Items tagged with 'tulipfest'

Overheard at Madison and New Scotland

A guy is exiting Washington Park on his motorcycle during the Tulip Festival. He's dressed kind of preppy, but not wearing any socks. A group of young adults is looking on, smirking.

Young Adult: Excuse me, sir. Why aren't you wearing any socks?

Guy: (Annoyed) That's what I do.

Then the guy revs his motorcycle loudly and takes off.

NightFire video


Just in case you had a burning desire (oof!) to see the thing in all its, um, glory. We've condensed the time so that the video runs a bit less than half as long as the actual display.

Earlier on AOA:
+ NighFire: before, during and after
+ Igniting Albany's floating, burning tulip

Birthday cocaine, crime in the student ghetto, the gas tax and Plato, the new Tulip Queen

What do you get for that special ex-police chief in your life on his birthday? A shipment of cocaine, apparently. [Daily Gazette]

A map of crimes involving UAlbany students compiled by the TU paints a not-so-pretty picture of life off campus. [TU]

Using the obligatory "Look, I'm at a gas station because we're talking about gas prices" photo op, state assembly minority leader Jim Tedisco announced he's (or someone) collecting signatures for a petition supporting the "gas tax holiday." Sheldon Silver and David Paterson both oppose the temporary suspension of the tax. [Troy Record] [TU]

Speaking of Paterson, he gave the commencement speech for the College of Saint Rose this past weekend because "the lieutenant governor couldn't be be here." The governor also told the crowd that people pushing the gas tax holiday are following shadows instead of light. (Yep, that's a Plato reference.) [Daily Gazette]

The mysterious collapse of honey bee colonies is making things tough for apple growers around the area. It seems there were just enough bees to go around this year to pollinate the apple trees. [Daily Gazette]

Sarah Volk is the new Tulip Queen. [WNYT]

NightFire: before, during and after

nightfire during

That's hot. And a little different from what we expected.

Above is during. Before and after are after the jump.

(there's more)

Tulips really are edible... sort of

blushing tulips in Washington Park

Good eats? Maybe.

When Judy Stacey, Albany's city gardener, told us that tulips were edible, we were kind of surprised. It seems you were, too. So we decided to do a little digging.

It would appear that it's most accurate to say that parts of tulips are edible. And people do eat them. There are recipes, even.

(there's more)

How to sound smart about tulips

Tulips.jpg

What more can you say? Plenty, actually.

The 60th Annual Albany Tulip Festival kicks off tomorrow in Washington Park, which means tulips have temporarily replaced the weather as default small talk.

But every spring it's the same thing. Someone you're with invariably comments on how beautiful or colorful or happy the tulips look. And that's where the conversation starts to lag. Sure, you can agree. Yes, they are pretty aren't they? There are so many colors. The orange is so... bright. You want to liven things up -- expand on the conversation -- say something fascinating. But you can't think of anything to say. And those damn happy tulips just sit there -- taunting you.

Yep, we've been there too. But what is there to say about tulips?

Albany city gardener Judy Stacey says there's plenty. AOA asked Stacey to pass on a little conversational currency about Albany's city flower so we could entertain our friends
and look like savvy gardeners. Here's what she dropped on us...

(there's more)

Igniting Albany's floating, burning tulip

Dr. Z with flaming handsMore Mission Impossible than 1812 Overture. That's what Dr. Gary Zeller (that's him on the right holding the fire) says it will look like in Washington Park on Friday night, when Mayor Jerry Jennings ignites "Night Fire", aka Albany's floating, burning tulip.

Gary Zeller (alias Dr. Z.) is a chemist, entertainer, pyrotechnics expert and the owner of the environmental technology company Zeller International. He did the special effects for "Dawn of the Dead" and won an Academy Award for the development of Zel Jel, a fireproof substance that protects stunt people.

He's also the guy who figured out how to make "Night Fire" burn.

AOA talked with Dr. Z about how to burn down a giant tulip display without, you know, burning down everything else around it.

(there's more)

A little more about Albany's floating, burning tulip. Because we just had to know.

WaterFire Providence

A scene from WaterFire Providence in 2006

Like Nicki, we too were intrigued by the thought of a floating, burning tulip. It turns out that floating, burning art is sort of a thing right now.

(there's more)

Police chase, Ch 10 for sale?, big crowds expected for Giants training, Tulip Fest gets fired up

Police say a Troy man (and rape suspect) told his mom he was going to get police to kill him and on Monday afternoon he came pretty close to getting his wish. [Record]

The parent company of WTEN Channel 10 may be thinking about selling the station. [TU]

The Ballston Avenue Price Chopper in Saratoga is expanding -- and it looks like the Railroad Place Price Chopper may be closing. [Saratogian]

After the Giants Super Bowl win, UAlbany is expecting record crowds for this summer's training camp. [Daily Gazette]

If the Tulip Festival just doesn't seem to have the zing it used to, organizers are planning something new this year to spice things up: a $100,000 floating steel tulip and lilly pads that catch on fire. [TU]

The Scoop

Ever wish you had a smart, savvy friend with the inside line on what's happening around the Capital Region? You know, the kind of stuff that makes your life just a little bit better? Yeah, we do, too. That's why we created All Over Albany. Find out more.

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