On a beautiful May Day evening in the Lake George/Saratoga Springs region, good eats, at our fav, go-to, downtown Glens Falls eatery, Bistro Tallulah – just the way I like it, a quiet night. Happy Anniversary!!
Tallulah’s
Cochon de Lait (roast pig) w/a nice Sauvignon Blanc for Tanni, and Seafood Cioppino w/a Double IPA draft for me.
I wanted to post a list of our favorite places to eat, to help the visitor who reads my blog and would like to get a local perspective on where to eat from what is a huge selection of places in the area. Where I have pics, I’ll post them along w/a web site link (click on the highlighted hot link), if they have one (many don’t). I’ve posted detailed blogs on most of these places before, which you can find by clicking on the “Good Eats” Category link along the bottom right side of my blog and scroll through the postings.
Lets start with the first meal of the day, breakfast. I’m not going to be a lot of help here as my wifey generally doesn’t care to go out for breakfast. I’m certain there are other interesting places that you will have to seek-out on your own, but anyway, here are my 3 breakfast recommendations –
Bolton Beans in Bolton Landing, an old fashioned diner.
We visited Bolton Beans this last February/March when Bolton is basically deserted, as you can see by how slow they were on a Sunday early afternoon. Their menu offers some variety to the typical breakfast offerings and good coffee.
The Silo, at Exit 19 in Queensbury, is where I meet my passengers for my flights, and is a local fav for breakfast and lunch. They offer a typical hearty American style breakfast, that is good quality and quantity.
In downtown Glens Falls, The Chocolate Mill Cafe is a quality offering for breakfast, or just a cup of good coffee and a sweet treat anytime they are open.
Next up will be lunch offerings, and our absolute favorite is near the Vermont border in Salem, NY, Steininger’s. Steininger’s only does lunch Tuesday thru Saturday.They have fabulous soups, sandwiches, lite entrees, wonderful desserts and fine hand-made chocolates, all done with a European flare by the owners.
Steininger's is worth the drive from anywhere.
On the water lunch spots worth visiting are The Algonquin on Lake George in Bolton Landing, and The Docksider on Glen Lake in Queensbury. Another favorite spot of ours is up in Chestertown, the Main Street Ice Cream Parlor.
The retro ice cream parlor in Chestertown is worth the drive for good grub and old fashioned ice cream desserts.
Two brew pubs in Glens Falls that make for good lunch and dinner offerings are, Davidson’s in downtown, and Coopers Cave, which is a little out of the way but easy to get to.
Now for the main meal of the day, dinner. Our absolute favorite place to eat is Bistro Leroux on Rt 149 in Queensbury. Right behind that would be Bistro Tallulah in downtown Glens Falls. Saratoga Springs has a large selection of very good restaurants. Our current favorites in Saratoga would be Maestro’s and Capriccio Saratoga. A good place for a drink in Saratoga would be The Wine Bar, and the Adelphi Hotel in their outdoor courtyard. Also, the Parting Glass is a good Irish pub worth the visit while in Saratoga.
Other good offerings that I can personally recommend are Rene’s on Elm St in Glens Falls, the Farmhouse at Top of the World, which offers interesting farm-to-table style meals, that for us, have been some of the best food we’ve had in the area, to just so-so. And, the view from the top of the mountain is spectacular. 132 Glen Street Bistro in downtown Glens Falls offers good food at moderate prices, Raul’s Mexican Grill in Glens Falls offers an upscale version of Mexican without high prices.
I know that there are other great places to eat in the area that I just haven’t been to recently like The Gristmill in Warrensburg, the Ridge Terrace on 9L Lake George, I’d like to try Max London’s down in Saratoga, Sperry’s in Saratoga was great the one time we went under the new ownership. One Caroline has been ok, plus offers live jazz in the main dining room, Hattie’s is a Saratoga institution, and frankly, there are more but I’m running out of patience with the length of this post. I’m done!
Saturday, wifey and I headed out to Washington County to visit some of our fav places for eats, take-outs to bring back home, and some of the best maple syrup available. A trip like this takes us out to some places that I’ve written about before, out toward Salem which is near the VT border. We stopped at the Battenkill Valley Creamery, on County Route 30 near Salem, for some of their fantastic ice cream for an evening dinner party, and fresh eggs for our Sunday morning breakfast. Next, we headed for Salem and lunch at Steininger’s. This place is our fav go-to place when we feel like a drive out into the country and lunch you typically don’t find in a sleepy town like Salem.
The main drag and only traffic light in Salem
Worth the drive from anywhere, Steininger's
Next, we headed out toward Vermont to get some good maple syrup, at the Mountain Valley Maple Farm, on State Highway 153 in West Rupert VT. Sorry, but I don’t have any pics of their sugar operation. They weren’t boiling sap when I got there because the temps were too cold that day for sap to run. Anyhow, these folks make the best maple syrup, get yourself some.
On the New York/Vermont border. Sign says West Rupert was chartered 1761, truly small town Americana at it's best.
Golden goodness, that was very yummy on my blueberry pancakes that wifey made for us on Sunday morning
Here's the info where you can get yourself some. Click the pic, it enlarges. They ship anywhere.
Last Sunday was a beautiful day for a drive up around Lake George and the southern Adirondacks. Wifey and I stopped by a really cool retro diner in Bolton Landing, Bolton Beans. The diner, as well as Bolton Landing were very quiet, but it didn’t affect the mood at the diner or the food.
An original rail car diner in beautiful condition.
We drove north on Rt. 9N toward The Hague, and stopped at the the overlook at Sabbath Day Point on Lake George.
Sabbath Day Point overlook, what Lake George looks like this winter - no snow and little to no ice.
Historical marker, on the history of Lake George and it's two Centuries of battles along the Great Warpath.
I’ve been reading a great book, “Conquered into Liberty” by Elliot Cohen, that tells the history of the most fought over part of America, the “Great Warpath” between Albany NY and Quebec in Canada, which much of flying area for my balloon rides is part-of.
Our weather forecast for this week improves for the 2nd half of the week, into the coming Columbus Holiday Weekend. Due to the extended wet weather we’ve been experiencing, we’ve gotten over 9 inches of rain last couple of months at the airport, I will not be scheduling any flights until the end of the week to allow our flying area to dry some before we head out to fly.
So, with another wet weekend for the first weekend of October, wifey and I headed north on Sunday to check-out the fall foliage. We took 87 north to exit 29, North Hudson where Frontier Town use to be, and headed west on Boreas Rd, County Hwy 2B, through the Blue Ridge toward Newcomb.
A view on 84 on the drive toward Newcomb. The foliage is somewhat muted this fall.
At the end of Tahawus Rd, looking toward Adams and Allen Mountain with Mt. Marcy in the clouds.
A deserted beach on Harris Lake.
The view just south of Indian Lake, of Adirondack Lake at a pull-off on Rt. 28.
We stopped for a late lunch in North Creek at Trappers Tavern.
A bowl of stew for me and a smoked chicken salad samich w/fries for wifey, and a good micro brew. All were very tasty.
A lady working on a mural in North Creek.
North Creek is a small, unhurried Adirondack Mountain Village, with some interesting things to check-out. Follow the highlighted links for info on the places we visited on this drive – Tahawus, Long Lake, Indian Lake, and Trappers Tavern.
Last week, wifey and I took a trip up in the mountains to check out Lake Placid, the fall foliage and how the area did after the floods from Irene. We took the drive up the Northway to exit 30, then up Route 73 through Keene Valley to Lake Placid. You could see in spots where 73 was cut by the Ausable, and other brooks and streams by their flood waters. Downtown Keene musta been a river itself with 2 brooks and the Ausable meeting at the 9N and Rt 73 junction in the center of town.
At the junction of 73 and 9N where the Ausable, Jones and Cascade brooks all come togehter. The building to the right was flooded and off it's foundation.
In Lake Placid, heading to the Brown Dog Wine Bar for lunch
A pulled chicken w/blueberry bbq sauce and slaw for me and a smoked turkey panini for Tani, topped by a local Porter on my side and a nice Malbec for wifey.
The view out on Mirror Lake from the restaurant patio where we were enjoying lunch.
The interior of the restaurant. You might also want to check-out The Mirror Lake Inn's, The Cottage on the lake for lunch.
Another noted Lake Placid establishement, worth the visit.
Since the gondola was closed for rides at Whiteface, we decided to continue up the road to Wilmington to do the drive up the Whiteface Mountain Memorial Highway.
One of the views on the way up the mountain from an overlook.
Up the mountain road.
Another overlook view a little higher up.
Hair-pin turn coming up.
The view down towards Lake Placid.
Our destination, the top of the mountain.
You can either hike or ride an elevator the last 200 feet to the top.
Some off-trail foliage turning it's fall hue.
The view back down the trail.
The weather station and overlook at the peak of Whiteface.
At the top!
On the way out, had to stop and take this pic, advertising a place I came with my fam when I was young, more than 55 years ago.
What can you do when there is lousy flying weather forecast for the weekend? Well, wifey and I took the opportunity to visit some fav places and visit friends. We are big believers in supporting your local businesses, especially with less than certain times, when your patronage is much appreciated. Our weekend started early Saturday morning at the Farmer’s Market in Glens Falls. We like the variety of offerings at the Market, and got some fresh veggies from a variety of vendors, excellent meat from the Lick Springs Beefalo Farm, fresh eggs and a fav of mine, Dilly Sweet Pickles from Puckers Gourmet.
The Farmer's Market on South and Exchange Streets in Glens Falls
A look at some of the vendors
Late morning, we decided to head out into Washington County for lunch and stop-at some of our favorite farm country retailers along the way. For lunch, we headed-out for Salem and Steininger’s, which is our all-time favorite place for lunch. Steininger’s is a place that offers great soups, samiches, and desserts. Plus, if you are a fan of chocolate, this is the place.
Time for lunch
The Cafe was pretty full, even at our 2 PM reservation hour.
The view out the window of Main Street at a sleepy Salem, NY.
After our tasty soup starters, lunch is chicken salid on a croissant for Tani, and chicken curry for me.
We topped lunch off with one of their tasty desserts - fresh peaches, strawberriy jam/coulis, on vanilla ice cream and a buttermilk biscuit.
On the way back to Queensbury, we stopped at the Battenkill Valley Creamery for some of their ice cream to take home, and their farm fresh corn for the corn relish we planned to put-up in canning jars for use through the year. And since we were going past The Gardenworks at MacClan Farms on County Route 30 after visiting the Creamery, we made a stop for wifey to check-out the plant sale going on for her gardens. I picked-up some farm fresh berries and peaches to take home with us.
The Gardenworks is housed in an old converted dairy barn.
Inside they have farm fresh goods, gift items and an art gallery that features local artists.
On Sunday after we finished making our corn relish, we headed off to Vermont to meet-up with friend and fellow balloonist, Rick Pollock from Shelburne. We met-up at Middlebury, home of Middlebury College, for lunch at the Two Brothers Tavern. We took the car ferry across Lake Champlain at Fort Ti.
The queue of cars waiting for the ferry.
The car ferry docking for the trip across Lake Champlain to Shoreham VT.
The view north, up the Lake.
Wifey had to stop and check this out on the way in to Middlebury.
For wifey, it's a plant thing. In reality, it's some type of free-form sculpture using sticks and branches
Meeting-up with Rick at the Two Brothers Tavern
Good Times, enjoying some local craft brews and good food.
The dam on the Middlebury River at the Main Street bridge, center of town.
Stopped for some ice cream before heading back home.
We took the car ferry across Lake Champlain at Crown Point heading back to New York, with a view of the new bridge under construction. On a small world type of thing, the company that is building the bridge, Flatiron Construction from Firestorm CO, their lead engineer for the project is a friend of our son Grant who currently lives in Edwards CO.
Well, that’s it for this posting. Time to get on to other things!! Oh, I almost forgot, the weather for the week…well, it ain’t good for ballooning until probably Thursday, possibly thru Saturday morning. Today we get a front this afternoon with scattered showers, then clearing overnight with a little high pressure for the morning, then more wide-spread rain late Tuesday into Wednesday. Weather Service is currently forecasting a large area of high pressure for the end of the week for Thursday, possibly into part of the weekend. The weekend’s weather currently is muddled due to forecasting models not agreeing on what it will be… so stay tuned for updates.
On Friday, wifey and I headed over to Weston VT to hook up with good friends Rick Pollock and Paul Stumpf. Paul had built an experimental balloon for Rick. Rick came down from Shelburne to pick-up his new balloon, and the two were heading off to the Experimental Balloon Meet over in Amherst MA for the weekend. Since it was a nice day and my afternoon flight didn’t meet until 6 PM, we decided to drive over just to see it and them, and have lunch before they left for the meet, and I had to do my afternoon flight.
Stumpf Balloons over on the Andover-Weston Rd
From a prior trip over to Paul's shop to help cut-out the panels for Rick's balloon. That's Rick on the left and Paul on the right.
Cuttin' the panels
The bottom end finished product, of Rick's 2-seater "Hang Balloon"
Then off to have lunch, the parking lot for the VT Country Store in Weston
The Bryant House is part of the Country Store complex, a good place to eat.
Decisions, decisions!!
It's lunch
The main drag of Weston
On the way back to NY, Bromley Mountain Ski area in the summertime.
The view to the southeast across from Bromley.
That’s it for this post!!
Today, met wifey and sister-in-law Marie for lunch at Samantha’s Cafe at Union Square. Samantha’s is a funky kinda place that’s in an old, turn-of-the-last-century industrial building, that’s been redone and turned into a mix-use, commercial space building. There are around 5 or 6 different businesses housed within the building.
The inside entrance to Samantha's
I think it has a cool, old style industrial look to the space. Notice the high celing and the above wood plank floors. I don't know the history of the building, but coulda been a sewing operation, there were lots of those around back then.
Then I went up to the 3rd Floor to visit with Chris Archibee at Mannix Marketing for some updates to my web site.
Since it was a beautiful afternoon, and as expected, many of the weekend visitors have or are leaving, so we decided to drive up to Lake George and have a late lunch on the deck at the Algonquin, just south of Bolton Landing on Rt 9N. The Algonquin has a large outdoor deck area for alfresco dining and beautiful lake views. You go to the Algonquin for the view on the water, not the food, which is ok, similar to other eateries of this type in the area, including some that I’ve written about earlier, like the Docksider on Glen Lake, and The Cave at Cooper’s Cave Brewery in Glens Falls.
The Algonquin on Rt 9N just south of Bolton Landing
Eric and Tani heading into the restaurant
Alfresco dining under the outdoor canopy
The view off the deck
More deck dining options