It is Saturday night and I'm 160 feet below the surface, trying not to lose sight of my girlfriend's makeshift lantern as we make our way back through the Winding Way. The three-foot wide series of curves and corners — formed by the retreating glaciers through limestone — is the last section of The Lantern Tour, a one hour and a half underground getaway at the popular Howe Caverns in Schoharie County, New York. If you grew up in the ... Continue Reading

A few weeks ago, James, Helena, Bennett, and myself headed out north of Poughkeepsie to visit the abandoned Hudson River State Hospital, a former psychiatric hospital designed by Frederick Clarke Withers in 1867. The facility, overlooking the Hudson River, was closed down in 2001 and since then has fallen into a state of disrepair. This site is one of the largest I had ever set foot in. We decided to stay away from its most hazardous corners and explored a ... Continue Reading

A few days ago James, Bennett, and myself took the long ride back to Sullivan County to visit the Dundas Castle. Perched on a small hill overlooking the Beaverkill, this abandoned manor is a fine example of Neo-Gothic architecture, a movement that appeared in the late nineteenth century in North America. To our surprise, we bumped into many passersby walking the castle's corridors that afternoon. Its three turrets visible from the road and good structural integrity have made this mountain ... Continue Reading

Owned by the Nature Conservancy since 1970, Christman Sanctuary is a beautiful site that offers an easy hike through a plantation of cedars, spruces, and pines. A highlight of these 97 acres located off the beaten path near Duanesburg, NY is the Bozenkill, with its 30-foot waterfall and numerous smaller cataracts. This preserve is a sight to behold in winter and should you be agile enough, you might even get a chance to venture behind its frozen walls. I explored the ... Continue Reading

When I started this photo-blog back in 2010 I had a few things in mind I wanted to share. My interest in photography has been the drive behind my posts but I had mentioned early on my plan to shine a light on the work of like-minded local photographers and their vision of the Capital District. I had not made good on that promise... until now. I'd like to introduce this series of conversations with the work of local photographer ... Continue Reading

Like many in the Capital District, I often rely on the good folks at All Over Albany to keep myself busy during the weekend. They uncover places that can be enjoyed in small, one hour bite-size diversions but also feature more involved road trips to the farthest reaches of the 518. Looking for some fresh air a few Saturdays ago, we decided to put one such trip to the test. Posted in 2010, the aptly titled “12 hours in Columbia ... 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

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

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

In late 2011 Albany Barn Inc. will begin transforming the abandoned St. Joseph's Academy building located in the heart of Albany's Arbor Hill Neighborhood into a 40,000+ square foot creative arts incubator and community art space. Two months ago I was contacted by Craig Shufelt on behalf of a new gallery, “Stage 1”, located near the Academy. Craig, with the support of Albany Barn, was looking for new artists with an urban feel to showcase their work. I had donated ... Continue Reading