Friday, March 2- Sunday, March 4
As always, feel free to post events you know of coming up/ read more events posted to my:
FACEBOOK PAGE — https://www.facebook.com/518BitesNSights
TWITTER – http://twitter.com/#!/518bitesnsights (@518BitesNSights)
Or send them to my EMAIL — 518BitesNSights@gmail.com
If you’re interested in having me check out your business, try your product, attend an event or advertise your business on my page feel free to email me.
Friday, March 2
- ALBANY at the Bayou Café is the Ten Year Vamp
- QUEENSBURY at Queensbury United Methodist Church at 4:00PM-8:00PM is House of Grace Fish Fry Five Fundraiser 1st Date for $5- the fundraiser will also be at Christ Church on the corner of Bay and Washington and Mike & Moe’s Hot Dogs in Hudson Falls
- SCHENECTADY at Katie O’ Byrnes at 10:30PM is Capital Disc Jockey
- ALBANY at the Times Union Center at 7:00PM is Albany Devils Hockey
- ALBANY at the Albany Institute of History & Art at 5:00PM-8:00PM is 1st Friday for FREE- SPECIAL EVENT, St. Peter’s Exhibition Sneak Peek
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- ALBANY at the UAlbany Performing Arts Center at 8:00PM is Great Expectations for $10
- SARATOGA at Vapor at Saratoga Casino and Raceway at 8:00PM is Grand Central Station for FREE
- SARATOGA at the Saratoga Winery & Tasting Room at 6:00PM-9:00PM is Skyler’s Dream Team LIVE for FREE
- ALBANY at the Italian American Community Center at 6:00PM-9:00PM is Comedy Show & Dinner for $40 for ACC members and $45 for non-members; Featuring John DiCrosta and Mike Speirs
- SCOTIA at the Scotia Glenville High School at 7:00PM-8:30PM is the Scotia-Glenville Pipe Band Celtic Jam 2012; pay what you can with all proceeds going to Scotia-Glenville Pipe Band programs
- ALBANY at The Linda WAMC’s Performing Arts Studio at 8:00PM is Rocky Horror Picture Show for $8
- SARATOGA at the Saratoga Spa State Park at 6:00PM-8:30PM is a Candlelight Ski and Snowshoe Event for FREE
- SARATOGA at VFW Post #420 at 7:00PM-11:00PM is a Beach Party with a DJ, full bar, giveaways for $5 per person
- ALBANY at the Palace Theatre at 8:30PM is Jane’s Addiction
- SCHENECTADY at Proctors Theatre at 7:00PM is Godzilla Kaiju Battle 2012 at the GE Theatre featuring the movies Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla and Godzilla vs. Destroyah ($9 for adults/ $6 for students with ID)
- ALBANY at Bogies at 6:00PM is Dying Fetus, The Faceless, Job for a Cowboy, Last Chance to Reason and Volumes
Saturday, March 3
- ALBANY at The Palace Theatre at 8:00PM is moe.
- ALBANY at the Universalist Society of Albany at 1:00PM-4:00PM is NOFA-NY Meet Your Farmer at the Organic Farm Fair
- SCHENECTADY at Katie O’ Byrnes at 10:00PM is Joe Nacco Band
- NORTHHAMPTON, MA at the Calvin Theatre and Performing Arts Center at 8:00PM is Matt Nathanson
- ALBANY at The Egg at 8:00PM is Martin Sexton
- ALBANY at the Empire State Plaza at 10:00AM-5:00PM is Kidz Expo for FREE!
- ALBANY at the Bistro Bar at 74 State at 8:00PM is Out of the Box
- LONG LAKE at Town Hall is Adult Child Fishing Derby for FREE
- LAPLAND LAKE at Lapland Lake Nordic Vacation Center at 9:00AM-9:00PM is Moonlit Night Skiing & Lakeside Campfire for $20 for adults, $18 for ages 12-17, $10 for 6-11 and under 6 are FREE
- WILTON at Barnes & Noble at 9:00AM is Saratoga Reads! Book Fair for FREE!
- BURNT HILLS at Country Acres Farm and Pet Center at 10:00AM-1:30PM is Peppertree Rescue Adoption Clinic
- SARATOGA at the Children’s Museum at 12:00PM-4:00PM is Seussian Celebration: Dr. Seuss’ Birthday Celebration
- TUPPER LAKE at the Wild Center at 1:00PM is Evolution of the Adirondacks- adults $15, youth $9 and seniors $13
- ALBANY at the First Unitarian Universalist Society of Albany at 1:00PM-4:00PM is the 2012 NOFA-NY CSA Fair for FREE
- SCHENECTADY at Brown School at 1:00PM-3:00PM is an OPEN HOUSE
- ALBANY at the Albany Institute of History & Art at 2:00PM is Gallery Talks
- GLENS FALLS at the Glens Falls Civic Center at 2:00PM is the 2012 Section II Boys Basketball Tournament for $6
- ALBANY at Red Square at 8:00PM is Floodwood (feat. Al and Vinnie of Moe.)
- ALBANY at the Times Union Center at 7:00PM is Albany Devils Hockey
- SARATOGA at the Spring Street Gallery at 5:00PM-8:00PM is On Deck: Skateboard Art Show
- GLENS FALLS at The Hyde Collection at 5:30PM-7:00PM is Director’s Circle Gallery Talk and Wine & Cheese Reception by Invitation ONLY
- ALBANY at the Washington Armory at 6:00PM is Albany All Stars Roller Derby
- SARATOGA at the Saratoga Automobile Museum at 6:00PM-9:00PM is Beer and Burger for $35/pp
- QUEENSBURY at Sweet Basil Restaurant at 7:00PM is Elvis Tribute Show with Drew Polsun & Sweet Fascinations & Matthew Boyce for $20 for general admission or $40 for dinner and show
- ALBANY at Palace Theater at 8:00PM is moe. For $30 in advance and $35 day of show
- SARATOGA at Vapor at Saratoga Casino and Raceway at 9:00PM is DVDJ Crush for $5
Sunday, March 4
- ALBANY at The Egg at 7:30PM is SFJAZZ Collective: Music of Stevie Wonder ($28)
- ALBANY at the Times Union Center at 7:00PM is Albany Devils Hockey
- SCHENECTADY at Proctors Theatre at 10:00AM-2:00PM is the Schenectady Greenmarket- EVERY Sunday!
- ALBANY at the Palace at 3:00PM is ASO Sunday Symphonies “Super Orchestra Man”
- ALBANY at Valentine’s at 7:30PM is Lower Dens with Nat Danker for $10
- COLONIE at Village of Colonie Family Recreation Center at 8:00AM-1:00PM is Pancake Breakfast to benefit the American Cancer Society for $6 per person and kids 5 and under FREE
- SAND LAKE at Sand Lake Center for the Arts at 1:30PM is Irish Step Dancing for $5
- SARATOGA at Saratoga Springs Public Library at 2:00PM-3:30PM is the Fabulous Beekman Boys for FREE
ONGOING
- SCHENECTADY (Feb 28- Mar 4) at Proctors is Jersey Boys (Subscription); Full Engagement until March 18
- COHOES (Mar 1- Mar 4) at the Cohoes Music Hall at 8:00Pm is Legally Blonde the Musical for $15-20
- LAKE GEORGE (Mar 2-4) at the Queensbury Hotel is a Murder Mystery Dinner Theater- Glens Falls Community Theater; FRI-SAT 6:00P & SUN 1:00p
- SARATOGA (Mar 2-4) at the Saratoga Springs City Center is the Saratoga Home and Garden Show for $6 adults, $1 for kids and under 5 are FREE
- NORTH CREEK (Mar 3-4) at Peaceful Valley is For Women ONLY- Alpine Skiing Camp http://www.goremountain.com/mountain/moreinfo.cfm?id=226
- NORTH CREEK (Mar 3-4) at the Tannery Pub at 2:00PM-6:00PM SAT and 1:00PM-5:00PM SUN Is Good Time Charlie LIVE!
- ALBANY (Mar 2-3) at Valentine’s at 5:00PM is WCDB 34th Anniversary Music Festival
- ALBANY (Until March 3) at The Womens Building at 7:30PM-9:30PM is A Memory, A Monologue, A Rant and A Prayer for $10 all proceeds will go to The Womens Building and the V-Day Spotlight Campaign” The Women and Girls of Haiti
- ALBANY (Feb 2-3) at The Comedy Works at 9:00PM is Tom Briscoe & Mark Riccadonna
- SCHENECTADY (Mar 3-4) at Proctors at 11:00AM & 1:30PM is Mummies: Secrets of the Pharaohs– recommended for 5th-8th grade (Also showing, April 7) http://www.proctors.org/events/mummies-secrets
- SCHENECTADY (Mar 3-4) at Proctors at 12:15PM & 2:45PM is A Rainforest Adventure in 3D, narrated by Dame Judi Dench (Also showing Apr 7) http://www.proctors.org/events/rainforest
“Anybody who doesn’t think that the best hamburger place in the world is in his home town is a sissy.”
Calvin Trillin
I may enjoy vegetarian meals sometimes and I love fresh vegetables but when you come down to it- I’m a meat girl & I love burgers. 
I was so excited when I got an email from Juicy Burgers & More (5 New Karner Road, Guilderland & 15 Trieble Ave # 3, Ballston Spa) to come and try out their restaurant. When we as a general public think of burgers the first places to come to mind are those ingrained since birth like McDonalds, Wendy’s or Burger King and even if those are the burgers you eat most often, I hope you realize that there’s more out there to burgers. If not, do I have an experience for you to have!
I had heard of Juicy Burgers and knew where they were located in Guilderland but for whatever reason I just hadn’t made it over there to try it, until a week or two ago. Juicy Burgers was developed by Bobby Mitchell who bought Wheatfields in the early 90s and later opened Doc’s Steakhouse in the early 2000s- both in Saratoga. After leaving the area for a year he returned with a passion for burgers. In 2008, Juicy Burgers in Milton opened and the Guilderland location opened in 2009. Though they are looking to expand to eventually all 50 states, they’re taking it slow and making sure each location is perfect and up to the same standards as the first 2 locations.
The Sunday before I stopped by they were doing a fundraiser for the Cystic Fibrosis foundation where they donate 10% of the proceeds. 
Personally, I’m passionate about the community have it be either my local neighborhood or the entire Capital District and I was curious if this fundraiser was a one time occurrence or something they’re going to continue to do. Their response was that they “believe giving back to our communities is one of the most important things” and are open to fundraisers every Sunday at either location.
More about staying local, I had asked if they were ever open to using local ingredients in their products and though the answer wasn’t the one I was hoping for, it did make sense. Juicy Burgers hopes to spread over the whole country and in order to keep their product consistent they would have to be able to get their products from the same source wherever the next store may open. “We strive to be as consistent as possible with our product everyday, from how your burger is cooked, to the shredded lettuce and slices of tomatoes you put on it” so they receive all their food from US Foods that way a Juicy Burger in Guilderland and maybe a future location in California would be the same product.
When I walked in, I was really impressed. This was my first time inside a Juicy Burgers so I didn’t know what kind of restaurant to expect. It was very clean, I was very impressed and it also is a lot bigger than it looked from the outside. I walked up to the counter and met Leonard who helped me through the ordering process. They have a screen that allows you to create your own burger if you know how to do so or one of the employees can help you through the process. I only had one problem with the ordering process. When they asked how I wanted my burger I was ready to tell them “medium rare” but my only options were RED, PINK and BROWN. Leonard explained that red was like rare, pink was probably what I was looking for a brown was well-done, which made sense so I ordered a pink burger. I decided to try the Roasted Red Pepper burger ($7.25)which had roasted red peppers, basil pesto, fresh mozzarella cheese and I added caramelized onions because they’re my favorite. My favorite part (well, before I tasted the burger) was the option of half & half fries. 
I got the half Yukon Gold & half Sweet Potato fries option but you can mix either of those with onion rings ($2.99) if you want to try more than one or want 2 kinds of sides.
I met with the other guys working: Jake, Taylor, Ryan & Leonard who helped me create the burger and they were all very attentive, making sure the burger was cooked right. I was so excited to taste the roasted red pepper burger! It was delicious. As I was sitting at the table there was an ad for the fried ice cream and I wish I saw that before because that’s one of my favorite desserts and I’ll have to go back and try that. I think the first thing I thought when I tasted the burger was “That’s why it’s called Juicy Burger” because the juices with each bite just melded all the beautiful flavors together. I liked the fact that the ingredients on this burger are usually individually very strong but instead of one overpowering another they just went well together, each bite was a mix of onion, pepper, cheese and pesto. From those of you who read my blog normally, you know that I love my garlic. 
The only fault I can think of with this burger is that personally I would’ve liked the pesto to have more of a garlic flavor but my spectrum of garlic is very different from the everyday customer I assume. You can also see in the pictures how thick the rolls are. I hate when I’m eating a burger and those delicious juices tear it up to shreds and I’m left with either a gooey burger roll or none at all. This roll was strong enough for the burger, the surface layer of the bread absorbed some juice but still left a hefty structure to continue eating with. Overall this burger was delicious. I wanted to try a salad with ahi tuna on it but how can you go to some place called Juicy BURGERS for the first time and not have a burger? Next time, as much as I still want to try a salad with ahi tuna, I tink the Cajun Burger is calling to me.
A New Smaller Me- LOCAL BLOG
Today’s Wednesday local blog feature is, yes, actually on Tuesday today but I’m taking time again to write about blogs that haven’t had some love in a little while. Just because there hasn’t been any new blog entries doesn’t mean you should write them off! From blogging for the past (wow) year or two I’ve made a lot of friends in the FitLiving community and though I don’t consider myself a part of it I love to read blogs within it. I would love to be able to live a more fit and healthy lifestyle and these blogs are encyclopedias of information updated or not.
The local blog feature today is The New Smaller Me who hasn’t posted in about a year but her story is still one to use for motivation. She (her name isn’t posted on the blog) posted not only her starting weight but her heaviest weight and her process with Weight Watchers. In a little over a year, she reached her WW goal- congrats! Overall, if you’re looking for some ideas to help with your personal WW journey or just some new healthy treats to try, check out this blog. If you’re feeling a little down or hitting a workout plateau, read her process on The New Smaller Me. It may take time, but you’ll get there just keep going!
Monday, February 27- Thursday, March 1
Monday, February 27
- ALBANY at the Palace at 5:30PM is Business-to-Business Exchange and at 7:00PM is “Office Space” – Movie Event for $10 http://acchamber.org/Events/ChamberEvents/OfficeSpace.aspx
- CLIFTON PARK at Northern Lights at 7:00PM is August Burns Red with Silverstein, Texas in July and I The Breather ($18 adv/ $20 day of show)
- ALBANY at the New York Writers Institute at 4:15PM for a seminar at Assembly Hall at 8:00PM for a reading at Recital Hall is John Sayles
- ALBANY at the Recital Hall, Performing Arts Center at UAlbany at 8:00PM is John Sayles, film director, screenwriter and novelist for FREE
Tuesday, February 28
- ALBANY at the Palace at 7:00PM is Big Time Rush with opening act One Direction http://www.palacealbany.com/eventsandtickets/eventtickets/event.aspx?eid=88e40e02-e4e5-4df5-b3d2-4847f3e49a6c
- GLENS FALLS at Glens Fall Civic Center at 5:00PM is 2012 Section II Boys Basketball Tournament for $6
- SARATOGA at Chianti II Ristorante at 7:00PM is Weneto Cooking School with Chef Fabrizio- Tour of Italy for $49/pp https://www.facebook.com/events/185776141519952/
- TROY at EMPAC, RPI at 4:30PM is Rensselaer County Historical Society’s Hidden History for $15/ pp and $12 for RCHS members
Wednesday, February 29
- SCHENECTADY at Katie O’ Byrnes at 7:00PM is The Brothers Flynn
- SCHENECTADY at Notre Dame- Bishop Gibbons School at 9:00AM-3:00PM is an OPEN HOUSE
- NORTH RIVER at Garnet Hill Lodge at 5:30PM is Gore Mountain Region Chamber of Commerce Mixer for FREE https://www.facebook.com/events/124420104347206/
- COHOES at Van Schaick Island Country Club at 8:00AM is State of the City featuring Cohoes Mayor John McDonalds III – $12 for members and $18 for non-members
- ALBANY at UAlbany Performing Arts Center at 8:00PM is Great Expections- $12 for general public/ $8 for UAlbany students and staff
- QUEENSBURY at Adirondack Community Acupuncture at 7:00PM-8:00PM is “So I’m Pregnant…what next?” for FREE
- CLIFTON PARK at Northern Lights at 9:00PM is Steve Aoki with Datsik & DJ Prophet ($25 adv/ $30 day of show)
- SARATOGA at the Senior Citizens Center of Saratoga at 3:00PM-5:00PM is “Beginners”, snacks provided, $2 for members & $4 for non-members
Thursday, March 1
- OLF FORGE at The View at 9:30AM & 7:00PM is To Kill a Mockingbird for $20/ $15 for members and $10 for children
- QUEENSBURY at the Queensbury Hotel at 5:30PM-7:30PM is the 3rd Annual WACM Mardi Gras Party for $30 in advance and $35 at the door, proceeds go to the Children’s Awareness Museum- includes wine tasting,appetizers from some of your favorite local restaurants & a silent auction
- TROY at EMPAC, RPI at 7:00PM is onedotzero: wow + flutter 11 & wavelength 11 for $6
- ALBANY at Standish Room, Science Library, UAlbany Uptown for 8:00PM is Shalom Auslander, fiction writer and memoirist for FREE
- EAST GREENBUSH at the EG Fire Company Banquet Hall at 6:00PM-8:00PM is Zumbathon for $12 to benefit the Fire Company
- LATHAM at the Century House at 6:00PM-8:00PM is the 7th Annual Warmth of Wine for $50 to benefit low income seniors on fixed incomes to pay their ever increasing home heating bills or repair inefficient heating systems; includes wine tasting, light fare by the Century House, silent and live auction and a mystery wine pull
ONGOING
- SCHENECTADY (Feb 28- Mar 4) at Proctors is Jersey Boys (Subscription); Full Engagement until March 18
- COHOES (Mar 1- Mar 4) at the Cohoes Music Hall at 8:00Pm is Legally Blonde the Musical for $15-20
“Tofu hot dogs are actually scarier than real hot dogs. It’s like wanting the worst possible meat product without even the thrill of it actually being meat.”
Doug Coupland
We all have those nights where we just don’t want to cook. Where it’s just easier to heat up some leftovers or have a frozen meal – for me, it was the other night. 
We don’t usually keep many frozen meals in the freezer and for some reason our fridge was leftover free this week so on my way home from work I stopped by Price Chopper to get myself dinner. I had no idea what mood I was in and though I was being lazy, I did want to try to stay as healthy as possible.
I walked past all the frozen food and nothing seemed appealing to me until I got to the section with Amy’s brand food. I know Amy’s from her frozen burritos, especially that she makes one lactose free! I heard on Dr. Oz about her products and that if you’re going to be buying a frozen meal, you should try to aim toward Amy’s. I decided on Amy’s Tofu Vegetable Lasagna. Now, I know Amy’s isn’t a local brand (they’re based in Northern Cali) but I’m sure with some local organic products found at your local farmers market, you can make the same type of product for dinner on a night where you do want to cook.
Amy’s Tofu Vegetable Lasagna is cholesterol free, lactose free (uses milk protein), no bio-engineered ingredients made with organic tofu, vegetables and pasta. 
When I first tasted it, you could tell the that the cheese wasn’t real cheese, there was definitely a flavor difference but not bad, I enjoyed it, just different. Other than that I would have had no idea that this was all tofu and vegetables if I didn’t buy it. What surprised me was that the box was only one serving so not only was it tasty but it left me full. If you’re looking to move your everyday diet into either a vegetarian diet or just healthier in general try some of Amy’s products. This is the first of hers that I’ve tried other than the burritos & I really enjoyed it. Next step, buy some tofu and vegetables at your local farmers market and try to make something similar. You’ll be proud of yourself and feel better about your diet!
“Beer is the Danish national drink, and the Danish national weakness is another beer.”
Clementine Paddleford
I don’t call myself a beer connoisseur by ANY means but I know what I like and I know I like beer. For Saturday’s Spots, I figured with the Saratoga Beerfest going on today this is only appropriate. I understand Price Chopper isn’t really a spot but they DO offer something that you should probably check out if you haven’t yet.
I like to try all different kinds of beer but if you were to buy a six-pack of every beer you would want to try, that would get expensive, especially if you don’t like it. 
Recently in the area I’ve seen a growth in the “Make Your Own 6 Pack” idea and it’s brilliant. I first saw it at Fresh Market in Latham and wrote a blog entry about how excited I was about this new genius idea to hit the area. The only down side was that none of the other grocery stores were catching on and I would have to travel all the way to Latham to make another.
Thankfully, I just went into my local Price Chopper the other day and what did I find? MAKE YOUR OWN SIX PACK. The prices between the two stores are comparable ($8.99 at Fresh Market & $8.95 at Price Chopper) so I can see why you may wonder why I dedicate another completely different blog entry to the same concept and my answer is choice. I know I don’t like IPAs so I usually rule those out first. Then, I rule out any run of the mill beer that I can get anywhere like your Blue Moon, Sam Adams Boston Lager, Heineken, Guinness, Magic Hat #9, etc because why waste this make your own option on making a six-pack of beer I already know I like. I figure if I wanted any of those beers, I’d just buy a six-pack of one of those beers instead make a six-pack of one of each. With those options ruled out, at Fresh Market I was maybe left with 12 beers I still wanted to try. Two make your own six packs in and there was nothing left to offer me except a 6 pack of America’s most easily found draught beers. I figured this would be the case, too when I saw the collection at Price Chopper but I was wrong! I was so surprised by how many of these beers I’d never heard of, even some by a few of my favorite brands. What was most surprising to me was the selection of local beers; I picked up a brown ale from Adirondack Brewery and I’m excited to see what other local beers they may have to offer in the future. I haven’t purchased another since my first at Price Chopper so I don’t know how often they change the kinds of beers available but I hope they continue to offer the various seasonal options and I hope to see more local beers to choose from as well.
I ended up with a pretty good six-pack if I do say so myself & I’m excited to see if I can find myself a new favorite beer! Try it out, maybe you will too!
Friday, February 24- Sunday, February 26
Friday, February 24
- ALBANY at Bogies at 7:00PM is Subzero, Sentries, Dangerfield, Forlorn Hope, Primrose Path & Rush the Gates
- ALBANY at the Bistro Bar at 74 State at 8:00PM is Bronte Roman Jazz Emsemble
- NORTHVILLE at Lapland Lake is one pass full price, second pass half price for all elementary and secondary school teachers with ID
- SCHENECTADY at Katie O’ Byrnes at 10:00PM is O.W.L.
- SCHENECTADY at the Schenectady Museum & Suits-Bueche Planetarium at 12:30PM-3:30PM is the LAST DAY for February Break Activities @ the Museum
- TUPPER LAKE at the Wild Center at 7:00PM is APO: How the Universe Works: “Alien Galaxies” for FREE
- ALBANY at the Palace at 7:00PM is Black History Month STEP OFF for $17 in advance/$22 day of show http://www.palacealbany.com/eventsandtickets/eventtickets/event.aspx?eid=6bffb49f-5275-4dcb-8c03-b000ac67a9d8
- SARATOGA at the Saratoga Winery & Tasting Room at 6:00PM-9:00PM is Seth Warden Duo LIVE! NO COVER CHARGE!
- ALBANY at Christian Brothers Academy at 6:30PM-8:00PM is CBA indoor Yard Sale Preview Night for $5
- SARATOGA at the Saratoga Springs Public Library at 11:00AM-3:00PM (3 performances: 11am, 1pm & 3pm) is The Legend of Sleepy Hollow Presented by the Puppet People for FREE
- COLONIE at Central Steak at 8:00PM-11:00PM is Winchester & Young for FREE
- SARATOGA at Vapor at Saratoga Casino and Raceway at 8:00PM is New York Players for FREE
- MALTA at DiDonna’s South Shore Restaurant at 8:00PM-10:00PM is Laughter is the Best Medicine Comedy Night for $15/pp
- SCHENECTADY at Proctors Theatre at 7:30PM is Looking Through a Glass Onion: Deconstructing the Beatles’ White Album
- ALBANY at the Palace Theatre at 7:00PM is the Annual Black History Month STEP OFF ($17 in advance/ $22 day of)
Saturday, February 25
- ALBANY at The Egg at 8:00PM is Hot Tuna
- INLET at 12:00PM-7:30PM at Fern Park is Frozen Fire & Lights Festival
- LAKE GEORGE at 6:30PM is FIREWORKS!
- ALBANY at McGeary’s Irish Pub at 8:00PM is Fundraiser benefit for Maggie Zeoli-Delvalle and her battle with AML Leukemia for a $20 suggested donation
- SARATOGA at Vapor at Saratoga Casino & Raceway at 9:00PM is CrushFM with DJ Reel for FREE (21+)
- BOLTON LANDING at Up Yonda Farm at 10:00AM-1:00PM is the 4th Annual Snowshoe Hike for Hospice $20/pp donation or pledges
- LAKE GEORGE at YMCA Camp Chingachgook at 10:00AM-4:00PM is Winter Wonderland; FREE for Y-members and $5/pp for non-members
- LAKE GEORGE on Shepard Park Beach at 12:00PM is Chicken Wing Cook Off
- SCHROON LAKE at Mountainside Bible Chapel Gym at 11:00AM-2:00PM is the Schroon Lake Chiki Book Off- $1 per taste, $5 per bowl or $15 for unlimited
- ALBANY at Different Drummers Kitchen, Stuyvesant Plaza at 12:00PM-2:00PM is Everyday Japanese- Hands On – $65/pp
- ALBANY at the Colonie Family Recreation Center at 9:30AM-11:30PM is Party Your Heart Out ZUMBA FUNraiser! Doors open at 8:45am
- SCHENECTADY at Katie O’ Byrnes at 10:00PM is Funk Evolution
- ALBANY at the Bistro Bar at 74 State at 8:00PM is Lee Shaw Trio
- SARATOGA in SPAC at 8:00PM is The Winter Ball, BOND: Shaken Not Stirred- REGULAR pre-sale at $65 and $70 after 2/15
Sunday, February 26
- ALBANY at the Times Union Center at 2:00PM is Siena Men’s Basketball- Blonde vs. Brunettes 2EndAlz Night for $20/pp
- SARATOGA at Saratoga City Center at 11:00AM-3:00PM is the 5th Annual Enchanted Wedding Expo for $5/pp
- CLIFTON PARK at Northern Lights at 5:00PM-7:00PM is Enter the Guinness Perfect Pint Competition; $10 per person, includes light fare & Guinness drink ticket. Glass and t-shirt given to first 500 customers. Best pints will be entered to win a trip to Ireland, Home Draft System, Guinness Refrigerator & MORE! Benefits Project Link to help find a cure for Autism!
ONGOING
- SCHENECTADY (Feb 20-26) is RESTAURANT WEEK
- ALBANY (Feb 24-25) at the Times Union Center is NYSPHSAA Wrestling Championships for $12
- LAKE GEORGE (Feb 24-26) at the Queensbury Hotel is a Murder Mystery Dinner Theater- Glens Falls Community Theater; FRI-SAT 6:00P & SUN 1:00p
- ALBANY (Feb 25-26) at NY State Museum at 10:00AM-5:00PM is the 19th Annual Gem, Mineral & Fossil Show & Sale for $4/pp
- ALBANY (Feb 23-26) at UAlb Performing Arts Center is Great Expectations; look at website for times and prices http://www.albany.edu/pac/
- SARATOGA (Until Feb 25) is Saratoga Beer Week http://www.saratogabeerweek.com/
- LONG LAKE (Feb 17-26) is WINTER WONDERLAND WEEK
- ALBANY (Feb 24-25) at The Comedy Works at 9:00PM is Tommy Koenig & Melvin George
- SCHENECTADY (Until Feb 26) at the Schenectady Museum & Suits-Bueche Planetarium at 2:30PM-3:30PM is Hidden Power Demos, every Thursday-Sunday in February
- ALBANY (Feb 24-25) at the Times Union Center at 9:30AM is 50th Annual NYSPHSAA Wrestling Championships
- SCHENECTADY (Feb 17-26) at Proctors is Classic Theater Guild Inc. presents One Flew Over the Cukoo’s Nest http://www.proctors.org/events/ctg-one-flew-nest
- LAKE GEORGE (Feb 25-26) in Lake George Village is the FOURTH WEEKEND of the Lake George Winter Carnival
“Me want cookie!”
Cookie Monster, Sesame Street
Unless you dislike sweet treats as a whole, I feel as if everyone has that feeling from time to time- “Me want cookie!” Also, on the website for Bake For You (475 State Street, Albany), 
owner Linda Kindlon used another favorite Cookie Monster quote of mine “C is for cookie, that’s good enough for me” so I felt this was an appropriate quote to start with for this blog entry.
Linda recently invited me to her hidden kitchen to not only taste some of her delicious creations but see where everything is made. She emailed me the address beforehand and I knew the general neighborhood but I still had trouble finding where she was, especially since the address I was given was a church and I assumed something had to be wrong. Luckily, I wasn’t.
BakeForYou is based out of the kitchen of St. Paul’s Evangelical Lutheran Church. When asked if she had her sights on a storefront anytime soon she said that she was happy with the way things were right now and her relationships with each of her clients. Don’t worry though if you want to try these delicious sweets, her cookies are available at Bob and Ron’s Fish Fry, Elena’s Italian Cafe, Our Daily Grind, Andy’s Italian Imports, Hudson River Coffee House, Irongate Cafe, Uncommon Grounds, and many others! If you’re looking to order a bigger selection of cookies check out her WEBSITE for delivery.
Linda had mentioned that she was working on her menus but I was sure to grab a cupcake menu before I left! Cupcakes have become quite a big deal in the Capital District over the past year or two and though I didn’t get to try any of them, I think the Guinness cake is calling to me:
- The Traditional: Yellow Cake, choice of vanilla butter cream or chocolate butter cream
- Guinness Chocolate Cake: Moist subtle chocolate cake topped with vanilla butter cream or chocolate butter cream
- Classic Carrot Cake: sweet carrots, pineapple, coconut and cinnamon topped with cream cheese frosting
- The Velvet Supper: traditional red velvet cake topped with cream cheese frosting
- The Addison: yellow cake with fresh orange zest topped with orange butter cream frosting
- The State Street: coconut cake topped with creamy coconut frosting
- Cheers to You: white champagne cake with raspberry filling topped with white frosting
- Walk in the Park: lemon poppy seed cake with a lemon glaze
- The Sprague Place: vegan chocolate cake topped with chocolate frosting
- Always Fall: pumpkin cake topped with cinnamon frosting
I did get to sample two delicious cookies Bake For You has to offer, the signature cookie, White Chocolate and Craisins and the S’mores cookie with chocolate and marshmallows. 
I started with the White Chocolate and Craisins cookie and was so impressed how this cookie that was rather crusty on the outside was soft on the inside with the chocolate semi-melted. I don’t normally like Craisins but it paired so well with the white chocolate that I didn’t even notice. It was almost more like I was eating a scone than a cookie. I knew if that was their signature cookie, the next was going to be just as delicious.
As you can see in the picture, the marshmallows on the S’mores cookie were toasted brown but don’t let that fool you, they are just as mushy on the inside as the cookie itself. Along with big chunks of chocolate this tasted just like a s’more, with the cookie texture acting as a graham cracker. I luckily was able to take some of them home and I honestly ate one each day until they were gone, I’m going to have to go to one of the locations she sells them in to grab some more! Next time I’ll have to try dunking them in hot chocolate. With the marshmallow on top, it’s like that’s what it was made for. Linda had mentioned an Earl Grey cookie and since I have such a love of tea, I can’t even imagine what it would taste like in cookie form but I’m going to have to give those a try as well. Overall her cookies weren’t sickening sweet as some cookies could be which is either good because it makes each experience just as delicious but bad because my sweet tooth doesn’t get that sugar shock and I could probably finish a dozen of these by myself!
I love to support business owners that don’t just “do this” for the sake of owning a business but actually have a passion for it and in each bite of the cookies (yes, multiple) I had from Bake For You, you could taste the passion. I had visited Linda the day after Valentine’s Day and in between discussing how busy it had been for her the past couple days, she had said that she has turned people away in the past who wanted to order cookies when she hit her limit. Some may think of this as a bad business decision but I think it goes to the quality of her product. She said that if she’s not going to make it to the best of her ability than she’d rather not make it and have a cut off so she can guarantee you the best her product could possibly be.
Not only are the cookies delicious but she makes them all organic and all with local products. The eggs are free range from Mountain Winds Farm, the flour and butter are from Vermont, the organic raisins, organic tea, spices, soy milk and cheeses are from the Honest Weight Co-Op in Albany & when the fruits and vegetables she needs are in season she buys them local. I had asked her how she decided upon which local places she was going to use for her products and it was based on which made the best cookie in her opinion. Her belief is that “great ingredients make for wonderful sweets” and with that mantra, how could you go wrong?
Monday, February 20- Thursday, February 23
Monday, February 20
- NORTH CREEK at Tannery Pond Community Center at 9:00AM-4:00PM is Widlund Gallery” Taff and Jack Fitterer and Paul Chapman for FREE
- TUPPER LAKE at The Wild Center is Winter Homes- learn about and help construct a quinzee, meet live animals and build a unique craft to take home- Also, Winter Birding for $15 for adults, $9 for youth and $13 for seniors
- WEVERTOWN at Wevertown Community Center at 2:00PM is NYS Battle Flags of the Civil War for FREE
- SARATOGA at the Saratoga Springs Public Library at 2:00PM-4:00PM is Family Movies- The Lion King for FREE
- TROY at Experimental Media & Performing Arts Center at 12:00PM is Ryan + Trevor Oakes: The Periphery of Perception for FREE
Tuesday, February 21
- ALBANY at The Egg at 7:30PM is Zee Avi with special guest Bryan Thomas
- SARATOGA at the Saratoga Springs Public Library at 2:00PM-3:00PM is Andrew Simmons’ Wildlife for FREE
- ALBANY at UAlbany Uptown Campus, Ballroom at 8:00PM is Michio Kaku, physicist and author and cofounder of “string field theory
- GLENS FALLS at Charles R. Wood Theater at 1:00PM-9:00PM is Adirondack Regional Theaters Auditions
Wednesday, February 22
- SCHENECTADY at Katie O’ Byrnes at 7:00PM is Frank Jaklitsch
- ALBANY at the Empire State Plaza Ice Rink at 6:00PM-8:00PM is Let’s Skate hosted by BlueShield of Northeastern New York
- ALBANY at UAlbany Performing Arts Center at 7:30PM is Oswego Jazz Project- $12 general public, $10 seniors and UAlb faculty & staff and $8 students
- ALBANY at the Albany Institute of History & Art at 7:30AM-9:30AM is Corporate Breakfast Series, “Technology and Museums Today”- FREE but pre-registration required & from 10:00AM-5:00PM is CELEBRATE 221 Years with $2.21 admission!
- SARATOGA at the Saratoga Springs Public Library at 11:00AM is Animal Tracking Snowshoe Hike for FREE
Thursday, February 23
- SCHENECTADY at Jewish Community Center at 1:00PM-2:00PM is Magic Show with Melvin the Magnificent- members are $3/ pp and $8 per family, non-members are $4/pp and $12 per family
- TROY at Experimental Media & Performing Arts Center at 7:30PM is Last Year at Marienbad for $6
- ALBANY at Massry Center for the Arts at 7:30PM is Backstage with Paula Cole ($25)
- SARATOGA at Maestros at 7:00PM is Pull Your Own Pint for FREE
- SARATOGA at Longfellows at 6:30PM is Harpoon Beer Dinner
- SARATOGA at Circus Café at 7:00PM is Randal the Enamal Animal and Dogfish Head for FREE
- SARATOGA at Bookmakers at the Holiday Inn at 7:00PM- 9:00PM is Samples of ADK Brewery for FREE
- SARATOGA at Prime at 7:00PM-10:00PM is Meet the Brooklyn Brewery Team for FREE (beer and food are additional costs)
- SARATOGA at Irish Times Pub at 8:00PM-10:00PM is Goose Island Sampling Night/ Longtrail, Otter Creek, and Wolavers Organic beer sampling for FREE ( beer and food are additional)
- SARATOGA at City Tavern at 5:00PM is Five Floors of Beer & at 9:00PM-12:00AM is Redhook Trivia Night with Head Brewer for FREE (beer and food are additional)
- SARATOGA at Stadium Café at 7:30PM-11:00PM is Craft Brewers Alliance Tap Takeover with Head Brewer for FREE (beer and food are additional)
- SARATOGA at Saratoga Brewery at 4:00PM is Kick Off Party for Saratoga Beer Week ($7) & at 4:30PM-10:00PM is New York State Brewers Meeting for FREE
- SARATOGA at Long Fellows at 4:00PM-6:00PM is Long Trail Sampling
- SARATOGA at The Springs at the Saratoga Hilton at 5:00PM is Redhook Lounge for FREE
- SARATOGA at The Saratoga Hilton Lobby at 3:00PM-6:00PM is Beer Week Registration for PASSPORT HOLDERS ONLY
- ALBANY at Albany Public Library, Main Library Auditorium at 2:00PM is Pit Bull Education Workshop for FREE
ONGOING
- SCHENECTADY (Feb 20-26) is RESTAURANT WEEK http://www.sayschenectady.org/
- SCHENECTADY (Feb 17-26) at Proctors is Classic Theater Guild Inc. presents One Flew Over the Cukoo’s Nest http://www.proctors.org/events/ctg-one-flew-nest
- SCHENECTADY (Until Feb 26) at the Schenectady Museum & Suits-Bueche Planetarium at 2:30PM-3:30PM is Hidden Power Demos, every Thursday-Sunday in February
- NORTHVILLE (Feb 21-Feb 24) at Lapland Lake is one pass full price, second pass half price for all elementary and secondary school teachers with ID
- ALBANY (Feb 23-26) at UAlb Performing Arts Center is Great Expectations; look at website for times and prices http://www.albany.edu/pac/
- SARATOGA (Feb 22- 23) at the Saratoga Springs Public Library at 9:30AM-11:30AM is Exploring and Interacting with Media Websites for students, call 584-7860 to register
- LONG LAKE (Feb 17-26) is WINTER WONDERLAND WEEK
- ALBANY (Until Feb 21) at Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences at 7:00PM is Eighth Annual Africana Film Series for FREE- This week is Long Night’s Journey into Day: South Africa’s Search for Truth and Reconciliation
518 Bites & Sights ALL OVER the Internet!
As always, feel free to post events you know of coming up/ read more events posted to my:
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TWITTER – http://twitter.com/#!/518bitesnsights (@518BitesNSights)
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If you’re interested in having me check out your business, try your product, attend an event or advertise your business on my page feel free to email me.
