We’re chatting with Nicholas Chowske this week! You may recognize him as a contributor to GFL (check out his story on Halfway Brook Trail here!), and we were thrilled to get to know him a bit better. He shares the literal wrong turn that led him to his work in writing and photojournalism, his favorite hidden gem in the city, and lots more…
Tell us about yourself!
Hello! My name is Nicholas Chowske, and I live in Queensbury, with my wife, Andrea, our two boys, Levi (8) and Luke (5), our two cats, Lucy and Terra.
You may recognize me from the Quaker Road Hannaford deli, where I’ve worked nights for nearly six years now, or most recently as a contributing writer to Glens Falls Living, but my favorite job has been stay-at-home-dad, which I’ve been loving for the past 8 years.
On Life In and Around Glens Falls
My wife and I are both from the area - I grew up in South Glens Falls, and graduated from South High in 2001, and Andrea from Queensbury High School in 2002. College and careers moved us all across the state, but it was family that brought us back home.
I first went to SUNY Brockport, where I earned a degree in Criminal Justice and Environmental Science, which I intended to turn into a career as a forest ranger. I met Andrea the summer before my senior year, while we were both working at the Price Chopper on Glen Street, and we moved to Plattsburgh together after I graduated in 2005, where she was still attending school. In Plattsburgh, I had the opportunity to take a forest ranger civil service exam, but unfortunately, I got lost on the way to the test (who knew there was a Saranac High School and a Saranac Lake High School?). I enrolled at SUNY Plattsburgh to take some photography and writing classes in the meantime, while I waited for another civil service exam, and my wife finished her degree in Nutrition and Dietetics. I ended up falling in love with my courses, and graduated from SUNY Plattsburgh with a degree in Photojournalism in 2010.
After a brief stint working as a photographer and communications writer for Swarovski Crystal’s lighting factory in Plattsburgh, my wife was offered a job as a dietitian at Southampton Hospital, in 2012, so it was off to Long Island. Shortly after arriving, I landed a job as a society photographer, features writer and wine reviewer at a weekly news magazine called “Dan’s Papers”, which covers the Hamptons, Shelter Island, and Long Island’s North Fork.
Our first son, Levi, was born on the island in 2013. As much as we loved the work we were doing, we had no family in the area, our thoughts began to turn toward home. As luck would have it, an opening for a dietitian came up at Glens Falls Hospital, shortly after our son’s first birthday, and we were back home by fall of 2014.
In 2015, we bought our house, a 3-bedroom ranch built in 1957, and we absolutely adore it. All through the purchase process, I had a feeling that as soon as we signed the papers, something better would turn up, but here we are six years later, and it’s still the perfect fit for us. We live in a quiet, friendly neighborhood, that’s within walking distance of Cole’s Woods, Crandall Park and Kensington Road School, where our oldest is in 2nd grade. Since we’ve moved in, a number of other young families, with children close in age to ours, have joined the neighborhood, and I can tell they’ll likely be lifelong friends.
Some Glens Falls Favorites
The best thing about Glens Falls, for me, is all of the wonderful natural amenities the area has to offer. I grew up hiking and mountain biking all over the area, and Glens Falls is in close proximity to so many amazing mountains, lakes and rivers. Being close to nature is important for us, and where we are now, we’re never more than a short walk, ride or drive from an amazing outdoor adventure.
Aside from the area’s natural beauty, my favorite place in the city is easily Crandall Public Library. Before the pandemic, my family and I made trips to the library nearly every week to stock up on books, or to enjoy their amazing events and programs. The staff there has always been so knowledgeable and friendly, and their children’s programs are absolutely wonderful! I fondly remember taking both of my boys to the baby lap time and toddler story times and playgroups each week for stories, songs and games - we absolutely loved them!
And, even though the pandemic has closed the library’s doors, they’ve done a fantastic job of accommodating the community’s needs with their curbside-pickup service and pop-in library days. Thanks to their hard work, the perfect book is never more than a few clicks away!
This brings me to my favorite Glens Falls “hidden gem” - the library’s quarterly books sale. I can’t tell you the number of times I’ve walked into the sale with a couple of dollars in my pocket, and walked out with more books than I could read in a lifetime!
A Perfect Glens Falls Day
I love Glens Falls in early summer, when everything is lush, green and full of potential. Everyone is out and about, exploring the city or working in their yards and gardens. My ideal “Glens Falls Day” would begin by hitting up the Farmer’s Market first thing in the morning for some fresh fruits and vegetables, followed by a trip to the library. Then, a cup of coffee at Spot or Spektor- or even better, brunch at the Silo - followed by an afternoon of hiking and swimming at the lake. Then it’s home to clean up, and dinner at Siam Thai - the Drunken Noodles for me, and Sushi for my wife - and drinks at Downtown Social, followed by a stroll around downtown or a show at the Park Theater.
On the Past
My favorite memory of Glens Falls, since moving back home, would have to be our 10th wedding anniversary back in 2018. It was early June, and our parents had taken the kids overnight, so we could have our first “real date” in a long time. Having heard such rave reviews, we decided on Morgan & Co. for our celebratory dinner. The weather was perfect, and we sat on the porch, where I enjoyed what was probably the best steak dinner of my life. After we ate, we decided it was much too nice of a night to turn in early, so we drove home, got on our bikes and rode back downtown to check out the nightlife. We found our way to The Bourbon Room, where I tried one of their signature cocktails, the “Rosemary’s Baby.” It was a great night, and the perfect way to cap off our first 10 years of marriage.
On the Future
Glens Falls is conveniently situated between two huge tourist destinations - Lake George to the north, and Saratoga Springs to the south. I’ve always felt that the city could capitalize on this by becoming a hub for dining and lodging in the area. Glens Falls could thrive as the place people come to stay and relax or enjoy a great meal between adventures in the outlying areas. The city could bring everything from fine dining, luxury accommodations and day spas, down to tapas bars, food trucks and art galleries, to attract people to this beautiful area.
