It has been a strange, snowless winter so far in the Capital District but this didn't stop the Grafton Lakes State Park and the Friends of Grafton from organizing their 27th annual Winter Festival last Saturday. A merciful deity delivered a few inches of snow that very morning but the bitter cold and unknown road conditions discouraged many from attending. Once again, kudos to the small dozen of adventurous people who jumped in the Long Pond, you guys made me ... Continue Reading

'Tis the Night after Christmas, hair flying, flames erupting, power-chords screaming, the Trans-Siberian Orchestra must be back in town. I'm not a progressive-rock fan but I'm a sucker for a good light show. When my friend R. mentioned she had two seats in a suite at the TU Center, I seized the opportunity to witness the visual debauchery that is TSO. Two hours and fifteen minutes later, I had filled my camera with 200 frames and heard the word “Christmas” ... Continue Reading

Joyeux Noël et Bonne année! I enjoyed my trip to France last winter but I'm staying in the U.S. of A for the holidays this year, comforted by a sizable amount of imports from French Feast. When I visited my mother last December, she showed me a large collection of French vintage postcards she had come into possession. If you are familiar with my interest in old buildings, you won't be surprised that I decided to preserve these memories of ... Continue Reading

Today marked the 29th annual Troy Victorian Stroll downtown Troy, NY. Since I took photographs of the Saratoga Victorian Streetwalk in 2010 and I had not been to the Victorian Stroll since 2006, it seemed only fair I give a little love to the Collar City on this beautiful day. The historic streets of Troy were packed once again for this annual holiday tradition and I have no doubt you will find hundreds of photos online come tomorrow, featuring bedazzled ... Continue Reading

I'm not a religious person but I wouldn't mind ending my days in a grave. Granted, I do hope to live forever once robot bodies are made affordable by 2027, but should I suffer a more tragic fate a modest, permanent home underground would do fine. Friends or family would appreciate a little nonsectarian walk, place a flower or two (hint: daffodils), and shake their heads at my epitaph: “Beneath this stone my husband doth lie. Now he's at rest ... Continue Reading

My first souvenir of an Indian summer dates back to the fall of 2001, when I moved to the United States. The phenomenon, made popular in my country by American singer and hair model Joe Dassin in the 70's, sounded quite different from the dreary debacle gracing France in late October. Joe and his tight pants were right, the fall foliage bursting into vivid yellows, oranges, and reds melted my jaded eyeballs, a unique experience the scientific community ranks close ... Continue Reading

The Capital District is full of small hidden gems and one of them, Five Rivers, is shining bright during the autumn season. A few minutes west of Albany, DEC's Environmental Education Center is a living museum comprising over 450 acres of broad fields, towering forests, and tranquil wetlands. With over 10 miles of trails for self-guided exploration, Five Rivers fosters “discovery, spiritual refreshment and physical fitness through wholesome outdoor recreation”. Fear not, if you enjoy your refreshment in a more ... Continue Reading

Another Halloween, another Zombie Walk. A very well-behaved horde walked down Central Av. from The Linda to the corner of Robin St. to get the Zombie Film Feast 4 going. Also on the agenda this year, the Brain Eating contest, the Zombie carnival, the Senior Prom, and the Capitol Pride Singers proudly presenting a selection of their favorite undead songs. Was it the many undead holding their cell-phones in the air to record the walk, was it the very proximity ... Continue Reading

Two years ago I witnessed a beautiful phenomenon in Washington Park. It was around 11pm when I came back home from a quick walk in my neighborhood. The weather was clear and humid that night. Two hours later I left the house to grab a last minute item at the bodega on the corner of Lark Street. The temperature had mysteriously dropped about 10 degrees and a dense fog had taken over Center Square. The street lights all around me ... Continue Reading

What better way to spend a gorgeous October weekend than strolling a 500-acre landscape of fields, hills, and woodlands filled with more than 100 carefully sited sculptures. This large collection, created by acclaimed international artists, is what the Storm King Art Center has been offering for 50 years in the lower Hudson Valley. Should our benevolent Flying Spaghetti Monster grace us with another 80°F weekend I invite you to check this beautiful open air museum Wednesday to Sunday until November ... Continue Reading

Check the monthly archives section in the sidebar to the right for more posts, or everything in 2012, 2011, or 2010.