Happy Labor Day weekend! And though it’s the “unofficial” end to summer, we’re still holding on tight to this season for a few more weeks. Enjoy the long weekend, and if you’re in the market for something to do, here’s a few ideas:
But of course! We’re looking forward to some great food and even better company this weekend, and planning to head to the Farmers Market bright and early (hopefully!) Saturday morning to grab everything we need for a feast (and flowers! Did you catch our story on River ‘Rangements?). Will we see you at the Market? Grab their info here.
We were just chatting with our neighbor (Hi Dan!) and he mentioned his visit to Springbrook Hollow today - which got us thinking it’s high time for us to get over there! Tom is due for another quality bottle of gin as G&T season winds down, and rumor has it they serve cocktails on the weekend, too! Here’s their info. Cheers!
With blueberries winding down, and apples not quite ready yet, we were excited to see that Hand Melon Farm has u-pick tomatoes, eggplant, peppers and fall squash starting this weekend! Can’t say we’ve ever gone tomato picking before, so we’re excited to give it a whirl - get the details here.
We were just flipping through Yankee Magazine (okay, Bri was) and saw that this weekend is the Garlic and Herb Festival in Bennington, VT. Plenty of vendors with everything from garlic bulbs, to garlic jelly, to garlic ice cream. We may need to go just to sample that! Looks like there’s also a beer and wine garden and lots to do for the kiddos too - grab the scoop here.
Have a great weekend!
Bri + Tom
This week we caught up with Megan Nolin! Born and raised in Glens Falls, she shared some favorites from her childhood, what she loves about working for the City of Glens Falls, and a pretty amazing itinerary for a perfect day in the city.
Hi! I’m Megan. I live in Queensbury with my boyfriend Jason, my daughter Addison, his two children Alexa & Luke, and our yellow lab puppy Tank. I work for the City of Glens Falls as Webmaster/Social Media Relations. I love my job! Everyone I get to work with is great. My bosses Mayor Hall and Bob Curtis are the absolute best. I couldn’t imagine having more supportive people helping me everyday.
Growing up my Mom and I lived all around the area. Glens Falls, Queensbury and Hudson Falls. I remember loving Crandall Pond and Crandall Park so much. I also took dance classes at ARDT (Adirondack Repertory Dance Theater) in downtown. Dance recitals at the Queensbury Hotel top my list of childhood memories.
Being the City’s Webmaster isn’t my first time working for the City. I was a clerk in the Glens Falls City Clerk’s Office back in 2007 for about 3 years. At that time I was a resident of Glens Falls. We owned a home on Knight Street. I left my position in 2011 to raise my daughter Addison when she was around a year old. I loved the time I was able to spend with her. You can’t put a price tag on being there to see all of your child’s milestones. It was an amazing opportunity I had to be a stay-at-home Mom. I’m so grateful for that time in my life. However, in the Fall of 2018 I decided it was time to get back into the work force and where else but the City of Glens Falls? I’m so happy that I made the decision to come back. The City’s new and improved website was unveiled in November of 2018. I love being able to keep people up to speed on everything that is going on in Glens Falls. We just recently started an Instagram page for the City as well. Social media is such a great way to get information out to the public. We are at 630 followers and growing in two months. Follow us today @cityofglensfalls.
My favorite thing about Glens Falls has to be the restaurants and eateries downtown. Some of my favorites are Mikado, Siam Thai and Downtown Social. I especially love eating outside during the summer months. I can’t wait to try The Exchange Café! I’ve heard great things and drool over their Instagram posts daily.
My perfect day in Glens Falls would start off with an iced coffee and a Belgium waffle at Spot Coffee with my daughter. Then we’d go for a walk around City Park and do a little shopping. We would stop into the Crandall Public Library, browse around and pick out some books or DVD’s. Followed by a Fire Sister Roll and a Kani salad outside on the patio at Mikado. Next it’s off to Rob & Deb’s for my favorite ice cream. Strawberry Cheesecake in a special waffle cone (homemade on the premises). Mmmmm. After that we would play at Crandall Park. Later it would be time for Nana to babysit and off to date night at Morgan & Company. We would feast on calamari & candied garlic spare ribs for appetizers with a glass of pinot noir and seafood bouillabaisse for the main course. Finally we would end the night with an Adirondack Thunder game at the Cool Insuring Arena. Of course that last part wouldn’t fit in seasonally with the rest of my day, but this would be my perfect day in Glens Falls.
If I could bring something to Glens Falls it would be a dog park. I know how much Tank loves to get out and run around. I think it would be a great addition to the City.
Thanks Megan! As lab people ourselves, we love the dog park idea!
P.S. Check out more of our My Glens Falls series here.
It is doubtful that anyone in 1757 actually hid in the cave at Glens Falls which later became an oft photographed scene for 19th century postcards.
Edward Stanley, who later became prime minister of England, visited the cave in 1824 with James Fenimore Cooper and others, and suggested it would be a great setting for a romance.
That inspired Cooper to write “Last of the Mohicans,” the classic novel set in the French and Indian War.
Historians say much of the novel was a figment of Cooper’s imagination, including main characters Miss Alice and Miss Cora, but the story has taken on a life of its own, including in multiple movie versions over the years.
The Cooper’s Cave viewing area, underneath the bridge between Glens Falls and South Glens Falls, is a great place to connect with local literary history and enjoy a scenic vista.
It is a popular stop for motor coach tours and Cooper enthusiasts.
Taisuke Suziki, a professor at Asahi University who had studied and taught about Cooper for 25 years, came all the way from western Japan to see the site in 2005.
The viewing area is open to the public free of charge during daylight hours from Memorial Day to Labor Day.
Turn right onto the access road just after crossing the bridge into South Glens Falls, or left just before the bridge, if you are coming from South Glens Falls.
There is an ample parking area.
After visiting the viewing area, stop by The Queensbury Hotel in downtown Glens Falls to view a 13.5-foot by 10-foot mural of a scene of the cave, as portrayed in the novel.
The mural is above the fireplace in the lobby.
Internationally-known artist Griffith Bailey Cole painted the mural, based on a historic Glens Falls Insurance Co. calendar illustration, for the hotel’s opening in 1926.
A century ago, Glens Falls newspaper editors called for increased publicity of Cooper’s Cave.
“This opening in the rocky little island is known the world over as ‘Cooper’s Cave,’” The Post-Star editorialized on Aug. 7, 1919. “Tourists passing through Glens Falls have no means of knowing where this historic spot is located, except by diligent inquiry.”
The editorial suggested erecting a sign on the bridge.
“This sign would cost little and accomplish much,” the editorial said. “Perhaps the Chamber of Commerce, which is fast proving itself a real, live organization of great value to the city, will accept this suggestion.”
The editors of 1919 would be glad to know about the viewing area that is available today.
Maury Thompson was a reporter for The Post-Star for 21 years before he retired in 2017. He now is a freelance writer and documentary film producer specializing in regional history. Thompson is collaborating with Snarky Aardvark Films to produce a documentary about Charles Evans Hughes and the Adirondacks, which is expected to release in 2020. See the trailer here.
It’s hard to beat a summer night on the beautiful wrap around porch (and gorgeous expanded patio!) at Morgan and Company, but have you been to brunch?! As much as we love keeping Morgan in regular rotation for date night, there’s something about a sunny Sunday morning there that we might just love even more (which could have something to do with the coffee cake…and mimosas!). We caught a fresh look at Morgan and Co. from the patio last weekend, and looking through these photos now has us thinking about going again tomorrow morning, too!
While we’re total creatures of habit, we switched things up in a big way (ha!) by sitting on the patio instead of the porch this time. Such a treat! We loved relaxing in the sun amongst the flowers with the view of City Park just beyond. If you’ve ever been to Morgan, you know the ambiance is a big part of the draw, and it’s exciting that they’ve extended that feeling into this pretty space.
So, the food! First things first, do yourself a favor and order the coffee cake. It’s a must for us each time we visit for brunch and it feels a little bit like eating dessert first (which is always a bonus in our book). The addition of the whipped honey butter is perfection and overall it’s just dangerously good - highly recommend!
French toast and funnel cake are two things that Tom can never resist, which made his choice of Funnel Cake French Toast a no-brainer. A little maple syrup on top and you have comfort food at it’s very finest. So good.
As for me, I’m no stranger to the Eggs Benedict here (a go-to!), and always love their willingness to sub meat for veggies - in this case, summer squash! The light summer salad is the perfect compliment, and our favorite sea salt frites are a welcome addition any time of day.
Heading to brunch on Sunday? Just save us some coffee cake :)
Brunch is served on Sundays from 10am - 3pm.
Steve Butters and Rebecca Newell-Butters
P.S. In case you missed it, a first look at another downtown patio here.
Happy weekend! We’re excited for a picture perfect late summer weekend with no big plans other than the Farmer’s Market and seeing where the days take us. If you’re looking for something to do this weekend, here’s a few ideas:
We’re psyched that Craft on 9 is heading up to Glens Falls, but before they do, they’re celebrating their last night serving dinner in SGF with a Closing Party on Saturday night. Check out the details here!
Have you been to Lavenlair Farm? They’ve teamed up with Nine Pin Cider for an awesome event tonight with live music, Lavender Lemonade Cider, and a spectacular view for sunset. Grab your tickets and the details here!
We’re looking forward to checking out the Building Stories exhibit at The Chapman which features the stories of downtown buildings. After starting to dig into the history of our own home, we’re super interested in hearing the stories of other houses and buildings in the city. And if it’s just too nice out to go inside this weekend, the exhibit runs through October! Find out more here.
Can’t believe the Fair is already upon us, but this weekend is your last chance to head out to the fairgrounds for shows, rides, games, animals, and of course the food (and beer and wine!). See the schedule and get the scoop here.
Have a great weekend!
Bri + Tom
P.S. Did you catch this week’s My Glens Falls with Dale Mattison? Read it here.
Tonight we’re chatting with our friend and neighbor, Dale Mattison. We were psyched to hear what brought Dale and his wife back to Glens Falls after having lived elsewhere around the country, the sweet connection they have to the street they live on, and the one restaurant they miss the most downtown (and I’m sure many of you would agree!) - read it all below!
I’m Dale Mattison, founder and principal at 32 Mile Media, a video production company based in Saratoga. I’m married to Molly, a Glens Falls native, and we have two boys, Rex and Rocco.
I grew up in Lake George, but Glens Falls always seemed like the quintessential Hometown USA. I loved the beautiful old homes that seemed well-lived in. We have lived in a number of different places around the country, and when we thought about starting a family, we wanted our children to have an experience similar to ours. After five years in Chicago, we moved back to the area in 2013 and bought our home in Glens Falls in 2015. Our kids truly have a village here, between our families and friends that are like family. Our son, who just turned 2 last week, greets all our neighbors by name.
We have a home built in 1911 on Lincoln Avenue, a beautiful, tree-lined street with fantastic neighbors. It’s also the street my wife grew up on. We love the sense of community here, including block, alley and holiday parties. One of our favorite days is Halloween – we typically have more than 500 trick-or-treaters. We also love having friends over for breakfast on the porch on Memorial Day, before walking down to Glen and watching the parade together.
Saratoga and Lake George are both really accessible, but we avoid the high cost of living and tourism crowds. And with that, the people who choose to live here are generally just good, down-to-earth people who value community. Tonight, we went to the Food Truck Corral at the Shirt Factory, and sat down at a picnic table with our dinner across from another couple. The woman offered to hold our baby so we could eat, and so she did. We later learned she knew our family, and by the end of the meal she gave my wife a hug and kissed our baby. That doesn’t happen just anywhere.
My ideal day would be to take my son and grab coffee and a “Bev” sandwich at Cool Beans, or head to Lox of Bagels and Moor for a bagel. We’d take a walk around the neighborhood or down to the Farmer’s Market, and hit the swings at Crandall Park. With two kids under 2, we don’t get out for dinner much right now but we love to have dinner on the porch, and invite friends over for a drink or play date. When we do get take-out, Mikado, the Bullpen and Downtown City Tavern often make the list. We love to spend holiday dinners and brunches at the Queensbury Hotel and we look forward to their new offerings.
Growing up in Lake George, most of my memories were slightly north of Glens Falls. But I do remember my dad and I going downtown to the newsstand where farmacy now is. He’d get a newspaper and magazines, and I would get penny candy and Topps baseball cards, complete with a stick of stale, unwrapped gum.
Though it’s more recent, the place we miss the most is without question Bistro Tallulah. My wife and I spent every special occasion for nearly 10 years there. Even when we lived in Chicago, we would come home and celebrate with friends and family – always at Tallulah. A house salad with balsamic, deviled eggs (that Sean was excited to unveil and brought out to us the first night he offered them) and a medium-rare hangar steak with pomme frites will FOREVER be our favorite meal.
We really like Glens Falls the way it is. It’s not Lake George or Saratoga, and it doesn’t need to be. It is what it is… Hometown USA. If I had to choose, I’d love to have a Trader Joe’s and a few more dining options. We’re looking forward to Craft on 9 moving downtown. And I’d love to see downtown continue to grow more vibrant – my in-laws bought me a book of pictures of Glens Falls in the ‘40s and ‘50s and it was so alive. But overall, we like it as is. I love the fact that we’re starting traditions here that have been in my wife’s family for decades – like going to Massie’s for my son’s 2nd birthday. His grandfather is on the 68th year of the same tradition.
I grew up in Lake George and had a wonderful childhood – I wouldn’t change it for the world. But there was always something about Glens Falls that drew me in. Having lived here now, I feel there’s a magic quality to Glens Falls that’s rooted in tradition and pride. These are the qualities that I want in a place where I bring up my boys.
Thanks, Dale!
P.S. Check out more of our My Glens Falls series here.
A few years ago, my wife, Katie, and I were carrying a canoe down to a tiny lake (appropriately named “Lower Duck Hole”) in a remote part of the Adirondacks. The lake connects to “Upper Duck Hole” through a narrow passage, and eventually, to Newcomb Lake—the site of Great Camp Santanoni—and our ultimate destination. As we gently slipped the canoe into the water, I mentioned to Katie how cool it would be to see a loon. I had never seen one in person, but I knew they were one of the more beloved birds in the Adirondacks. No sooner had the words left my lips than Katie spotted one far off in the middle of the lake. We set off to get a closer look and spent the rest of the afternoon paddling around these remote waters, watching loons dive and fly and call and display. Before that day, I had never thought much about birds, but from that moment on, we were both hooked.
Common Loon on Upper Duck Hole, Newcomb
Since that fateful day, our hobby (or perhaps “obsession” is a better word) has taken us to some truly special locations; places that we definitely would not have explored if it were not to see birds. But you don’t need to visit some far flung location, trek deep into the woods or climb an impossible peak to enjoy birds. In fact, one of my favorite things about birding is how accessible it is. I often find myself birdwatching through my kitchen window as I’m doing dishes or listening for bird songs while I’m walking the dog. Birds are just about everywhere and you might be surprised at the sheer variety that can be seen in and around Glens Falls.
Peregrine Falcon on the Travelers Building, Glens Falls
The Southern Adirondack Audubon Society counts 294 different species in our area and you don’t have to travel far to see them. For the past few winters, there’s been a Peregrine Falcon (the fastest animal on earth!) taking up residence on the Travelers Building downtown. You’ll often see him sitting on the handle of the umbrella looking for a pigeon to pick off. A few weeks ago, someone snapped a photo of a Barred Owl on the fire escape behind Raul’s Mexican Grill. And I’m always hearing about different hawks (Sharp-shinned, Cooper’s, Red-tailed) spotted in local backyards, harassing the bird feeder crowd, no doubt. Beyond these incidental sightings, there are plenty of great birding spots just a stone’s throw from downtown.
Betar Byway | First Street, South Glens Falls
Just across the bridge in South Glens Falls, the Betar Byway offers exceptional birding all year round. Park in the lot near the gazebo and follow the path down towards the river. From spring to autumn you can catch migrating species, including a great number of different warblers in the dense brush and canopy along the tree-lined path. In colder months, you’re likely to see a great variety of ducks and other waterfowl on the river, including the furtive Wood Duck, skirting along the reeds and rushes of sheltered inlets. You very well may see other interesting species fishing the river, including Bufflehead, Hooded Merganser, and Common Goldeneye. Even the hot summer months can produce exciting birds like American Redstart, Scarlet Tanager and a number of different woodpeckers. If you’re lucky, you might catch a Bald Eagle or Osprey soaring high above the river. The path connects to the Beach Bikeway, making for an out-and-back that stretches about 2 miles one way. But you don’t have to walk the whole way to do some serious birding, and there are several benches and overlooks along the way if you’re interested in a shorter, more leisurely trip.
Wood Duck, Betar Byway, South Glens Falls
Hovey Pond Park | 25 Lafeyette Street, Queensbury
Hovey Pond is like an oasis in the heart of Queensbury’s commercial district. Tucked between Lafayette Street and Glenwood Avenue, this compact park is a great spot to see a surprisingly large variety of birds. From the parking lot, walk down the path towards the pond and look towards the stand of trees to your right. This little wooded area is usually bustling with an interesting mixture of birds, from backyard varieties to less common migratory species like vireos and warblers. Follow the path to the right, past the gazebo, to find a boardwalk that meanders through the wetlands of Halfway Brook with viewing platforms at either end. In the spring, you’ll find nesting Red-winged Blackbirds in these tall grasses. Take a quick lap around the pond and you’re sure to see Mallards, but other interesting species like Wood Duck and American Black Duck have also been spotted here. Search the water’s edge and you might even see a Green Heron blending into the grass. With such a diverse range of habitat in a relatively small footprint, it’s the perfect spot if you only have a short time or don’t want to travel too far.
Red-Winged Black Bird, Hovey Pond, Queensbury
Hudson Pointe Nature Preserve | Hudson Pointe Boulevard, Queensbury
This 83-acre preserve has several different loop trails of varying distances with scenic views of the Hudson River. If you’re not afraid of some steep terrain, I’d take the orange trail, which connects to the green trail, for a full loop around the peninsula (be sure to bring good footwear, as some sections can be quite muddy at times). From the parking lot, the trail starts off on a high bluff above the river, where many birds common to wooded areas can be seen, like woodpeckers and warblers (a Black-billed Cuckoo was even spotted recently!) As you make your way down to the water’s edge, there are many openings to scan the water and look for waterfowl. In early spring, you’ll find many different ducks and gulls, including Long-tailed Duck, Gadwall, Green-winged Teal, and Ring-billed, Herring and Bonaparte’s Gulls, to name a few. As you make your way around the point, you’ll enter a marshy area overlooking Big Bay, the outlet of Clendon Brook. There are wooden planks and boardwalks for the especially swampy areas, and eventually an observation bridge. This is a great spot to see Great Blue Heron slowly wading through the waters. After the bridge, the trail re-enters the woods and loops back up the hill towards the parking lot. Even if you don’t see a single bird (which is probably impossible), this walk is still worth the effort due to the great views along the way.
Great Blue Heron, Hudson Pointe, Queensbury
So the next time you’re looking to stretch your legs, why not dig out that pair of binoculars from the back of the closet? I guarantee you’ll have a renewed appreciation for the abundance of nature that’s right in your backyard. Happy birding!
Will is a Partner at Sidekick Creative, whose expertise lies in branding, illustration, and creative direction. In his spare time, Will can be found spending time with his wife, Katie, doing the crossword and (of course) birding.
Grilling this weekend? ‘Tis the season! You won’t want to miss this marinade recipe from Rachel Dutra of Rachel’s Cafe and Spice Co - perfect for your summer cookouts (or anytime, really!).
Hi, I'm Rachel and I love spices! My husband and myself own Rachel's Cafe and Spice Co on Warren St in Glens Falls. We are both originally from Lake George but over the years just kind of ended up in Glens Falls. We previously owned East End Eatery in the same location but with the arrival of our son, Elias, we decided to focus on a business that would support a healthy family life. Elias is almost 3 1/2 and is a non-stop ball of energy and curiosity. He just started at St Mary's this summer and he absolutely loves it. His favorite things are heavy equipment and swimming! Dave is an avid reader and I love to garden. Interesting fact about Dave and I, we have worked together ever since we met! This is our 3rd business as Team Dutra and we consider it to be our "greatest hit". It has been fun watching Glens Falls grow over the years and we are proud to be a part of it!
My Chicken Marinade was created to solve one problem: dry, flavorless, grilled boneless chicken breasts. Before this marinade existed, I had to beg my husband to cook boneless chicken on the grill. Now he’s happy to make me extra so that we have food for the week! I often whip up a big batch and keep it in the fridge which makes getting the chicken in the marinade super fast (which is helpful when your toddler is destroying the kitchen!). It is also super healthy and you don’t have to worry about added sugars and funky ingredients from store bought marinades. Don’t get me wrong, sugar has its place as one of the holy trinity of rubs but I avoid it when I can. This marinade is sugar free and can easily be made salt free.
Makes enough marinade for 4 large chicken breasts
Ingredients
1/4 cup olive oil
2 Tablespoons Balsamic Vinegar
2 Tablespoons Lemon Zest and Juice (skip the zest if you’re using store bought lemon juice, it still tastes amazing!)
1 Tablespoon Thyme
1 Tablespoon Oregano
1 Tablespoon Dill
2 Teaspoons Smoked Sweet Paprika
Sea Salt and Pepper
Procedure
Combine all ingredients and then, if desired, add just a pinch of salt and pepper.
Add the chicken to the marinade and refrigerate for at least an hour but overnight is ideal.
Cook chicken until the juices run clear, internal temp of 165 degrees
Enjoy!
The flavor is herby with a hint of smokiness. It is amazing on my Balsamic Cobb Salad with Honey Balsamic Vinaigrette. I also love to keep leftovers in the fridge to make bowls with riced cauliflower and veggies. Always make extra!
A go-to summer meal at your house?
Rib Eye steak on the grill (seasoned with my longhorn steak seasoning of course!) served with a huge caesar salad, or Cincinnati Chili Cauliflower Rice Bowls. We probably eat these at least 3 times a week - quick, delicious, and healthy!
A favorite cookbook?
My "bible" the past few years has been Practical Paleo by Diane Sanfilippo. She knows how to keep it real and her book made a huge difference when my parents went Paleo for my Dad's Lyme Disease. In fact, my Mom kept my copy because she had made so many notes in it and bought me a brand new one that we didn't realize had new recipes in it! It was a win-win!
A must have item in your kitchen?
Oh man. Just one?! It's a toss up between my 12" cast iron skillet and my Instant Pot. I use both daily!
A favorite local spot to grab a bite to eat when you don't feel like cooking?
Two come to mind instantly: Raul's if we want a Margarita and the Log Jam if we want a big meal. Both places are absolutely fabulous and have been date night favorites for as long as I can remember!
Thanks so much, Rachel!
P.S. Another favorite from our recipe swap - coconut creme pie.
Have a recipe of your own you’d like to share, or a cookbook favorite that’s too good to keep to yourself? We’d love to consider it for a future feature! Send us a note here or email us at hello@glensfallsliving.com.
We made it - Friday! Taking advantage of the gloomy weather today to get a few things done around the house so that we can get out and enjoy the sunshine when it decides to show up this weekend. What are you up to? Here are a few things on our radar:
It’s not every day you can enjoy a meal in the middle of one of our charming streets downtown (with food from six local restaurants, no less!). The weather on Sunday looks great, and we hear there are a few seats left, so snatch up your tickets (and all the details) here!
Blueberry season is starting to wind down, so we’re hoping to sneak in some more while the picking’s good. We always love Winney’s, Hicks, and Gardenworks, but might head into Vermont this weekend to visit and pick at Merck Forest and Farm (a beautiful place to explore if you haven’t been!). Here are their details if you’re up for a ride!
Lots happening at West Mountain this weekend with their Run, Bike, and Brew Festival! The name pretty much says it all, and it sounds like a little something for everyone - with the beer garden (and live music!) open to folks who aren’t biking or running, too. Grab the scoop here.
If we can get the weather to cooperate, we’re itching to get out for another hike this weekend. We’re reinspired to get back up to the High Peaks after watching The 46ers film, but figure we’d better tackle some smaller local mountains first to get back in shape. We’ve heard great things about Ampersand Mountain and Giant’s Nubble. Any suggestions?
Have a great weekend!
Bri + Tom
This week we’re getting to know Katy Cook! It’s always fun to hear stories of folks moving here from out of town (or across the country, in her case!), falling in love with the area, and staying put. Read on to find out what brought her here, where she graduated (with a class of 12!), and the Glens Falls favorites that have kept her local.
Hi there! My name is Katy Cook, and I am the Telehealth Project Manager at Adirondack Health Institute (AHI), located across from the Queensbury Hotel in downtown Glens Falls. I have been working in health care for almost eight years now and truly love the work I get to do at AHI. I help health care facilities of all types to develop virtual care programs or service lines for their patients to better access specialists and care that is often hard to reach or find in more rural areas. I am also a trainer/coach part-time at Lake George CrossFit, located on Bay Rd. (I am sure many of you drive by and see our large bay doors open and people working out inside!)
I graduated from Utica College with my Master’s degree in Health Care Administration and have lived in the Glens Falls/Queensbury area for close to ten years now. I live in Queensbury with my four-year-old cat named Marshmallow who is basically my son.
I actually was born and raised in Southern California until I was 11 years old, and we (my parents and brother and I) made a cross-country move to a very tiny town many of you may know, Minerva, NY. It was quite a transition coming from sunny beaches to snowy winters. I graduated from Minerva with a class of 12! I would never trade my time in that tiny town for anything, there is something truly special about a small community like that.
Once I graduated, I was itching to go away for college and spent a year at SUNY Oswego. I quickly realized that I missed the area and returned home to get my undergraduate degree from the SUNY Plattsburgh extension campus at SUNY Adirondack. I was one of the first few classes to graduate from that program and I am so thankful that SUNY Adirondack has helped create these opportunities for continuing one’s college education.
Through my time at SUNY Plattsburgh, I made the move from Minerva to Glens Falls, and have lived in various homes and apartments in the area for the last decade. My parents recently relocated from Minerva to South Glens Falls, so it is nice to have them nearby. I currently have a seven-minute drive to work and I really cannot beat that commute!
What keeps me in the area is how much the city has to offer, and how much the city has grown in the last few years. Glens Falls is truly a community that supports their own and is slowly adding in great new dining options, housing options, outdoor activities, and more! I encourage my out of town friends to give Glens Falls a chance and when they do, they are always pleasantly surprised at how much the city has to offer!
A perfect Glens Falls day would start with a workout at Lake George CrossFit or a run in Cole’s Woods, followed by breakfast at Spektor, their nitro cold brew lattes are my kryptonite! I try to get to the Saturday Farmer’s Market when I can, it is such a lively environment and so important to support local farmers. I love to grab lunch from Gourmet Café – their California Club Wrap is my favorite! My favorite beauty spot is Beauty Bubble – they are a great group of women who are very talented at what they do (check them out for an amazing facial or set of lashes!) I also enjoy walking around City Park on a nice day and would wrap up the day with dinner at Downtown Social with friends – their new menu is out of this world and I am so happy to have yet another great food option downtown!
I would love to see the Cool Insuring Arena book some major music or comedy acts. This would be a great way to bring people into town and bolster the local economy for a night or two. I am also very excited to see what else is in the works for the South Street projects! Lastly, it would be great to have a healthy grocery store in Glens Falls, maybe not downtown, but nearby (I’m thinking Whole Foods or maybe a Healthy Living!)
Thanks, Katy! We would love to see a Healthy Living up this way!!
P.S. Check out more from our My Glens Falls series here.
It wouldn’t be summer without a bouquet of fresh flowers from River ‘Rangements sitting on our kitchen counter, and we know we’re not the only ones! They’re one of our favorite stops at the Glens Falls Farmer’s Market each Saturday, and each time we peruse her booth for the perfect blooms, we can’t help but wonder about the riverside farm where they come from.
Wonder no more, since we got a chance to catch up with Debbie Bailey on picking day at her Greenwich home, and it was every bit as delightful as we imagined. Rows of colorful flowers, butterflies at every turn, and the sound of the Battenkill flowing steps away. Read on to find out how Debbie got her start, the perfect flower to start with if you’re thinking of growing flowers in your garden, and some of her tips and tricks for arranging.
I live in Greenwich on the Battenkill River and grow all my own flowers. Some of them are cultivated by me and some grow wild on the property. I’ve been at the Glens Falls market for over 20 years and was arranging before that, so my grandchildren (6 girls and one boy) have grown up watching me and making their own arrangements from what I discard on the floor. That means I can count on most of them to do great work and actually 2 of them (Isabelle, 19 and Eden, 16) are working with me now. I also have another girl, Abby Neigh, who works, as did two of her older sisters. Sometimes two of my daughters in law, the mothers of Isabelle and Eden, help with weddings. So, it is a family business. My husband digs big holes when I need them and mows...sometimes over the roses!
As my husband was minister at the Fort Miller Reformed Church for over 40 years, I used to arrange the flowers for the sanctuary. Actually, a very dear member of our church did it before me and I observed her and then one day she said, "It's all yours". I then began growing flowers that would be good cuts and had colors that would look good in our church (the color of the walls were "Angel Pink"...right name for a church!).
When I was an active Master Gardener for Washington County, I saw an article about growing flowers for market and as I had access to good soil on the Hudson River, I decided to try it. I bartered for land, I bartered for greenhouse space...my barter being labor.
I start all my flowers from seed under lights and then in the greenhouse when it warms up. We plant out around the end of May.
Zinnias are easy...either from seed (started inside) or from plants so they have time to bloom. Other fillers are Cosmos, Black Eyed Susan and Tai Basil.
Everyone has a different style but there are some rules to follow. Cut into clean buckets (as clean as your teacups) with lukewarm water in the morning or evening (not in the heat of the day), strip the bottom leaves and them sit for about an hour. When arranging, use the rule of odd numbers of focal flowers (ex: 3 or 5 or 7 zinnias). Two tall long steams looks like bunny ears.
Being part of the Glens Falls scene and having great customers that return year after year. Also, having my family involved is a really wonderful thing.
I have always felt at home there. My husband and I both have taught at SUNY Adirondack and I feel that Glens Falls is a wonderful northern city.
That is really a pipe dream. I just want to keep doing what I am doing. I do NOT want to be featured by Martha Stewart!
Lisianthus and I don't grow it...it's fussy!
He has collected them for years from all over the world! His interest in history and books in general have fueled this.
Thanks Debbie! See you at the market!
Happy weekend! There’s been juuust a hint of a chill in the air in the morning this past week AND the back to school stuff is out at Target, so we’re soaking up these last few weekends of August while we’ve got ‘em. Here’s what looks good for this one:
The Hyde kicked off their Plein Air Festival this week, and we’re looking forward to spotting the painters around town and sneaking a peek at their work. The Festival culminates on Sunday at The Hyde with all of the pieces on display, as well as what looks to be a fun filled Community Day of tours, family activities, live music, and more. Get the details here.
With summer sneaking away, we’re marking down the things we don’t want to miss over the next couple of weeks. On the list: grab tickets for Grandma’s Table (al fresco on Maple Street!) next weekend, make our way down to the last Take a Bite of the year (already?!), and try to squeeze in a farm to table dinner at Dancing Ewe, Canal Street Marketplace, or Lakota’s Farm.
Happy weekend!
Bri + Tom
P.S. In case you missed it, shows to see this month courtesy of Susan Siplon.
No doubt local sports fans will be talking for decades about JG3 and the Glens Falls Indians winning the Federation Tournament of Champions at Cool Insuring Arena in March 2019.
Nearly a century ago, championship basketball lightning previously struck in Glens Falls for a hometown team.
Glens Falls High School Basketball Team - 1925. Photo courtesy of The Folklife Center at Crandall Public Library.
“Shortly before 11 o’clock Saturday night, the basketball squad representing the Glens Falls High School was crowned champions of New York and New England, having emerged from the finals in the championship tourney held in the armory a victor,” The Post-Star reported on April 12, 1920.
Hometown fans were ecstatic when Glens Falls, known then as the Red and Black, captured The Post-Star trophy as winner of the debut interscholastic basketball tournament of New York State and New England.
“The presentation was made, and the local players, with the trophy in their possession, were carried on the shoulders of an admiring throng to their dressing room,” The Post-Star reported. “And in this manner, the tournament of 1920 was brought to an end.”
The annual tournament, which became known as the Eastern States Basketball Tournament, was held in Glens Falls, at the armory on Warren Street and at the high school, through 1955, except for a couple of years during World War II.
But a Glens Falls team would never win that championship again.
Glens Falls High School Basketball Team - 1927. Photo courtesy of The Folklife Center at Crandall Public Library.
Much like modern high school basketball tournaments held at Cool Insuring Arena, a goal was to generate tourism and exposure for Glens Falls.
“So far as is known, no city in this state or New England has ever before attempted anything of this nature on so big a scale,” The Post-Star reported on April 2, 1920. “In all parts of this state and in New England eyes of followers of scholastic sports will be turned towards Glens Falls.”
By all estimations, it met that goal.
“Even though these visiting teams went home defeated, they had nothing but good words for the hospitable treatment accorded them here and the all-together excellent officiating.”
Visiting athletes received free lodging, a free movie showing at Rialto Theater, and a tour of Lake George.
Local businessmen donated use of their personal vehicles to transport athletes on the tour.
Students went door to door in Glens Falls in advance and sold 1,000 tickets, priced at $1 – the equivalent of $12.62 in 2019 dollars – good for all games in the three-day tournament.
“And those of you who go nowhere except to business and church on Easter Sunday, purchase these tickets,” The Post-Star urged on April 8, 1920. “Take the time to go to the armory each of the three nights, see forty or fifty clear-eyed, firm-fleshed, clean-souled young fellows competing hotly yet fairly for the honor of their respective schools and their respective teams. See all this and get a new outlook on life.”
Eastern States Basketball Tournament Program Cover - 1926. Courtesy of The Folklife Center at Crandall Public Library.
Profit from the tournament was contributed to athletic programs at Glens Falls High School and Glens Falls Academy.
When the tournament disbanded after 1955, leftover assets were contributed to Glens Falls YMCA, Saint Mary’s Academy and Glens Falls High School.
Glens Falls High School won the 1920 championship game 21-19 against Ithaca.
“Both teams were playing as they have seldom played before, and it was only because the laws of the game decree that both teams in a contest cannot be victors that Ithaca lost,” The Post-Star reported.
Ithaca led 14-13 at the half.
Roy Akins, who later was Glens Falls fire chief, scored the basket that put Glens Falls one point ahead, and then scored another basket about three minutes before the end of the game.
Edward Lance, with eight points, was high scorer for Glens Falls.
Glens Falls defeated Montpelier, Vt. in the semi-final round and Ilion in the first round.
Ithaca “nosed out” Glens Falls Academy by one point in the semi-final, to advance to the championship.
Other teams were North Hampton, Mass., Burlington, Vt., Ogdensburg Free Academy, and Troy.
Maury Thompson was a reporter for The Post-Star for 21 years before he retired in 2017. He now is a freelance writer and documentary film producer specializing in regional history. Thompson is collaborating with Snarky Aardvark Films to produce a documentary about Charles Evans Hughes and the Adirondacks, which is expected to release in 2020. See the trailer here.
P.S. Check out our My Glens Falls with JG3 here.
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This week we’re chatting with Bari Flatley, who you’ll most certainly recognize from Studio Bari! We were so happy to get to know her better (and visit her new location and venture, Studio Elements). Read on to find out what brought her north from New Jersey, what inspired her to start her own business, and how she likes to spend her days off!
Hi! I’m Bari! Yes it’s my full name, not short for anything :)
I live in town with my boyfriend Zack and my kitty cat Olive! I own two businesses here in Glens Falls, which keep me very busy. My first was Studio Bari (that’s how most people know me: as your local nail girl) and I just opened Studio Elements LLC, which is where I operate Studio Bari out of, alongside a few other girls running their own little beauty businesses.
I spent my younger years growing up in New Jersey with my mom, dad, sister and brother and we vacationed most of our summers in Lake George. In 2003, my dad surprised my family and moved us up here to Queensbury and I graduated from Lake George High School in 2008.
After high school, I was one of those lost souls who didn’t know what to do next in life. I worked at a few pizza shops and then at a bank for a couple years. Fashion and beauty was something I was always interested in and after working at the bank for so long, I started getting bored. I went to cosmetology school in 2011 thinking I wanted to learn to do hair, but quickly realized that was not my passion. I worked on getting my own nails strong and healthy and as it turned out I was pretty good at nail art, so classmates started noticing and asking me to do theirs. That’s when I fell in love!
I honestly never thought I would wind up starting my own business. After working at a few other salons I began to realize that I would have so much more freedom creatively and realistically on my own. So I branched off and opened Studio Bari. The more I worked for myself, the more I wanted to give other beauty professionals the same opportunity, so that’s when my dream of Studio Elements started coming to fruition. And now I can genuinely say that TWO of my dreams have come true!
There are so many challenges that come with working for yourself. I’d say my biggest challenge is actually taking time for myself. I know I need a break every once in a while but it’s SO HARD to say no to people when you love what you do! I’ve gotten a lot better about it. Even though there are plenty of challenges that come with self-employment, there are SO many more pros to outweigh it. I genuinely couldn’t be happier with the life I’ve created for myself.
In 2016, I moved to an apartment in Glens Falls with my boyfriend (who grew up here) but I still worked up in LG. After leaving my job up there, I knew I wanted to be a part of the Glens Falls community, so I opened my little Studio Bari here in town and I think it’s one of the best decisions I ever made.
The next step in my goal was to expand, so I found the most perfect location over on Lawrence Street. My dad completely renovated the entire building to fit the esthetic I envisioned for Studio Elements LLC. You should go drive by, the before and after is incredible!
I absolutely LOVE living here in Glens Falls, especially so close to work. I got a fantastically colored cruiser bike for my birthday this year and I ride it to work every chance I get!
There are so many places I love! In a dream world, I would wake up every day and go get my makeup done by my girl Makeup By Baileigh (@_makeupbybaileigh on Instagram). But let’s face it- this is the real world and I’m lucky if I feel like putting effort into my own makeup. During the work week, Juicin’ Jar is my go-to for an afternoon pick-me-up. I even got my co-workers hooked there. Cristina and I have been friends for a long time so it’s so great to be able to support her. On the weekend, my boyfriend and I love walking or riding our bikes downtown to play darts at Mean Max and order food from The Bullpen. Their pulled pork quesadilla is my favorite! That’s not without stopping at Minky Mink first, though, so I can see if Maura has brought anything new in!
My GF memories don’t go back very far since I’ve only lived here in recent years but I know, one day, I will look back and maybe drive by my “old apartment” or “old studio” and be so grateful, just like I am right now in the present.
I’m really looking forward to the future of Glens Falls. It’s been incredible to watch it grow and I can’t wait to see more businesses pop up! I would love to see more of the outside events like LARAC, Take-A-Bite and Food Truck Night at The Shirt Factory! Its so fun sitting at work over on Lawrence Street and watching the streets fill up with people heading that way! Sometimes, if the girls and I have time, we run down there to see if we can get our hands on some Darling Doughnuts before she sells out!
P.S. Check out more of our My Glens Falls series here.
High above the streets of New York City, artist John Sloan (1871–1951) watched as newcomers to the city snuck a few minutes of escape from the cramped, hot quarters of tenement buildings. From afar, the artist watched women hang freshly scrubbed laundry, men train pigeons, groups gossip, and families sleep in the open air.
Each moment Sloan captures in From the Rooftops: John Sloan and the Art of a New Urban Space, an exhibition at The Hyde Collection that runs through September 15, could have passed unnoticed, just another bit of everyday beauty overlooked.
In this gorgeous region — where the mountains and lakes inspired the likes of Winslow Homer, Asher Durand, and Georgia O’Keeffe, and the people were fodder for Norman Rockwell and Seneca Ray Stoddard — we too often take for granted the beauty around us.
From August 7 to 11, The Hyde Collection celebrates the grandeur of Glens Falls and its surrounding communities with its second Plein Air Festival. Artists from throughout the northeast applied to participate in the four-day festival; seventeen were accepted.
Beginning Thursday, August 8, talented plein air painters will hit the streets, hills, and riverbanks to capture the incredible scenery we drive by every day without taking notice. Prizes, determined by guest juror and accomplished plein air artist George Van Hook, will be awarded in categories that include Nocturne, Best in Show, Water, and Structure.
Last year’s festival resulted in paintings of scenes so pretty, we can’t help but notice them, like the still water of Crandall Pond reflecting a picturesque pedestrian bridge in Kate Edwards’ Crandall Park (outdoor still life category winner) or Tom Ryan’s Evening Entertainment at Davidson’s (nocturne category winner) capturing the beauty of Hometown USA’s bustling downtown just after dusk. But we also saw, perhaps for the first time, how stunning the mill looks, steam melding into the clouds at day’s first light in Eden Compton’s Morning at the River (waterways category winner), or the serenity to be found on train tracks winding along a wood, with silos in the distance in Elissa Gore’s Tracks (historic buildings category winner).
John Sloan and his contemporaries in the Ashcan School of art chronicled life of the poor in New York City, but their images still portray a sense of living in the moment and not letting the ugliness of the world dampen the joy that can be found in all the little moments that make up a life.
Seeing the world — especially our idyllic little corner of it — through an artist’s eyes reminds us to appreciate the sunset, to stop and look at the roofline of that old building, to bask in the sheer beauty of the people and places around us.
Certainly, there’s plenty of inspiration to be found right here in Glens Falls.
Rhonda Triller is the Director of Communications at The Hyde Collection, a historic house and fine art museum at 161 Warren St., Glens Falls.
The Hyde Collection’s Plein Air Festival will be held August 7 to 11 throughout Glens Falls, Hudson Falls, Queensbury, South Glens Falls, and Lake George. Each artist will display four works of art created during the Plein Air Festival at Community Day, from noon to 5 pm Sunday, August 11, at The Hyde. Get all the info about this free day of activities here.
As promised, we’re back with a vegan dessert recipe for you to whip up along with the Mushroom Carpaccio we shared earlier this week! For this recipe, we’re thrilled to have Tania from Birch Bark Eatery in Queensbury share her Bread Pudding recipe, and we can attest - it’s delish! And so are her bbq cauli bites, but that’s a story for another day ;)
Can’t wait to see what they’ll have at the Roots Vegan Fest tomorrow! Check out the details and the other vendors here. But first, the recipe!
Birch Bark Eatery was born out my desire to align my morals with my environment. I spent years working in a quick service food restaurant where the finished product was egg, milk, meat reliant. After I committed to a vegan lifestyle, it no longer felt like my career matched my moral compass and I began looking for a way to transition into something that did.
Eating a plant based diet is important to me because I know I am doing the most I can to mitigate harm to animals. Being vegan is about more than just food though, as animal products are added to so many finished products or they are tested on animals, so I check all the products I purchase for cruelty free labels and do a lot of research on ingedients.
Most of our guests are so grateful to have a restaurant where they can come in and eat anything on the menu. An evening of dining out without awkward questions about ingredients or fear that food will be cross-contaminated is paramount to the bulk of our guest base. We have definitely seen more interest in plant based eating with many guests just learning about how cruel animal agriculture is, or how unhealthy eating animal flesh is. At the very least many people are interested in cutting down on their meat consumption.
I get most of my inspiration online. Sometimes its a visual from Instagram, other times it is something I come across in foodie groups. I hate following recipes and usually just add a dash of this or pinch of that, but when I find a winning idea I tweak it until my palate says its amazing and that recipe gets recorded.
I decided to share our Birch Bark recipe for bread pudding because it’s a classic comfort food that can easily be converted to a plant based recipe.
5 cinnabuns from Birch Bark or elsewhere (We save and upcycle pastries from the previous day usually using cinnabuns and maple glazed yeast donuts)
Cut these up into smallish cubes and place in a big bowl.
In a seperate bowl, mix together:
1 can coconut milk
1 can cream de coco (the sweetened type)
1 tbs cinnamon
1 tsp pumpkin pie seasoning
1 tbs enerG egg replacer
Whisk all this together and pour over cut bread
Press bread down to soak thoroughly
Optional to add 1/2 cup of raisins.
Grease a large baking pan
Bake in a convection oven at 350 for 30 minutes, turning pan half way through.
Once allowed to cool, this will cut like a cake and is amazing served with a cinnamon drizzle sauce.
Thanks, Tania! Can’t wait to try this at home.
P.S. Check out more from our Recipe Swap series here.
The August arts calendar in Glens Falls is chock full of fun! So many reasons to make a plan to go downtown! Restaurant patios are filled with yummy food, live music, happy diners and great energy. After a bite to eat, there are oodles of options for entertainment just a stroll away. So get out and enjoy all that is wonderful about living in and visiting Glens Falls this summer!
Another spectacular summer of original theater concludes with the musical Beau. Eight actor-musicians tell the story of Ace Baker, who spends the first decade of his life fatherless. At 12 years old, a phone call reveals that his grandfather, Beau, has been alive all his life…and his mother knew. Family secrets unravel as Ace rushes to make up for lost time with a man who changes his life and puts a guitar in his hand. I can’t resist a musical!! Get your tickets here.
Every year, The Hyde Collection offers a free day of art, fun, and inspiration to thank the community for its support and to introduce newcomers to the Museum. Purchase artwork of local scenes painted by plein air artists during that week, enjoy live music, food, museum tours and a great day celebrating great art! Here are all the details.
I have been a fan of Mipso since I first saw them play when they were students at UNC Chapel Hill. They frequented the coffee shop I managed in North Carolina and I have enjoyed their Appalachian Americana folk sound ever since. I saw them the last time they came to Cafe Lena and it’s the perfect intimate venue to really enjoy their 4-part harmony. Grab the info here!
I asked music lover and avid theater goer Kathy Clarke what was on her calendar this month and this was one of her picks. Kathy’s looking forward to hearing a style of music she’s not had a lot of exposure to. Grammy award winning artist Terrance Simien will transform the Park Theater into a Zydeco club and Mardis Gras party. A fun way to celebrate the end of summer! Here are the details!
A few more of Kathy Clarke’s picks:
The Man in Black, a Johnny Cash tribute on Aug. 23 and Footloose - Broadway Upstate’s youth production (always great shows) from Aug. 15 - 18 … both at The Wood Theater!
Grandma’s Table • August 18: A family style, al fresco dinner in front of The Queensbury Hotel with fresh, locally grown ingredients. A wonderful afternoon of food and fellowship to benefit LARAC, the farmer’s market and the GF Collaborative.
Susan Siplon is a singer, actor, artist and arts enthusiast who has been both on the stage and behind the scenes as a producer, festival director and venue manager. Susan recently moved to Glens Falls after living all over the country and in Fiji and New Zealand and has found the arts scene in this area to be one of the most vibrant and easily accessible that she has ever experienced.
Happy Friday - and August (already?!)! It looks like it’s going to be a gorgeous one, so in addition to picking some more blueberries (and making another pie!), here’s what’s doin’:
We’re psyched to head down to the very first vegan festival in the city on Sunday. Lots of plant based options to try and vendors to shop, and if the food is anything like this recipe we shared from [farmacy] this week (which we know it will be!), we’re in for a treat. Grab the scoop here.
We can never pass up a good antique shop, so what could be better than over 200 antique vendors all in one place?! This fair is one of our local favorites and we always manage to find a treasure or two (in addition to our giant bag of kettle corn!). Find the info here.
With August here already, we’re brainstorming an end of summer bucket list, and at the top is a family ride out to Hillbilly Fun for ice cream and mini golf. This was one of our favorite summer traditions as kids and it seems like the perfect weekend to make it happen. Grab their details here.
Have the best weekend, and thanks so much for reading!
Bri + Tom
As vegetarians (okay, Tom is pescatarian) ourselves, we’re always thrilled to see plentiful vegetarian and vegan options when we venture out to eat. We’ve seen a steady increase, even just over the last year, in delicious dishes at restaurants downtown. We were so happy to see that [farmacy] and Birch Bark Eatery have partnered with Glens Falls Vegan and Advokate to present Roots - a vegan food festival this Sunday!
Vegan, vegetarian or not, we’re confident that Roots will provide some awesome inspiration to change things up, even if just a smidge, because every little bit helps - the animals, the planet, your health, you name it.
And speaking of inspiration, we’re psyched to share a couple of recipes this week to get you in the spirit, starting with one today from [farmacy]! Chef Jes is sharing her Mushroom Carpaccio, and after sneaking a taste at the restaurant the other night, we’re definitely going to try this one at home - so good!
The mushroom carpaccio is an interpretation of a common Italian dish. I like to take familiar recipes and replace the meat element with vegetables manipulated in a way that is resemblant of a similar texture. Good quality mushrooms from our friends at Little City Mushrooms makes that task pretty easy, and absurdly delicious.
1lb oyster mushrooms (phoenix and blues work very well)
1/8 cup light brown sugar
2 tbsp kosher salt
2 tbsp red pepper flakes
1 tbsp fresh ground black pepper
1 cup roasted onion oil
Mix all ingredients thoroughly in bowl to create the cure.
Spread half of cure on baking sheet.
Lay mushrooms separately on top of baking sheet.
Spread rest of cure on parchment paper evenly and lay (cure side down) on top of mushrooms.
Place another baking sheet of equal size on top of mushrooms and put something heavy on top of the baking sheet. Make sure the weight is evenly distributed.
Refrigerate for 6 hours. Then....it’s done!
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At [farmacy] we serve it with pickled shallots, lemon-pepper cured radishes, shiso, and warm crostini. But any variety and assortment of pickled vegetables, olives, and other accoutrements would be great as well. It’s a very versatile dish.
It seems like you always have delicious vegan options on the menu. Why is it important to you to keep these in regular rotation? What has the reaction been from guests?
Vegan dishes are an important inclusion on a menu because of the wide variety of the dietary preferences of folks. We like everyone to be included in the fun! Including vegan dishes is important to me personally because for a long time I chose to adhere to the vegan/vegetarian lifestyle. So I understand the importance to other people and, more largely, the impact it has on the environment and well being of creatures that hang out with us on this earth. The reaction from our guests, with our ever-evolving menu and growing plant-based options, has been outstanding! Even folks that enjoy a nice steak are thrilled by something they can enjoy that’s not so meat protein forward. Just this evening a gentleman came in for his third round of our “vegan carrot dogs” this week, and he’s not even vegan!!!
![Chef Jes at work at [farmacy]](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/59233439b3db2b1a2bff6b52/1564600361247-OV6GZX7CY76UF410PJ2X/farmacy+glens+falls+ny)
Chef Jes at work at [farmacy]
Where do you get your inspiration for your vegan dishes?
I draw my inspiration from everywhere.... fellow chefs, places I’ve been, my vast collection of cookbooks (just added was the Salvador Dali cookbook which was a gift from my amazing sister, and Dominique Crenn’s cookbook from Atelier Crenn, which was a beautiful gift for my birthday), and even cocktail books from places like Death & Co. But mostly ideas spark from a random thought I have at a weird part of the day while trailing off into some other thought destination. And I have to stop myself and say “WAIT! What the hell do I do with that and how do I translate it into something that makes any kind of sense?!” Not stifling the craziness is responsible for the beauty of the creative aspect in this whole journey.
Thanks so much Chef!
Stay tuned for a dessert recipe from Birch Bark Eatery later this week, and save the date for Roots this Sunday!
This week, we’re getting to know Dan Wade! Read on to find out what brought him to the area, some fond memories of Glens Falls from when he was a kid, and hear his favorite hidden gems in the city.
Hi! My name is Dan Wade and I’m an attorney practicing in the area of Real Estate with Ianniello Anderson, P.C. I live, work, and play in the area with my wife, Rachel, son, Owen, and our rescued tail-wagger, Dolly (she’s lucky she’s cute!). I’ve been practicing in the area of real estate for the past 15 years and belong to the Chamber of Commerce, several bar associations, and am the cub master for Pack 16.
I grew up just south of here in Schuylerville and began my college career at ACC, where I was able to explore the City of Glens Falls during my breaks. During the winter months, we loved coming to Red Wing and Ice Hawk games at the Civic Center (now CIA), and in the summer, we would come up for the various concerts and festivals, the favorite of which was the Balloon Festival. When we decided to move last year and were looking for the perfect area to root our family, the Glens Falls area topped the list in so many ways: 1) it is close to other family, 2) the community is so friendly and helpful, 3) all of our entertainment and dining needs were right here, 4) the city is growing and businesses are growing in the area which is a great sign of the economic health of the area, 5) traveling in and around the area is easy, especially with the proximity to the Northway, just to name a few. I could go on and on….and on!
We own a home in the Herald Square area of Queensbury, which is less than 4 miles from the heart of downtown Glens Falls. We love to remodel and make things our own. One of our realtors said we should create our own fixer-upper show like Chip and Joanna Gaines, and anyone who follows me on Facebook has seen the before and after pictures from the projects we’ve completed. We love our neighborhood. It’s so quiet, friendly, walkable, and so close to downtown Glens Falls. We couldn’t be happier.
My favorite thing about the Glens Falls area is most definitely the people! I’ve traveled to many areas of the state and can say without a doubt that the Glens Falls area has the most hard-working, loyal, caring people of any area I’ve been. I think some of that comes from the deep history of blue-collar workers in the area, whether the mills and factories or the farmers or the mechanics. Growing up, I spent several summers tossing bales of hay from the fields into wagons. It’s just what we did. It’s who we are!
One of the things people outside of the Glens Falls area don’t realize is how rich and diverse of a music scene there is here. From the solo acts at the local brew pubs, to the plays, comedy, and orchestras at the Wood and Park Theaters, to the local garage bands cutting their teeth at Gug’s on Haskell Avenue. Sounds cliché, but there literally is something for everyone. Two of my favorite little gems to go and get lost in with my family are the World Awareness Children’s Museum on Warren Street and The Shirt Factory on Lawrence Street. The children’s museum teaches so much about diversity and cultures from all over the world in a hands-on kind of way and even has family trivia nights from time to time which are super fun! The Shirt Factory is like stepping back in time to the artisan days. You can not only find great one of a kind treasures, but the building itself is full of memorabilia and informational plaques that share the history of the beautiful building that has found its new purpose.
A perfect day in Glens Falls for me would start with an early rise to watch hot air balloons take off at sunrise. From there, a hearty western omelet at Poopie’s would definitely hit the spot. After strolling around downtown and visiting the local shops, we would pick up something amazing from ADK Fresh on South Street and have a picnic in Crandall Park. After taking a little nap under a tree in the park, we would make our way to The Shirt Factory and meander through the various shops, maybe watch an artist sketch his latest creation. When we’ve soaked up enough history, we would have a little dinner at Mikado, watching the fire show and catching flying broccoli in mid-air! The sake would surely prepare us for our final event of the evening as we stroll to the Park Theater for a gut-busting comedy show.
A favorite childhood memory of mine was when my grandfather and I would go out fishing in a local pond or canal. Any catches of the day were always somehow lost to a clumsy gramp who would trip and knock the bucket of fish back into the water. After that, we would always go to our favorite lunch spot, Dirty John’s on South Street (now New Way Lunch). My gramp would tell me stories of how Dirty John’s got its name, and I thought it was gross and cool at the same time. After all, I rode my bike through puddles and rolled around in the mud!
This is a tough one since there are already so many wonderful things in the city! If I had to pick a couple of things and dream big, I’d love to see an underground parking garage to leave the beauty and charm of the city intact as it continues to grow and alleviate the parking concerns that people have here. It would also be nice to see the city transform more into a pedestrian and bicycle friendly city by adding bicycle lanes on the road.
The City of Glens Falls will always mean something special to me since I met my wife in this area. Having now moved back to the area and having lived here for over a year, there’s no doubt we will look back at this as one of the best decisions we’ve ever made. I look forward to continuing to work, live, and play here and to continue to find ways to give back to a community that has already given me so much. I encourage others to get out there to do the same.
Thanks, Dan! Great idea on that underground parking garage!
P.S. See more of our My Glens Falls series here.
