My Glens Falls: Mike Gerarde

This week we caught up with Mike Gerarde! He shares his version of a perfect fall day in Glens Falls (complete with his go-to golf course), how our area compares to the many places he’s visited around the world, and a bit of business advice that has helped him as he’s launched his own business, PSG Golf…

Tell us about yourself!

Hey, I’m Mike Gerarde! I operate a golf lessons business (PSG Golf), work with a great friend at The Luxury Box, just accepted the Head Coach of Golf position at SUNY Adirondack and am involved with our family HR/Payroll business, KEENA. I have two beautiful daughters that are just like their mother (in a great way…usually), Josephine and Genevieve. It all keeps me pretty busy but it’s a “happy busy” and a great life.

On Life in Glens Falls

I was born in Glens Falls and raised in Queensbury. I was blessed to be able to travel a lot while I was younger. My mom was always finding new places to go, and my grandparents took us grandkids around the whole country during the summer when we were young. From Samoa and France to the Grand Canyon and bright lights of Hong Kong, nothing compared to home. Maybe I’m just a homebody, but it always seemed like none of these places compared to Lake George, Glens Falls, and Queensbury. We’ve got everything anyone could want up here. Beautiful seasons, great food, all kinds of recreation (particularly some of the state’s best golf courses!), and most importantly, the people. There was no doubt that my girls would grow up here. I’d put Glens Falls up against any other town in America when it comes to raising a family, you just can’t beat it.

We own a home right near downtown Glens Falls. It’s an older home (1920’s) but it’s been kept in great condition and the location makes it so special. We’re walking distance to school, restaurants, bike trail, work, parks, and our favorite gas station (Stewart’s!). Our neighbors are the definition of “neighborly” — we always have each other’s back and look for ways to help each other out.

A Perfect Glens Falls Day

My ideal Glens Falls day would be waking up slow in late fall and packing the girls up in the car to get a smoothie from their mom’s smoothie truck, Jenny Jo’s, outside Crandall Library. I’d chase the girls around City Park for an hour or so, then I’d steal Haley from the smoothie truck for a dance to “In Your Atmosphere” by John Mayer on the gazebo to remind her that she’s too good for me and how lucky I am to call her mine.

Then I’d head over to The Luxury Box for two lessons. The first would be with a youngster who gets to experience the joy of watching the ball fly after making solid contact for the first time, and the next would be with an older student who didn’t know he or she still had it in them to hit bombs down the middle of the fairway.

After that, we’d all meet up at my mom’s house in Queensbury to catch noon kickoff of a Syracuse football game. We’d eat my mom’s famous buffalo chicken dip while Syracuse beats up on Clemson for four quarters. My sister would be there and we’d laugh about silly stuff going on in the world and there’d be no business talk.

After the game I’d play a quick 9 holes at Hiland Country Club with my favorite foursome: Dave Mucha, Jeff Boss, and Sam Gleason. We’d go to Mullen’s Pub after to watch the Syracuse basketball game in the back room. Local legend JG3 would drop 40 points on Gonzaga and we’d see Jim Boeheim smile.

After that, I’d head back to the Luxury Box to watch the UFC fights on the big screens with my brother and his friends. In between fights, we would play golf mini-games on the simulator and no matter how hard my brother tries I would beat him every time. Golf is the only thing that I can beat him in so I don’t go easy. Sorry Joe.

On the Past

My favorite memories of Glens Falls and Queensbury are Friday night and Saturday football games. The whole community coming together for some healthy competition was probably what lead to my love for all sports. Yeah, the sports were fun and the games were good, but there was nothing like seeing your friends, family, classmates, and rivals all together, rooting each other on and working towards a common goal.

On the Future

I can’t think of anything that I’d change about our city as far as things to do. There’s something for everyone!

From a business standpoint, I think our small businesses would be so strong if they all joined the Adirondack Chamber of Commerce. I don’t really like the word “requirement” but if there was some way to have every new business join the Chamber, I think we’d see more places staying in business and there would be incredible connection in the business community. The cost of membership is peanuts compared to all the benefits that membership can bring to a small business. It would just be so cool to see how much more successful our new businesses could be if they immersed themselves into the business community by joining the Chamber. I should note that I don’t work for them! But I do attribute a lot of the early success of my businesses to them, from the connections I’ve made to the advertising and marketing they do for each of their members — so I probably am biased!

My Glens Falls: Andy O'Rourke

This week we chatted with Andy O’Rourke! He shares his favorite place in the city to visit in the fall, his passion for theater, and introduces his new venture, All Abilities Productions, which is a non-profit with a mission to encourage all people — regardless of disability, race, religion, age, or gender — to participate in theater.

Tell us about yourself.

Hi, I’m Andy O’Rourke! I’m 22 years old. I’ve lived in Glens Falls my whole life. I live at home with my parents and our two cats. 

I’m a graduate of Glens Falls High School (class of 2019) and SUNY Adirondack (class of 2021). I’m currently a student at Empire State College. I’m getting my BFA in Theatre and Music Education, as well as Non Profit Management. I’ve been involved with several theater productions in the area, including Glens Falls High School, Broadway Upstate, and Lighthouse Productions.  

I’m also the Founder, Executive Producer, and Artistic Director of All Abilities Productions. It was founded in April 2022 because I got tired of getting rejected in auditions for musicals because of my disability. I have cerebral palsy. One night, I couldn’t sleep, and at 3am I thought to myself, “I’m going to change this. I’m going to create a nonprofit for people of all abilities to be on stage.” 

I’d like to do a full season each year opposite all of the other art companies in the area. In 2024, when I’m done with school, we’re going to kick off our first season, which will include two full scale musicals. We have our first in-person event and fundraiser on November 13 at The Park Theater. There will be a screening of the Oscar proposed film My Disability Roadmap and an opportunity to participate in a brief discussion about the movie and challenges faced by those that are a part of the disabled community. We’ll then introduce All Abilities Productions and its mission to the community. [Click here for event details.] 

While I have a disability, I haven’t ever let that stop me. If there’s anyone out there in the same boat, I’d like to encourage them to just go for their goals. Just do it. If you’re going to fail, you’re going to fail, but you’ll get back up, and eventually you’ll succeed. I’ve been lucky in that I have a supportive family to encourage me along the way. I’d also like to thank Tracy Sullivan, Miriam Weisfeld, and Elizabeth Pietrangelo from the Adirondack Theater Festival, Emily Murphy from the Wood Theater, and Chris Ristau from The Park Theater for being such an inspiration to me. I could not do it without my amazing team of volunteer board and committee members.  My current board members include Carol Lavelle, Amanda Taft, Sarah Driscoll, Rose Ann O’Rourke Taft, Carol Durant, Deanna Park, Amy Cronin, Carissa O’Rourke, Dylan Lucia, and Terry Kempf.  I would also like to thank Kimberly Strauchon Verner, Esq. for her wonderful pro bono work.

My Perfect Glens Falls Day

It would start with a walk on the Feeder Canal trail. I love it there, especially right now with the leaves changing. It’s so peaceful. Then I’d go to Spot Coffee. I love the Coconut Lavender Lemonade. One of our production managers at Adirondack Theater Festival came up with it (thanks Jackie!). From there, I’d be volunteering at The Wood Theater. After that, I’d go to Gourmet Cafe for dinner and then to Downtown Social for Social After Dark. 

I love Glens Falls. It’s such a creative hub. A couple of my other favorites are the Arts District and the Adirondack Theater Festival. 

On The Past

I loved watching Glens Falls win the football and basketball championships when I was a senior in high school. Being there was so much fun. 

On The Future

I would like to see All Abilities grow into a full season like the Adirondack Theater Festival to encourage all people, regardless of disability, race, religion, age, or gender to participate in theater. 

Our five year plan in the off season is to work with other nonprofit organizations to provide educational programming, such as an all-inclusive dance programs or a play writing class, or an improv acting class. We hope to give our participants experiences and the confidence and skills to share who they are and all they are able to do. We want to be able to break down the preconceived notions about disabilities and build a more inclusive community. It’s important to us to create a safe and respectful environment and celebrate creativity.

Hometown Artist Hannah Williams Completes Downtown Mural

Little did we know that when we chatted with Hannah Williams last fall about her artwork on the Bay Street electrical box, we’d be talking to her again so soon about an even bigger project! Hannah just finished up her amazing mural downtown on Warren Street - one of two murals that are part of a public art initiative by the Arts District of Glens Falls. She shared the inspiration for the project, the challenges and rewards along the way, and more…

For those that don’t know you, tell us a bit about yourself!

I was born in Glens Falls and raised in Queensbury! I am a self-taught artist, painting consistently for more than twelve years, and a full-time artist for the past three years. I have been in the mural painting business for a decade. I’m honored to be featured for the second time on Glens Falls Living! Without being too redundant talking about myself and background, folks can return to my first interview where they can learn more about me and my roots in Glens Falls. 

On Pursuing Art as a Career

I am fortunate enough to have figured out my passion as a child - and stuck to it. Ever since I can remember I have been involved with art somehow. I’m mostly self taught, but I have taken a variety of art classes from middle school through community college. 

My business started in 2014 following a year of live painting and vending at music festivals and painting my first mural in 2013. My biggest issue getting started was still being very young and needing to figure out the logistics of what I wanted out of a career in the arts. I had to learn to be patient. I was 20 years old when I painted my first mural. I struggled for a handful of years, working two jobs on top of any opportunity to make money with my art on the side. 

From 2016-2017 I had the opportunity to work at Adirondack Studios in Argyle, NY. I learned so much about the discipline, production and logistical side of painting murals. 

Then in 2020 with the temporary loss of my two jobs during the pandemic, I was able to hone in on my business and create art full-time. 

In the past 10 years, I have painted 22 murals within the Capital Region.

On Local Opportunity

This mural opportunity caught my eye because I am a true advocate for public art and have been desperately wanting Glens Falls to welcome murals for many years. If you know me, you have heard my many rants about this. It’s just something I have been hoping for for so long. 

The application process was typical of any public art submission and I was prepared. When you submit to a public art call, it’s not just showing your portfolio. You need your art resume or CV, you need to show your public art experience, propose a budget and concept sketch, and be comfortable with things like navigating contracts and operating a lift.

On Inspiration

The submission required that the subject for the mural be Glens Falls related. The past few years, I’ve noticed I have gravitated towards nature as a recurring theme with my public art for a few reasons. Most importantly, I want people to connect with nature. It’s universal imagery everyone can relate to, and it can create an interactive and educational purpose.

Originally I chose native flowers that could be found throughout the streets of Glens Falls or in Coles Woods. The interesting thing about the public art process is that the subject can evolve drastically from concept to end result because of all the parts and people involved. Once the Arts District landed me a building owner, I collaborated with them on a revised design because, of course, their opinion matters too. Once I was able to sit down with the building owners to brainstorm a design, it turned out that we all have the same love for nature in common. It took the three of us just one hour to figure it out. Basically, I had them run down everything in nature they loved, from animals, plants, space, insects and earth elements. I created a design that more-so tells a story of where Glens Falls is geographically. There are elements of nature you could find within the city and at the foothills of the Adirondacks, including the bear and owl.

That whole experience collaborating with the building owners completely reignited my excitement for the whole project.

On Challenges and Rewards

The challenges I encountered were typical of any large project, but even more so due to this being the start of a mural program here in Glens Falls. There was so much planning, revision, back and forth, and city approval before I got to the fun part of painting. Truly nonstop for many months, including getting certified in the boom lift, acquiring general liability insurance, figuring out materials, and so on.

The city board meeting for approval was quite the event. There was public pushback, comments and concerns. I stood in front of the room with Kate Austin as she represented the Arts District and I represented the artists. Nothing felt better than having the city board hear us and approve the project unanimously.

I also faced social and societal hurdles, including not being taken seriously by taking this project on by myself. The challenge there was simply not giving up and being my own advocate.

As far as the actual painting process, the most challenging part was painting the barred owl. Such intricate details, as well as wrapping it around on two different planes. It took days to figure it all out to where it translates correctly at a certain angle.

I loved every second of painting this mural. It was truly an emotionally validating experience. This was my first large scale building mural and I am so proud. It’s exactly the career path I've been wanting to go down — to be able to travel anywhere and paint large building murals.

On Supporting Local

A very large chunk of my budget was dispersed back into the local economy, and that was very important to me. Everything that I needed or used was purchased locally, down to the paint, lift rental, insurance and so on. I didn’t want to cut any corners for the sake of profiting more because in the end, the preservation and quality of the art itself is more important. Shout out to: Colbra Painting, Sherwin Williams, Action Equipment, O’Brien Insurance Agency, Liberty Graphics, and March First Media.

On Support

Many folks had different designated titles for my boyfriend, Tyler. My bodyguard, PR appointee, and Humble Assistant to name a few. For anyone wondering, “Who’s that guy that was always sitting there?!”  That was my lovely partner. He deserves recognition for the amount of support and assistance he provided for me every day on the job. He promoted me and my business, handing out cards and telling everyone about the process. He had no complaints about always handing me a tool I needed, cleaning up, or making sure I was hydrated, fed, and had sunscreen on. 

I am extremely humbled by the amount of support the community showed me. I heard every honk, compliment and cheer that came by. This project brought my family together, and other families too. It was something different and exciting to witness and check up on everyday. I made friends and connections. Many thanks to the following people for making this project a more enjoyable experience: Tyler Mammone (boyfriend), Cathy & Brad Williams (Mom and Dad), Ryan Williams (brother), Aunt Lisa & Uncle John, Aunt Gail and new friends Jane & Craig. All of these people stopped by every single day to show their support. 

On Visiting the Mural

Please visit the mural not only in the day, but at night as well. It’s quite magical how the street lights illuminate the moon, stars and other objects giving off a whole different vibe!

Also! There will be a Meet the Artist event at the mural (20 Warren Street) this Wednesday, September 21st at 5pm. Looking forward to connecting with community then!

Hannah Williams Art
Instagram / Website

First Look: Blooming Acres Farm

We’ve seen the Blooming Acres Farm Flower Truck popping up at events around town all summer, so it was high time we chatted with owner Emily Johneas about this adorable new venture! She shares what inspired her to begin flower farming, how she found her 1953 flower truck (and the learning curve involved with driving it!), and more…

Emily Johneas and her 1953 Ford F-100 Flower Truck

First, tell us a bit about yourself! 

I’m Emily Johneas. I am the owner and operator of Blooming Acres Farm. I also run a commercial construction company with my husband in my spare time. When I’m not working or out in the gardens, I’m spending time with my countless four-legged friends.

On Becoming a Flower Farmer

Blooming Acres has been years in the making. I first started gardening during my senior year of college. I studied history, and in my senior year I did an independent study course and learned all about the Braceros (thanks to Professor Flores!). The Braceros were the Mexican farm workers that came to fill the labor shortage and work in our fields during World War II. Being a young woman growing up in the suburbs of Long Island, I was so disconnected from where my food came from. To help understand the challenges of the Braceros as best as I could, my husband made me a raised garden bed to grow my first garden. I grew way too much in that small, raised garden bed, but I learned so much. Year after year, our garden slowly expanded. At one point we had so little outside space that we got creative and turned our second bedroom into a grow room!

In 2017 we moved up to Washington County and found our dream home. That’s where Blooming Acres really started to take shape. I started my farming journey by growing heirloom vegetables and some flowers for the pollinators. I fell in love with all the different shapes, textures, colors, and types of flowers. Every year my flower garden expanded greatly, leaving less room for veggies!

From Farm Stand to Flower Truck 

Blooming Acres started out as a farm stand. I am so fortunate to have such a skilled carpenter for a husband. He built my farm stand for me to display all my flower arrangements, and I have a great friend and neighbor who has generously allowed me to place my farm stand on her land as it gets a lot more traffic than it would see on my quiet dirt road.

As our farm expanded, I began reaching out to local businesses to do popup events in the community. I was fortunate enough to be a vendor at R.S. Taylor during the Washington County Cheese Tour and the Thursday Night Food Truck Market at The Shirt Factory in Glens Falls. These pop-up events allowed me to meet members of the community and talk all things flowers!

The next step for Blooming Acres was my flower truck, which has been in the works for years. I have seen flower trucks popping up all over the US, and while most of them are mobile florists, I wanted to create the same concept with locally grown blooms. People can expect a rotation of fresh cut blooms on the truck. Our selection changes on a weekly basis. All the flowers on the truck are naturally grown and locally sourced!

The flower truck has been a great way of getting my flowers out into the community. I have received such great feedback - people really love the concept of building their own bouquets and talking all about the ’53 flower truck while they’re at it.

On Finding a Vintage Truck

Initially, my flower truck was going to be an imported Japanese right hand drive mini truck. However, it was quite difficult to get the truck on the road in New York. One day my husband was cruising Facebook Marketplace and found my current truck. We went to go see it in New Hampshire and I instantly fell in love. All of the pieces fell into place and we brought my truck home to New York on Easter of 2021.

It was initially a learning curve with driving the ’53, it was interesting learning to drive a vehicle without power steering and most modern safety features!

On the Rewards and Challenges of Flower Farming

The biggest reward of growing flowers is the ability to share them with the community! I love talking all things flowers.

This year has been my most challenging season yet. This heat on top of drought conditions have been detrimental to my crops. The seedlings that did manage to survive this year were stunted as a result of the hot weather. Luckily, the local flower farming community has been so supportive. I reached out to multiple flower farmers in my area this summer when my flowers were struggling, to try to find sources for local grown blooms. It was very important for me to ensure that the blooms on my truck are sustainably grown and locally sourced. I didn’t want to fill up the truck with the same flowers you would get at the store and wanted to ensure that they weren’t preserved with chemicals. To my surprise all the farmers I reached out to were so supportive and willing to help! My business wouldn’t be as successful as it is this year without the support of Amy at Bark Hill Farm in Hebron, NY- she has graciously opened her fields to me this season.

On the Future

I’m looking forward to connecting and collaborating more with local businesses as Blooming Acres continues to grow! Most immediately, I’ll be at the Drink Pink Event at the Adirondack Winery in Queensbury on Friday from 5-7pm. All of the proceeds of the event are going to Making Strides Against Breast Cancer of the Adirondacks. On Saturday I will be at Northway Brewing From 2-5pm!

Blooming Acres Farm
Facebook / Instagram

My Glens Falls: Cameron Gallagher

We caught up with Cameron Gallagher this week! He shares a bit about his video production company, Black Mountain Visuals, his favorite places to walk to for lunch from his downtown office at WorkSmart, what he’d love to see more of in Glens Falls (no surprise here — it involves movies!), and more…

Tell us about yourself!

My name is Cameron Gallagher, I’m a filmmaker & own Black Mountain Visuals, a video production company. I’m originally from downstate New York, but grew up in Granville, New York, not far from the Glens Falls area. I’m a movie lover and storyteller at heart. Having used my family's VHS camcorder as a kid to make funny sketches and come up with stories, I grew up on the idea of creating. In the last 4-5 years I’ve had the privilege of directing some short film projects (mainly in the horror genre) that have landed on some large platforms including online horror hub Crypt TV. One of our most recent short films “THE RICKETY MAN” premiered at the TCL Chinese Theatre in Los Angeles in 2021.

I love what I do and love that I can do this here in Upstate New York, where most people said it wouldn’t be possible.

On Life In and Around Glens Falls

As a kid living nearby, Glens Falls was always the “errands day trip” but after living in Central New York for almost two years, the vibrant opportunity here brought me back, and I’m so glad it did. For me, being able to be so close to business and an exciting area, while still having some of the comfort of feeling like I’m living “just outside of town” is a pull for me.

Now, my office is downtown at WorkSmart, a Co-Working Space in Downtown Glens Falls, so being within walking distance of everything has been such a huge advantage. Being able to meet other businesses at our office space has led to incredible expansion of the business, in ways we never thought, including working with amazing brands, like JUST Water, MoodleUS, National Ag in the Classroom, and both Washington & Warren County.

I rent an apartment just over the bridge in South Glens Falls, but have lived both downtown and just outside it within the last five years. Each place had cool advantages, whether it was being just a few steps from work, or being in a quiet part of the neighborhood.

Some Glens Falls Favorites

First and foremost my favorite spot is WorkSmart. I owe everything to Christy, WorkSmart’s owner, and since moving my business downtown in late 2020, it has seriously changed not only my business, but my life!

A second favorite would 100% be Farmacy! By far the best food in Glens Falls (of course no hate to anyone), their food is always exciting, and it has a great atmosphere.

A Perfect Glens Falls Day

It would start at Kru Coffee with some coffee and their amazing cilantro lime sandwich! Then, off to the office at WorkSmart downtown where I’d try to not chat with all the fun people there, including my friend and business partner Zack. For lunch, I’d have to stop in at Mikado or Alif Cafe! Mikado’s Bento Box for lunch is the best bang for the buck, and Alif Cafe’s Chicken Tikka bowl is a weight lifter’s (like myself) dream. Then after work, I’d take my girlfriend Allison out to Farmacy, followed by a walk around town or on the bike trail!

On the Future

Glens Falls, in my opinion, is sitting on a gold mine. With proximity to Saratoga Springs and Lake George, it truly is the perfect getaway. I’m excited and hopeful for those in local government to step up and make some exciting forward thinking changes, just like some of the amazing business owners have. I think the more fun new faces that come to downtown, the more energy just seems to seep from Glen Street.

One thing I would love to see is, of course, more movies. I’d like to see a new theater (or an existing one) take on showing old movies, whether it be deep cut films that no one has seen, or absolute classics that are a must on the big screen! After attending a film festival with my friend and business partner, Zack Porlier, in Rochester, we instantly fell in love with seeing smaller films on the big screen. What better place than Glens Falls to bring classic cinema to new and old generations alike?

The Weekender: September 9 - 11

Happy weekend and happy back to school! We’ve got a perfect late summer weekend on tap and lots of fun options on the calendar - here’s what looked good to us!

Date Night: Mint, of course! Did you catch our First Look story on Mint this week? Between the beautiful interior and their amazing farm to table menu, it’s a top pick for the weekend! Get their details here.

U-Pick Sunflowers at Dancing Grain: I know. We shared this last week. But we went last weekend, and it was amazing. You must go! Plus, they’ve added a u-pick option this weekend. Check out our first look at the farm brewery here, and get their details here. Tag us on IG if you go, we’d love to see your pics!

Park Patio Music Series at The Q: Summer might be “over” (unofficially!), but The Park Patio Music Series at The Q continues this fall! Mark your calendar for dinner, drinks and live music overlooking City Park every Wednesday from 4-8pm through October 5th. Click here for details!

The Cheese (+ Wine + Beer) Tour: Have you ever gone on the Cheese Tour? It’s a self-guided tour through the gorgeous back roads of Washington County - with an opportunity to visit (and sample!) at cheesemaking farms, a brewery, and a winery, and more. Looks like a perfect weekend for it, too! Here are the details.

Canteen Coffee Co + King Bakery: We shared about King Bakery and their incredible donuts in this story last year, and if you head out to grab a dozen this weekend you’ll have the bonus of popping into Canteen Coffee Co.’s first pop up coffee stand - sign us up! Details here.

Have a great weekend!
Bri + Tom

First Look: Mint

Have you been to Mint? They’re now entering their sixth month in business on Warren Street, so if you haven’t been - consider this a sign to make your reservation! We caught up with owner Johanna Geldern to hear more about the how she got into the restaurant business (it all started with a fortune cookie!), what to expect from their menu, and what’s coming up next for Mint (hint: expanded hours!)…

The Bar Room at Mint

First, tell us a bit about yourself and your background!

I received my Masters in Education from the College of Saint Rose and had a career in teaching elementary school (regular and special education) for over 16 years. As the standardized testing pressures got more intense from states and districts, the gap between my philosophical beliefs and the changes to the classroom structure necessary to meet standardized testing goals motivated me to make a change. I sold a property and began searching for a small business that I could purchase and run with the goal of completely changing my career and becoming an independent business owner. My girls (Katriel and Cagney Houlihan) and I had always daydreamed about running a bed and breakfast or owning a small café.

The online search for purchasing a business lasted well over a year, and during that time one of my friends owned a beachfront restaurant and had a vacant shop space available for a summer beach snack bar.  It was sitting vacant but already had all of the necessary approvals to open, so I agreed to take on this project and created the menu, purchased the equipment and created the signage and theme. With her guidance and my hard work, we were able to open in about a month and I ran a very successful beach snack bar business for that season. This was equivalent to getting a Masters degree in running a small business in my mind.

Mint co-owner (and Johanna’s daughter), Katriel Houlihan

At the same time, my daughter‘s family moved home to New York from Florida and on a trip to see them in February, I discovered a café in Greenwich called Dish Bistro and I absolutely fell in love with the size, the location, the charm, and the healthy vibe of the menu. I literally said to my family and friends, “If I ever had a restaurant business, it would be just like this.” Months went by of searching and in August, I found Dish Bistro for sale online under my price range, and immediately began dialogue with the owners. We went back-and-forth with financials and logistics for a month and it was time for me to make a decision: was I going to pack up my entire life, sell my car and fly to New York to purchase this restaurant business?

I was out to lunch in Florida with my friend when the owner of Dish Bistro, Susan, called me. I hung up with her and I told my friend about the idea and potential plan of purchasing Dish and moving back to NY, and when I opened my fortune cookie after lunch it said “DISH” on one side and when I flipped it over, it said “Go for your dreams ~start with the spring roll” on the other side. My decision was made. At the time I had been studying the law of attraction and was looking for signs and I took this as a solid sign from the universe directing me to go for my dreams even though it was scary — terrifying, in fact!

I still have the fortune cookie. I like to think that my story will hopefully inspire others to listen to their intuition and follow their dreams, and to not allow fear to hold us back from making changes to pursue what excites us.

Once I made the commitment, everything seemed to fall into place.

How did Mint come to be?

We started in Greenwich as Dish Bistro in the fall of 2014, and I rebranded to Sweet Beet Bistro in April of 2015. My chef was passionate about local farms and we decided to create a “farm to table” theme there and offer homemade scratch kitchen food using high quality local farms. We wanted to use ingredients which were grown, raised, and cultivated with positive loving energy, and we wanted to honor those artisans. We wanted to prepare and serve the food with the greatest energy of love and positivity to our customers. Our desire was to create an atmosphere and experience which would create great memories and keep patrons returning.

We closed the doors to Sweet Beet Bistro after Covid hit in 2020, and it seemed like the perfect time to transition to a new location with more foot traffic. We already had a strong support system of loyal customers from this area that traveled to our Greenwich location, so that was a selling point as well.

We had been working with Peter Hoffman on a downtown space to lease. When this space came up, he asked us (my daughter Kate Houlihan and I) to come over immediately and take a look. He wanted to know if we could see its potential and his vision for our business in that location. We could see it instantly, and with great enthusiasm we told him we were 100% in!

Our philosophy of using the highest quality organic and most lovingly raised local foods is still at the heart of Mint!

The Dining Room at Mint

Why Glens Falls?

We see tremendous potential in this city! The events with food and celebrations are creative. The Glens Falls Collaborative and other groups are really committed to moving the city forward. It’s so important to create a business that is desired and will be embraced and nurtured by the community, and we feel this is a mutually beneficial partnership which we are thrilled to be part of.

What inspired the name? 

We were originally going to name the new restaurant business Tarragon and Time. But after polling some friends and family, it wasn’t communicating the right vibe, so we went back to the drawing board. On a hike with my daughter Kate, she turned to me and said, “What about Mint?”.  We thought about it and it had great connotations, so we decided to have a longer tagline (Inspired Plates and Crafted Potions) and a shorter easy to remember name - Mint!

Tell us about your menu! What can people expect to see?

Imagine Paris meets Brooklyn meets San Diego!

Our food is eclectic and creative, using only the highest quality products. We taste test as a group and tweak recipes as a staff. It’s vey important that our sauces, dressings, and all of our items really, are balanced in texture, flavor and appearance.

We have unique appetizers including cheese boards and seafood cakes. Our proteins are grass fed meats, local pastured products and wild caught seafood. As for customer favorites, the pizza is at the top of the list, along with our grass fed burger and vegan beet burger. We use 30+ local companies like Saratoga Olive Oil, Saratoga Gluten Free, Vermont Fresh Pasta, and Rock Hill Bake House, to name a few. We work with a local farm for edible flowers on our plating. The presentation is meant to be visually pleasing as well as good for you and delicious.

We offer a solid variety for special eaters with vegan options, gluten free options.

The drink menu includes craft cocktails, local and international wines, and several spirits and beer from local distilleries and breweries. We use all small batch local distilleries for our liquors, and our beer is all from within 60 miles of Glens Falls. We don’t use any large mass production wine at all — it’s all organic biodynamically farmed or sustainably farmed. You’ll probably notice you won’t get a headache after drinking wine here! We also craft our own elixirs with syrups using fresh herbs and delicious ingredients for cocktails — both alcoholic and non-alcoholic.

Patio seating at Mint

Tell us about the space!

We have three main areas: a bar room, dining room, and covered garden patio. It’s nice to have the three separate spaces to allow for private events and just general versatility.

The building owner, Peter Hoffman, collects antiques and is very skilled at mixing the old with the new. Everything here is modernized and updated, but layered with antiques. For example, the globe lights are antiques from Germany. They add such an immediate sense of charm and history. The frosted glass by the front door is an antique — irreplaceable and one of a kind. The end gates on the patio came from a vineyard in Italy, and they bookend the space perfectly. The banquettes in the bar room were salvaged from the Capitol Building in Albany when they were renovating the Governor’s restaurant there. We discovered they’re from 1920, so many governors have sat on them when having their business meetings there, which is pretty unique!

The patio has been a big hit this season, especially when we have live music. We’re hoping to install a bi-fold door from the patio into our dining room, so that when we do have a musician here, the sound and experience can carry inside as well.

What's coming up next for Mint? 

We’re hoping to start offering lunch by the end of September! We also hope to open seven days a week, as right now we’re closed Mondays. Also coming up - a to go menu! Lots of great things to come.

Most immediately, we’re looking forward to launching our fall menu around September 20 - stay tuned!

Mint
80 Warren Street, Glens Falls
Website / Facebook / Instagram

On the Arts Trail: Jesse Melanson

We caught up with Jesse Melanson this week, who you’ve probably all seen hovering on a lift above Centennial Circle, painting one of two murals that are part of a public art initiative by the Arts District of Glens Falls. He shares a bit about his background, the inspiration behind his design, and some impressions of our little city over the course of his time here…

Jesse Melanson in front of his completed mural | Photo: Bri Lyons

Tell us about yourself!

I'm from Truckee, California, which is North Lake Tahoe for those who don't know that area. I’ve been painting murals since 2019. I've done maybe a dozen across the country, ranging from smaller walls like 10x12 feet to as big as this current one, which is almost 50 feet high by 100 feet wide. This is the largest square footage mural that I’ve done. I painted one in Malden, Massachusetts that was 65 feet high by 45 feet wide, so that was a little higher, but the square footage was a little less.

How did you get your start as an artist?  

I moved to Austin, Texas from Tahoe during a career transition. I had a hard time finding a job in Austin and adjusting to the city life and culture, but eventually I got a job as a digital art teacher at a high school. I did that for a year. I'm not a teacher. I'm not very good at it. So I quit and I was back in a transition period.

There were a lot of murals around Austin, and I saw that they had a public arts division for community and culture. In Austin, 2% of the total cost of new construction has to be allocated to the arts. It's a booming city, so we're talking about millions of dollars. So, I started going to informational meetings just to figure out how I could get involved. From there, I applied and landed my first mural in Austin, and continued to build my portfolio in cities across the country.

How did this opportunity catch your eye?

Actually through an Instagram follower. She had seen this opportunity on a Facebook group and forwarded it to me. I applied right away.

It was also a plus that I have a connection to the Lake George area. My mom’s side of the family is from Latham, and she grew up there. As a kid, we spent a lot of time at our condo on Lake George.

What was the inspiration behind your mural?

My main inspiration was the Adirondacks. I know there’s not necessarily a waterfall here like the one pictured, but I thought it was a nice tie to the mountains farther north. As for the fox, it’s just an animal I admire, and I love the contrast of its colors with the greens and blues. Originally, there was a 50 foot moose where the hot air balloons are, but I was told there’s no moose in the city. Apparently there are hot air balloons!

With these projects, it’s important to get feedback and make sure that it’s a collaborative effort to come up with the final artwork. These things shouldn’t just be about the artist, it’s about the community. It’s about making sure everyone feels involved, connected, and included. I would never want the art to be directed at only one audience. I prefer that it’s open to interpretation, and that everyone can somehow see themselves represented in it.

Mural in progress: just prior to adding the hot air balloons

Tell us about your process. What challenges did you face and what did you love about painting this mural?

The wall was in really bad shape. It was crumbling. Anytime I sprayed it, it would spray pieces of brick back at me. I put about 50 gallons of masonry sealant on it. The sealant helped to harden the surface and also helped to flatten it, which helps when painting it.

I always prep the walls for my murals myself, and I always end the project saying I should have hired someone else to prep it. But at the end of the day, it’s rewarding to know that I did it all myself — and saved myself some money, too.

Prepping the wall took about four days, and once that was done, I completed the painting in eight days. I’ve had a couple of people say that seems fast, but when you’re focused on one thing for 10 hours each day, you’d be surprised how much you can get done. And that applies in all of life!

Mural in progress: the first spots of color over the “doodle grid”

How has your experience in Glens Falls been? What was your favorite downtown spot to visit after you were done painting for the day? 

Glens Falls seems pretty hip! I can see it’s moving in a positive direction. It’s a nice mix of the new and old, but I can see it’s becoming a little bit more modern, more contemporary.

I really liked Raul’s. They were really sweet and generous, and I loved having one of their margaritas after a long day. Mean Max was another favorite. I truly liked every place I stepped into. They were all equally welcoming.

So many people have stopped to say hello, or to say how much fun it’s been to watch, or to say thank you. Everyone has been really gracious, and it’s so nice to hear that something I’m doing is creating a positive impact.

Jesse Melanson
JMEL Art & Design
Website / Instagram

The Weekender: September 2 - 4

Happy Labor Day weekend! There’s a hint of fall in the air, but we’re looking forward to soaking up another good old fashioned summer weekend. Here’s what looks good…

Sunflower Fest: Have you been to Dancing Grain yet? We shared a first look at the farm brewery here, and this weekend they’ll be showing off their sunflower field in addition to their craft brews! Admission is $5 and stems are $2 each - get the details here.

Bluegrass at The Park: The Po’ Ramblin’ Boys perform tomorrow (Friday) night at The Park Theater! If bluegrass is your thing, this Grammy nominated group formed in the Smoky Mountains is sure to please! Rumor has it they also have a 1965 GM Tour bus, which we think is pretty cool too. Details here!

Apple Picking: We know, we know. Seems early, right?! Lots of orchards are open or opening this weekend for u-pick - check out a list of our favorites here. Guess you’ll get a head start on that apple pie!

Corn Maze: Fort Ticonderoga’s Corn Maze is open (which is always a reminder that summer is winding down). They’ve got a larger, more challenging maze for adults as well as one for kiddos, and you’ll love the rest of what the Fort has to offer too (check out a recap of our visit here). Here are the details!

Have a great weekend!
Bri + Tom

First Look: Dancing Grain Farm Brewery

Have you been to Dancing Grain yet? Just over the bridge in Moreau, the farm brewery opened last weekend and we were one of the first in line. After a few moments enjoying a craft beer in one of their Adirondack chairs overlooking the farm, it was clear that this will be one of our new favorite spots. We caught up with owner Rachel McDermott to find out more about how Dancing Grain came to be, what they’ve got on tap, and more…

Tell us a bit about yourself and your background! 

I grew up on our family's farm in Schaghticoke, New York, and loved being around the tractors and trucks. My parents were divorced, and while my mom worked a more traditional job, my dad worked on his farm. I spent a lot of time there with my dad and my uncle. My sister would go to the babysitter and I always preferred to stay behind and hang out on the farm, and eventually, I started helping out as much as I could. It was just where I felt comfortable.

As I got older, I became more interested in music. I was a classically trained clarinetist. I went to music school my freshman year of college but soon discovered that it wasn’t going to be my life’s goal and transferred to Cornell’s College of Agriculture and Life Science to pursue a Finance degree (which, interestingly, wasn’t focused on agriculture).

Owner Rachel McDermott

After graduation, I started my career in Houston as an investment banker. I really liked the team there but Texas just wasn’t home for me. After five years, I transferred back to New York City. That was an exciting time for me, getting back to the Northeast.

At that point, I was about to turn 30, and I wasn’t sure what direction I was headed. I decided to go on this very cliché Eat Pray Love trip across Europe, and when I came back, I knew I needed to quit my job. I had no prospects of a new job at that point, and I didn’t know what I was going to do. So, I moved home to the farm, which turned out to be the preamble to Dancing Grain.

How did Dancing Grain come to be?

When I got back home to the farm, I had all of this investment banking experience that I was no longer using, so I started to look at what was going on in upstate New York to see how I could apply that experience here. I stumbled upon farm brewery laws and some of the benefits of being a producer. At that point, my dad had already invested in land, in tractors, in planting and harvesting equipment, and in storage capacity. We had this core competency, and these core assets, and I realized we just needed a new product. We needed to switch gears and tap a different market. That market turned out to be craft beer.

I’m not someone who has ever been a home brewer, and I’ve never been obsessed with beer. I was obsessed with the ingredients that make up beer because of my history with farming. That’s where Christian and Bert Weber, our partners and the founders of Common Roots, came in. They have a core competency that I don’t have, and their insights have been incredibly valuable. From advice on brewing, to so many other things that I never thought of, like a point of service system, and even which glasses to order! I’m so happy to have them on board.

What inspired the name? 

When you’re here in the spring through the early summer, before we harvest the grain in July, you can see the the malting barley and other specialty grains in the field below the brewery. When the wind blows, it almost looks like Mother Nature created a beautiful waltz. It looks like the grain is dancing, like it’s happy to be here. That was our inspiration.

Let’s talk about the beer!

Yes! So, this past week we had five beers on tap. We're trying to do a variety of beers, but to be honest, we'll probably focus on malt forward beers. I'm sure we'll always have some sort of an IPA or a pale ale on tap, but we are first and foremost grain farmers, so I want to highlight and showcase the grain as the headliner to the beer. You can have beer without hops, but you cannot have beer without barley.

All of our beer right now (with the exception of the Strictly Social IPA collaboration with Common Roots) is almost entirely made up of grain that’s grown from our farm, and we’re super proud of that. We're using as much as we can from our farm.

First, we have the Cream of the Crop, which is a cream ale. My brewer, Jamie, actually built that recipe for my uncle, who likes to drink beer, but doesn’t necessarily like to drink craft beer. That recipe uses our farm’s barley and our corn. It’s the kind of beer you want to drink when it’s 90 degrees out. We’ll likely always have that on tap.

Last week we released a stout, Stolen Fire, which uses fennel that we grew on the farm in addition to our 6-row malting barley.

We have the Foreign Friends, farmhouse style, which again, uses our grain along with a yeast strain from Belgium.

We also have the Picnic Basket, which is a kettle sour that uses our grain along with a local yogurt culture and blueberries from Winnie’s Blueberry Farm just up the road.

And finally, we have the Strictly Social IPA, our collaboration with Common Roots, which everyone is loving. It’s one of our biggest sellers. That uses all South American hops. It’s juicy, it’s fruity, it’s citrusy - it’s everything we hoped it would be as an IPA!

We also have drinks for non beer drinkers - we have a dry Riesling from Forge Cellars, a Rosé and a Red Blend from Bridge Lane which is a winery on Long Island, and then we've got Nine Pin Hard Cider. We have a non alcoholic seltzer that our brewer makes every week using herbs from our garden or something that I've foraged — this week is a sumac seltzer, which tastes almost like a pink lemonade. And finally we have the Nitro Coffee from Kru.

How has it been seeing all of this finally come to fruition?

We've had such positive feedback. I'm so thrilled by that. So many people have come in that live five or ten minutes away, and I’m so happy to be able to share this farm with them and with the community. I am also really happy to see that the whole idea of supporting local businesses is still alive. I just feel really grateful that I have the support of our neighbors. Because without that, we're nothing.

What's next for Dancing Grain? 

We're going to walk before we run, but as we continue on, there will be more opportunities for people to engage with the ingredients in the supply chain and to learn and understand how Dancing Grain makes our beer with the ingredients that we grow. I’d love for it to become more of an immersive space. We’d like to create walking paths through the grain, where you’ll be able to decipher the differences between malting barley and oats and wheat. I think that's an important part of the story that we're just beginning to tell.

We also hope to focus on additional products over time. I’d love to get into distillation, and we’d really love to get into milling and baking. Hopefully it will become a sort of center for local grain production.

Most immediately, we’re also planning to do events focused around each season. We’re excited to be opening our sunflower field this weekend! Admission is $5 and stems are $2 each. Hope to see some new faces here!

Dancing Grain Farm Brewery
Website / Instagram

The Dancing Grain Team

My Glens Falls: Kevin Hall

We caught up with Kevin Hall this week! You might recognize him as the owner of Hallwear here in Glens Falls. He shares a bit of his family history in the city (his relatives include a former Glens Falls Mayor and Chief of Police!), his go-to pizza places, and some sweet memories from his downtown wedding…

Tell us about yourself!

Hello, my name is Kevin Hall. I’m the owner and operator of Hallwear in Glens Falls. Hallwear is a company that specializes in custom decorated items for schools, businesses, organizations, and anyone else that wants something with a logo, design, name, or number on it! We also have a retail shop in our store that sells all kinds of items, but mostly local school spirit gear, hoodies, t-shirts, hats, and more. In addition to operating Hallwear, I coach Varsity Track & Field as well as 7th Grade Football at Glens Falls School District. I live in Glens Falls with my wife, Sarah, my four year old son, George, and my dog, Charlie. I’m a huge sports fan and both of my jobs allow me to embrace that passion in unique ways.

On Life In Glens Falls

Although I was born in Steamboat Springs, Colorado, my family moved back here when I was three months old, and I have lived here ever since. My family has deep roots in this area. Both myself and my wife's family have lived in Glens Falls and the surrounding region since at least the late 1800s. My great-grandfather George Culver was the Chief of Police in Glens Falls from 1936-1944 and my father Dan Hall was recently the Mayor of Glens Falls from 2018-2022.

After I graduated with a degree in marketing from Binghamton University in 2007, I decided to move back home and work for my father temporarily while I decided what to do with my life. Well, 15 years later I’m still working at the same company (but for myself instead of for my father) and I couldn’t be happier with my decision.

In 2016, my wife and I bought a house in Glens Falls in a great neighborhood near the high school. My family lives less than a mile away, my wife’s parents are a five minute walk and her three siblings (and their families) all live within about a mile and half of us. I truly believe that there is no better place in the country to raise children. When my son was diagnosed with leukemia in April of 2020, the support that he received by the members of this community blew me away. My son is very fortunate to grow up in an area full of caring and giving individuals.

A Perfect Glens Falls Day

A perfect Glens Falls day would be for me to sleep for the entire day! Joking aside, I would start with a full-on sit-down breakfast with eggs and meat that would make Ron Swanson proud from any of the numerous breakfast places in town (maybe throw in some pancakes or waffles if I’m feeling extra hungry).  After that I would accompany my son to one of the half dozen playgrounds he likes for some full contact playing, which would include a lot of swinging. Lunch would probably be pizza — I’m a huge pizza fan. Some of the places I frequent are Angelina’s, Talk of the Town, Mia Pizzeria, and Pizza Jerks. On Saturdays in the fall, I enjoy watching the Glens Falls varsity football team. There is a special kind of pride in seeing players I’ve coached as 7th graders grow into young adults and then take the field as varsity players. Dinner would have to be a nice medium rare steak either grilled by myself or anywhere downtown that we could walk to.  

On the Past

Growing up here I have a ton of memories, but my favorite memory is a recent one.  My wedding was an amazing Glens Falls day. Since my wife and I are both proud GF lifers, we wanted our special day to be in and around Glens Falls. We were married in a relatively short ceremony performed by the mayor at the time in front of the fountain in Crandall Park on a beautiful fall day.

After the ceremony, we had our reception at The Queensbury Hotel a few short weeks after they came under the new (and current) management. With all that goes into taking over a landmark hotel, the management and staff could have easily and understandably been overwhelmed and treated us as an afterthought but let me tell you, they did not. The entire crew at The Q took care of us and helped to make that day as special as it could possibly be. We danced through the night, ate great food, and drank probably a little more than we should have! We even ended our night downtown at The Bullpen with me in my tux and my wife in her wedding dress! I don’t think I would change anything about that perfect day.

On the Future

I have two ideas that I think, maybe selfishly, would improve Glens Falls. The first would be a BBQ joint that I don’t have to drive a while to get to and is open year-round. I’m a huge fan of BBQ and I think it would be different enough from the other restaurants downtown that it could thrive. I know year-round is not easy with our climate but a place like that would get my business at least weekly.

The second idea I stole from my wife. Our son was recently diagnosed with autism, and we would love a sensory play gym for him to run around in. Sensory gyms differ from other play places in that the equipment is specifically set up for kids that are neurodivergent, but other children would have just as much fun!

The Weekender: August 26 - 28

Happy weekend! The last of August! We’re seeing subtle signs of color in the trees, but as much as we love fall, we’re holding on tight to these summer weekends. Here are a few ideas to help you soak of one of the last of the season!

Breakfast in the Park: Two local favorites, Jenny Jo’s Smoothies and Simpatico, are teaming up for Breakfast in the Park on Friday morning from 7:30-11:30am! Grab your favorite sweet treats from Simpatico to enjoy while you sip your smoothie from Jenny Jo’s in City Park downtown. And if you want to be everyone’s favorite coworker, they’ll have office box specials that you can bring to work as well! Details here.

Outdoor Cinema: What’s better than a Friday night movie in City Park? This week they’re showing Encanto at dusk. Bring the kiddos and a picnic blanket - and snacks, of course! Details here!

Pick Your Own Sunflowers: Will brake for sunflower fields, always! Weeks Family Farm in Queensbury is offering u-pick sunflowers on Saturdays and Sundays from 10am-3pm - $1 per stem! Grab the scoop here.

Teacher Appreciation Weekend: The Book Cabin in Lake George will be hosting a teacher appreciation weekend this weekend, offering 15% off for teachers and the opportunity to win a $550 classroom library grant made possible by James Patterson! Teachers must bring their school identification to participate. Grab their details here.

Have a great weekend!
Bri + Tom

My Glens Falls: Tess Bannon

We caught up with Tess Bannon this week! She explores her family’s deep roots in Glens Falls, shares her journey of building a tiny house in Queensbury, and gives an update on the latest with her jewelry business, Buffalo Bannon Designs…

Tell us about yourself!

Hello! My name is Tess Bannon and I am an adventurer, yogi, and the spiritual craftswoman behind Buffalo Bannon Designs. I fabricate sterling silver natural stone jewelry and offer custom designs. I studied fashion merchandising and jewelry design at Buffalo State College. Lately, I’ve been fascinated with the study of human design and stone medicine. My intention is to fuse these practices into my custom design formula, bringing new meaning to the concept of healing jewelry. 

I recently started working at Saratoga Farmstead B&B, which is a green certified farm-to-table bed and breakfast with a wellness focus. The energy there is so captivating. It's newly owned by my friend and Licensed Massage Therapist, Allison Menter. Together with the cook and gardener, Flo, we work harmoniously and nicknamed ourselves the farm fairies. This year we are laying down the groundwork, but we have an abundance of ideas such as yoga classes, wellness workshops and curated retreats that we hope to weave into the future of Saratoga Farmstead.

In the Glens Falls area, I am best known at MinkyMink boutique which is owned by my sister, Maura Forcier. Mo has always been my role model, and growing up we dreamed of opening a store together. Minky feels like the embodiment of that dream because I sell my jewelry there as well as having worked there for five years. I helped Minky develop their brand, created internal online systems and escalated their social media presence. The NYC buying trips were a huge highlight, but organizing themed photoshoots and modeling was my absolute favorite. I love collaborating with photographers like Court L Photo and small businesses like Epithet Floral to create epic displays of beauty and fashion. Working with influential, motivated and creative women is incredibly empowering and something that I will never stop exploring. I am so grateful for the network of entrepreneurial women in this area, especially my sister. She has taught me so much about the fashion industry as well as introducing me to the Glens Falls community. We have a very supportive relationship and after five glorious years of working side by side, our professional life has evolved into a collaborative partnership.

I am embarking on a new adventure with my jewelry business that my 19 year old self would be very proud of. As for the backstory, the short of it is that it came to me during a Phish show 11 years ago and I've been dreaming about it ever since. Last year, I bought a DubBox trailer and custom designed the interior to be both a jewelry studio and a retail boutique. I like to call it my "studiotique.”

On Glens Falls Roots

We have some deep family roots in the Glens Falls area. My father's side of the family migrated from Canada and North Creek down to Glens Falls. My great grandfather John built a house on Dix Avenue that still exists today. He and his wife Alida both worked at The Shirt Factory.

My grandfather Charlie was an anesthesiologist and started a business called Warren Anesthesia. He brought the concept of a recovery room to the Glens Falls Hospital where patients would heal post surgery. My grandma Eliene sold antiques at the Glenwood Manor in Queensbury.

My father David and his four sisters attended St. Mary's and Queensbury schools. My father met my mother Arcangela at a dinner party in Buffalo, NY. They discovered that they worked at the same hospital and lived close by. They got married in Glens Falls at St. Mary's Church and moved back to the area to grow their family. My father always dreamed of owning a farm and after many years of hard work, they built one.

I grew up on this family farm with my two very inspiring older siblings, Colin and Maura. My parents are retired medical professionals but I wholeheartedly thought my dad was a farmer until first grade. My early life consisted of horseback riding, mucking stalls, feeding chickens, and playing with goats. I adored growing up this way. It helped me develop a strong work ethic and refined my love for nature and adventure.

I also favored jewelry and I was fortunate to learn how to make it during metalsmithing class at Lake George High School. Art class brought me so much joy. I studied studio art, photography and graphic design. At the end of the school year I submitted my work to the juried high school art show at the Hyde Museum. They accepted the first piece of jewelry that I made, a brooch inspired by my family heritage. When I saw it displayed behind glass for the first time, I thought, "maybe I am good at this.”

On Life In and Around Glens Falls

I live in a tiny house in Queensbury. I remodeled it with resources from the property and upcycled materials, going as green as possible. The structure is 400 sq/ft. It has an open concept with an eat-in kitchen, bedroom / living room, bathroom, closet, meditation nook, and storage loft. Next year, I'd like to build a front porch. I'm super excited to downsize, declutter and simplify my life. I am someone who collects lots of little treasures, but letting go is a practice I've cultivated over the years.

What I love most about renovating this tiny house is the journey of it all. I thrive in an environment of my own creation and knowing exactly how much time, effort and love that went into every aspect gives me a whole new level of appreciation. I am so grateful to everyone who helped me build such a magical mini sanctuary.

Some Glens Falls Favorites

One of my favorite things about Glens Falls is the flourishing art community. I feel like there are so many creative nooks and crannies all over GF. There's the Hyde Museum for art admirers, The Shirt Factory for handmade treasures, LARAC for crafty finds, The Park Theater for musical grooves, the Adirondack Film Festival for movie lovers, GEM Fest for entertainment enthusiasts, and fabulous murals sprinkled in between. Side note: I cannot wait to see the building Hannah Williams is painting! There is a beautiful flow of art, small business, nature, and industry in this city with a different artistic flair for everyone to enjoy. The love and support for small businesses here is unmatched. I thoroughly enjoy witnessing new and existing businesses thrive. It's a joy to be a part of it all. There are so many gems, but a few of my favs (besides Minky) are Juicin’ Jar, Fountain Square Outfitters, Alif Cafe, Rockhill and Laura’s Vintage.

A Perfect Glens Falls Day

One version of my perfect day spent in Glens Falls starts with a glass of lemon water and a morning yoga flow at Grounded on Glen. After movement and meditation, I grab my backpack on my walk over to Kru Coffee for a dirty chai latte with oat milk. Then I make my way to the park to find a nice tree to sit under. I spend about an hour journaling my thoughts and doodling some jewelry ideas. I have plans to meet Maura and Morgan at Farmacy for Drag Brunch, so I head over to Morg's picturesque downtown apartment and hang out until it's time to go. We have fun getting ready for the afternoon while Maura snags our table. We walk downstairs to meet her and in true big sister fashion, she already has mimosas waiting for us. Thanks Mo! It's show time and the menu's fixed so delicious small plates are being delivered while we focus our attention on the wonderful performers strutting down the center aisle. The crowd is wild, the vibe is high and the ladies are sassy! We're smiling, cheering and lovingly blushed with bubbles. After the show, we stop into MinkyMink for our obligatory visit and tell the girls all about the experience we just had. After stories, laughs and browsing of course, we drop our photos into the shared album, hug, then go our separate ways. I head home to my cozy cabin and relax for the evening. It was a fabulous day.

On the Past

2020 was a strange year in so many ways but also transformative with some fun moments. In February of that year I moved into my first GF apartment with my roommate Frankie and her two cats, Honey and Winnie. We had a month of new roomie shenanigans before quarantine started. Having limitations on places you could go and the people you could see gave me the time and space to turn inward and start asking myself serious life questions about the things I value most. I started different kinds of self care, dropped a few habits, began a daily yoga and meditation practice, experimented with a new business strategy and educated myself on the complete chaos happening throughout the world. Once summer hit, Frankie and I would bike or roller skate around our neighborhood and to the park. We hung out on our back porch, ordered take-out from local restaurants, laughed on the roof, celebrated the “rainbow hour” and cozied up with the kitties watching movies from our third floor living room. During a fearful and uncertain time, our home in Glens Falls was the safe haven we didn't know we needed. 

On the Future

I worked across the street from a food co-op in Buffalo that was beyond spectacular. You could buy breakfast, lunch and dinner there and sometimes I did. They provide local organic produce, freshly prepared foods, hot soups, a make-your-own salad bar, an array of bulk products, sustainable items and eco-conscious groceries. It's a health nut's absolute fantasy and something I think Glens Falls would also fall in love with.

The Weekender: August 19 - 21

Happy weekend! Looks like another hot one! Hopefully we can ingrain these temperatures into our memory to give us warmth when it’s below zero in February. Here are a few ideas to help you get out there and do just that…

Dancing Grain Farm Brewery: We are so excited to check out Dancing Grain, a new farm brewery in Moreau! They open tomorrow (Friday), and if craft beer, barns, Adirondack chairs, and serene farm views are your thing, then this is your place! Details here.

Farm to Table Dinner: This Saturday night, our friends at Lakota’s Farm in Cambridge are hosting a family friendly farm to table dinner and bonus, along with lawn games, music, a bonfire, and a movie! Did we mention a beautiful view of the farm, too? Details and tickets here.

Second Chance Barn: If you love a good vintage find like we do, you’ll be glad to know that Second Chance Barn in Granville has re-opened this summer! They usually post photos of the barn on their Facebook page on Fridays so you can see what’s up for grabs. If you’re headed out that way, check out some of our other Granville favorites here. It just so happens that Hicks is on the way, so you might as well grab a cider donut or two while you’re out that way, right?!

Sunset Limited: All aboard for a glass of wine! A train ride through the Southern Adirondacks in an open air car with live music, wine from Ledge Rock Hill Winery, and charcuterie plates. A pretty sweet date night pick, if we do say so ourselves! Grab the details and tickets from the Saratoga, Corinth, and Hudson Railroad here.

Have a great weekend!
Bri + Tom

Road Trip: Schenectady, NY

Have you taken a ride to Schenectady lately? There’s great energy happening in the city, especially in the summer! The patios come alive downtown, the window boxes in the Stockade District overflow with flowers, and the summer breeze flows through the open doors and windows of shops and galleries. Here are some favorites from our recent trip, if you’re headed that way!

EAT + DRINK

Arthur’s Market: A must! Recently restored (the building dates back to the 1700s!), Arthur’s was reopened under new ownership last year, and we were so thrilled to finally pay them a visit! We loved the nods to the building’s history throughout, from the exposed brick to the antique counter, as well as a display of old photos of the Market’s evolution through the years.

And the food! We ordered breakfast sandwiches on house-made english muffins along with a ham and asparagus quiche, and we were only a few bites in when we started planning our next trip back. Delicious! Don’t leave without grabbing a few of their cookies for the road - it was tough to pick a winner between the molasses and chocolate chip!

Great Flats Brewing: An awesome atmosphere with garage doors that open to the street, super friendly people, and fantastic beer (two thumbs up from Tom on their IPA!). Can’t wait to head back soon to beat Tom in ping pong :)

Malcolm’s: Run, do not walk, to Malcolm’s! While we couldn’t squeeze it into this trip, we’re still talking about our meal there from a previous visit! With a charming interior and friendly atmosphere, this is a top date night pick for sure. Don’t miss the Elote - grilled corn with roasted garlic aioli and pecorino cheese - so, so good. Their menu is fantastic and always changing, so we’re looking forward to trying something new on our next trip. Especially since we just saw they serve brunch as well!

Druthers Brewing Company: For a casual spot overlooking the recently constructed Mohawk Harbor, Druthers is always a win. Their outdoor beer garden is surrounded by hydrangeas and the sights and sounds of boat traffic coming and going on the river below. Their menu is full of classic comfort food, and we enjoyed a couple of their staples: a fried chicken sandwich and wood-fired pizza.

SEE, DO + SHOP

Van Gogh Experience: Art lovers, you won’t want to miss this one! We’ve been hearing rave reviews of the Van Gogh Experience in other spots around the country, so we were thrilled to hear that it had made it’s way to Schenectady this summer and fall. If you’re not familiar, the best way to describe the experience is like stepping into a painting. First, you’ll get to know a little bit about Van Gogh and his work in a more traditional museum exhibit. Next, you’ll step into the immersive experience, which includes two story projections of his work that make you feel like you’re in the painting. And finally, you’ll have a VR experience that will allow you to walk through some of his most famous works. Truly an awesome experience! It only runs through September, so grab your tickets!

Stockade Historic District: The gem of the city, the Stockade Historic District is a favorite of ours and reminds us just a bit of strolls through Charleston or Savannah. The beautiful architecture, the perfectly planted window boxes, the uneven brick walkways, and the streets lined with American flags had us charmed. We loved taking a peek at the plaques on the homes as we walked through, with some homes dating back to the 1700’s. Fun fact: it’s said to have the highest concentration of historic period homes in the country!

Bluebird Home + Gift: Perfectly styled and curated, I knew we were going to be here a while the second we walked in. Bluebird is stocked with the most gorgeous home goods as well as an amazing selection of vintage - including vintage Persian rugs! Yes, please! .

Upstate Kayak Rentals: Did you know there’s a harbor in Schenectady?! Newly constructed as part of a 60 acre master planned community along one mile of the waterfront, it’s the perfect spot for boaters to hop off the Mohawk River to grab a bite to eat and enjoy what Schenectady has to offer. Turns out it’s also the perfect spot to launch a kayak! While we didn’t have time this trip, I always love the option to leave city sidewalks behind and get out on the water. The best of both worlds!

STAY

The Landing Hotel: If you’re looking to extend your trip, this is the place! New in 2017, The Landing is a boutique hotel with views of the river, and it’s located within a short distance of everything the city has to offer.

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Until next time, Schenectady! If you’ve got any other favorites we should add to our list for next trip, we’d love to hear!

P.S. Check out more in our Road Trip series here.

This trip was in partnership with our friends at Discover Schenectady. We were so thrilled at the opportunity to share this charming city with you!

My Glens Falls: Melanie Weber

We chatted with Melanie Weber this week! You might recognize her as co-owner of the adorable new kids store downtown - (g)row. She shares her recipe for a perfect Glens Falls day, the next business she’s dreaming up, and more…

Tell us about yourself!

Hi, I'm Melanie! I live in Glens Falls with my husband Christian, 16 month old son Oliver, and our dog Cooper. 

I have two jobs right here in Glens Falls, I am the Co-Owner of (g)row- the new kids store on Exchange Street and I also work with the team at Fronhofer Design, an engineering firm that specializes in designing and manufacturing craft beverage equipment. Although these roles are very different, I feel fortunate to be in two awesome industries right here in our little city. 

When I'm not working I am usually out adventuring with Christian and Oliver. We love hiking, spending time on the lake, walking through the neighborhoods, or grabbing a bite to eat downtown. 

On Life In and Around Glens Falls

I grew up in Salem, so not far from Glens Falls.  After living in Washington DC, Brooklyn, and Boston over the course of 10 years, I eventually made my way back upstate and settled in Glens Falls. It really had everything I was looking for; close to family, big city conveniences with small town charm, and walkability. 

I don't know many other places where you can walk 10 minutes in one direction and be at the shops, restaurants and bars, and then walk 10 minutes in the other direction and be in the woods on lit cross country ski trails. Glens Falls really does have it all! 

I have now lived here for 4 years and I can't imagine leaving anytime soon. I have fallen in love with this community and all that it has to offer. 

My husband and I own a Colonial home right near Crandall Park that was built in 1900. Although it still has a ton of original charm, the previous owners did an incredible job renovating it. Before we moved into this house we practically gutted our old home on Crandall Street ourselves with the help of family and friends, so moving into a home without a lot of projects has been a treat. 

We love our neighborhood and definitely take advantage of how close we are to Crandall Park. We are always headed there for a walk, the playground, the splash pad, or a round of disc golf. 

Some Glens Falls Favorites

I know I keep bringing this up but truly, my favorite thing about Glens Falls is the walkability. I love that we can walk to the park, multiple trail systems, restaurants, bars, and even the grocery store. I love not having to get in my car and I have met so many people by just being out walking. 

As for hidden gems, The Hyde Collection and the Children's World Awareness Museum top the list for me. Both are places that I need to visit more often and think they get overlooked when it comes to what our city has to offer. 

A Perfect Glens Falls Day

This is a tough one and totally depends on the day of the week, so here is my ideal Sunday. It would start with taking our dog, Cooper, for a walk to Crandall Park and of course we’d have to stop at the swings and ducks for Oliver. We would then grab a coffee and breakfast sandwich at KRU and walk along the Feeder Canal towpath. 

After that we would head to story time at (g)row, and then on a perfect Sunday my entire family would take a nap at the same time (I can dream, right?!).  

For the evening we would get a babysitter and head somewhere serving Common Roots for a beer and dinner. 

The ideal night would, of course, end with ice cream at one of our awesome soft ice cream spots! 

On the Past

When I was little we went to see Sesame Street Live at the then Civic Center. To me it felt like we were in the big city! We are so fortunate to have a venue like the Cool Insuring Arena in our downtown, and I would love to see more shows and concerts filling that space. 

On the Future

Dreaming up new businesses is one of my favorite activities! If I had to choose just one thing I think we could really benefit from, it would be a general store downtown; a place that sells basic hardware store supplies, a refrigerator stocked with local meat, cheese and produce, and maybe even fresh flowers.  Something that you can walk to downtown to meet all of your basic needs. If anyone reading this is feeling inspired to run with it, come find me — I have already been brainstorming names! 

The Weekender: August 5 - 7

Happy weekend! We’re going to pretend we didn’t see the Halloween candy out at the grocery store this week and just go about our summer business. Here are a few ideas to help you do just that!

Smoothie Date: Did you catch our story on Jenny Jo’s Smoothie Bar this week (click here if not!)? If you haven’t tried one of her smoothies, she’s popping up at City Park tomorrow from 8a-noon, and she’ll be at the Farmers Market on Saturday morning, too! Details here.

Hyde Community Day: The Hyde Community Day is back this year. Pop in on Sunday from 10am - 4pm for activities, live music, food from Tres Mijas, and ice cream from Stewarts. Details here.

Dinner at Dancing Ewe: Have you been out to a dinner at Dancing Ewe Farm yet? It’s on our summer to-do list for sure, and we just saw that there are a few tickets still available for tomorrow night’s dinner. Wine tasting, a farm-to-table meal and a beautiful view - sign us up! Grab tickets for Friday’s dinner (or any date for the rest of the summer!) here.

King’s Garden at Fort Ticonderoga: When’s the last time you’ve been to Fort Ticonderoga? We were there a few years ago and loved the history of course, but one of our favorite parts was a picnic in the King’s Garden (check out this post we did a few years ago for photos!). Looks like there’s an event there on Saturday evening, so a Sunday picnic might be your best bet! If you’re headed up that way and feeling extra ambitious, here is one of our favorite hikes on Lake George.

Have a great weekend!
Bri + Tom

First Look: Jenny Jo's Smoothie Bar

There’s a new smoothie bar in town, and it didn’t take long for it to become a fan favorite around here! Jenny Jo’s has been popping up around Glens Falls this summer and drawing a crowd in each location. We chatted with owner Haley Gerarde to find out a bit more about how Jenny Jo’s came to be, what inspired the name, and where to find her next!

First, tell us a bit about yourself!

My name is Haley Gerarde. I am a daughter, sister, wife, mom, Lake George enthusiast, and now, business owner. Growing up in and around Lake George, I grew to love it, so I put most of my volunteer efforts into the Lake George Land Conservancy, which protects the land that protects the lake. In my free time, hiking their preserves is my go-to (The Pinnacle is a favorite, and Amy’s Park is a hidden gem).

Through high school and college, I felt like I wanted to be a business owner of some sort, or at least a manager. My dad and Michael Murray, of Adirondack Trust Company (who often came as a guest speaker to our high school business classes), will say that owning a food truck of some sort was one of my life goals.

How did Jenny Jo’s come about?

The pop-up camper that Jenny Jo’s does business out of was previously known as The Smoothie Shoppe. From the time our daughter JoJo was born, we had been drinking (and loving) their smoothies, and I had been following along on their personal journey as well.

Flash forward a few years, and the couple that owned The Smoothie Shoppe decided they were going to sell the camper that they had gutted and re-purposed into a smoothie truck. I messaged them for more info, mentioned it to my husband, but didn’t think of it as a real possibility (with two littles, it’s sometimes hard to think of what you would want, it’s more about what would work with them. Or at least for me this was the case). My husband encouraged me to just go for it. It was as if the mantras I had lived by until that point were coming out of his mouth to encourage me. So, we bought it. Using their old signage and name briefly, it felt a little like I was working for them, not creating my own story. We just went through with a re-brand and it officially feels like mine, and man does that feel good!

What inspired the name?

It’s been a few years since that dream of owning a food truck while I was in high school, and since then I have been blessed with two healthy & beautiful daughters, Genevieve (“Jenny”) and Josephine (“Jo”). They are my motivation to follow my dreams — to have the confidence to give it a shot, and the humility to admit when I make a mistake with it. I think that growing up watching parents who work hard is important, but parents who are happy doing what they do leaves an even bigger impression. After all, it is what I want most for them - to live a happy life. I think the best way to foster that is to live one myself, and let me tell ya, this gig is fun.

From watching the pride in JoJo’s face the first day I backed the trailer in, to working alongside my husband (and having him become a better blender than I am), to having Jo on the truck for a full shift with me serving up each smoothie that was ordered, to watching her bop around the Glens Falls Farmers Market with her “tokens” we’ve earned for her to go spend on fresh honey, fresh produce, or fresh flowers…it has all just been so rewarding.

So, long story short, it’s named after them — our “why”.

Tell us about your offerings!

Every smoothie that we offer is a perfect blend of nutritious and delicious. Truly. Our smoothies have no added sugars, are dairy and gluten free, contain no ice or water (what flavor suckers!) and each one includes its own “superfood” to offer consumers some added health benefits, such as goji berries, chia seeds, or fresh ginger. We also try to use produce from local vendors when we can. Right now we are getting our spinach from other vendors at each of our markets on the weekends.

There is a smoothie (or shake) for everyone. The difference between the two is that our smoothies have a 100% fruit juice base, and our shakes have an almond milk base. For the plain old strawberry banana folks, our “Righteous Red” is a spin on that traditional flavor, with goji berries and a bit of peach added to it. If you are more of a peanut butter lover, you’d enjoy our “Muscle Monkey” or “Mochaspresso”.

Are there any customer favorites on your menu? What’s your favorite?

This is a tricky question! Last month we did a “Rhuby Red” special, which included honey from Pleasant Valley Apiary, and rhubarb from either Butternut Ridge Farm or Fresh Take Farm depending on the week, and that was a huge hit. It’s always so much fun watching customers try a new flavor.

It is always hard helping people make a choice on what to get, because our “Purple Power” (like a mixed berry) and “Righteous Red” are our most popular smoothies, but our “Rhymes with Orange” is my personal favorite. If you are a coffee lover, our “Mochaspresso” is for you, but our “Muscle Monkey” is my husbands favorite, and “The Buddha” is definitely underrated! Now you understand how I’m not helpful in the least with choosing what to order!

How do you come up with the recipes?

A lot of the time a new recipe idea is sparked when I am craving something particular, or a customer wants something particular that ends up inspiring me. For the specials, I try to highlight a new vendors product each time.

What are some of the most rewarding aspects of being a small business owner? And the challenges?

The most rewarding is definitely the feeling of “I did that” (and hearing the little one “mommy you did it!”). As for the challenges, I am not particularly handy, and you kind of need to be for a gig like this, so it has been challenging to learn that aspect of things, but also a blessing because it gets my dad over to our house more.

What’s next for Jenny Jo’s?

Next up is a ribbon cutting (August 10th with the Adirondack Regional Chamber of Commerce), employee appreciation days (give us a call if you want to treat your employees to a little something special before summer comes to an end!) and navigating winter as a mobile food truck without walls (and with freezers…bbrrrrr). Stay tuned via our Instagram or Facebook pages to be the first to know how you can still snag a smoothie through the winter.

Where can people find you?

So many options! Each week we pop up at the Shirt Factory for their Food Truck Corral on Thursday nights from 4:30 until 8pm. On Fridays we pop up on Maple Street outside of City Park from 8am until noon, and on Saturdays we are on South Street for the Glens Falls Farmers Market from 8am-noon. On Sundays we travel down to Saratoga for the Spa City Farmers Market which takes place outside of the Lincoln Baths from 10am until 2pm.

The Weekender: July 29 - 31

Happy weekend! On our agenda: the farmers market, a dip in the pool, and a walk downtown for dinner. What are you up to? Here are a few ideas…

Concert in the Park: It’s the last Friday in July (how?!) which means it’s the last night for The Park Theater’s Summer Concert Series at the Crandall Park Bandshell. Chestnut Grove (a five piece rock-n-roll band from Philadelphia) is playing on Friday from 7:00-8:30pm and bonus, concessions are available from Doc's Restaurant in the form of small plates on site! Details here.

Beers and Blooms (and Brunch!): Common Roots is hosting a pop-up flower shop with Blooming Acres Farm this Sunday - enjoy brunch and beers and shop for some blooms while you’re at it - yes, please! Starts at noon. Details here.

Pups and Pints: Fellow dog people, this one’s for you. Slickfin Brewing Company in Fort Edward is hosting Pups and Pints on Sunday from 12-2pm. Enjoy a craft brew and maybe think about adopting a dog from Lucky Puppy Rescue while you’re at it? A portion of beer sales from the afternoon will benefit the Rescue too, ya know, just in case you’ve already reached your dog quota ;) Details here.

Summer at West Mountain: Winter at West Mountain is a given, but have you been in the summer? They’ve got hiking, chair lift rides, mountain top picnic packages, and activities for the kiddos - check out the details and our mini guide to summer at West here!

Have a great weekend!
Bri + Tom

On The Farm: Greenfield's Forever

We headed south to Greenfield this month to chat with Tabor Ellsworth of Greenfield’s Forever about their delicious pickles (and raspberries, and blueberries…), as well as their pickling process - from cucumber to jar!

On Starting a Farm

I started our farm in 2009. At the time, I was looking for a new career. I attended a farm conference that year and decided to give it a try.

Our farm and house was established in 1792. After the American revolution, they were giving out 1,000 acre tracts of land to settle the upper Hudson Valley. The Kronkhite family got one of the tracts and moved here from Dutchess County. My great grandparents were immigrants and purchased what was remaining of the original farm in 1908 and operated as a dairy farm. They stopped farming in the 1960’s.

Tabor Ellsworth at Greenfield’s Forever | Photo: Bri Lyons

The Offerings

I currently have six acres under cultivation. I grow blueberries, raspberries, apples, pears and plums for fruit. Our vegetable offerings include asparagus and cucumbers.

We offer u-pick for our fruit and also sell the fruit from our farm stand. The asparagus is sold at the farm stand as well, and we use our cucumbers to make pickles.

On Food Processing

We have a value added products business which has been part of our farm business from the start. We make pickles, which is our biggest item by far. Americans eat 9 lbs of pickles per year per capita! We also make pickled beans, pickled beets, pickled carrots, pickled red onions, pickled asparagus, pickled peppers, pickled garlic and fruit jam. We have grown our business to include several brands, which include Farmer T’s and Food Union Family Farms.

We started out by renting space seasonally from a friend who has a commercial kitchen. In 2016, we constructed a processing facility on our farm and now do all of our processing here.

At first, we grew everything for our value added business. Now that we’ve expanded, we purchase the vast majority of the product that we don’t grow directly from other local New York State Farms.

The Process

Our all natural pickles are made from fresh cucumbers packaged directly into the jars within days of harvesting. We have unique recipes and a different brine for each flavor to compliment the herbs and spices used for that flavor. We make garlic dill, amish sweet dill, bread & butter, over the top garlic and hot pickles.

On Distributing Product

We have a few products sold to regional distributors within the northeastern United States. Most of our business is local, from Warrensburg to Kingston. We have approximately 15 outlets that sell our product within 8 miles of our farm.

On Farm Life

I like working for myself, though farming is difficult. I have worked in the food business and manufacturing for 37 years. By far, the most successful farmers are the best businesspeople. Most other businesses can simply order in whatever they need and then resell it to generate revenue. Farmers have to grow, raise or produce everything that they sell and deal with all of the challenges of that, many which are beyond their control - like weather and disease. Then we process, package and ultimately sell the product.

On The Future

If I was younger when I started, I would have a more diverse farm business. I hope to attract other farmers to collaborate with and have their own business on our farm.

Instead of me managing all aspects, I’d love to have independent businesspeople running their operation. We want to continue to grow our food products business and we have a business plan in place forecasting just that.

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Special thanks to Taste NY for making this series possible!

Taste NY at the Adirondacks Welcome Center offers nine state-of-the-art vending machines featuring food, beverages, and gifts from the Adirondack Region and across New York State. Find locally roasted coffee, cold beverages, chips, nuts, snacks, baked goods, milk, yogurt, cheese, ice cream, maple, honey, chocolate, candy, and artisan gifts.

Taste NY at the Adirondacks Welcome Center is operated by the Lake George Regional Chamber of Commerce.

Thanks for supporting the organizations that support Glens Falls Living!