I love the variety of local theatre and entertainment we have in the Capital District.
There's the Cohoes Music Hall, Albany Symphony Orchestra, Capital Repertory, Proctor's, Comedy Works, the Troy Music Hall, Schenectady Light Opera Company, summer season at SPAC and the Palace (among smaller acting troupes, organizations and other entities that I probably am not even aware of).
And, given that we're only 2.5 hours from NYC for some of the best entertainment offered in the world, the local venues kinda have to step up their game. And they do.
Just wanted to share the two newest announcements for coming acts - Flogging Molly in June and Comedian Gabriel Iglesias in September, both at the Palace.

Further details on both from the respective press releases sent out today:

Flogging Molly, on Saturday, June 16 at 8pm, has never conformed to industry tastes; they’ve always been the outcasts who put their fans before commercial success, and they’ve always put their music before marketability. The rewards of such independence and integrity are undeniable in their songs. You feel it from the first note to the last, the pathos and the passion, the sweeping and rollicking electricity of inspiration.

Founded in Los Angeles in 1997, Flogging Molly has always defied categorization. The infectious originality of their songs is a badge of honor and key to the band’s creativity, their urgency. They infuse punk rock with Celtic instruments—violin, mandolin and the accordion—and they merge blues progressions with grinding guitars and traditional Irish music. “We're not a traditional band," explains vocalist, Dublin-born, Dave King. "We are influenced by traditional music and inspired by it, but without question we put our own twist on it." Theirs is music of exile and rebellion, of struggle and history and protest. It’s music of a country torn down the middle; a deeply beautiful and wounded country that knows no quit, and Flogging Molly pays homage to that resolve in every note. Whether it’s a driving anthem like “Black Friday Rule” or the upbeat duet with Lucinda Williams, “Factory Girls”, the band’s only criteria for its music is simple and bone-deep: that it matter.

Tickets are $29.50 & $24.50 and go On Sale FRIDAY, MAY 4 at 10AM at the Palace Theatre Box Office (located at 19 Clinton Ave). Box Office hours are Monday – Friday 10AM – 5PM and Saturday 10AM – 2PM as well as special hours during performances. Tickets are also available for purchase via Ticketmaster Charge-by-Phone at 800-745-3000 and all Ticketmaster outlets, local Wal-Mart Ticketmaster Centers or online at ticketmaster.com.

Gabriel Iglesias, in his Stand Up Revolution THE TOUR - Friday, Sept. 28 at 8pm, has been described as unbelievably witty, electrifying and a talented performer who has the ability to consistently deliver a uniquely hilarious comedy experience – from start to finish – in every venue he performs in. His high-octane show is a sure-fire hit, a mixture of storytelling, parodies, characters and sound effects that bring all his personal experiences to life. Gabriel’s clean and animated comedy style has earned national crossover appeal, making him popular among fans of all ages. Ask anyone who has seen him in concert and you will probably hear the same thing, “Fluffy was SO funny!”

Gabriel’s mass appeal opened the door to a rare opportunity for a comic to film a second one-hour Comedy Central special and DVD. The newest special entitled “I’m Not Fat...
I’m Fluffy” features the comedian’s perfect blend of spot-on voice skills and an uncanny knack for hilarious storytelling. The special, shot live in front of a packed house in El Paso, TX is currently playing in rotation on Comedy Central and is now available on DVD. The new special is destined to top his previous highly successful special/DVD, “Hot & Fluffy.” With his huge touring and DVD success it was only a matter of time that Gabriel would be offered his own TV series.

On October 6, 2011, Comedy Central premiered “Gabriel Iglesias Presents Stand-Up Revolution.” In this new show, Gabriel hosts and performs stand-up material and features an array of hysterically diverse comedians that he has personally selected. This series is a delight for fans and newcomers alike. Now, more will be able to catch Gabriel live as he embarks on his national stand-up comedy tour, “Stand-Up Revolution – The Tour.”

Gabriel’s television credits include; “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno,” “Conan,” “Jimmy Kimmel Live,” FOX TV’s “The Family Guy.” “Good Morning America,” and “The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson.” He has also headlined the Just for Laughs Comedy Festival in Montreal and Toronto. In 2009, Gabriel had the unique opportunity to be the headliner at the Amman Jordan Comedy Festival, the first of its kind in the Arab world – he recently returned to Amman Jordan for a second visit in 2010. Gabriel’s world tour performances include locations such as Australia (Melbourne and Sydney) and Saudi Arabia (Riyadh, Khobar, Qatar, and Dubai.)

All Tickets are $42 and go On Sale FRIDAY, MAY 4 at 10AM at the Palace Theatre Box Office (located at 19 Clinton Ave). Box Office hours are Monday – Friday 10AM – 5PM and Saturday 10AM – 2PM as well as special hours during performances. Tickets are also available for purchase via Ticketmaster Charge-by-Phone at 800-745-3000, all Ticketmaster outlets, local Wal-Mart Ticketmaster Centers or online at ticketmaster.com.

 

Got this press release from the Fort Ticonderoga folks. They're offering free passes for Ti residents.

Is it bad that I still haven't been there yet? (or not since I was a little kid)

I'm not from Ti but I really need to visit soon.

Here's the info:

Fort Ticonderoga invites Ticonderoga residents to receive a specialAmbassador Pass for the 2012 season.  The special pass gives Ticonderoga residents free admission to the Fort, special exhibits, interpretive programs, author series, re-enactments, King’s Garden, Discovery Gardens, the Heroic Corn Maze, and much more!

Who is eligible for a Fort Ticonderoga Ambassador Pass?
Ticonderoga residents.  Present your valid drivers license or other form of identification as proof of residency.  Children under 18 years are eligible for free admission with their parent’s pass.

How can I get an Ambassador Pass?
Contact Fort Ticonderoga’s business office at 518-585-2821, visit our website athttp://www.fortticonderoga.org/visit/hours to download the form, or e-mailinfo@fortticonderoga.org.

Do I need the Ambassador Pass to visit the Fort?
Yes.  You will need a 2012 pass in advance of your visit.  You will present your pass at the Admissions Gate located at Fort Ticonderoga’s entrance.

What are the Benefits of the 2012 Ambassador Pass?
● Free General Admission to Fort Ticonderoga
● Free admission to the King’s Garden and Discovery Gardens
● Free admission to Fort Ticonderoga’s Heroic Corn Maze
● Free Admission to special programs such as the Author Series and Re-enactments
● Free Admission to the Log House Welcome Center – Museum Store and
    America’s Fort Café
● Updates and invitations on Fort Ticonderoga and its many new and exciting programs, exhibits, and events!

How can I get a season pass to Fort Ticonderoga if I don’t live in Ticonderoga?
Fort Ticonderoga welcomes everyone to join the Friends of Fort Ticonderoga!  Friends Memberships begin at $20 and give many benefits including free admission to Fort Ticonderoga, free or discounted admission to selected events, programs, and trips throughout the year, and the subscriptions to Fort Ticonderoga’s Haversack.  For more information visithttp://www.fortticonderoga.org/support and sign up today!
Ticonderoga resident and Fort Ticonderoga Association Board member Anne McDonald said “Ticonderoga residents have such pride in Fort Ticonderoga’s history – our community’s story.  We are excited to have the opportunity to build a strong Ambassador program that connects the Fort and area residents in our effort to build a bright future for one of America’s most significant historic sites and in turn help revitalize our community’s economy through destination tourism.”
“Fort Ticonderoga has so many wonderful programs and events scheduled for the 2012 season, making this special offer especially valuable,” said Sandy Morhouse, Fort Ticonderoga Association Vice President and Ticonderoga resident.  “This Ambassador Program is a tangible reflection of the important partnership between the Fort and the historic town in which it resides.”

You may have saw my Facebook post yesterday on being shut down by the state for doing a charity ice cream event at the Empire State Concourse. Something about setting up in front of the Department of Health and the DOH officials not being convinced the operation was completely sanitary. *pish posh*
 On top of the fact that we were supposed to pay a $30 fee (even though all proceeds were going to charity).
What I haven't posted about yet is that I'm starting to see a trend with my philanthropic events that involve ice cream.
I mean, my adult Easter Egg Hunt was a great success - almost 100 people came, more than a dozen businesses donated items, we raised $700. And it was a blast.
I think the key was that it did not involve ice cream.
Ok, I'll admit, the Ben & Jerry's Leukemia & Lymphoma event went pretty well too where a friend and I stood in front of both the Troy and Albany Ben & Jerry's shops on Free Cone Day and collected donations. That raised about $475.
So, maybe I'll be more specific....LLS events + me + scooping ice cream = disaster.
I think fate was trying to tell me this when the Troy Farmer's Market did not want me to offer donated Stewart's ice cream Make Your Own Sundaes this past Saturday (even after talking with the resident ice cream vendor). I guess this was mainly because Stewart's was not a vendor at the Farmer's Market. Understandable.
But, aside from my run in with the state yesterday, my latest evidence that LLS, myself and ice cream are not a match is from my experience this morning. You see, after talking with the Troy Farmer's Market resident ice cream seller, Battenkill Creamery, they had offered to donate ice cream as well. Yvonne over there has been great to work with and we've been exchanging emails now for the past couple weeks.
We had scheduled to have me pick up 2.5 gallons of their chocolate ice cream today at the Troy Hannaford. Well, having grown up in East Side Troy, to me the Troy Hannaford is the one on the city border in Wynantskill but apparently she meant the one in Lansingburgh on the other side of town.
I got up at 6am today - for those who do not know me I only get up that early for two things: hiking and Bill Clinton events in Saratoga Springs, but I made an exception to my rule today for the donation which I planned to dish out tonight at Troy Night Out.
I got to the Wynantskill Hannaford a little late, which is normal for me, and waited there from 6:40am until 7am. I was told the guy, Ed, would meet me between 6:30am and 7am. By 7am, I went inside and asked if I had missed the truck driver and the person I talked to told me they don't get deliveries from Battenkill. It was this forklift operator who then asked if maybe I was supposed to go to the Hannaford in North Troy.
*DOH*
I made it over to the other store by 7:30am but the guy had already left.
So, here I am....8:30am (way earlier than I'm used to being up) and no Battenkill ice cream.
I do, however, still have Stewart's ice cream left over from their two kits of Make Your Own Sundaes that they donated. I had planned to also give that out tonight for suggested donations but....I'm kinda hesitant. On top of the fact that I've had rotten luck with these experiences so far, it's also only supposed to be about 50-degrees today.
I think I'll still be walking around giving people LLS info but not sure about the ice cream...I may wait til a nicer day for it.
Wait for it.....Aha!
New plan: ice cream party at my apartment. Everyone is invited. But I get to wear my pjs and eat as much ice cream as I want. With all this running around for LLS, there's been a few times where I've forgotten or hadn't had time to eat. Time to gain that weight back with marshmellow, strawberry, chocolate syup, caramel Sundaes from Stewart's.

I feel better already.

The New York Times reported today that Great Britain is slipping back into a recession.

I'm guessing that means the pound is going down.

Which is a good thing for us non-Brits.

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/04/26/business/global/british-economy-slips-back-into-recession.html?_r=1&hp

I just got this announcement from the Martinez Gallery today - They're having a moving sale through this Saturday with art and antiques cut by 40 percent.

Luckily, they're not moving far - same address but different location to focus more on their clients.

Here's the email:

MOVING SALE

Once in a lifetime opportunity to acquire art,
antiques and gifts at deep discounts!


Works of art---40% discount
Antiques and Gifts---40 to 60% discounts
ENDS SATURDAY 4/28

Martinez Gallery is moving to the second floor of the Cannon Building
(same address) to focus more
strongly on client services.


MARTINEZ GALLERY
3 BROADWAY, TROY, NY
518-274-9377 www.martinezgallery.net

As part of National Parks week, National Geographic Traveler put together a list of the under appreciated national parks. And, I have to admit, I had not heard of most of them.

They also had a list of the most popular ones and all of those I had heard of, or been there.

I think the National Parks Service should start marketing more for these hidden gems. But then maybe the people who know they're hidden gems wouldn't like that very much.

In any case, here's the list: http://travel.nationalgeographic.com/travel/top-10/underappreciated-national-parks/?source=link_fbt201204#page=1

I bought my plane ticket for Denver. And I am soooooooooo excited.

That is all.

Nice weather is upon us and soon it will be time for Grafton beach visits, picnics at Thatcher's escarpment, and hiking in Moreau.

It looks like our very own Grafton Lakes State Park and Moreau State Park will see some changes with a recent state announcement of projects throughout NY. Each will see improvements to their restrooms while Thatcher Park will get better parking and picnic areas.

This is a long way from where we were not long ago when the state parks were threatened due to budgetary reasons. I just hope that little episode helped re-awaken some state park enthusiasts so we all stop taking these parks for granted.

For more information, here's a release about the construction:

Parks & Trails New York today reacted enthusiasticallyto the release of the list of infrastructure projects planned at state parks included as part of the new New York Works Fund.

The Fund includes $89 million for capital improvements at 48 specific stateparks and historic sites that account for 37 million of the park system’s 57 million annual visitors.

“At a time when many New Yorkers are preparing to gather with family to celebrate the season of renewal, this announcement by the Governor also breathes new life into our beloved park system,” said RobinDropkin, Executive Director of Parks & Trails New York. “After decades of disinvestment, this injection of capital will reinvigorate parks and historic sites that have suffered from decline. Parks in every region are going to get a boost thanks to this infusion of capital funding. All New Yorkers will benefit from this revitalization, either directly as visitors or through a boost in tourism.”

“Some of these projects may not be glamorous, but they are essential and will nonetheless enhance the visitor experience and strengthen local economies through construction and engineering jobs and increased tourism dollars. Visits to Grafton Lakes and Moreau Lake State Parks in the Capital Region, for example, will be enhanced by the rehabilitation of restrooms. Visitors to Thacher State Park will benefit from improvements to picnic shelters and parking areas. These improvements will go a long way to create inviting and welcoming places for New Yorkers and out-of-state tourists alike.”

“Parks & Trails New York commends the Governor and Legislature for making this investment in our park system. It’s a great first step in what we hope will be a multi-year revitalization of the state park system.”

Through a series of reports over the last few years, Parks & Trails New York has documented both the many challenges facing the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation (OPRHP),particularly the agency’s enormous capital projects backlog, and the substantial economic benefit the park system generates for the people and economy of the Empire State. On a statewide basis, direct spending by OPRHP and spending by visitors to state parks supports up to $1.9billion in output and sales, $440 million in employment income, and 20,000 jobs.

The benefit-to-cost ratio is more than 5-to-1—more than$5 in benefits for every $1 in costs.

For more information, see Parks at a Turning Point and The NYS Park System: An Economic Asset to the Empire State. Parks & Trails New York is the state’s leading advocate for parks and trails, working since 1985 to expand, protect and promote a network of parks, trails and open spaces throughout the state for use andenjoyment by all.

Learn more at www.ptny.org.