The Spa City

Saratoga is a city for all seasons but summer provides the most to see and do. It's a small, beautifully preserved city that has it all: the arts(see entry onSPAC), 2 horserace tracks(see Saratoga Race Track entry), museums, pubs/restaurants, a tree and flower-lined downtown, street fairs and open-air markets. A special treat for golfers is the Saratoga State Park Golf Course on The Avenue of The Pines. Even if you don't golf, the setting is breathtaking.

Get your walking shoes on and really get a feel for this artsy city with unlimited people-watching opportunities.

Quick Tips:

Broadway is the "key" to Saratoga - it's the main street to everything. If you stay at a Victorian Bed & Breakfast,an old stately hotel,or The Sheraton Hotel along Broadway, you'll be at the gateway to everything that's happening.

Dress runs the gamut - from sultry, sheer sundresses and men's pastel slacks with geometric, speckled sport shirts to shorts, tanktops, and sandals.

Best Way To Get Around:

It's definitely a city to be walked and savored. Bikes are another healthy option. You'll want a car to explore Lake George (a short ride up the Northway), Albany(30 miles south), or even New York City (3 hours south).

If you want to incorporate "comfortable and cozy" into your breakfast or lunch dining experience, then "BEVERLY'S" may coax you into becoming a "regular". It's a usual meeting place for locals and artsy types. August visitors (the horsey set) to the Spa City quickly learn about this bistro-type establishment. The tables are small and close together so twosomes and threesomes are the usual groupings. However, if you're planning on going there on a weekend with a group of 6-8, they suggest you call ahead.

OPTIONS: From early summer to fall, you can dine outdoors on the patio or the regular inside dining area(see photos)

BREAKFAST MENU: Always check the "Specials Board" in the restaurant or on the patio before scanning the printed menu. You're in for some very unusual combinations and surprises! Their menu is as varied as their customers. Frittata's melt in your mouth and Eggs Beverly served with smoked salmon offer another nice touch. Several flavored coffee's, juices, and Saratoga Water make a nice accompaniment.

LUNCH MENU: If you're a quiche lover you've come to the right place. Quiche of the Day could combine asparagus with pine nuts or sundried tomatoes and garlic. My favorite treat is the Chicken Curry Salad with apples.

PRICES: Breakfast entrees range from $6.95 for Omelettes or Frittatas (includes toast of your choice and home fries or you can substitute a fruit cup for an additional $.75),to McCann's Irish Oatmeal served hot with
brown sugar and currants for $4.95 (add $.50 for real maple syrup).
HOURS OF OPERATION: 8 AM - 3 PM DAILY ALL YEAR ROUND.

SUGGESTION: After taking a walking tour of downtown Saratoga along Broadway, try a short detour down Phila Street to Beverly's. Experiment with breakfast first. If you're dining solo, you'll fit right in by reading a newspaper, paperback, or playbill.

SPAC is easily accessed by car(just a few miles north of exit 14N off the Northway). It's a great walking or biking destination if you're staying in the historic downtown section.

of Saratoga. As you turn into the well-marked entrance for the State Park you'll be immediately enveloped by tall, stately pine trees, pass a challenging golf course and stately Gideon Putnam Hotel, and on to SPAC.

It is an amphitheater set in the woods surrounded by lush lawns and well maintained walkways. It features performances by The New York City Ballet and The Philadelphia Orchestra as well as hosting The Lake George Opera Festival, Jazz Festival, and Wine and Food Festival. Other offerings include rock, bluegrass, and pop performers.

Suggestion: Get lawn seats for a Philadelphia Orchestra performance. Spread your blanket, dine on wine and cheese, and relax.

The Parting Glass Pub & Restaurant features a real Irish Pub atmosphere with friendly staff, hefty "pub food" menu, "Brew Tasting Club", live music, and a dart room. They offer a couple of tables for outside drinking and/or dining. Food prices are reasonable and they have 120 different brews which range from brews on tap to imported beers from Brazil, Austria, Australia, etc.

Parking outside or close to The Parting Glass is not easy, especially on weekends. I suggest you park across the street in the public parking lot or walk down from Broadway.

It's a welcoming kind of place for all ages. Just like pubs in Ireland, families bring their children for a meal; singles and marrieds make this a meeting place; and, students from Skidmore College and colleges in the tri-cities area come for the music and socializing.

Treat yourself to exceptionally good entertainment when The McKrell's are scheduled to perform(see their website-www/mckrells.com). This celtic/bluegrass band is composed of 5 talented members: Kevin(the leader), Craig, Brian, Chris, and Sara(an unbelievable fiddle player). Kevin McKrell has a relaxed demeanor and makes good use of his witty sense of humor.

If you're looking for something different to do with your companion or family and want to be outdoors, Saratoga Race Track fits the ticket!

The track season runs for 36 days this year. Opening day is Wednesday, July 24th and it closes on Labor Day, Monday, September 2nd.

When you're making your travel plans keep in mind that Tuesdays are "dark days" and the track is closed.

Most of the prices for admission and seats have gone up this year, but only a dollar or two. For example, Grand Stand admission is $3 and Grand Stand seats are $5. Clubhouse Admission costs $5 and Reserved Seats another $8. It's really not expensive when you realize you can opt to picnic on the grounds surrounding the track, watch the horses go thru their paces before each race, watch the races in person or anywhere on the grounds via TV, and enjoy free musical entertainment throughout the day. Kids are welcome and special activities are provided for them, i.e., "Juggling For Kids" and "The Discovery Paddock". Never ending people-watching is a bonus. You may even catch a glimpse of female members of "old money" familes like the Whitneys,Vanderbilts, or Rockefellers wearing their wonderful HATS!

SUGGESTIONS: If you're a first-timer,a nice treat is to do breakfast at the track. An ample buffet is available at the Clubhouse porch (trackside) from 7-9:30 am. Parking is easy. You can park right on the grounds for $7. If you leave before 12 noon, they return your money. I'd advise leaving your car there for the entire day instead of getting into the pre-race parking traffic and hassle of choosing a new parking place (the closer to the track the more they charge-$10 and below). While dining, you'll get a sense of how beautiful and relaxing the track is while observing the horses working out, oftentimes surrounded by a ground mist. An announcer gives insightful info re: the horses', riders', and owners' backgrounds, how well they've done in the past, etc. It's much quieter than when the thousands of fans fill the stands for the races at l pm post time.

You can pack a picnic lunch or feast on chowder, peppers and onions, hot dogs, ice cream, popcorn, and all the usual fair-type offerings. Various beverages are available including soft drinks, Saratoga Water, beer, wine, and even champagne(when you win the big race)!

The Electric City Clown Alley of Schenectady, N.Y. hosted the 34th annual COAI Convention - the first one ever held in New York State! 550+ clowns and company from the USA, England, Barbados,Canada,Puerto Rico, Mexico,etc., participated in this educational and fun event held at The Sheraton Hotel and Conference Center.

Right next door, a classical one-ring circus, staged and produced by Center Ring Productions (elephants and all), appeared at the Saratoga City Center.

The weather cooperated with unseasonably sunny and warm temperatures for April in the Northeast. In addition, surrounding schools were closed for spring break. Hundreds of families came to the Spa City for the circus and were greeted by professional clowns from the convention who provided unique photo ops for the children.

I am a "First of May" clown which means a new clown for a year or less. This was my first clown convention, and an international one at that! Like yourselves, I was curious as to what do clowns do at an international convention? They attend classes on:
balloon art
face painting
clown ministry
hospital clowning
juggling
non-verbal performance
clown ethics
make-up
puppetry,etc.,etc.

Also, they compete for the best in make-up, skits, balloon sculpture, paradeability, etc. CLOWNS SMILE AND PARTY ALOT TOO!!!