As the debate in this nation over immigration drags on, just as it has for over 200 years, it is incredible to me how quick we are to forget that “American culture” doesn’t even exist without the contributions of immigrants to our beloved country. Consider all of the things that we think of as...
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Working the holidays on Christmas in the Capital Region
When I was a teenager growing up on Long Island, I worked at an old-fashioned drug store called Arlo Pharmacy in Massapequa Park. While I would hesitate in describing it as famous, it was prominently featured in the movie Young Adult with Charlize Theron and Patton Oswalt. Prominently might be a bit of a stretch as well in...
Regarding Traffic Jams and an Early Winter
The weather outside is frightful, and the traffic backups it causes are anything but delightful. So you know what I say. “Let it snow! Let it snow! Let it snow!” (Provided of course I’m in the comfort of my home with no particular place to go, because otherwise, the weather makes driving around here...
Wait, I get a Bed and a Breakfast? I’m in!
Back in July, my wife and I did something that we had never done before. We took a ride to the Finger Lakes region of New York State, and decided to do a little wine tasting. Unfortunately thanks to a wee bit of a heat wave, definitely not the result of global warming according...
Vermont was Made for Columbus Day
Most vacation spots consist of a specific destination. Typically, when we tell people that we are going away, it means we are going to some place like Myrtle Beach, or the Grand Canyon, or Disney World. However, could a state be in and of itself a destination? Well, it would have to be a...
The Capital Region and its Mythical Beasts.
In the good old days before the internet, if you wanted sensationalized, unsubstantiated facts, and absurd story-lines, one had to peruse the check-out lines at your local supermarket, for it was there where you would find the “rags,” a.k.a., the tabloids. These “news” magazines were sordid sheets that filled the public with salacious gossip,...
Autumn in Albany
Many people love the fall. It’s like the spring’s half-brother. It’s not filled with new beginnings, but it does seem to have its possibilities, especially if you are a sports fan. Another high school, college, and professional football season embarks, and everyone is convinced that this will be the year. (Except for Jets fans,...
Hey Albany, Who Do You Root For?
The Major League Baseball season is winding down and hurdling towards the fall classic, better known as the World Series. The NFL is cranking up another year of exciting action as we speak. The seemingly 14 month NHL campaign is just about ready to commence, and that means that the start of the NBA’s...
Fame Thy Name is Albany
Just as every town in America seems now to sport its own microbrewed beer, every town in America likes to boast of its native sons and daughters who have hit the big time. Nothing brings a region more pride than to be able to point to an individual who has earned some modicum of...
Labor Day: The Ultimate Sunday
Sadly, summer is coming to an end as it always must. However, in the interest of full disclosure, it’s actually not really coming to an end, since it doesn’t really end until September 20th. While summer may seem shorter than the other seasons, I assure you, we receive on this planet an equitable number...