Ah, good old Wolf Road, always evolving. I don't get back home too often, but I seem to always see…read morenew businesses popping uphere. Chain burger joints seem to be the new craze on this strip. Luckily some of the oldies like JT Maxie's, Denooyer Chevy and others are still around! Most people don't realize this busy Capital Region road used to all be farmland a mere 60 YEARS ago. My mom grew up in the South Colonie area, it has got to be wild to have experienced how much this has changed. I think there MAY be one private residence left on this road. I was looking through an old book on Wolf Road while I was home in the 518. It's by Naylor, Platt and Platt, I imagine the Colonie Town Library would have a copy. I was skimming the book and found out that a country club once stood where Colonie Center is. I lived in Albany 30+ years and it's amazing how much that mall has evolved, it's now quite nice for this region. I remember the Herman's sporting good store on Wolf Road, that moved to Colonie Center and is now long gone. I miss the days when we had Papa Gino's across from the mall! I remember driving by Jerry's Bike Shop and Cranberry Bog often as a kid, hard to believe these spots are no longer there. Platt's Deli was another popular Wolf Road institution, that was replaced by Bucca di Beppo (if I remember correctly). It's amazing how many businesses have come and gone over even just the last 20 years. 2012 brought us Trader Joe's, which has horrible parking nation wide and even in Smalbany too! I'm not quite sure why they placed this popular store in such a congested area! The traffic on Wolf Road is to be avoided at Xmas, but after living in Los Angeles, I now snicker when my friends complain about this thoroughfare.

People demonize Wolf Road all the time. There are some folks who say that they avoid it all costs…read more Others won't patronize a business if it chooses to open up a spot on this commercial stretch in Colonie. They are missing out. Sure, to the untrained eye it can look like nothing but a parade of chain restaurants. On the south end there's IHOP, PF Chang's and The Cheesecake Factory. On the north end there's Moe's, The Outback Steakhouse, and Red Lobster. And there's a lot more in between. And during peak traffic hours, it can come close to resembling a small downstate traffic jam. All joking aside, it can be some of the worst traffic in the region. But Wolf Road has its good sides too. My love for Trader Joe's is well documented, and its convenient back entrance makes the Wolf Road business accessible to anyone clever enough to use it. Then of course there is the Hong Kong Bakery and Bistro. We don't have very many authentic Chinese restaurants in the region, but this is one of them. And I've heard there are good Chinese dishes on the menu at Buffalo Wagon too, although I have yet to try any for myself. Subbers is on Wolf Road too, and if you are a fan of mozzarella sticks, you have to try their take on the form. Ted's Fish Fry outpost also offers delicious fried treats that aren't from a nathional chain. Lemondrop was revealed to have tasty boba tea. I've got to get there and order one half-sweet. And the shop also has some of the tartest tart yogurt around. And lucky for me, that's just how I like it. Off almost everyone's radar is U Mundu E Ca, the Italian market that just hosted a pop up dinner featuring locally famous chefs Brian Bowden and Mark Graham. I'm not sure if it makes up for the evils of Buca di Beppo around the corner, but it certainly comes close Benson's Pet Center is there too, which is another great regional business that has nothing to do with food. Of course there is no getting around that this small strip of activity has two Starbucks. But one of them has a fire place and the other has a drive through. So, in a way, they are totally different. The truth is, that I don't instinctively hate chains or malls either. Some of them are fine. I love great coffee, but I occasionally go for the convenience of Starbucks. The wings at The Ruck are my favorite in the region, but once in a while I'll get a hankering for a breaded wing from Hooters. Honest Weight is a fabulous store, but Whole Foods has my favorite prosciutto and great salami sliced to order. And thanks to Wolf Road and Colonie Center, we even have a Tesla super charging station. I get the problems of businesses leaving the cities and moving to the suburbs. I understand how communities can improve with rich retail areas that encourage walking over driving. And I value those things. I really do. But I'm not so blinded by them that I can't see the good in this far too reviled road.

Schen the nonbeliever!…read more I'm a believer that NY state has a lot of cities which time forgot. Buffalo was one, but is transforming itself. Rochester too, to some degree. But Syracuse, Utica, Binghamton, and Schenectady all fit that description. They are relics of the past, sleepy and quiet, with a massive Italian influence and so much of the towns are like ghost towns, preserved from the industrial era. There are some great places to eat in town as well, such as Mike's for hot dogs, and Morette's for their awesome Steak sandwiches. It's very easy to award this lovely city a 5 star rating, and it's so much more than just a far-flung suburb of Albany.

I love Schenectady…read more There. I said it. It's true. Although here in the Capital Region, the Electric City doesn't quite yet have the same cachet as some of the other municipalities. We don't have to quibble. You can enjoy Troy and still get a jolt from Schenectady. This is a city that's doing so much to improve itself, it's not even funny. Proctors is the beating heart at the center of this very walkable downtown. But it's far from the only entertainment destination. The MopCo Theatre is a short walk away, and the improv comedy coming from that stage is hilarious. And on top of that is the Schenectady Light Opera Company which puts on all kinds of shows every year. I've known people who have been involved in productions, yet have never gone. I'm almost entirely motivated by food. Malcolm's in Schenectady needs to be mentioned in the same breath as the best restaurants in the Capital Region. They are doing all the right things. The Sunday Greenmarket is amazing, even in winter. Not only for the farms, but for the food. It was the place that launched Tara Kitchen, and now its the incubator for the region's first Ethiopian restaurant (and they are making their own injera). Italian food? In Schenectady it's the air we breathe. From the amazing sandwiches you can find at Italian deli's, to the cream filled lobster tails at Villa Italia, to the 100 year old coal oven at Perreca's that cranks out crusty loaves of bread, to the house made ricotta at Capiello's, to the lemon ice during summer at Civitello's. Downtown is much more walkable, even at night. The city has brought on Ambassadors to patrol the streets, so that it's less lonely out there. It's still not much of a walking town, but it should be. There are great things to walk to and explore... like breweries! Right downtown. Mad Jack led the way. Great Flats came next. Druther's is out there by the casino on the river, and even though gambling isn't my thing, macaroni and cheese paired with local craft beer totally is. And now Frog Alley has opened, bringing some love to the other side of the tracks. And all of them are making delicious liquid. You can even buy a beer passport and get on the Schenectady Ale Trail. And all of this is just downtown. Get off the beaten path a bit, and you can find some remarkable international restaurants, including my very favorite Mexican place in the entire region, La Mexicana. Schenectady is also home to Marino's Flying Pizza which, just so happens to be my favorite local pizza place. Fight me. Diners? Old school diners? Check. Barbecue? The Memphis King can't be beat in the 518. I love some of our other BBQ joints too, but my heart belongs to Brandon. On top of all that, you've got the history of the place. General Electric in its heyday. Thomas Edison. Kurt Vonnegut. The railroad. The river. And more. Much much more. I know I may sound like an add for the place, but nobody asked me to write this. I just find myself in Schenectady all the time, and keep encountering people who have lived in the Capital Region their entire lives and have never been. Get with it people. Schenectady is lit. (see what I did there)

This has been the adventure of a lifetime and I have loved every minute of it. Albany, you are…read morebeautiful!!! The food is amazing. The nightlife is bustling, the people are friendly and the scenery is beyond exceptional. I would love to move here in a second!!! Sadly, my transplant who grew up here says, no. A man can wish. Gorgeous views, lush green grass, cool temps, and great people. What's not to love!!!!!

The City of Albany is going to be a test review to see if it posts. Since yesterday my photos have…read morenot been posting on Yelp. The last app update was four days ago. I'm very sad. As for my state capital I think it's beautiful. I've never been unhappy with our state government. As a low income senior citizen I don't pay taxes in my state. I feel our governor always works well with my City of New York. There you go! I'm a fan and if you live here you may be a fan too!

Jay Square is a new public green space with a focus on accessibility across from Schenectady City…read moreHall on Jay Street. The first thing you'll notice when visiting is the Dr. Seuss inspired Wayfinding Sign sculpture from artist Colin Christian. According to a lovely multi-cultural sign welcoming all to Jay Square, a similar sign pointing to SCHENECTADY is featured in the Dr. Seuss book I Can Read with My Eyes Shut!, thanks to the authors previous advertisement experience working with client General Electric in the 1940s. You'll also find a major increase in public seating, including several benches and chess/checker tables throughout the space. This is sure to be a well loved feature during the two Farmer's Markets that wraps around city hall during the less-wintery months - The Schenectady Farmer's Market on Thursdays (May to November) and The Schenectady Greenmarket on Sundays (April to November). My favorite feature is the small Percussion Playground and performance space, where I am eager to catch local musicians sharing their art with the community. We are really looking forward to utilizing the gathering space when out and about downtown; can't wait to see what other events and fun Schenectady has in store for this spot moving forward!

Buckingham Lake/Pond (depending on what site you check) is in the middle of a quiet suburban area…read morein Albany. There's a path around it to stretch your legs and/or those of your canine companions - circle it twice and you've walked 1 mile. The playground area makes this a popular neighborhood destination. The fountains were active today (it's a warm day in February with some ice cover), but the ducks were.

Very pretty walk in the middle of stately housing. Even when walking through a mist it's ok since…read moreit's mostly shaded. Half mile around.

Great mural located in Troy New York. It has a great positive message behind it which I really…read morelike. It's right next to another mural and both are nice to see

This was at the rain location under the bridge. The weather this summer is so crazy that was to be…read moreexpected. We saw the 70's glam rock band Sweet. They still have an original member!! Considering everything the show was awesome!! They really rocked. They had to cut the show short because of tornado warnings so it was more like a highlights of their greatest hits show but they made sure to play as long as they could not to disappoint the crowd. There were a couple of food vendors, craft booths and expensive alcohol for purchase. Definitely worth going downtown and we made it to the car just before the downpour started.

Alive at Five is a really great free event. As with many free events people come out of the…read morewoodwork, and thats part of the fun. Albany is a pretty cool town, and the development of the Corning Preserve as a concert venue is fantastic. I'd say Gerry Jennings has jumped the shark. The boo's from the crowd partly gave it away. He's just lost some of that charisma. I'm not going to make a tan joke.... even that's not as much fun as it used to be. While Blues Traveler has had more popular days, they are still really good. I got the feeling this show another day at the office, they gave it there all, and were very entertaining. Interesting outfits on display were on display in abundance. Tattoos, cleavage, mid sections, and infants everywhere. I'm not a parent, but I wouldn't expose a small dog to this kind of thing let alone an infant. There was that weird dude with that hasn't showered in a while, but managed to cut himself shaving. The beer situation is the wristband, 2nd line ordeal. It seems like all concerts could be free with the amount of beer that gets sold.

I wanted to see Moby and made my way down to Lark after 2pm. I wasn't sure what to expect or how it…read morewould be made as Moby is know for electronic music. But it was amazing. Moby is kind of a dork and would say after every song "thank you, thank you very much" intoning almost none of the soul contained in the music. Soul there was, Moby is near genius in the color of sound. Grabbing a rhythm and riding it out, exploring it from angles and giving it dimension. The band was amazing, violin, vocals huge drums and keyboard made the future of music. The crowd started a little stiff but everybody was dancing by the end. Wrapped and surrounded by an incredible sound system all of the tens of thousands of people who were there on an amazing September day were having a good time. I'm usually kind staunch about my personal space and I had to throw that right out the window. It was friendly however and Albany cool was in full display. Except for the dude right in front of me. I don't know what the hell he was on but was totally out of control. Going from Maori warrior to cheetah in the grass dance moves. He was spasmodic and epileptic and we tried to crowd surf him away. But he wouldn't go. He was directly channeling music into movement and that was scary. Larkfest is a highlight of Albany.

Not sure on details about when this event happens, but i was fortunate enough to be in Albany…read moreduring Lark Fest. Live bands, vendors, food and a packed street in front of the park. A lot of fun for a Saturday afternoon.