Working in downtown Albany has its perks. There’s always somewhere new to go for lunch. (Sadly, the turnover for food places is lamentably swift.) There’s somewhere pretty to walk. (Try the path leading from City Hall to the Legislative Building or the River Walk.) And if you look hard enough, you can come upon visages like this: a peek of sky, of cobblestone street, of rich brick building.
Beauty’s where you find it.
In my current hometown, there is beauty to be found if one knows where to look, and if one looks hard enough. It’s not always apparent or obvious, which makes it mean a little more. Privately, and perhaps publicly, I’m prone to dismiss this area when it comes to culture and artistic options and simple architectural glamour. And until those harsh 1970’™s lines of the Plaza come into miraculous vogue, I may have truth on my side. However, there are winks and nods to whimsy and beauty here, if only in the egg that watches over this bit of street art.
Our stalwart Jack’s Oyster House has a section of State Street named for it, and it is an institution unto itself. Dinners have been hit-or-miss there for a few years, but when they’re on they’re unbeatable. On the bottom corner of State is this dome-shaped beauty, proof that there are gorgeous buildings here, even if they’re not overly plentiful.
A little further up the street is Wellington’s, which I’ve tried for likely the last time. Their portions are simply too small for a $12 martini such as the one pictured. Perspective clue: those aren’t even queen olives taking up all that space, and the pour is meager at best. They saw me tweet as much, and came right over to me at the bar, but when I explained that the size was dismal compared to just about every other place in downtown Albany, the woman didn’t bother challenging it. What’s to challenge when there’s a photo like that?
So yes, Albany has its drawbacks and limitations, along with its naysayers and critics (guilty and guilty), but it has beauty and charm and champions as well. More than that, it’s become home – and I always take pride in my home. The skies here want to be blue and the sun wants to shine. We just have to help make it happen whenever we can.
This is not about the food at the Melting Pot in Albany, NY. I tried that a few years ago and the overpriced under-servings were not worth their own write-up. But when service and attitude are in such poor form when I stopped by for a drink the other night, it merits a moment of mention. I stopped in for a cocktail after the bar scene at the Standard was too crowded; the bar at the Melting Pot was happily empty, and only two tables next to the bar were occupied. As I sat down, the bartender was coming around the corner and dismissively said she’d be back in a minute. After a few minutes she returned and asked what I wanted.
“Do you have Campari?†I inquired, contemplating a negroni.
“No,†came the quick and curt reply.
“Ok, how about a Hendrick’s martini, very dry, with a twist?â€
She gave a nod and began measuring out the gin. When she began measuring the vermouth, I already saw that it was too much for a very dry martini. I repeated that I wanted it very dry and that was too much.
“Well an ounce is standard and I was pouring half an ounce,†she said with a discernible attitude. (Listen, I know attitude. I can give it, I get it, and I know it well. She had an attitude.) One can go two routes at such a point: give it back or diffuse. Feeling generous, I attempted the latter. Trying to engage and get her to smile, I said I really wanted just a drop or two. She hadn’t yet poured the vermouth into the shaker, but she dumped out both in the sink and said she could start again. I didn’t know why she wasted all that perfectly good gin, but that’s the Melting Pot’s issue, not mine, even if I hate to see decent gin wasted in such an unnecessary and flagrant manner.
She started again and slammed a fistful of ice into the shaker, some of which overshot and spilled right in front of me. No apology, no acknowledgment, no oops whatsoever, just stone-cold attitude. Not a big deal, but the ice would remain there until it melted.
Here’s the thing: I know people have bad days. I’ve had them. We’ve all had them. But in the service industry you learn to at least make an effort to mask it or treat people decently. This young woman just didn’t care. She was in a bad mood and she was not having anything. Not even simple human decency. That’s what was disappointing.
She placed a dirty martini glass on a napkin in front of me and poured the drink. It looked like a bit of dried pimento was stuck to the base (see accompanying photo) but she remembered the twist and plopped it into the drink. I didn’t bother asking for a new one because at that point it might well have sent her over the edge. She soon went back to eating a plate of pretzels and dipping them in a sauce assembled on the back of the bar, which happened to be right in front of me. Pet peeve: bartenders who eat at the bar while they’re working.
Another guy sat down at the bar and apparently was a friend of hers, as she picked up a bottle of beer and put it in front of him without being asked. “I’ve only been here one hour and everybody has already pissed me off,†she explained to him. At least it wasn’t personal.
My love/hate affair with Albany has been on the lovey-dovey side of late and that continues with this ode to the beauty of a Capital Region morning. As we enter the final stages of winter, the light begins to get brilliant. One of the only benefits of the dark season is that with the bare branches of stripped trees, nothing blocks the sun, when the clouds are away, from shining in all its splendor. Rooms and nooks that are otherwise shaded by leafy canopy are brighter than they are at the height of summer. It’s a small recompense.
Here, we witness the striking rise of the sun, and the amber glow of a city awaking to a bright and sunny day. Ordinary buildings turn extraordinary in the golden first light. It happens quickly, and soon the warmer palate is hardened into something bright and unforgiving. But for this first instant of the day, we have beauty. Delicate, fiery and fleeting beauty.
If we’re lucky, the day will end in the same way.
There was a time when Albany was magical to me. When I was a little kid in relatively-rural Amsterdam, NY, I viewed Albany as the closest thing to a big city. I’d been to New York and Boston a number of times, but they felt far away and distant. A few hours can be an eternity for children. Albany was a much shorter trip, but it still held the allure of glamour and sophistication. My Mom used to go shopping in the downtown, back when it bustled, and stores occupied multiple floors. The Plaza had been completed by the time I was old enough to walk, and we went to a few shows at the Egg. In certain sections, the walls were curved, and the novelty of the thing never wore off.
On certain days, when I’m walking at lunch and the sun is shining in a clear blue sky, I’ll look up at the Plaza and feel the same excitement and awe of our city. I’ll remember the wonder it once held for a kid from Amsterdam. I’ll try, mostly in vain, to re-inhabit that moment when it all seemed so impressive.
Next week a crazy super blood moon is set to rise, somewhere around January 31, and I’m not sure we can handle it. As little faith as I put in such astrological matters, there’s always been something believable about the moon and the way it fosters brief moments of lunacy. When it gets full, insane things seem to happen, especially if you’re unaware of its pull. During such times I find it best to lay low, stay subdued, and refrain from causing a commotion. Maybe it’s all bullshit, but it can’t hurt to take a couple of preemptive precautions, and in the middle of winter it’s good to be quiet and still regardless of the reason.
Instead of putting on a show, I’ll stand back and watch it rise. The moon is magnificent and magical, as you can see here as it hovers over Albany in these early-morning photos. It has been the guide and the ruin of certain men and women, the conjuror of all sorts of happy and sorrowful madness, and the watcher in the night. It peeks, preens and poses in all kinds of delightful variety. Shy and remote some nights, boldly burning red and pink on others. It dances or demurs, depending on the mood and the atmosphere. Most of all, it demands notice as it makes its way across the sky.
Nipper appeared to be the dog at the end of the rainbow, but as we approached it became clear the rainbow ended somewhere else. Did you ever try to find the pot of gold espoused by folklore? I always knew such talk was nonsense, but as a child when I saw a rainbow hovering near the end of my street I decided to give it a go. I bounded down the road and into the field that led to my school. Across the clover and the unmown grass, I sprinted and gave chase to the elusive pastel bands of color. As fast and as far as I ran, almost halfway to McNulty, the rainbow remained constantly ahead, always out of reach. It faded even as I tried to hold my focus on each color. I’d look away for a moment, then back, to try to catch it in its escape. It began to only appear when I shifted my gaze, and soon I couldn’t find it at all.
The Boojolais Vampire Ball takes place tonight – starting at 6 PM at the Albany Capital Center. It’s the big dress-up day of the year for some of us – for me it’s just another Friday in bloomers. This year’s outfit is reminiscent of last year’s, but with a darker spin, and a bigger circumference (and I don’t just mean my stomach). It’s always a good time for a good cause. Tickets are still available, so I hope to see you there.
One week from today, the Boo-jolais Vampire Ball swoops into the Albany Capital Center, promising a wicked night of delicious costumed devilry to kick off the Halloween season in high style. After trying out the costumed theme and shifting the date of this a few weeks earlier than previous years, it sounds like the Alliance for Positive Health has honed and refined the focus of this event, transforming it into a decadent Vampire Ball.
Albany is turning itself out for this evening, with local luminaries lending their culinary creations to the celebration at hand. The list is pretty impressive:
Also of note is the Silent Auction, which now includes a Tropical Island Getaway, a Mariah Carey Holiday concert, a weekend getaway at Gardner Farm Inn, a Burger 21 Food Truck party, a vodka tour and tasting, an Adirondack getaway at the Mirror Lake Inn, a day of pampering at Complexions Spa, and a Cocktail party put on by Experience & Creative Design.
Bare your fangs, and whatever else you wish – costumes are especially encouraged and appreciated, but any fancy get-up will do. Get your Boo on and join us for the fun!
It peeked out at me from behind a bush as I hurried by on lunch one day. A bit of a wink and the slightest wave was enough to make me take notice and pause in my tracks. Looking around in case this was a trick, I walked onward, making the promise to stop on my way back to work. I needed a coffee and a reading break to determine whether it was worth the investment. I also wanted to see if someone else stopped and fell for the thing. I like to give the universe the option to correct itself in case its motions weren’t meant for me.
I finished my coffee at Stacks and walked back in the fall sunshine. This was what made the Northeast worthwhile – these sunny October days that felt balmy and bright, like the winter might not come this year. We suspend our belief at such moment. We believe instead in what feels best. In this suspended state, I returned to see this little heart still dangling from an azalea bush in downtown Albany.
It was one of those things that longed to be found, but only by the observant person who happened to care enough to look out for it. When I was a kid, I once found a fallen Mylar balloon near our backyard, stuck on a rusty wire fence, still halfway floating, still halfway trying to get away and rise. I freed it and carried it back home, fighting off a few neighborhood kids who had seen the treasure and tried to take it from me. (Well, maybe not fighting as much as arguing and running.) On this day, no one fought me as I free the little heart from its azalea entanglement.
A fabric notion built on whimsy and wishes, it came with an online promotional message as well. “I need a home,” it implored on its tiny tag, and my own heart broke a little. Someone has sewn this. Someone had cut it out. Someone had attached a pretty ribbon and had the faith and hope to hang it here. And someone counted on someone else to find it. A simple instruction was printed on the tag: Report this heart: www.ifoundaquiltedheart.com.
A sign of the times: a hand-made quilted heart with a social media connection. Looking it up online a few days later, I found a quirky little enterprise that’s about sewing (and sowing) these little hearts simply for the sake of brightening someone else’s day. And if it worked on a cynical guy like myself, I imagine it’s doing wonders for others in Albany and elsewhere. I may even dust off my sewing skills and contribute.
On the front, amid the quilted chaos contained in the shape of a heart, was a simple sewn-on message: you are loved. The power of that is enough to change the world.
The Boo-jolais Vampire Ball, to benefit the Alliance for Positive Health, is set to take place on Friday, October 27, 2017 – at the new Albany Capital Center. Last year brought about a reinvention of this event, in which the date was moved up to Halloween time, and the party was given a costumed spin. While I’ve always worn a costume for this event, it’s nice to not be the only one looking silly for a change. That also means I’ll have to up my sartorial game, but I’m already working on that…
On a serious note, proceeds from this event support the Alliance for Positive Health’s local services to people living with or affected by HIV/AIDS and other serious medical and social conditions. Tickets may be purchased here, and costumes are suggested. Come and see what I’m wearing! You show me yours, I’ll show you mine.
Give me a gala theme, and I’ll rock it.
Even if it means practicing in heels for a week beforehand.
Such was the case with the Kinky Boots theme for the formal kick-off to Albany Pride weekend.
Hot pink high-heel thigh-high high-heel boots
Better than the boots were all the florals I had going on.
(Yes, I know. Florals. For spring. Groundbreaking.)
Big roses and bombastic peonies lined a coral-hued jacket, while a rose-adorned skirt puffed out behind me on a cloud of fuchsia tulle. The topper was a peachy fascinator – all netting and feathers and swirligigs (which is a term I just made up at this moment for whatever else sprouted from my head) – an absolute necessity for such an ensemble. The finishing touch that set it apart from doyenne extravagance – a super-short pair of dark denim cut-offs, because every outfit needs a twist or two.
I had a spare fascinator for Suzie because I’m me and she’s Suzie. If I can’t be counted on for a spare fascinator, my life has been in vain. It’s why we work so well together.
The night was magical – a perfect semi-formal kick-off to the start of pride. In this tumultuous year, we needed to make it feel like summer again.
Nobody does that better than Suzie. No one makes me laugh more over less, act foolish when I’m trying to be deadly serious, or reach back to some obscure childhood memory that brings me to more laughter.
There is also no one more ill-equipped and useless to help with high heels on a wet lawn. I mean, she just walked away and left me sinking there. And then she laughed about it. It wasn’t quite the submissive shrug she gave when they told her that her childhood poodle (Duchess) had met its demise beneath the wheels of a car, but you get the idea.
Tonight’s the night!
The ‘Boots Are Kinky’ Pride Gala – the fabulous and formal kick-off to pride weekend – takes place at the Renaissance Hotel in downtown Albany this evening starting at 6 PM. Tickets can still be purchased here, or you can show up at the door and pay a bit more. Either way, you should donate to the cause – proceeds benefit the GLSEN New York Capital Region Chapter.
People have always turned it out for this event, and I love seeing what everyone does to fit the various themes they’ve had over the years. This time the ‘Kinky Boots‘ angle offers a wealth of possibilities, and I’ve been practicing my high-heel thigh-high strutting. For now, a few more sneak-peek hints of the “groundbreaking” florals I’ll be donning tonight, and you should definitely stop by to see the rest…
The GLSEN Pride Gala is upon us once again, and as the formal kick-off to Pride Weekend in Albany, it’s always a good time. Past themes have revolved around ‘Alice in Wonderland’, ‘Breakfast at Tiffany’s‘ and ‘The Great Gatsby’ but this year they want us to kick it up a notch with a ‘Boots Are Kinky’ theme – based on the Broadway musical about acceptance and “the most beautiful thing in the world†– shoes. I’m all about both, so I plan on attending, as much for supporting a great cause as an excuse to hike myself up in a set of high heels.
Tickets may be purchased here. Hope to see you there!
There’s nothing more magnificent than the gift of touch. Having come to the massage table late in the game, it is now a vital (and supremely enjoyable) part of my life. Though I’ve painted my spa experiences as glamorous jaunts there are more reasonable options available, and when done correctly they are as transformative as the most spiritual retreat you can find. One of those local Albany treasures has a set of talented hands to offer just such a moving experience: Robert John Bowers and his Bodyworks massage enterprise. Located conveniently at 8 Nolan Road, just off Central Avenue in Colonie, Bowers offers a variety of massage techniques and sessions.
“My therapeutic modalities include Swedish, Shiatsu, Reflexology, Cranial Sacral and Lomi- Lomi customized by you and for you as I get to know your body and its specific needs. It’s fun and useful to experience one or more of these techniques in finding which one is best for you. For athletes—both amateur and professional, Sports massage can promote flexibility, reduce fatigue, improve endurance and prepare the body and mind for optimal performance. My bodywork also incorporates stretching throughout the session; its goal to relax the muscles, improve blood flow and circulation which will invariably lead to increased flexibility.
Sessions are tailored to your needs and budget—a minimum of one hour is recommended and I have clients who indulge in up to 150 minutes of massage therapy on a weekly basis. There are cost-saving multi-massage packages available and custom-designed gift certificates for any occasion.
In addition to offering high quality massage therapy, upon request I can provide facials, aroma wraps, body scrubs and salt glows—spa treatments that offer a relaxing, refreshing, revitalizing sense of balance and well-being—all designed to make you look and feel better—thus reducing stress to body and soul.â€
I’ve done my fair share of yoga over the years, and my favorite part has always been that relaxation bit at the end of it all. A good massage is like that moment – minus all the work and exertion that came before. At this time of the year, when stress can creep up on the most organized and well-planned among us, a massage is the perfect antidote. It also makes a wonderful gift for someone who needs a break – and we all know a few of those souls who give and give but rarely enjoy anything for themselves.
To set up an appointment, contact Bowers directly at (518) 416-3295.
Â
