children -- adopted, foster and biological.

Photos Here's a big Tulip Festival photoset by Michael Panzarino of M.A.P. Graphics. He caught some good reactions when Emily Finnegan's name was announced as the Tulip Queen.

photo: Michael Panzarino of M.A.P. Graphics

My Exit: Jeremy Clowe

It's Monday, which means WEXT is running another My Exit show -- where the listeners get to pick their own playlists.

Here's a look at what's coming up tonight:

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Dogs and their people

Dog parks -- great for making human friends

I knew there had been an effort underway to get a dog park in our town -- on occasion I'd even dropped spare change into a dedicated collection jar at the counter of our beloved coffee joint. But somehow I'd missed the fact that it had actually gotten past the planning stage and into the oh-my-god-you-can-really-bring-your-pooch-there-and-play stage.

I suppose back then I was a little preoccupied. The children were younger. Jobs were hectic. Our dog - a centenarian in dog years - wasn't much interested in play. She was happy just to lay on the hardwood floor wherever the sun was keeping it warm. She had earned her retirement.

Then, one day last summer, she was gone.

It was a while before we were ready to think about dogs.

But recently, with a new puppy chewing on the furniture and the kids climbing the walls, I thought it was time to get a gander at the dog park.

Turns out dog parks -- they're not just parks for dogs.

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Laurie Anderson named EMPAC's first distinguished artist-in-residence

Laurie Anderson will spend the next three years inventing stuff at EMPAC.

Experimental media and performance artist Laurie Anderson will spend the next three years at RPI as EMPAC's first distinguished artist-in-residence. Anderson has a history of using science and engineering to create new artwork, inventing things like a tape-bow violin and talking stick.

This isn't Anderson's first experience at EMPAC. In 2009 she spent some time there working on a piece called Delusion -- a series of stories about longing, memory and identity that incorporated multidisciplinary elements that included music, visuals, altered voices, and electronic puppetry.

You can get a little bit of a sense of Delusion (and Laurie Anderson's disenchantment with rectangles) in a video clip after the jump. Heads-up: it's not you -- the interviewer is speaking Swedish, but you'll understand what's going on.

Until now EMPAC's residencies have been project specific. There's no word yet on what kind of plans Anderson has for her three year stay in Troy, but EMPAC says it's looking forward to working with her to combine engineering and science to find creative approaches to the arts. They also say Anderson will be sharing some of her creative practices with the campus through lectures, workshops and demonstrations.

Photo: Leland Brewster courtesy of Laurie Anderson

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What's up in the Neighborhood

A clip from "The Beat of Officer Harris."

Among the topics in this most recent spin around the Capital Region's online neighborhood: Lark Street at night, the Albany Almshouse, how we treat animals, not finding a dog-friendly apartment, Rosary Beard, speakeasy vibe, restaurant value, the Tour de Hard Ice Cream, ridiculously fun ravioli, 20 words, the Crossings, waste places, and Fifty Shades of Gray.

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My Exit: Raurri Jennings

Tonight's My Exit host, Raurri Jennings

It's Monday, which means WEXT is running another My Exit show -- where the listeners get to pick their own playlists.

Here's a look at what's coming up tonight:

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What's up in the Neighborhood

Among the topics in this most recent spin around the Capital Region's online neighborhood: ShopRite ShopRite ShopRite ShopRite, the trail of the sun, a place for active people, no-smoking designations, Pillar Rock, baby animals, a love letter to DeFazio's, Burger Centric, wings in Clifton Park, a knife, treasures in the attic, violet season, and the reason for getting into a boxing ring.

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Cheese Traveler is opening a shop

Eric Paul helping customers at the Delmar Farmers' Market last November.

Eric Paul -- AKA The Cheese Traveler -- announced last night that he's opening a shop in Albany's Delaware Ave neighborhood, in the same strip as All Good Bakers.

We're waiting to hear more from Paul about his plans. As he posted: "there are many more details, because as usual our venture has to be eclectic." (This has been simmering since at least March -- let's just say we're curious to hear about the "eclectic" part of all this.)

Up to this point, Paul's shop has been mobile -- he's sold cheese at the Delmar Farmers' Market and other events. Daniel B -- who loves himself some cheese -- had high praise for Paul while writing about him back in November for AOA:

Eric isn't just a good cheesemonger, he's a great one. Nobody locally is doing what he does. Beyond his commitment to small-production, handmade raw milk cheese, it's the practices he employs that put him in the ranks of the country's best.

Cheese gawking: Paul recently created a six course cheese tasting menu for Deanna featuring some beautiful cheese. [via @StanfordSteph]

Speaking of All Good Bakers: The grand opening for their new shop is this Friday from 5-6:30 pm.

My Exit: Gary Ferris

It's Monday, which means WEXT is running another My Exit show -- where the listeners get to pick their own playlists.

Today's host takes you beyond Band Aid and "We are the World" to look at a wide variety of good music that gave back...

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The 2012 Tulip Queen finalists

Jerry Jennings, Nicole Branchini, Millie Condon, Nicole Dama, Emily Finnegan, Jillian LeFevre, Tulip Festival chair Marcus Pryor

From a group of about 100 nominations, the field for this year's Tulip Queen is now down to five finalists. Names and bios are after the jump.

There's something delightfully retro about the Tulip Queen. The semi-finalists are picked by a panel of judges that includes former Tulip Court members. The finalists are then chosen based on their interaction at the annual Tulip Tea (that's right, it's a competitive tea party) and "their community service and leadership skills as well as their knowledge of Albany."

We remember going to a real estate open house years ago at which the seller's daughter had been the Tulip Queen. They had a framed display in their hallway commemorating her selection. You could tell how proud they were. It was great.

This year's Tulip Queen will be crowned May 12 at the Washington Park Lakehouse during the Tulip Festival. She and the other members of the court will work on education and literacy initiatives during their year reign.

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The Dark Sky app is now available

The weather wasn't exactly exciting at this moment. Here's the outlook for a place that was a bit more interesting (meteorologically) at the time.

The Dark Sky weather app -- from Troy-based developers Adam Grossman and Jack Turner (Jackadam) -- is now available in the iTunes Store. The app aims to provide people with very specific weather forecasts for the near future based on location.

The question Dark Sky tries to answer is not "Will it rain tomorrow?" but rather "Will it be raining here during the next hour?" It can help determine if there's enough time for a quick bike ride before a thunderstorm, or how long you have might have wait before you can walk from your office to your car without an umbrella. It can also just satisfy the curiosity of bored meteorology nerds.

Speaking of meteorology nerds, we've been playing around with the app for the last day or so, and it's been kind of fun -- if not always accurate. The radar pictures are super clear and easy to read. And it shows whether the precipitation expected will be heavy, medium or mild. The no-precipitation predictions have been pretty good, and it did signal accurately a few times that rain was approaching. It failed to predict one light sprinkling of rain. (To be fair, we were in a moving car -- and Adam Grossman says that kind of light precipitation can be difficult to detect. And in general, this kind of stuff is harder than it looks.)

If the weather isn't interesting where you are, you can watch storms anywhere in the country.

Dark Sky is available for newer versions of the iPhone (4 and 4s), iPod Touch, and iPad. It's $3.99.

Jackadam funded the development of DarkSky in part by raising more than $39k on Kickstarter back in November. In the process, the app snagged a bunch of media attention (example).

We're looking forward to playing with it more.

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What's up in the Neighborhood

From Sebastien's lantern tour of Howe Caverns.

Among the topics in this most recent spin around the Capital Region's online neighborhood: the Tweed Ride, things left behind, Howe Caverns, the Black Bridge, personal responsibility, baby red foxes, FDR, MEGABODEGA, restaurant week, a $14 burger, sushi in Altamont, lobster mac, inexpensive beauty supplies, bananas, man etiquette, and a remembrance.

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Pictures of The Tweed Ride

Pip, pip, cheerio

The weather was unfortunate, but oddly appropriate.

After a week of summer-like temperatures, Albany put on its cold, wet, gray English countryside look just in time for Sunday's Tweed Ride.

A couple of dozen cyclists donned their best tweed and wool knickers, skirts, caps, argyle socks, and other stylish riding togs and pedaled from the Ultraviolet Cafe on Delaware Ave, through Washington Park and down the hill to The Olde English Pub in Albany's first Tweed Ride, organized by Ethan Georgi.

After the jump, some of our photos from the morning, and a few from Dave Mercier, who followed the cyclists through the park and down to the pub.

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My Exit: Mike Guzzo

Tonight's My Exit host, Mike Guzzo

It's Monday, which means WEXT is running another My Exit show -- where the listeners get to pick their own playlists.

This week, the host of CRUMBS Cafe goes heavy on the rhythm section...

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Podprop

A guy in Rexford -- Ken Malsan -- has designed a smartphone stand, called Podprop, that's soft and flexible. He's currently trying to raise $15,000 on Kickstarter to get the project started.

Yet another phone stand? Even Malsan jokes about it in his Kickstarter video. But this part caught our attention:

This product looks really simple, and it is. But figuring out how to make it in the USA and keep the selling price reasonable was a huge challenge. Many times I was told soft foam products like this "aren't made here." It basically came down to U.S. labor rates and standards. My focus is to create a quality product in a responsible way and still compete with overseas rivals. Here's our opportunity to prove that with the right technology and a healthy dose of community support it can be done.

He says he got the idea after seeing his wife struggle to watch her iPod while in bed.

As it happens, Ken had applied for last year's Sunmark Startup Grant (applications for this year's grant are currently open). He's also one of the creators of the Cohabit puzzle app.

What's up in the Neighborhood

Among the topics in this most recent spin around the Capital Region's online neighborhood: Albany Ale, Cuomo paranoia, not hospitable, things missed, the Huyck, a very old tree, ice cream, Persian Gulf food, jelly for desert, fresh ketchup, a badass local news team, a Google Street View mystery, and weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!

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My Exit: Kevin Wright and Heather Wright

It's Monday, which means WEXT is running another My Exit show -- where the listeners get to pick their own playlists.

This week, a family jam band session....

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What's up in the Neighborhood

A photo by Sebastien from a recent exploration.

Among the topics in this most recent spin around the Capital Region's online neighborhood: cutting through bone, a parent's job, exploration, Vroman's nose, Capital District geology, wildflowers, bursting bubbles, the Canfield Casino, that elegant chapeau, a mini food tour, Carmine's Brazilian Grill, two new spots, ramps, and light bulbs.

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My Exit: Kelly Ryan

It's Monday, which means WEXT is running another My Exit show -- where the listeners get to pick their own playlists.

Here's this week's person...

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Comeback Love

Peter Golden. His book Comeback Love was first published by the local Staff Picks Press, but will also be released from a major publisher this month.

Guilderland author Peter Golden's first novel -- Comeback Love, a plot-twisting love story that interweaves 1960s-era political and social upheaval, personal regrets and present-day reckonings -- is being released this month by an imprint of publishing giant Simon & Schuster.

The book's story -- and the story about the book -- are both page turners.

Kirkus Reviews recommends readers "Grab a handful of tissues, think The Notebook and then start speculating on actors best suited to bring Gordon and Glenna to the big screen."

In fact, there's nothing really humble about the book -- except perhaps its beginnings.

Comeback Love was originally published in November 2010 by Staff Picks Press, an endeavor by independent bookseller Susan Novotny, who owns The Book House of Stuyvesant Plaza And Market Block Books.

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What's up in the Neighborhood

Among the topics in this most recent spin around the Capital Region's online neighborhood: the Fussy Little Ballot, challenging your worldview, breakfast in 1750, an ironic effect of the gym, the OTE party, a Moveable Feast, AGB, bad recommendations, the gulf between concept and execution, a fantasy feast, a beefy dish, fresh happy yummy omg, Philip Sheridan, 1973, Mega Millions, and give the kid an ice cream cone.

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