On the Trail: Halfway Brook

There’s no better way to explore the Glens Falls region’s natural beauty than by roaming its miles and miles of trails. Now, thanks largely to one man’s dedicated efforts, the Halfway Brook Trail has joined Queensbury’s expanding trail network, and is already drawing dozens of visitors a day.

Halfway Brook Trail • Photo: Nicholas Chowske

“I was shocked by the number of people using the trail, even in the winter for cross-country skiing and for snowshoeing,” said Queensbury Town Supervisor John Strough, who has been working to create a unified trail system through the region for more than a decade. “We’ve got our trail, and people are very happy with it.”

The new one mile path, which wanders through the Glens Falls watershed forest between Potter Road and Peggy Ann Road in the Town of Queensbury, is the second piece in a network Strough ultimately plans to unite with the Feeder Canal Trail, The Rush Pond Trails, and the mountain bike park at the Gurney Lane Recreation Area, as well as the Cole’s Woods trails and Warren County Bikeway.

“We want to interconnect all of these, not only as an alternative transportation and recreation facility, but also as a way for people to get from point A to point B without using a car, and getting exercise in the meantime,” he said.

The trails have only just opened, and are already drawing a lot of visitors. “There’s always people out here,” said Donna Boss, who walks her black lab, Layla, on the trails. “It’s very rare that you don’t see one or two cars in that parking lot, and frequently, I’ll see five to seven, so it’s very popular.” Boss said she rarely used the trails before, and would often drive to Rush Pond or Crandall Park to walk her dog. “It was difficult because it really wasn’t groomed, and it was very overgrown, and I have a tick phobia, so I didn’t often come here,” she said. Now, her and her husband walk their dog here every day. “The dog is walked out here at least once a day, if not twice, and that’s every day, seven days a week. She loves it.”

Donna Boss and her lab, Layla • Photo: Nicholas Chowske

Having these trails not only gives residents a fun and healthy way to travel, they are also good for the land itself, especially for the Glens Falls watershed, which is where the city sources its water. “I followed pre-existing trails so that it would not disturb the flora very much,” Strough said. “We’ve designed the trail so that it actually does improvements to the watershed.” Stough, a stormwater inspector by trade, did much of the trailwork himself and made sure the new trails would have a positive environmental impact. “I lay it out to go around trees,” he said. “The trail is much nicer if it weaves and it wanders; it’s good that you go around the bigger trees, so that you don’t have to cut them down.”

While Strough has been the driving force behind this project, he hasn’t done it alone, and he made sure he recognized his supporters. “I have a huge ‘Thank You’ sign at either end of the trails, if you want to see who was involved in helping me out,” he said. “ It really was a community effort.”

In addition to the trails themselves, Strough and his volunteers also put in sediment and erosion controls, a new footbridge to cross the brook, as well as parking areas and gates that will prevent motorized vehicles from driving through the woods. “We took out five truckloads of furniture and garbage that people were putting into the watershed because they could drive in, dump in the watershed, and then drive out anonymously,” he said.

View from the bridge on the Halfway Brook Trail • Photo: Nicholas Chowske

The next steps will be to install a pedestrian crossing at Aviation Road to connect to the Rush Pond Trails, and to secure a right-of-way along National Grid’s transmission lines, which will take the route south to Luzerne Road, where it will connect to the Feeder Canal Trail. Strough said the Town is currently in negotiations with National Grid, and he expects that project will be done within the next two years.

“I think we’ve got a great amenity that we’re offering the public, and it will make Queensbury a destination point for people,” Strough said. “If they’re enjoying it, that’s the important part; and if they’re getting exercise and are healthier because of it, that’s good, too.”

For more information on the Halfway Brook Trail, including a trail map, click here.

Back in the Day: Birdsall Mansion

I have a running joke whenever my wife points out an unexplained noise around the house.

”It must be the ghost of Dr. Birdsall. He followed us from Glens Falls to Ticonderoga,” I quip.

For more than a decade before moving north in 2018, we rented an apartment in the Victorian structure at the corner of Ridge and William streets in Glens Falls that once was the single-family home of Dr. Stephen Birdsall, who, with his son, also a physician, brought the first X-ray machine to Glens Falls in 1904.

I used to tell people in Glens Falls, “I have one-ninth of a mansion, and if I could afford the property taxes, I would take over the other eight-ninths.”

If Dr. Birdsall’s ghost does inhabit the structure, or any other location, I am certain it is a kind spirit, as Birdsall, a Quaker who played golf, was president of the Glens Falls Y.M.C.A. and a founding trustee of Glens Falls Home for Aged Women.

Early 20th century photo of the Birdsall mansion at corner of Ridge and William streets in Glens Falls. From "Glens Falls: The Empire City," courtesy The Folklife Center at Crandall Public Library.

The Queen Anne-style structure, constructed in 1885 and 1886, and the framework of the historic barn behind it, still stands.

Stone mason Maurice Nason and his crew completed the lower portion of the house on July 29, 1885.

Carpenter William Sheehan of Albany, “a young man scarcely twenty-five years of age, who, notwithstanding his youth, is reported to be a thoroughly competent mechanic,” was preparing to begin the next phase of construction.

The test of time verifies the confidence in his skills.

By today’s standards, it has ample lawns surrounding it, but far less than the three acres of lawn and gardens of the late 19th century.

Birdsall paid $5,500 – the equivalent of $148,320 in 2020 dollars -- to buy the plot, that stretched over to Grand Street, from John Herlihy.

The windmill that once supplied water for drinking, bathing, cleaning, fire protection and watering the garden and animals is long gone.

Birdsall, the son-in-law of Daniel S. Haviland, a Queensbury farmer who was influential in politics, moved with his family to Glens Falls from Brooklyn, where the physician had a “large and lucrative” gynecology specialty practice,” in March 1885 because the physician, himself was in poor health.

“The doctor proposes to take a rest for one year, during which time he will erect his residence on Ridge Street,” The Morning Star reported.

Courtesy of The Folklife Center at Crandall Public Library

In 1888, Dr. Birdsall built a hotel at Glen Lake, where many of his former Brooklyn patients came to vacation.

Early 20th century Post-Star history writer Howard Mason divided Glens Falls physicians into two categories: those who drove their own horses and those who had a driver.

Birdsall was of the latter category – having a driver who chauffeured him around Glens Falls in a Victorian carriage, with the top down on days the weather was favorable.

Birdsall apparently had farm animals on his property, because in 1886 the doctor won second place at the Warren County Fair for a six-month-old sow.

Birdsall owned a St. Bernard dog, which, in 1894, wandered down Ridge Street and “quickly took possession” of a ham that was part of a merchandise display in front of the I. N. Scott & Sons grocery store.

“Mr. Scott started in pursuit, but was unable to overtake the thief. He followed the dog, however, to Dr. Birdsall’s residence, and there found the animal enjoying a hearty meal, a good portion of the ham having already been devoured,” The Morning Star reported. “A number who witnessed the incident were heartily amused.”

No doubt, Dr. Birdsall paid for the ham.

To get an idea of the expanse of the mansion when it was a single-family home, nearly 200 people attended the wedding of Birdsall’s daughter in the parlor and dining room.

“The stately mansion of Dr. and Mrs. Stephen T. Birdsall was transformed into a bower of floral beauty last evening, when their daughter, Miss Lillian Eloise Birdsall and Charles Blanchard Price, of Newark, N.J., were married amid a proliferation of Easter lilies, azaleas, roses and palms,” The Morning Star reported on April 23, 1908. “It was one of the prettiest weddings seen in Glens Falls in many a day and the most brilliant society event of the season.”

Phil Rose Apartments owned the mansion for many years, dating back to around World War II until a few years ago.

Grand Ridge Apartments owns it now.

The Birdsall Mansion today

Sources: The Morning Star Jan. 20, May 8, July 30, 1885; March 15, 1894; Sept. 4, 1886; April 23, 1908; The Post-Star, April 24, 1939; Glens Falls Times, July 5, 1964; “Hospital by the Falls,” Joseph Cutshall King, 1987, Glens Falls Hospital; “Backward Glances,” Howard Mason, 2014, Warren County Historical Society; Glens Falls City Historian Wayne Wright

The Weekender: February 26 - 28

Happy weekend! The sun is shining, the snow is melting, and we’re gearing up to flip the calendar to March on Monday. We’re so ready for spring, outdoor gatherings, and .. okay, we’re getting ahead of ourselves. Here’s what’s doing this weekend:

Burger Night: Have you guys tried Backdoor Burger yet? Tom has been talking about getting a burger for weeks, and I just saw that mac and cheese is now on the menu, so we may just give it a try! If you’re up for a burger night too, here are their details.

Ice Cream for a Good Cause: You never need to twist our arms when ice cream is involved, but when we saw that Southy’s Soft Serve in SGF is opening up this weekend to raise money for the South High Marathon Dance (20% of all sales will be donated!), we were 100% on board. Vanilla with rainbow sprinkles, please! Details here.

Maple Tour: Maple season is upon us! We just stumbled upon this self drive maple tour put together by Taste NY and we’re already dreaming about maple candy and maple caramel corn - details here!

Bear’s Cup on Rachael Ray: Did you catch the owners of Bear’s Cup Bolton on Rachael Ray this past week? We’ve been fans even before they were famous 😉 (see our story on them here!), but if you’d like to sample some of their bagel and pastry goodness, pop in this weekend or order for Sunday delivery, since this is their last weekend open before they close for the month of March. Details here.

Have a great weekend!
Bri + Tom

The Weekender: February 12 - 14

Happy weekend and Happy Valentine’s Day! We’re mulling over our date night take-out options and thinking it might just be wise to celebrate with dinner to go all three nights this weekend…it’s Covid times - why not?! Here’s a few things that caught our eye:

Valentine’s Day, To-Go: So many great options to choose from this weekend, including a fabulous Valentine’s Week menu from Doc’s (sign us up for the wild mushroom ravioli!), amazing choices on the Date Night menu at Morgan and Co. (hello surf and turf!), a superb tasting menu at Radici, Sunday brunch (!!) at farmacy, and so much more.

Ice Sculptures at The Hyde: While The Hyde is closed to indoor guests, we were excited to see an outdoor exhibition on the calendar! A Winter of Hope ice sculpture exhibition starts tomorrow (February 12), located on The Hyde's front lawn. The art will be accessible day and night - grab the details here!

Winterfest: Another pandemic pivot, Winterfest is taking the place of the Winter Carnival in Lake George this year! With a lakeside ice skating rink, guided hikes, snowshoeing, horse drawn carriage rides, and hot chocolate stations, there’s a little something for everyone. Check out the details here!

Wild Lights: Need a change of scenery? We hear ya. We stumbled across the Wild Lights event at the Wild Center in Tupper Lake, and strolling the illuminated path looks like a pretty magical way to spend an evening! It’s included in a daytime admission ticket too, so you could always make a day of it - details here.

Have a great weekend!
Bri + Tom

My Glens Falls: Avery Babson

This week, we caught up with Avery Babson and her sweet family! She shares what brought her back to the city after college, reminisces about her favorite downtown memories from her childhood, and fills us in on the exciting adventure her family is about to embark on (spoiler alert: it involves an 1890 fixer upper!).

Tell us about yourself!

¡Hola! I’m Avery Babson, a Glens Falls Middle School Spanish teacher, drama club director, The Resolutions singer, Glens Falls Community Theatre actor/director,  and Feeder Canal Trail lover. I live in Glens Falls with the most amazing husband, Steve Babson--who unsolicitedly packs my school lunches each day--and our two crazy beautiful kids. Trey, our creative and inquisitive first grader, is an aspiring stop motion lego animator, scientist, comedian, haunted house director, illustrator, and an avid Mo Willems reader. Our pre-schooler and beacon of light, Eve, sings from the moment she wakes until the moment she falls asleep. We are proud. 

On Life In and Around Glens Falls

I grew up on a dead end street across from Crandall Park. It was there that I put on my first pair of skates (double blades!) and dove after fly balls in the field with my dad. As the years went by, our house turned out to be a very convenient location for a quick trip to the rec center for hockey practice. After graduating from GFHS in 2001, I retired my hockey skates and field hockey stick, packed up my bags, and flew to Bolivia where I lived as a Rotary exchange student for a year. From there, I attended ACC, SUNY Albany and then moved to New York City to study acting and musical theatre.

Through all my adventures, I always knew that I wanted to settle in Glens Falls. When the Wood Theater began to boom and more and more restaurants, breweries and cafés popped up, it became apparent that it was time to move back (not to mention, student loans and NYC apartment prices do not mix). The universe picked the right time.  Shortly after I returned, I met my husband at a mutual friend’s downtown apartment.  Three years later (and after completing my MA in Teaching from SUNY Plattsburgh), we shared our vows at the Charles R. Wood Theater in front of an audience filled with our closest friends and family. It was the perfect venue for two Glens Falls natives--one a singer, the other a percussionist--to start their journey as husband and wife. 

This past July, we sold our Glens Falls starter home in a day (thank you, Alexis Feldbusch)! On the first day back to school, we frantically threw the last of our belongings into boxes and said goodbye to the walls that held the memories of Trey and Eve’s first steps. Being a seller’s market, the inventory was low, so we have been living in an adorable Airbnb owned by new friends (big shout-out to Ryan and Claudia Braymer!). We call the Airbnb our “adventure house” because, well, this process has certainly been an adventure! Nevertheless, our time at the adventure house will soon come to a close because a new adventure awaits in our new Glens Falls home! We are slated to close any day now and already have a team lined up to help tackle our adorable 1890’s fixer-upper. Between the massive yard filled with mature berry bushes, and the location of being conveniently close to downtown, the Feeder Canal (my absolute favorite running spot), Haviland’s Cove, and the kids’ elementary school, I think we may have found our forever home. Stay tuned! 

A Perfect Glens Falls Day

Though I don’t know if we’ve ever squeezed all of the following in one day, we may have come close. So, here goes… 

My perfect day in Glens Falls during the summer months starts with a morning run on the Feeder Canal Trail. The sound of the waterfall on the Hudson to my right as the morning sun beams on the misty canal to my left reminds me just how lucky we are to live where we do every single time.  

Next, a walk downtown with the kids to pick up lunch and a latte at Spot Coffee would be a must. We like to take our lunch to City Park, play tag, and dance in the gazebo.  Then, we walk over to visit Steve at his Edward Jones office located in the historic Smith Flatts building on the corner of Bay and Washington.

After lunch, the kids and I either spend an afternoon at Crandall Library, The GO World Awareness Children’s Museum, or swimming at my grandmother’s pool with Grandpa Bobby (my dad).

Once Steve is through with work, the chef is in the house! Steve loves cooking for his family. It is one of his favorite things….and we love his cooking. Did I say I'm a lucky wife? But, if we have a baby sitter, a date night sushi dinner at Mikado would be our go-to place, followed by a beverage at Craft on 9.  Or if we time it right, a Lake Theatre show would be the most ideal! 

On the Past

This is tough. There are so many memories to count! Having lived here most of my life, I think some of the simpler memories from early childhood stick out the most…like riding my bike to Cooney's Candy Store located on Montcalm Street with my cousin, Nathaniel Brochu. We thought we were so cool buying our own penny candy and snaps at 8 years old.

I fondly remember the treat of a late summer afternoon with my father and brother, Bo Clark, at the original New Way Lunch on South Street. Even as a young girl, I acknowledged just how special the place was with its chrome-top booths and ripped vinyl seats covered in duct tape. Two dirt dogs with the works, key lime pie and a cola was our staple order….and we always stayed until my father was out of change for the jukebox.

Most summer evenings were spent sitting with my grandparents on their front porch on South Street. My grandfather, Bob Clark Sr., was an English teacher and councilman who seemingly knew everyone in the community (or perhaps everyone knew him). If people weren’t stopping to talk as they walked by, they slowed their cars down to wave to my grandfather as they drove by.

On the Future

If I could wave a magic wand and bring something to the city, it would be…. 

A downtown playground - there were so many times (pre-Covid) that I brought the kids to the library or museum and wished for a downtown playground so they could quickly burn off energy before returning home for an afternoon nap. Oh, how I miss naps!

I would love to see some sort of extension of Exchange Street- like a GF version of Church Street in Burlington!

My kids would probably be too old if this ever played out, but a splash park would be wonderful for little ones in our community (akin to Gavin Splash Park in Wilton).

With or without a magic wand, there are so many good things happening in our community. I am hopeful that when Covid bites the dust, it will continue to flourish and grow. I just love our little city and all the stories its streets can tell.

See more from our My Glens Falls series here!

The Weekender: February 5 - 7

Happy weekend, and Happy February! What’s on the agenda? With temps above 30º this weekend, it’s going to feel like a heatwave, and we’re planning to soak it up. A little snowshoeing perhaps? Lawn chairs in the snow for happy hour? Why not?! Here’s what else is on our radar:

Jazz Night: It’s back at The Q! Spread out in their spacious lobby and listen to the sounds of the Ray Alexander Jazz Trio while you enjoy a cold beverage and some of their delicious apps - social distancing at its finest. Details here.

Take-Out Date Night: Did you catch our First Look at downtown’s newest restaurant - Alif Café?! The menu looks amazing and we can’t wait to try it out this weekend - and we might just need to grab the cookie butter rolled ice cream for dessert. Catch the story and get their details here!

Valentine’s Day Prep: Yes, it’s 10 days away, but you’re going to want to fight your inner procrastinator to snag some of these gifts, since their order deadlines are soon - check out Alchemy Bagel for their amazing macarons, Gourmet Cafe for their truffles and chocolate covered strawberries, Floral Divine for beautiful bouquets, Abby’s Cookie Jar for their cookie DIY kits…we could go on!

Speaking of Valentine’s Day…: The Shirt Factory is hosting a Valentine’s Day One Stop Shop this weekend, with plenty of unique gift ideas from local makers - get the details here!

Have a great weekend!
Bri + Tom

10 Valentine's Day Books Your Kids Will Love

As a mama of two and a teacher, it probably goes without saying that I love a good book. The chilly temps have meant a lot of time spent indoors reading all of our favorites. Luckily the season of love is upon us, which means our Valentine’s Day books have made their way into our little book nook! I’m sharing all of our favorites below - here’s hoping you and your family find a new book to love!

L is for Love: A Heartfelt Alphabet - A sweet and simple alphabet of love.

Hug Machine – Because everyone deserves a good hug!

Love Monster – The story of how love can find you (even if you’re not cute and fluffy) when you least expect it!

Love Is – A heartwarming story about what it means to care for others.

The Love Letter – One little love letter starts a chain reaction of kindness.

Somebody Loves You, Mr. Hatch – I read this classic to my 2nd graders on Valentine’s Day every year.

Love is a Truck – For the little lover of cars, trucks, and all things that go!

A Book of Love – This charming little story shares all the big and small ways that we can show our love.

Love is my Favorite Thing – Much like a lot of the dogs I know, the pup in this story can’t hide her enthusiasm for love!

Mirabel's Missing Valentines – This shy little mouse works up the courage to celebrate Valentine’s Day after all!

Editors note: In the spirit of supporting local booksellers, we’re linking to Bookshop.org where available, a bookseller that donates a portion of profits to local independent bookstores. GFL is an affiliate of Bookshop.org and will earn a small commission at no cost to you if you click through and make a purchase, helping to support GFL, too!

First Look: Alif Café

Downtown Glens Falls has a unique new lunch and dinner spot!

Alif Café, at 193 Glen Street in the former Samantha’s Cafe space, features Pakistani and South Asian street food, chais and coffees, the energetic 24-year-old owner Muhammad Saud told Glens Falls Living.

His parents own the Tandoori Grill and the original Alif Café in Lake George Village, but Mr. Saud said “Our cuisine has been missing in Glens Falls for some time.”

“I was looking to open a new restaurant, and I looked everywhere from New York City to Houston, but I decided it was time Glens Falls got some mideastern cuisine!” he said. “We love Glens Falls! My family has been part of this community for nine years. We feel like we know exactly what Glens Falls needs.”

Alif Café opened on January 15. A proper “grand opening” is planned when COVID-19 restrictions are lifted, Mr. Saud said.

Muhammad Saud at Alif Café

He describes South Asian food as diverse, flavorful and aromatic.

“We’re known for our diversity and our love for street food,” he said. “It’s not overpowering, but more of a blend of spices.”

Karahi chicken bowls, served with basmati rice, bread and salad, “have been going out the door like crazy,” Mr. Saud said. “Everything is made here every day.”

Another favorite is the unique “Naanwich, our panini-style sandwich version of our dishes, modernized and westernized. We’re still figuring out what people want. We want to do Pakistani breakfasts. We’re killers for eggs sunny side up, and we make the best omelets. There’s so much flavor it’s crazy!”

Other entrees include veggie bowls, Pakistani fruit lassis, rolled ice cream and pakora fritters, and more.

Open every day from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. (and now available on DoorDash), he said “last Friday we ran out of food! Business has been amazing. I’ve never experienced people being this generous. Everyone has been so welcoming.”

He said owners of other downtown restaurants like Gourmet Cafe, Farmacy, Mean Max, Radici and Mikado “have all been so supportive.”

Alif Café has a five-year lease with building owner Chad Nims, Mr. Saud said.

By the way, it’s not just Glens Falls that’s taking note of Mr. Saud’s innovative recipes - his TikTok food videos have gained him a following of over 20,000 and growing. “I’m looking forward to keeping it going,” he said.

Alif Café
193 Glen Street • Glens Falls
Website / Facebook / Instagram

My Glens Falls: Kate Arney

This week, we’re chatting with Kate Arney, who you might recognize as a teacher at Glens Falls High School! She shares the sweet story of how her family ended up in their (adorable!) Glens Falls home, the perfect way to start your Sunday morning (hint: it involves the most delicious pastries), and a recent Glens Falls memory that’s likely high on everyone’s list of favorites…

Tell us about yourself!

Hi, I’m Katie Arney! I am an English teacher at Glens Falls High School. I love working in the district where I live and my daughters attend Glens Falls as well - Abby (9) is in 3rd grade and Maggie (almost 7!) is in 1st grade. My husband, Joe, works for Canoe Island Lodge on Lake George where we met and is the reason we ended up here! In fact, we love GF so much that my parents ended up moving here and are the owners of The Bell House Inn!

On Life In and Around Glens Falls

Joe and I met while working summers during college at Canoe Island Lodge, on Lake George. While in graduate school, we lived in Lake George and were trying to decide what our next life step would be after graduation. I am from outside of Albany and Joe is from Long Island, so we both sort of had our hometowns in our minds when considering our next move. Serendipitously, I was assigned to student teach at Glens Falls Middle School and I immediately fell in love with the area. One Sunday, we explored the adorable neighborhoods and it clicked - we knew immediately we wanted to settle down in Glens Falls.

We started looking at houses in the Glens Falls area and purchased a split-level ranch on a beautiful street that needed some updating. We loved that house and brought both of our babies home to that house. I fondly look back on those pictures now and am so proud of the work we did to make it the perfect home for us at that time. We honestly never planned to leave there, but life works in strange ways.

In 2012, we sadly lost Joe’s mother to cancer, and a couple of years later, his father remarried and decided it was time to sell the house. Joe decided we needed to find room in our house for his mother’s baby grand piano as he has such fond memories with the piano and his mother. Joe started doodling ways to find space in our house for this piano - including taking down walls, or getting rid of our dining room table! One night, I suggested we buy his parents’ house since it’s just around the block from our current house and the piano fits perfectly in the living room. He immediately said no, I said okay, and went to sleep for the night. The next morning, I awoke to Joe desperately waiting for me to wake up - he had stayed up all night considering my suggestion and decided we should go for it!

Our home now is an L-shaped Cape Cod built in 1934 from plans originally in a Better Homes and Garden magazine. The kitchen is in the back of the house with lots of windows allowing gorgeous light to pour in. We spend so much of our time in that room - cooking, eating, crafting, reading, visiting with friends. We also have so much more room in our current home allowing us to host family at holidays, and lately, have space for my sister-in-law, Meg, to escape Washington, D.C. during the pandemic and stay with us! This is definitely our forever home!

A Perfect Glens Falls Day

Life in quarantine has brought a new perspective to everything, but we have found some things that put a smile on our faces, and they will continue to even after this pandemic.

Our perfect morning starts with bagels and pastries delivered from Bear’s Cup, Bolton. They deliver to our area on Sunday mornings. I’m not sure what I used to indulge in prior to meeting their famous bear claw, but I can assure you, it will change your world! Later in the day, we will enjoy one of the amazing winter activities we have at our finger-tips: sledding at Gurney Lane, skating at Crandall Park or skiing at West Mountain. Upon our return, we will warm up with a hot cocoa bomb from Abby’s Cookie Jar and a cookie. Finally, ordering in dinner from one of our spectacular downtown restaurants. Last time was from Radici: salad, short ribs and mashed potatoes, and caramel budino - yum! And we, of course, have Common Roots beer on hand to have in front of the fire after dinner. 

On the Past

One of my favorite memories was honestly not that long ago, but right now feels like an eternity due to the pandemic. In 2019, the Glens Falls Boys Basketball team made it not only to the State Championship, but the Federation Tournament here at the COOL Insuring arena. The local pride was palpable - being at games among a sea of red and black, the lines around the block waiting to get into the arena for games, the sound of the cheering crowds, it was such a unifying time for our city. On a more personal note, I was able to see my students’ dreams come true creating memories and friendships that will last a lifetime. As a family, we enjoyed going to basketball games and seeing the parade. As a teacher, I saw my students bonding, making posters, and planning trips to games together. Groups of teachers traveled together to games in various locations near and far. As a community member, I felt the excitement through the town with just one outcome in mind - GF wins! At the start of that season, I bought a red and black GF shirt from Hallwear with glitter-fabric on the arms. I wore that shirt to every game as well as to school every Friday. I became superstitious about the shirt and if they played back-to-back games, I had to do an emergency load of laundry! After the Federation tournament, I retired that shirt, but have it saved as a keepsake.  

On the Future

Glens Falls has so many amazing restaurants and coffee shops, and I’m excited to see more places offering brunch! One shop I miss often is Sterling & Co, so I would love to see a home goods shop back in Glens Falls! I would also love an app to alert the ice cream truck that we would like a drive-by! Lastly, I would love to see a community pool. Growing up, the town pool was the family place to be complete with a concession stand with the best chicken fingers!

See more from our My Glens Falls series here.

The Weekender: January 29 - 31

Happy winter weekend! The days are blending together and the temps are dipping even lower, so we’re excited to have a few things to look forward to this weekend - here they are!

Ice Lantern Contest: Light up Crandall Pond with an ice lantern! They are easy to make (check out this video!) and would be a fun project for kids to help with, too. Once you’re done, you’ll bring it to Crandall Pond and follow the contest directions here. So very Hometown USA. Details here!

Restaurant Bingo: The Glens Falls Collaborative put together a restaurant version of everyone’s favorite game, which of course involves patronizing our downtown restaurants with dine in, takeout, or gift cards (yes please!). Once you get five in a row, you have a chance to win! All the details are here - good luck!

Chowderfest: Another pandemic pivot - Chowderfest, a winter favorite in Saratoga, is dedicating one week to Chowderfest this year instead of the usual one day. They’re calling it The Chowder Tour, and you can grab pints and quarts of chowder to go from participating restaurants, or dine in and enjoy it with lunch or dinner. Details here!

Ice Bar Season: We’ve got Covid to thank for disrupting ice bar season this year, but we just saw that The Sagamore’s ice bar is open - for overnight guests only! If you’re up for a little staycation, it would be a perfect spot to get into the spirit of this icy season. Details here.

A friendly reminder, and we feel like it goes without saying at this point, but with the numbers the way they’ve been over the last few weeks, it bears repeating: if you’re heading out, please wear your masks and maintain your distance! Stay safe out there neighbors :)

Have a great weekend!
Bri + Tom

Ten Books to Cozy Up With This Winter

‘Tis the season for cozying up with a good book, and since we’ve been reading more than ever this year (a silver lining of the pandemic, perhaps?), book recommendations are in high demand around here.

We recently caught up with our friends at the beloved Battenkill Books in Cambridge to find out what books we’re going to want to have stacked at the ready on our nightstands this season. Whether you prefer fiction or nonfiction, there’s a little something for everyone. 

Battenkill Books on a warmer day

A quick PSA, if we may: if you’re reading more this year like we are, don’t forget to support your local independent bookstores! Shops like Battenkill Books make it super easy with curbside pickup and shipping options, too. And, well, we’ve all seen You’ve Got Mail, right? ;)

Simply click each title to shop.  

FICTION

Hamnet by Maggie O’Farrell 

Hypnotic and wildly imaginative musing on tragic events in the life of Shakespeare, seen from various perspectives and with language that envelopes you in this world constructed by Maggie O’Farrell.

The House on Vesper Sands by Paraic O’Donnell

Deeply satisfying historical fiction mystery set in late 19th century London. A seamstress falls from her high window, a cryptic message stitched into her skin and a rash of missing girls…enter the perfect detective duo and a determined journalist to tell the story as it unfolds. You won’t be able to stop reading.

Anxious People by Fredrik Backman

Backman at his finest. A bungled bank robbery lands a group of eight strangers in a hostage situation at an apartment viewing…thus begins the strange circumstances in which Backman explores our deeper connections, our place in the world and our capacity for compassion.

The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V.E. Schwab

A mad pact made by a young woman, to live forever, and cursed to be forgotten by everyone she ever meets. The story begins in France 1714…300 years later, everything changes when someone remembers her name in a hidden bookstore.  

Transcendent Kingdom by YAA Gyasi

Gyasi follows up her bestselling Homegoing with this beautifully written exploration of family, suffering and the precarious security of faith and home. Gifty is a PhD neuroscience candidate studying suffering and addiction, whose Ghanaian family has been touched by great loss. Luminous and layered.  

The Searcher by Tana French

French is an artist of atmosphere, be drawn into the captivating world of her writing. A Chicago cop moves to a small Irish village where nothing much happens, but he finds himself drawn back into detecting when local buried darkness is unearthed.    

NONFICTION

Wintering by Katherine May

May draws from literature, nature and mythology to consider the ways we think about fallow times, seasons of dormancy and the restoration that is possible in these times. Inspiring and eye-opening.

The First Principles: What America’s Founders Learned from the Greeks and Romans and How that Shaped Our Country by Thomas E Ricks

An exploration of the classical educations of the first four American presidents and how these works shaped the political and philosophical landscape during the nation’s early years.

The Age of Wood by Roland Ennos

Fascinating look at the significance and the long history of our engagement and reliance on this fundamental material. A deep dive into the profound role wood and trees have played in shaping our society and our place in the world.

Ghostways: Two Journeys into Unquiet Places by Robert MacFarlane, Stanley Donwood and Dan Richards

“The Irish phrase Aiteanna Tanai-usually translated as ‘thin places’ or ‘places of shade’-refers to those landscapes in which the past is eerily restless, or the thresholds between realms are slender.” Thus begins Ghostways by Robert Macfarlane, Stanley Donwood and Dan Richards which takes Orford Ness and Holloway as their subjects. A fascinating blend of nature, history and the eerie echoes that resonate in certain places.

My Glens Falls: Cara Greenslade

We’re chatting with Cara Greenslade this week, who you may recognize as one of the owners of Sidekick Creative (remember our coloring pages last year? They were the masterminds who brought them to life!). Cara shares what brought her back to Glens Falls after college, the best spur of the moment real estate decision she made, sweet memories from her downtown wedding last summer, and more!

Tell us about yourself!

Hello! My name is Cara Greenslade. I am Business Director and part owner at Sidekick Creative, a local graphic design firm. I’m the only non-designer in our small team of four, but I love working in the creative space and working with so many other great businesses in the area and beyond. We work with a lot of destinations, events and non-profits on branding, layout (brochures, publications) and custom illustrations. Every day brings something different, we have the best team and clients, and it’s a pretty awesome feeling to actually enjoy going to into work everyday.

I live right in Glens Falls with my husband (we just got married six months ago so the word husband still sounds weird to me), Ethan, and our cat, Onyx. We both love it here and have no plans of ever leaving!

On Life In Glens Falls

I have lived in Glens Falls since I was 10. I left for college and came back to Glens Falls for what I thought was only going to be a temporary stay until I figured something else out. It was around this time that downtown Glens Falls was really coming alive again. I started to see Glens Falls not just as my childhood hometown, but as a great place to put down more roots and start a career. I think my main motive for leaving was living somewhere a little warmer, but every year I start to enjoy the four seasons a little more. And there’s nothing quite like heading downtown on the first warm spring day after a long winter and enjoying a drink outside at one of the restaurants.

A year or two after graduating, I ran into my old friend from high school and coworker from my lifeguarding days at Million Dollar Beach, and now over six years later we’re married, we both have careers we love here, and we really enjoy being within walking distance to both of our parents.

We own a multi-family home within a five minute walk of downtown. My parents and I bought it on whim around three years ago. I was renting an apartment with no immediate plans on buying a house (I had just started a business!) and we saw this house get listed at a great price. My mom and I decided to check it out and that same night we put an offer in. It was one of the craziest, but best spur of the moment decisions I’ve ever made. We live in one apartment and rent the two others and are lucky to have great tenants. The apartment we’ve been living in needed the most work and three years later we’re just putting on the final touches with A LOT of help from our parents. The house was really solidly built so the work we’ve been doing is just cosmetic for the most part, but we’ve got big plans for the other two apartments and outside for the future!

Some Glens Falls Favorites

I love the walkability, especially in the warmer months. We’re lucky to live in a part of town where we can walk to downtown in five minutes, to Crandall Park in ten and to work in 20 minutes (our studio is in The Shirt Factory). I also love the events - LARAC June Arts Fest, Taste of the North County, Fourth of July Fireworks and the Symphony in Crandall Park, and the Balloon Fest just to name a few.

I don’t think this is exactly a hidden gem, but if you don’t know about the Fenimore’s Happy Hour, you should! It’s a favorite of ours, especially on winter Fridays. Post Covid, I know it will be one of the first places we go. The staff is so friendly, the ambiance is cozy and laid back, and the food and drink are great! And there’s usually live piano or a jazz trio playing in the beautiful lobby.

A Perfect Glens Falls Day

To be very specific, it would be a warm, sunny, summer Saturday. My husband and I would walk to the Farmers’ Market to stock up on fresh veggies and cheese, grab a latte at Spektor, and head to Rude Betty to grab a gift for a friend or family member. Before heading home we might enjoy our coffee in City Park. After that my mom and I might check out some garage sales and grab ice cream for lunch at Coopers Cave, Rob & Deb’s or Sprinkles. In the afternoon, Ethan and I would most likely be heading to one of our parents houses to hang out by the pool. We’d finish out the day by meeting friends for dinner and drinks at Raul’s or Mikado, or if we were doing a date night, heading to Farmacy or Radici.

On the Past

This is a not too distant memory, but this past June, in the midst of the pandemic, Ethan and I got married with just our immediate family in attendance. After a ceremony in my parents yard, we headed downtown for photos followed by a delicious dinner at Morgan & Co. It was a beautiful day and people were taking advantage of outdoor dining and just being outside walking around. As we walked around downtown getting photos, people were clapping, yelling congratulations and honking. We were so happy, and there was so much good energy in Glens Falls surrounding us. Once we got to Morgan & Co, our families surprised us by setting up our first dance on the front lawn (something we originally didn’t plan on doing) and inviting all of our local friends and family who weren’t able to attend (because of Covid) to watch — socially distant style. No one forgets their wedding day, but I know this memory will always be there to remind Ethan and I why we love where we live.

On the Future

Some things I’d love to see:

Restaurant - Mediterranean, healthy-ish.

Business - Ethan always talks about wanting an arcade style bar/restaurant in Glens Falls so throwing this in.

Public Space - I love Exchange Street and I think any way we can make it even better, expand it or create more spaces like this in Glens Falls would be awesome.

Store - Small grocery or bodega in Glens Falls with the basics and some easy to-go or take-and-bake style meals for easy dinners.

Crandall Park - I’m throwing this in just because I feel like the park has come alive in the last few years and they are doing so many things right. New courts, ice-skating, disc golf — all of it is so great!

The Weekender: January 22 - 24

Happy weekend! It feels juuust a touch colder this week and with that always comes the feeling that winter might never end, but we’re hoping to try to embrace it this weekend by getting outside - there’s sunshine in the forecast, after all!

Here’s what’s on our radar:

Dueling Cupcakes: Abby’s Cookie Jar just posted this photo of a Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough cupcake vs. an Oreo cupcake and well, a taste test might just make a fun weekend activity! Follow along with them here.

Maple. Glazed. Donuts: Need we say more? Hicks Orchard brought back this fabulous twist to their standard cider donut and it’s the perfect, most over the top dessert (breakfast?) food you didn’t know you needed. Plus, a ride into Washington County is a great cure for winter cabin fever. Details here!

Drink Beer on the Internet: Not this weekend, but Common Roots has a few slots left for their virtual tasting on January 31 and you’ll probably want to snag one! A selection of their beers, paired with meat, cheese & chocolate from local purveyors and a little background on the beer via Zoom - grab your tasting kit here.

Up Yonda, Literally: Up Yonda Farm in Bolton Landing will be offering guided snowshoe hikes this Saturday with the added bonus of a little snowshoeing history lesson along the way. The perfect way to soak up the sunshine this weekend - details here!

Have a great weekend!
Bri + Tom

Back in the Day: Friends Church

The blaring of horns outside the Society of Friends Church on Ridge Street were not a visitation from angels.

“The revival meetings at the Friends’ church were disturbed Monday evening when a number of young rowdies who gathered in front of the church amused themselves by blaring tin horns, shouting, whistling etc.,” The Morning Star of Glens Falls reported on Feb. 27, 1884. “Had there been officers in the vicinity, the disturbers doubtless would have passed the remainder of the night in the lockup.”

Friends Church on Ridge Street, circa 1878. (Photo: The Arthur Fisher Collection at The Folklife Center of Crandall Public Library)

The distinctive, historic brick structure still stands on Ridge Street.

The former house of worship has been used for offices since the 1970s.

The congregation organized in 1873, and met temporarily at 3 p.m. on Sundays at First Baptist Church of Glens Falls until land could be purchased and a sanctuary built.

The foundation was laid in October 1874, and construction was finished in 1875, at a cost of $1,300 – the equivalent of about $30,000 in 2021 dollars.

Quaker faith had been common locally ever since Abraham Wing, a Quaker, founded Queensbury and Glens Falls in 1762.

The faith was long-noted for its emphasis on pacificism, abolition of slavery and equal rights for women.

Quaker meetings are distinguished by allowing anyone who wishes to speak or pray.

The Rev. John Henry Douglas become the Glens Falls congregation’s first regular pastor in 1879, pastoring locally for about two years.

Hopefully the Glens Falls congregation was more generous than some of his earlier congregations had been.

“My wife and child lived years in poverty. We tasted not of meat or wheat bread,” he said, speaking to a gathering of Quaker pastors in 1884.

Douglas believed sermons should get to the point.

“Don’t try to preach a long sermon. Just deliver the message that burns in the heart,” he advised. “Mind the life, whether the sermon be three minutes or three hours long. Be natural.”

In 1885, the Glens Falls congregation hosted the New York State Friends annual meeting.

“The train which arrived here at four o’clock yesterday afternoon and at 7:30 in the evening brought large delegations of Friends, and the number now in town will approximate 130,” The Morning Star reported on May 28, 1885.

More would arrive in the days to come for pre-conference activities leading up to the May 29 opening of the six-day conference. 

“It has been an accepted maxim that the advent of Friends always brings a rain, but this is certainly a notable exception, as finer weather could not have been granted,” The Morning Star reported, of the opening day.

Evangelist George W. Willis of Ohio, known as ‘the boy preacher,” was among the speakers.

The Rev. William Allen, a former black slave, was another speaker.

Allen was born a slave April 2, 1818 in Greene County.

He was separated from his family at age 11 when his owner sold him.

His mother’s parting words were: “My boy, be good and kind to everybody. Love the Lord and he will take you out of trouble after a while.”

Allen was freed at age 27 and went to Indiana where he learned to read and write, and later became a Quaker pastor.

“His style of address is forcible and clear, illustrative and eminently practical,” The Morning Star reported.

After the closing session, many of the conferees visited Lake George before leaving Glens Falls on the early train June 4.

“The weather has been unusually pleasant, and even Sunday, when it was raining, the meeting house was crowded to its utmost capacity.”

The Glens Falls “Band of Hope,” a temperance organization, met at the brick church in the mid-1880s.

In 1886, the congregation broke from the Quaker tradition of exclusive a cappella singing when it accepted the loan of an organ from Dr. Stephen Birdsall, who lived in the nearby mansion at the corner of Ridge and Williams streets, a historic structure that is now an apartment building.

In 1973, the Glens Falls congregation left the building when the congregation merged with the South Glens Falls congregation.

“Numbering about nine or ten active members, the Society of Friends will leave the brick church on Ridge Street they have occupied for the past 98 years,” The Post-Star reported.

Gary Walrath, director of the Glens Falls Historical Museum, now the Chapman Historical Museum, urged that the building be preserved, a wish that has been fulfilled.

“The new and the old must not be in conflict with each other,” he said.

Sources: The Morning Star, Feb. 27, June 4, 1884; May 28, 29, June 4,5, 1885; The Glen’s Falls Republican, Jan. 26, 1873; Oct. 13, 1874; The Granville Sentinel, March 26, 1886; The Post-Star May 25, 1973; “History of Warren County,” H.P. Smith, 1885

My Glens Falls: Naftali Rottenstreich

We caught up with Naftali this week and gosh, if we weren’t nostalgic for pre-pandemic life before (okay, we were), we most certainly are even more so now. He shares his favorite ways to spend time in our little city, with the added benefit of an outside perspective from having lived in Manhattan for many years.

Speaking of nostalgia, Naftali just so happened to own Red Fox Books along with his wife Susan in the early 2000s, and hearing his stories made us wish we were strolling through the bookstore on Ridge Street again!

Tell us about yourself!

My name is Naftali Rottenstreich and for the last ten years I’ve been a professor of English at SUNY Adirondack. My wife, Susan Fox, and I have called Glens Falls home since 2006, when we moved up from New York City to open Red Fox Books. In addition to ourselves, our home consists of three “spirited” (read: impish) felines: Lucy, Gretel, and Pip.

I also serve on the boards of the Glens Falls Symphony and the SUNY Adirondack Foundation and, for ten years, was a member of the Crandall Public Library Board. This is one of the fundamental ways life in Glens Falls differs from life in New York CIty―there are so many opportunities to have a direct and meaningful impact on one’s community.

On Life In and Around Glens Falls

By 2006, my wife and I had been long ready to leave NYC. To me, the City had become unrecognizable. Susan, who’s originally from Colorado, wanted to return to a setting close to nature. Several months before we made the move, a friend left Manhattan and settled in Washington County. We’d visit her regularly and fell in love with the region. In time, we learned that Glens Falls was eager for a bookstore (this was in the early days of the City’s revitalization), and we saw this as our opportunity for a new life. We leapt at that opportunity. Red Fox Books opened in October 2006 and remained in business until October 2011.

We were both fortunate enough to find work after our store closed. Susan was hired by SUNY Empire State College in Saratoga, and I was hired as an English professor and remedial specialist at SUNY Adirondack. As much as I loved running a bookstore, the great joy in my life is helping students, who often face incredible economic and social obstacles, discover their potential and cheering them on as they advance toward their life’s dream.

While our decision to shutter the bookstore was a difficult one, the most significant chapter of my life would have gone unwritten (puns not intended) had Red Fox not closed.

Shortly after we moved to Glens Falls, we bought a house on Orville Street. Like many of the homes in the 4th Ward, it was probably built by a factory worker. In fact, the beams in the basement bear the marks of what was once a local mill.

After a day of research at the County offices in Lake George, I was able to trace the house back to 1860. We’ve also learned that the house has been owned by a number of interesting people, including a chauffeur for the Pruyn family.

We love the house (which we have affectionately nicknamed “Little Orville”) but it is never not a fixer-upper. It is, however, ideally located for walking. Downtown, Crandall Park, the farmer’s market―all are in easy proximity.

Some Glens Falls Favorites

I may have the benefit of the outsider’s perspective, but I do hope Glens Falls natives recognize how fortunate they are: a world-class museum in the Hyde, a great orchestra in the Glens Falls Symphony; a tremendous community resource in the Crandall Library. But beyond these institutions, there are the immediate opportunities (and obligations) to engage in civic life. When you live in a city of nine million people, it’s very hard to feel that you can make a difference to the welfare of your community. In Glens Falls, there are countless ways to make such a difference.

A Perfect Glens Falls Day

It’s hard to see through the haze of the pandemic (now in its tenth month), but what I recollect with fondness is eating sushi at the bar at Siam Thai Sushi; decompressing with colleagues at Fenimore’s; grading papers at Spot or before a fireplace at the Crandall Library; hanging out at the Hyde on a winter’s afternoon; sitting in the audience of a Glens Falls Symphony performance. Even working out at the Y now feels nostalgic.

Because I am an avid walker, my ideal day also includes a walk through Crandall Park and around the various neighborhoods that make up our city. Thankfully, this is something that Covid has left untouched.

On the Past

We were fortunate to have the bookstore when ​Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows was released in July 2007. The publisher had imposed a very strict lay-down date policy. So, while we had had dozens of sealed boxes in stock for days, we could not release the books until midnight of July 21st. What did we do? We held a midnight release party! Kids (old and young) came dressed as their favorite Harry Potter characters. To play the role of Dumbledore, I dusted off my doctoral regalia. Cooper’s Cave Ale House concocted a Harry Potter-themed soda. There was an owl and Harry Potter trivia, contests and prizes. At midnight, LeRoy Akins, the mayor at the time, cut the seal on the first box of books and the kids immediately set to reading. There was an element of real magic that night, one that I like to think anticipated the energy that was to come in the city.

On the Future

One thing that I DO miss about New York City is the food. I would love to see an Indian restaurant in Glens Falls. I also love movies, and it would be great to have an art-house downtown.

The Weekender: January 15 - 17

Happy weekend! First things first - did anyone else make the cookies we mentioned in last week’s Weekender?! We ate way too many. So good.

It might be dreary and gray outside, but on the bright side, we had an easy time of rounding up a list of things to look forward to this weekend! Here we go…

Ice Skating: Crandall Pond is open for skating (and will be lit for night skating, too)! We’ve already seen folks out enjoying the rink and it’s such a welcome sight. The City asks that you wear a mask and use common sense with social distancing while skating. Follow along with the latest from Crandall Park here!

Pizza Night: Big news! Rachel’s Cafe and Spice Co. is launching their Thursday Pizza Night tonight. And while it’s a little too late to order for tonight, definitely mark your calendar for next Thursday - we can’t wait to try the Farmer’s Daughter pizza…and the Green Barn…and, well, you get the idea. Details here!

Lunch Just Got Interesting: More big news! [farmacy] just announced expanded hours to include lunch from 11am-2pm on Monday - Saturday starting January 18. Keep up to date with your favorite waving chefs and their fabulous ever changing menu here!

History on the Ridge: Calling all history lovers! The Chapman Museum is presenting a virtual historical tour of Ridge Road from Queensbury north to Lake George on Tuesday, January 19. We always love checking out the historic homes and barns along that route, so it’ll be interesting to learn more! Get the details on the program here.

Have a great weekend!
Bri + Tom

My Glens Falls: David MacIntosh

If you’ve ever strolled by [farmacy] on Ridge Street, you’re sure to have seen Chef Dave’s smiling face waving at you from the window - even if it’s covered by a mask these days! :) We caught up with Chef this week to find out more about his journey to becoming a chef, his favorite way to spend a day off, and a few of his favorite childhood memories in the city.

Tell us about yourself!

My name is David MacIntosh, or 'Jefe'. You may know me as one of the many awesome chefs that wave to you from [farmacy] restobar's window! I'm a 2016 SUNY Adirondack graduate from the Culinary program, and I've been in or around Glens Falls almost all my life. I currently live in Gansevoort while I look for a house to buy in this beautiful city.

On Becoming a Chef

I graduated from South Glens Falls High School in 2011 and like many teenagers I had no clue what I wanted to be when I grew up. After a few failed odd job attempts here, I moved to Albany and ended up at a Greek mom and pop restaurant called Anton's. They hired me after a short interview and I began washing dishes as many in this industry do. A few short weeks later I started doing prep work in the mornings before my dish duty, and not long after I learned the in and outs of my new restaurant family’s business. The Anton's took me in like I was family and I still thank them every day for sparking that fire for cooking that still burns in me.

After the Greek restaurant changed owners, I decided to come back to Glens Falls and attend Culinary School under Chef Matt Bolton at SUNY Adirondack. As a fellow left-handed chef we instantly clicked with our sense of humor and love of the adrenaline that professional cooking brings. After graduating in 2016, I took a short stint down south in Tennessee and learned some awesome southern techniques. Though the south was beautiful, I was needed in the Glens Falls area to help open the restaurant [forged] in Hudson Falls with Chef AJ and Christina Richards. Once [forged] closed for renovations, I was relocated to [farmacy] where I get to wave at all who live and visit Glens Falls. The front window has brought many friendly people in - not only to eat, but to strike up conversations as well.

On Life in Glens Falls

I have two younger sisters which makes me a protective older brother. My whole family has always lived in the Glens Falls area until recently when my sisters went away to college. We love finding new restaurants to try when they come home.

I have been looking for a duplex to buy in the heart of Glens Falls to be closer to the town I have grown so fond of. It offers so many fitness and wellness activities as well as things to do in the outdoors and on the water. I love finding hidden hiking trails or kayak spots, or just walking around town and visiting the library or fun stores after some great coffee.

A Perfect Glens Falls Day

My ideal day in Glens Falls would include breakfast and coffee at Spektor with my girlfriend Cate (a bullet proof mocha and seeing Ray's smiling face makes my day), then walking to Rude Betty or Fountain Square Outfitters to see what interesting gifts we can find for each other. We would probably stop into Northeastern Fine Jewelry to look at watches and get my hopes up for a killer Christmas present!

I love checking out the fresh produce at the Farmers Market, so we would have to visit my farmer friends and see what new goodies they have for the restaurant.

After that we might take a trip to Crandall Park and sit by the water or walk around town and enjoy the views.

For date night in the nice weather, we would probably sit on the patio at [farmacy] (obviously) or get some drinks at Mean Max. If we were lucky we would get a reservation at Seasoned (and pay my good friends and former instructors Chef Matt Bolton and Chef Megan Diehl a visit) to witness first hand the culinarians of the future.

If we wanted a quick bite we might hit up Mikado for some killer sushi.

To get the blood pumping after that, I would probably go to Anytime Fitness for a quick workout or Lemon Tree Yoga at The Shirt Factory to realign myself.

On the Past

I remember fishing at Crandall Park as a kid after church and just enjoying being outside and chasing the ducks... until they started chasing me back. After a short fishing trip we would always get some fresh bread and pastries from Rock Hill Bakehouse and head home.

I always loved riding through downtown Glens Falls during the holidays and seeing the Christmas decorations light up the streets.

I never got a chance to try Bistro Tallulah when I was younger, but I respect how that restaurant paved the way for other chefs in the area.

…and On the Future

Glens Falls has really become a food hub over the past few years. There are new restaurants popping up all over town, with some truly talented chefs and line cooks to help pave the way. I'm excited to see who will be next to open up a restaurant in the area!

In the future I would like to see more of the continued community support between businesses and individuals. Seeing SUNY Culinary Center's facilities full of brand new young chefs eager to learn and grow would make this alumni ecstatic for the future. It might even make finding more great chefs easy for a restaurant run by yours truly, with a great patio and an aroma that would fill the town and bring people in!

In a city that has so much to offer, it's amazing to see everyone constantly growing and coming together for each other.

The Weekender: January 8 - January 10

Friday. We made it. To be honest, it’s been hard to feel upbeat about weekend plans after the horrifying scenes we witnessed at the Capitol on Wednesday, not to mention the rising numbers of Covid we’re seeing both locally and across the country.

This weekend, we’re aiming for a balance of staying engaged and informed while also making sure we’re not doomscrolling (yep - that’s a thing - here’s a story on it!), and so with that said, here’s what we’re hoping to fit in:

Date Night, To Go: Some of our favorite downtown restaurants are starting to switch from dine-in to take out only, and the latest this week is Doc’s. They just launched their To Go Menu and we’ve got our eye on the 3 Course Prix Fixe - Butternut Squash Ravioli and Deep Dish Apple Crumb Pie - yes please! Browse the menu and get ordering details here.

Crandall Curbside: Reading more is definitely a goal of ours in 2021, and we’re hoping to grab a few more books from Crandall Library this week. They’ve switched to curbside services only for the time being, and we’re re-reading this list of book recommendations that we shared last year to help us make our selections. Grab the details on Crandall Curbside here.

Fill Our Seats: The Wood Theater has been closed for nearly 300 days, and we miss strolling downtown to see a show now more than ever. The Wood has started the Fill Our Seats campaign to help them avoid further layoffs and to ensure they’re able to re-open when finally permitted to do so. Click here to learn more and donate to their campaign.

…And Fill Our Cookie Jar: What would a winter weekend be without some baking?! Whenever Tom goes to Hannaford by himself, he always comes back with a box of those peanut butter cookies from the bakery (you know - the ones with the Reese’s Pieces mixed in?!). Anyway, we’re hoping to make our own this weekend with this recipe!

Enjoy the weekend -
Bri + Tom

My Glens Falls: Nick and Danielle Margaglio

This week, we’re chatting with Danielle and Nick Margaglio! We connected with them on Instagram last summer and have loved following along as they update their city home (that they bought sight unseen, by the way!). Read on to find out what brought them to Glens Falls, how it compares to the four other states they’ve lived in, and what they love about this little city so far.

Tell us about yourselves!

Hi! We are Nick and Danielle Margaglio. We recently moved to Glens Falls after being on the road for a few years with the military. Nick is a pilot in the New York Air National Guard, he flies the LC-130 to Antarctica in support of the National Science Foundation. I (Danielle) am an avid horseback rider and I work and volunteer at stables in the area. I also have a small Etsy shop where I sell cards and stickers that I design. 

On Life In and Around Glens Falls

Nick grew up in the southern tier and I grew up in South Carolina. Somehow Nick made his way down south and we met at the University of South Carolina. After graduation, we moved to Mississippi, followed by Arkansas on a three year saga for pilot training.

We had never actually been to upstate NY besides one time in college when we took a spur of the moment trip from South Carolina to Lake Placid in Nick’s beat up single cab truck! Needless to say it was a long drive that was not well planned but we had a blast and fell in love with upstate. 

Fast forward a few years, we were wrapping up training in Arkansas and were poised to move to New York. We realized we needed a place to live - somewhere that values community, is close to the outdoors, and has older homes (it has been a goal of ours since we were in college to fix up an old house). With the help of Google maps, Zillow, and the Glens Falls Living blog, we found that Glens Falls fit the bill for us. So we ended up purchasing an older home on Sheridan Street sight unseen! All of our research could not have prepared us for how friendly and welcoming everyone was. We can’t tell you how many adult beverages were dropped off on our porch, which I guess is the contemporary “welcome to the neighborhood” gift. Glens Falls has truly exceeded our expectations. 

Our house is about 100 years old and is considered a shingle style home. Luckily for us, it was well preserved by the previous owners, so all the work we are doing is mainly cosmetic! It has been fun updating the house and we have even started an Instagram page, @myantiquehouse, to document all of the work we are doing. We love our street - it's close to Crandall Park and we have the best neighbors! Although we are new to Glens Falls, our favorite thing about it so far is the sense of community. We have lived in four other states and we haven't felt such a sense of community as we have here.

A Perfect Glens Falls Day

Our perfect Glens Falls day starts with breakfast at Kelly’s Roots. We usually grab a hot latte and a breakfast sandwich to fuel our day. Then we take our dog Nash for a long walk and throw the ball for him at Crandall Park. From there, we either go up to the Adirondacks to hike or tackle another project around the house. On a perfect day the project would go smoothly and we only go to Lowes once!

We know when it's time to wind down when we hear music playing. Our neighbor, Pete, hosts a neighborhood concert every Saturday. We all grab a beverage, usually from Common Roots, and listen to him and his band play. It's a great way for us all to get together and enjoy the moment. Afterwards we would enjoy dinner at Craft on 9, it's our favorite so far but we have so many more options to explore!

On the Future

We still have so many things to explore around Glens Falls, but if we could add one thing it would be a dog park. We enjoy taking Nash to Crandall Park but it would be cool to have a place where he could play with his doggy friends off leash!

A Trader Joes wouldn’t hurt either! Trader Joes, if you’re reading this - we know the perfect spot. 

Just Married: Joshua & Nikari Gali

A gorgeous backyard wedding, complete with peak fall foliage, bohemian details, and so much love. Read on to see and hear about all of the details of Nikari and Josh’s day, with gorgeous images by The Pinckards!

THE COUPLE: Joshua & Nikari Gali

We met in college at The University at Buffalo on the track team. I (Nikari) thought Josh was the most handsome person ever and I initiated the interaction. After that, Josh asked for my phone number and we’ve been inseparable ever since. 6 years later and we are still as in love as the first day.

We love quality time together. Our favorite pastime is going out to dinner or ordering in. We always try to make it a point to eat at least one meal a day together. Preferably dinner because we get to sit down, pray & talk about our days and unwind. It sets us up to have intentional time together and that usually leads us to either watching a movie, TV or just silently enjoying each other’s company while we accomplish our own necessary tasks.

We are very opposite in the best ways. We also are crazy athletic as a couple combined & separately. We have a mutual love for working out (which was how we met: track team in college). We always have the best time and you truly have to marry someone who is your best friend.

THE PROPOSAL

So, Josh met me in downtown Glens Falls for dinner after work since I work in downtown. We went to farmacy and had such a good night. The food was amazing, our drinks were amazing and we even got a free dessert. The night was so fun and it was a shock that it wasn’t planned.

During dinner I received a text from my friend to come over and have a game night and I was like, “absolutely, we’ll drive to you after dinner” (They live about 40 minutes away in Schroon Lake). After dinner we walked toward my car and Josh asked me if I wanted to take a walk. Unfortunately, I said no. He then asked if I wanted to just head into my studio (I had mentioned earlier that I wanted to clean the studio). But, I again opted for no and said I would come in earlier the next morning to clean. I hate being late so I was just eager to get to game night. Little did I know Josh had the ring in his pocket all through dinner.

We got to game night and stayed for a few hours. We didn’t end up getting home until about 12:30pm. When we finally got home, I was getting ready for bed and Josh was acting a little suspicious. I was exhausted and wanted to go to bed. I sat down on the couch and he finally came over and proposed. I honestly wasn’t expecting it at that moment and that’s what I loved. It’s so unbelievably hard to surprise me unfortunately, so the fact that Josh was surprising in itself. I always wanted to have a private engagement, just the two of us; with no one around. It was beyond intimate and amazing and I would do it that way all over again. The poor guy had the ring in his pocket for almost 7 hours and I had no idea. He was determined to do it before I went to bed and it was everything.

THE WEDDING - October 22, 2020

Our elopement date was 10/22/20. Due to COVID-19 we couldn’t plan the wedding of our dreams but wanted to still get married. So, we decided to get eloped with our talented friends (Dan+ Laura, The Pinckards) as our photographers with just immediate family. We are having our larger wedding to recommit ourselves to each other in front of all the family and friends we wished were there. We will be having our larger wedding 10/22/21, a year to the date. It will be our one-year anniversary so that will also be fun. 

The Planning

My favorite part was how stress free the planning process and our day was. The most challenging part would have to be trying to explain to both sides of family that we were getting eloped and that we are planning a bigger wedding next year. We didn’t want any family members to feel left out or that they weren’t important enough to be there for the elopement. It was definitely the hardest part because some of family members were hurt.

The Venue

We recently bought a house with a decent amount of land in the back. We couldn’t necessarily have our elopement at a venue so we opted for our backyard. It was such a beautiful day with all of the fall foliage in the background. I think if we had the choice for a venue at the time we still would have chosen our backyard. To be legally married in back of our first home was super special and something we get to remember forever!

The Details

Our style is very bohemian, mid-century modern, Scandinavian with a chic and modern twist all wrapped into one. We went with very neutral earth colored tones with hues of burnt orange and rusty brown with accents. This style echoes throughout our home so it was only right that it was a part of our special day.

Everything was pretty much custom made. Josh built, sanded and stained the arbor and Dan helped Josh assemble it. Laura and I made my bouquet and all the arbor flowers that attached to the arch. Josh also built and stained a table for cookies and champagne and we hung a bible verse behind it (Corinthians). I had an accessory appointment at Something Blue Bridal in Saratoga and picked a beautiful veil and comb that I get to wear again next year.

Our aisle runner was actually a boho rug with rose petals that lined the sides. Super boho chic.

Pretty much every aspect was DIY and we 100% could not have been happier.

The Gown

My gown is actually a funny story. My friend Laura (1/2 of The Pinckards) and I were scrolling through Pinterest and we found such a cool gown. It led us to Etsy where we found the company. The company was based in New Zealand though and it was questionable whether I would receive it in time. I ended up getting in contact with the owner. I explained I needed my dress in a little over a month. I sent her over my measurements, paid for express/rushed shipping and my dress was custom, handmade to my measurements and delivered to my door in plenty of time.

The Food

We planned to not have a cake and my mom said absolutely not. It was a probably a week or less before our elopement date and she searched high and low for someone to make a cake for us on such short notice. She finally found Katie Callahan and reached out to her. My mom had full creative control over our cake because we wanted her to do whatever. It was such a special and meaningful surprise.

The Muffin Top Baker literally made the most amazing cookies ever. I gave her ideas and said, “Run with it, I completely trust you and what you do.” She knocked it out of the park and everyone loved them.

We also did champagne flutes with a custom charcuterie board made by one of my friends.

The Moments

We absolutely loved being with our family. It was so special. We also loved that we rented a room for dinner at The Queensbury Hotel and had an open bar for a few hours and nice sit-down dinner. It was very sophisticated and intimate. The Queensbury Hotel did an amazing job accommodating all of us and making sure we were taken care of and safe. I also loved that after dinner we went into their terrace and the string lights were hanging. We had a fire and just enjoyed each other’s company. The next day everyone came back to our house and we spent more quality time together.

The Honeymoon

No honeymoon this year -unfortunately with COVID-19 and all it didn’t make sense to travel somewhere and possibly quarantine there and upon return. We are holding onto hope that will take our honeymoon after our wedding in October. We’re thinking either a Europe honeymoon or a tropical one…maybe both, who knows!

Some Advice…

Don’t let anyone make you feel bad about decisions you are making. If you feel you are correct, stand behind it, don’t second guess yourself because you made those decisions for a reason.

Also, delegate. Don’t try to take everything on by yourself. It’s okay to ask different people in your family to do different things for you, even if they don’t offer. Don’t tackle it alone. Don’t stress. It should be one of the happiest times of your life so don’t let anyone get to you or get under your skin. It’s your day - for one day, be selfish.

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VENDORS

Food/Catering: The Queensbury Hotel

Cookies: The Muffin Top Baker

Cake: Katie Callahan, @Katiedoescatering

Gown: Boom Blush Boutique

Aesthetician: Serena Callahan, Wink Skincare & Lash

Waxing: Leslie Shea, Revive Hair and Skin @skinandnailsbyleslie

Photographer: The Pinckards

Florals: Adirondack Boho Co.

Ring Designer: Neil Lane

Rentals: Adirondack Boho Co.