ACE PLACES

A Breath of Fresh Air: Sixteen Cap Region Walks in the Woods

March 31, 2020 By wordpress

Lucky for us, the Capital Region is flush with amazing outdoor spots that offer wide open green space and interesting walking trails that often lead to curiosities and wonders, like waterfalls, windmills, and so much more. Here’s our list of sixteen beautiful walks in the eight-county Capital Region that will allow you to safely commune with nature, take a deep breath, clear your head, and move your body.

PLEASE NOTE that the same rules apply as anywhere else: do not touch your face, sneeze and cough into your elbow to prevent the spread of water droplets that may contain the virus, and wash your hands thoroughly. (If you have hand sanitizer to use before returning home or entering your car, use it!) Go solo or with members of your household, and avoid meeting with groups.

SCHENECTADY COUNTY

Great Flats Nature Trail
West Campbell Road, Schenectady, NY 12306

Transport yourself to the marshy lowlands of The Netherlands — windmills included! — just outside of downtown Schenectady. This 1.8-mile loop leads through woods before the trail becomes a boardwalk around a small lake. Look for a small wooden windmill at the trailhead.

Sanders Town Preserve
Sanders Road, Schenectady, NY 12302

Tucked away in Glenville along Washout Creek, follow this short walking trail to find a small cascade of waterfalls that turns into a dry creek bed in the summer. If you wait to try this trail in warmer months, use the lack of water to look for fossils in the river rocks.

ALBANY COUNTY

Wolf Creek Falls Preserve Trail
776 Bozenkill Road, Altamont, NY 12009

Clocking in at two and a half miles, Wolf Creek Falls Preserve is a short drive from the town of Altamont in nearby Knox. It is part of a 138 acre parcel that is included in the Mohawk Hudson Land Conservancy. The trail abuts many old fieldstone walls, pointing to the history of Albany’s earliest settlers.

West Capitol Park
New York State Capitol Building, State Street, Albany, NY 12210

You don’t have to travel far from our area downtowns to find some green space. West Capitol Park offers stunning views of the Capitol building and is home flowering trees, sweet-sounding birds and rascally (but entertaining) squirrels. Bring your sketchbook for al fresco art time.

RENSSELAER COUNTY

Bloomingdale Brook Waterfall Trail
100 Defreest Drive, Troy, NY 12180

Tucked away on the northern side of Rensselaer Technology Park is a set of trails that lead to a surprising waterfall. You will need sturdy shoes for this trail, as there are hills to climb and you may have to cross water to stay on the two mile trail. Park in the loop near WMHT studios, and look for the red discs posted as trail guides.

Papscanee Island Nature Preserve
Staats Island Road, Castleton-On-Hudson, NY 12033

Venture down to the shores of the Hudson River as you explore this well-groomed trail that is great for dogs. Picnic tables are available, and bring your binoculars if you have them, as there are plenty of opportunities for bird watching for various types of waterfowl and smaller migratory birds.

SARATOGA COUNTY

Skidmore North Woods
Falstaff’s Parking Lot off Wait Lane, Saratoga Springs, NY 12866

Just beyond Downtown Saratoga and the Skidmore campus is a series of woody hiking trails that make the bustle of Saratoga Springs feel like a world away. There are several trails to choose from, none of them longer than two miles. A 200-foot elevation gain means an uphill climb on some trails, but this is still family-friendly.

Vischer Ferry Nature and Historic Preserve
Riverview Road, Rexford, NY 12148 (Multiple entrances)

This four mile loop offers an array of interesting sites and vistas, including Eric Canal remnants of towpaths and double locks, Clute’s Dry Dock, Forts Ferry, and a picnic area overlooking the Mohawk River that is nestled within the bird conservation area designated by NYSDEC. Audubon New York has observed more than 200 bird species in this area.

COLUMBIA COUNTY

Promenade Hill Park
1 North Front Street, Hudson, NY 12534

Go for a stroll along the well-maintained gardens, dotted by manicured shrubs and historical statues and markers, before grabbing a bench to overlook the Hudson River while the sun sets on the Catskill mountains. This city park has the feel of a hidden European green space.

Ooms Conservation Area
480 Rock City Road, Chatham, NY 12037

This easy hike around Sutherland Pond is maintained by Columbia Land Conservancy. While the views are lovely and the hike takes little exertion, the best part is greeting all the friendly dogs that you’ll encounter at Ooms. This is also a notable place for cross-country skiing and snowshoeing in winter.

GREENE COUNTY

Riverside Park
Betke Boulevard, Coxsackie, NY 12051

Need a place to lay out in the sun on a blanket (with plenty of distance from others!) or to kick a soccer ball around? Riverside Park, in Coxsackie, is a great place to do just that. The expansive views of the Hudson River and the boats that traverse that waterway are just an added bonus.

Pratt Rock Trail
Trailhead located just south of Prattsville town center on NY-Route 23
Prattsville, NY 12468

Looking for artistic inspiration? Try Pratt Rock Trail, coined “America’s First Mount Rushmore” for the carvings into the rock facade and statues along the way. There are some steep inclines on this trail, which occasionally calls for climbing over large rocks, but the trail is otherwise moderate. Views down the Schoharie River Valley and its fertile farms can be see below.

WASHINGTON COUNTY

Carters Pond Nature Trail
County Route 49, Salem, NY 12865

Plan on spending some time with your thoughts as you gaze over Carters Pond, just outside the quaint town of Salem. This super-short and very flat hike leads to an overlook area that allows you keep an eye out for swooping birds (including predatory fowl like eagles and hawks) and breaching fish snatching bugs from the pond’s surface.

Dionondahowa Falls Overlook
Windy Hill Road, Greenwich, NY 12834

This short trail along the Battenkill River is an easy hike at any time of year and leads to a small perch that allows visitors to view the falls below. If you have limited time but want a big impact, keep this gem in mind.

WARREN COUNTY

Warren County Bike Trail
Towpath Lane, Fort Edward, NY 12828

This northern section of the Lakes to Locks bike path connects riders, skaters, runners and walkers to Lake George from downtown Fort Edward. It connects through various towns through Warren County and offers views of the Adirondacks, Glen Lake and the Hudson River. The trail is paved for smooth riding.

Feeder Canal
82 Haviland Avenue, Queensbury, NY 12804

While this trail is is seven miles long and runs from the Feeder Dam to the Old Champlain Canal, you can choose to just explore a portion of it by foot, or use the well-maintained trail for a longer run or a bike ride. A five acre park surrounds the entrance on Haviland Avenue and there is plenty of space for enjoying a meal outside or setting up supplies to do some sketching or writing.

Corey Aldrich : Top Picks in Downtown Troy

February 12, 2020 By upstatecreative

One of the things that attracts me to Troy the most is the diversity of culture, thought, gender and generally, the open-minded vibe I get hanging out downtown. The diversity spans socio-economic and age demographics. This is seen in many of the downtown residents and also the city government. Downtown Troy is a great combination of small and medium independent, entrepreneurial businesses and has strong arts and creative destinations. Troy arguably has the most robust farmers market in the region, having been in operation for over 20 years, it attracts tens of thousands of attendees per year to the downtown area. Many of the downtown businesses also have strong identities, not just programmatically and aesthetically but also in the groups of people that they attract, kind of like mini cultural micro-climates to borrow a landscape architecture term. Speaking of architecture, the architecture and rich industrial and cultural history of Troy are a significant player in the experience you have here.

As a creative freelance professional, this environment is supportive and stimulating. In a simple trip for morning coffee its possible to run into musicians, PHD students, architects, film people, gaming programmers, coders, makers, fashion designers, stylists, photographers, engineers, lawyers, poets, philosophers, producers, urban farmers, historic preservation professionals, professors and retirees…the list goes on. It’s not uncommon for us to have film crews from independent and major studios location scouting here from all over the country (HBO is currently working on a series here called ‘The Gilded Age‘). Troy is a current darling in that way and is increasingly providing quality freelance work for people in our region. Additionally, we have 2 important campuses in downtown including RPI and SAGE College which help contribute to an intellectually stimulating scene.

What also makes the downtown great is the scale. Like many well designed older cities, it’s walkable. It’s best to just park your car and enjoy strolling the various blocks to get to all the rich opportunities there are to experience. For the long term, my fear is that we will jump the shark and allow development that will gentrify our city overmuch. I am hoping however that we can hold the beautiful balance we currently have and spread new development interest out from the city center into contiguous neighborhoods, keeping the rich diversity that we hold so dear downtown while spreading investment dollars further out from the city center. This would create a positive impact on a greater number of citizens, thereby increasing the value of the city as a relocation destination. So much to say but suffice it to say, here are a few of my top pics for a day in the life of a downtown Trojan.

FAVORITE ENTERTAINMENT

EMPAC’s ongoing FREE lecture series.

EMPAC : The Experimental and Performing Arts Center

FAVORITE COFFEE SPOT(S)

Little Pecks with Superior Merchandise a close second!

BEST DATE SPOT

The Charles Lucas Confectionary

BEST ART HANGOUT

Troy Night Out Exhibition Openings at the Arts Center of the Capital Region (Shameless plug: ARTS BAR!)

FAVORITE BARTENDERS

Amanda at Nighthawks | Scott at The Berlin Lounge

BEST PLACE TO BE OVERSTIMULATED

Franklin Alley Social Club (Shuffle Board league and old school arcade games in an old basement bowling alley!)

MOST INTERACTIVE SOCIAL SPACES

Troy Kitchen an ethnic food court | Bard and Baker over 750 board games!

HONORABLE MENTIONS

Ryan’s Wake (Locals Happy Hour Hang), Sunhees Farm and Kitchen,
Troy Music Hall and Rare Form Brewing.

The Hill at Muza, not downtown but walkable in the summer and worth the trip!

Corey Aldrich currently lives and works out of Troy New York where he has an experiential design and events company called 2440 Design Studio.

Photo Highlights: Creative Economy Mixer at Frog Alley Brewing

January 25, 2020 By upstatecreative

The #CreativeEconomyMixer at Frog Alley Brewing was a hit! We enjoyed food tastings by Bountiful Bread, drink tastings by Frog Alley Brewing, an espresso bar by Storied Coffee, and much more! Local vendors included Unconventional Medium, Tough Traveler Ltd., and Theresa With Intention.

Music was provided by Olivia Quillio, and we enjoyed an interesting painting activity courtesy of Create Community Studios. It was a great night for sure, with over 350 in attendance.

Our largest mixer yet!

Special thanks to our sponsors MVP Health Care and Community Loan Fund of the Capital Region, Center for Economic Growth and partners The Collaborative, Create Community Studios, CapGirls NY, Discover Schenectady, Redburn Development, Ellis Medicine, and Bear and Bird Boutique + Gallery.

5 Great Places to Visit in Schenectady

January 21, 2020 By upstatecreative

Schenectady has been undergoing a renaissance over the past few years. There’s something new to explore every time you pop by. From craft breweries and distilleries to dynamic restaurants with authentic flavors, and everything in between, Schenectady has become a center for unique boutiques and retail incubators that house local talent. Go see it for yourself… Here are our top 5 favorite spots:

The Clinton Street Mercantile – 148 Clinton Street

AKA the “Merc,” is the downtown go-to spot to shop for local goods made by artisans all over the Capital Region. Its cozy atmosphere holds everything from furniture, jewelry, photography, clothing, and custom work, all creatively curated by the makers in the space. The idea is to give these artists a chance to build a brand, learn how to interact with customers, and encourages them to realize their dreams of owning their own business. They also offer workshops and classes that are led by the vendors themselves. The Merc has expanded to Lark St. in Albany.

Bluebird Home Decor – 514 State Street

When you walk into Bluebird, you walk into this peaceful, comforting, home-like space, surrounded by beautiful work from over 20 artists and businesses from around the U.S. (as well as six fair-trade companies). They sell many vintage pieces that are one-of-a-kind and in our opinions, really speak to the soul. The shop is truly an experience.

The Schenectady Trading Company – 609 Union Street

The holidays have passed, but treating yourself is always in season. That’s where The Schenectady Trading Company comes in. Schenectady native Caroline Bardwell was so inspired by the creativity of the people around her that she opened her business to showcase local goods and connect the modern consumer to the modern producer. We think she’s nailed it. With products covering almost every genre (including workshops!), you’ll walk away with a load of goodies and an appreciation for the amazing breadth of talent living and creating in Schenectady.

Villa Italia – 226 Broadway

Ain’t no sweet tooth, like a CapGirl sweet tooth, so we couldn’t be happier that Villa Italia exists in this world. When you walk in, both your eyes and your nose are treated to a heavenly array of baked goods from cannoli to rugelach to cupcakes and beyond. Seriously, give yourself a moment to take it all in. Inhale. Exhale. Ahhh… For over 50 years, Villa Italia has been treating locals to delicious sweets, but if you’re feeling something savory, they have you covered too with soup, salads, and sandwiches.

b. Inspired – 104 Mohawk Avenue (Scotia)

We love, love, love this store and its impact on its local community. b. inspired is located just outside downtown Schenectady in Scotia. The owner hopes to use this lifestyle concept store as a catalyst to spark further development of the walkable area it resides in. The goal of the shop is to “inspire” and motivate, to create a lifestyle that tells your story in new and interesting ways using handpicked items with an emphasis on a boho-chic vibe. Oh, don’t forget to stop at the terrarium bar and create your own terrarium to bring home!

There’s a flavor for everybody’s taste in Schenectady. Go explore these gems and get lost discovering Schenectady on your own! Be sure to tag us in your adventures, so we can share the love: @CapGirlsNY.

Creative Economy Spotlight: Bear and Bird Gallery+Boutique

January 21, 2020 By upstatecreative

Bear and Bird specializes in vintage and contemporary illustrative arts of all kinds. It’s a colorful shop, offering an eclectic mix of affordable silkscreen prints, original artwork, useful amusing objects and unique gifts.

Don’t miss getting a photo with the store mascot “Barry” – an awesome 8-foot tall bear that once upon a time lived at Magic Forest in Lake George.

They also have another location in South Florida, which opened back in 2007. Check out their Instagram @bearandbirdgallery and Facebook page for current photos and events!