ACE PLACES

Warren County Paddles-to-Pubs, by Blogger Maria Gigliello

August 6, 2020 By wordpress

The Adirondacks are one of the best places to spend the summer in Upstate New York. As an avid hiker and paddler, I venture up to Adirondack State Park as often as possible to enjoy the abundance of outdoor activities. My favorite part of a long day outside? Stopping at one of the many Adirondack breweries for a cold one. Take a trip with me as we go through some of the best paddling spots and breweries in Warren County. From lakes, ponds and rivers to several craft breweries, you’re never too far away from a paddle or a pub.

Moreau Lake State Park & Common Roots Brewing

Technically Moreau Lake State Park is in Saratoga County, but it’s so close to Warren that I’m including it here. This paddler’s paradise is located between Saratoga Springs and Glens Falls, in the foothills of the Adirondacks. The easily accessible boat launch allows you to be out of your car and in the waters in no time! I love paddling on Moreau Lake for many reasons, but most of all, I love that there are no motorized boats allowed. This makes for calm waters suitable for any paddling skill level. Explore the small ponds off of the lake and you’ll be sure to spot ducks, turtles and a wide variety of fish. Keep an eye out for the loon that lives on Moreau Lake, too!

When you finish paddling, head on over to the newly reopened Common Roots Brewing Company in South Glens Falls. They have a huge selection of beer, and if you’re an IPA lover, Common Roots is definitely the place for you!

Glen Lake & Northway Brewing Company

Head north of Moreau Lake State Park to Glen Lake in Queensbury for another top notch paddling destination in Warren County. A non-motorized boat launch for the lake is located at 290 Glen Lake Road. The boat launch also features picnic tables, a restroom and a fishing dock. The two mile long lake is a perfect size for a relaxing day of paddling in a canoe or kayak. If you’re an angler (a method of fishing), Glen Lake is known to have brown bullhead, chain pickerel, largemouth bass, pumpkin seed, smallmouth bass, walleye and yellow perch.

Located just minutes from the boat launch is one of my personal favorite breweries, Northway Brewing Company! A warm atmosphere paired with some delicious beer makes for a perfect post-paddle destination. My personal favorites are the Perfect Day Pilsner and Sunrise Session IPA. Their colorful cans make for a lovely lakeside photoshoot too!

Lake George’s Northwest Bay & Bolton Landing Brewing Company

Paddling Lake George can be intimidating due to the lakes massive size and heavy traffic. However, if you stay in a more secluded area like the lake’s Northwest Bay, you’re more likely to have a calmer paddling trip while still taking in the sheer beauty of the lake. There’s a reason it’s nicknamed the Queen of American Lakes! A Department of Enivronmental Conservation public boat launch for the Northwest Bay is located off of route 9N in Bolton Landing. Enjoy stellar views of the Tongue Mountain Range as you paddle around Northwest Bay.

If you’re going back into the town of Bolton Landing after paddling, be sure to stop by Bolton Landing Brewery Company, a family-owned microbrewery located on the shores of Lake George. Their spacious outdoor patio is a great spot to socially distance while enjoying a brew. Check out their website to see what’s currently on draft!

More Paddling!

Thirteenth Lake in the Siamese Ponds Wilderness: A true backwoods paddling experience minus a long hike to the boat launch. Bonus! The lake also has a network of hiking trails and 13 lakeside campsites.
Garnet Lake: Another calm paddling destination that is ideal for all skill levels. With over six miles of shoreline to explore, this hidden gem will keep you paddling all day long.
There are several boat launches on the Hudson River in Warren County. While paddling the Southern Hudson can be challenging, the calm waters of the Northern Hudson are a paddling dream.

Maria Gigliello is an avid hiker, paddler and writer who enjoys spending as much time as possible doing all three things in the Adirondack State Park. She is just as passionate about beer as she is about responsible outdoor recreation and is always in search of a good view and a brew. You can follow her adventures on her blog, The Dirt.

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Want to explore the 100+ CapNY breweries, cideries, wineries, & distilleries? Click here for a downloadable map that can be filtered by preferences!

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Thank You Rodney Alan Greenblat & Hudson Hall!

July 28, 2020 By wordpress

On July 22nd, ACE took a private tour of Rodney Alan Greenblat‘s show, “Something to Look Forward to” hosted by the artist himself! It was a wonderful show and we are so appreciative to Rodney and Hudson Hall for hosting our group. Don’t miss it! There are safe, timed, socially distant viewings on their website.

Connect with Rodney and/or Hudson Hall!

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Visit The Rodney Shop in Catskill!

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CapNY Road Trips: Rensselaer County

June 16, 2020 By Maureen Sager

By: Danielle Sanzone

Rensselaer County may not be easy to spell but it’s a county with rich history and beautiful rural landscapes. This road trip includes both natural and man-made vantage points, and you see beautiful vistas that stretch into Massachusetts and Vermont. There’s also a stop at a farm stand, hikes and historic sites. By the end of this trip you might even be able to spell “Rensselaer.” Though, admittedly, I’ve lived here most of my life and still second guess the spelling.

There are LOTS of other great stops for future visits. Dyken Pond, Cherry Plain State Park, the Knickerbocker Mansion, Grafton Lake State Park, Barberville Falls (in spring and fall), the Champlain Canal Lock 4 Park. And, of course, the amazing city of Troy, worthy of an all-day visit of its own.

How to get there:

You can choose your own adventure by starting at any of the stops below. Main routes you’ll be using are I-90 and Rt 787, then Rt 7 and Rt 2.

Places to Explore

Dickinson Hill Fire Tower, Fire Tower Road, Petersburg, NY, off Babcock Lake Road. This 60-foot fire tower was constructed in 1924, last used in the 1980s, and is now open to the public. From the top, you can see Grafton Lake State Park, the Green Mountains of Vermont, the Taconics, and the Berkshires. You also have the option to do a 2.6 mile hike to the tower.

Fire Tower Parking Directions: When driving, take Babcock Lake Road which runs between Route 7 and Route 2. Turn onto Fire Tower Road in Petersburg. Go to the very end of Fire Tower Road (about 1.5 miles) and do a three-point turn at the end. Drive back up a small hill and on the right you’ll see a blocked off utility road. Park in the shoulder near here. If you have a four-wheel drive vehicle, there is also a small area off the road where you can park which is across the street from the utility road. Once parked, take the trail past the barrier. You’ll see a plaque about the fire tower on your left. Then make your way up the short, moderately steep incline to the fire tower, which you’ll see in a clearing at the top.

Grafton Peace Pagoda, 87 Crandall Rd, Petersburg, NY 12138. This stunning Buddhist pagoda was built in the 1980s, inspired by a monk who still lives on site. (You might see her beating a drum on the hilly, winding roadway.) To get to the pagoda, walk up either the stone driveway or take the short, 6 minute wooded hike. Sorry, you can’t bring dogs on the Pagoda grounds.

Petersburg Pass (Trailheads for Snow Hole and Berlin Mountain), 57 Taconic Trail, Petersburg, NY 12138. The drive up to the Petersburg Pass is a popular route for motorcyclists and a good stop for anyone heading into Williamstown and The Clark. There are a slew of hiking trails, including Hopkins Memorial Forest, or the six mile round trip hike to Snow Hole – a crevice known for ice and snow, even in August. To the South is Rensselaer County’s highest point, Berlin Mountain which, at 2,818 feet, is also the state’s highest point outside the Catskills and Adirondacks. It’s a 5.5 mile roundtrip hike to Berlin Mountain in the Taconic Mountains. Leash your dog, and please be mindful of wild animals (I’ve had my share of run-ins around here) and ticks.

Laughing Earth Farmstand, 3842 Rt 2, Cropseyville, NY 12052. This self-serve farm stand has eggs, honey, vegetables, sausage and bacon. Zack, Annie and Willa Metzger have been proprietors of the 200-year-old farm since the 2015-16 season. Their newly-painted yellow farmhouse and the lovely pastoral setting make this a nice, picturesque stop after a hike.

Oakwood Cemetery, 186 Oakwood Ave., Troy, NY 12182. Notable for its Hudson Valley vistas and as the resting place for local luminaries including Samuel “Uncle Sam” Wilson, the Oakwood Cemetary is a great, historic stroll. Don’t miss the Gardner Earl Memorial Chapel, built in the 1880s, has Tiffany glass windows and stunning stonework. There are 282 acres in total, with man-made lakes and impressive monuments. The cemetery also holds regular scavenger hunts and other events.

Lansingburgh Historical Society and Museum, 2 114th St., Troy, NY 12182. Lansingburgh is one of the oldest neighborhoods in the state, founded in the late 1700s and once known for its brush and oil cloth industries. To get to the historical society and museum, you’ll be driving by beautiful riverfront mansions and once-grand estates. It was also home to an author you might have heard of – Herman Melville. He lived at the now-museum on 114th Street and wrote his first two novels, Typee and Omoo, at the site. Some also say he named his Moby Dick character Starbuck after nearby Starbuck Island. The museum is currently closed for COVID-19, but you can check out the exterior and the Melville plaque. The architecture in this neighbor is lovely and Snowman Ice Cream is right nearby.

Crailo State Historic Site, 9 1/2 Riverside Ave., Rensselaer, NY 12144, is a museum of the Colonial Dutch in The Dutch home was built in the early 18th century by Hendrick Van Rensselaer, grandson of the first patroon of the area, Kiliaen van Rensselaer, the county’s namesake. the Hudson River Valley. Legend has it that “Yankee Doodle” was written here in 1755.

Places to Eat and Drink

Historic Hoosick Falls is where artist Grandma Moses’ work was first discovered by a New York City art collector. You can see much of her work on another road trip to Bennington, Vermont at the Bennington Museum. You’ll find some great food and drink options in and around Hoosick Falls, including:

Brown’s Brewing Walloomsac Taproom, 50 Factory Hill Rd., North Hoosick, NY 12133. Conclude your road trip in this factory turned taproom, opened in 2013, located next to a small waterfall. The menu includes a great range of beer (brewed on site), wine, cider, wings, pretzels, salad, pizza, soup, and dessert.

Unihog, 2 Center Street, Hoosick Falls 12090. Jason VonGuinness built this roadhouse-style restaurant and bar in a former mannequin factory. The decor and vibe are rustic, raucous and rough-and-tumble. Awesome Asian-fusion food by Sumo’s Kitchen. Great local beer selection, and live music most nights. Insider tip: before you leave, ask Jason if you can see his Martin Van Buren tattoo.

Hoosac Package Store, 53 Classic Street, Hoosick Falls, 12090. Another Jason VonGuinness enterprise, this shop offers a great selection of local, national and imported wines and liquors.

Iron Coffee Company, 9 Main Street, Hoosick Falls, 12090. Owner Mike Milliron takes his coffee seriously, roasting daily in the shop, and sourcing his milk from nearby Battenkill Creamery in Salem.

CapNY Black-Owned Business: West Indies Natural Food and Grocery, Hudson

June 16, 2020 By Maureen Sager

Each week, ACE will be visiting a black-owned businesses featured in our list. Have a business to add, or a place that we should visit? Please let us know.

Paulette Clarke has run West Indies Natural Food and Grocery in Hudson, NY for 19 years. Their takeaway menu features homemade beef and chicken patties, oxtail stew, seriously amazing chicken curry, rice and peas, and many other dishes from Paulette’s country of origin, Jamaica. Plus, there’s a wide selection of West Indies spices, sauces and specialty food products, and kombucha and drinks in the cooler.

Paulette came to the United States when she was 18, and raised five sons in Hudson. There used to be a broad mix of residents in Hudson, she said. Lately, though, “New Yorkers bought up the real estate. My customers have moved out to Albany, and Kingston and other places.”

Warren Street is lined with galleries, restaurants, antique stores, and luxury boutiques. It has the distinct advantage of being within walking distance to the Amtrak train station, which makes it a popular destination for New York City residents. However, this influx of visitors has not been a boon to the West Indies Natural Foods and Grocery. New Yorkers, Paulette said, “don’t come into my store. I want to say, ‘I don’t bite.’ I wish that people would just come in and look around. They don’t even have to buy anything. If someone comes in, it makes the store owner feel good. Don’t just walk by. Don’t ignore my store.”

Paulette is discouraged by the lack of attention her business has gotten from newspapers. She said, they “take pictures of every white business around me. They skip right over me.” Her friend Winston Dunn agreed, saying, “It’s not been easy. Not easy.”

Support Black-Owned Businesses

Support 200+ Capital Region black-owned business and black-led organizations by shopping, hiring, posting, contributing funds, volunteering, and learning more about what they do. Click here to see our list. This list is far from complete, and you can help develop it! Use the form to add businesses.

Cap Region Bike Trails: Jeff Buell’s 16-Mile Loop, From Albany to Troy

May 19, 2020 By wordpress

By: Jeff Buell, Principal of Redburn Development

Over the past couple of months, biking has become the preferred mode of transportation for many looking for socially distant recreational activities. Jeff Buell, a Schenectady resident, Cap Region enthusiast, and Principal of Redburn Development is an avid biker, so we asked him to share one of his favorite Cap Region bike trails…read on!

From 1994 to 2019, I biked around 75 miles. Generously. Since we’ve shut down our lives, I’m one short ride away from 600 miles! I’ve biked more in two months more than I’ve driven, a notion I would have scoffed at if ever suggested to me prior to COVID.

Naturally this makes me an expert in 2020, and so here are a few tips for a Cap Region ride, especially for all the new cyclists (that’s what we call ourselves) out there looking for expand their horizons.

For today, we will talk about my loop.

Jeff’s Loop: Albany to Troy

Just about every day I head out from the base of Jennings Landing (it’s the footbridge on Broadway, plenty of parking available) in Albany and head towards Troy. The total loop is just about 16 miles, and with a few exceptions, is quite an easy ride.

The first 5.5 miles is on the bike path. You can’t get lost, you can’t take a wrong turn, you just go. It’s crowded until you clear the I-90 bridge, then loosens up. Be prepared then when passing, many people wear headphones, and do not always excel in walking in a straight line.

At 5.5 you’ll hit Watervliet and must head onto the streets where the cars care less for bikers than the pedestrians you just passed, though admittedly, it’s probably close. Hug the road that 787 parallels (Broadway) until you get to 25^th Street. There you want to hang a right until you get to the Green Island Bridge.

There’s something freeing about slowly moving over the Hudson River and being able to take it all in.

Right now you’re about 8 miles in and you’re going to head back. OR, you can head into downtown Troy and stop somewhere. Little Pecks is always a great option, so is Liza’s. Or, if you’re me, you stop and talk with your buddy Heidi on her stoop for a while.

To Get to Downtown Troy:

From the Green Island Bridge you can head right into Riverfront Park where a bike lane mysteriously appears and will take you all the way through South Troy to the Menands Bridge. Be forewarned, the deceptively hilly and always windy last mile of South Troy can be a challenge for new bikers, but you got this! Sure, sometimes I feel like I’m going backwards, but that really is just a feeling. Promise.

View of Troy from the Green Island Bridge

Over the Menands Bridge you go until the path dumps you back onto the bike path where you are about 4.5 miles from Jennings Landing. Go right, not left, off the ramp.

There’s a few alternate plans that head you up to Waterford, or Schenectady if you are intrigued. All are great paths with some hills. All eminently accessible via the Interweb.

Biggest takeaway? Fear not the streets! Cars are (mostly) aware of you. Go in a straight line. Wear a helmet. And see the Cap Region from a brand-new vantage point!