Biggest Winners Celebrate Victories at Closing Ceremony

Maria Morales Before the Biggest Winner Program

Maria Morales After the Biggest Winner Program

Maria Morales lost 127 pounds with the help of the local Biggest Winner Program, but she's not the only person to find success. In fact, in the Biggest Winner program, everyone's a winner.

This year-long health program has helped hundreds of people drop pounds, control their diabetes, quit smoking, and lower their blood pressure, but most importantly, it has helped them take control of their health--and that makes them all winners.

Now, the local grassroots initiative is drawing to a close, and to celebrate these victories, the whole community will be invited to a closing ceremony, to be held January 28 from 4-7pm. The location has not yet been announced.

The ceremony will include singing, dancing, and some inspirational stories from Biggest Winner participants. The evening will culminate with a grand prize drawing for $5,000.

Started in April, the Biggest Winner program is a collaboration between Downtown Campus of the University at Albany's Center for Excellence in Aging program and the Healthy Hearts on the Hill program. (both programs particpate on the Central Avenue Farmers Market) The program has about 260 participants, who were recruited at block parties, health fairs, farmers' markets, and other community events across the city, says Kimberly Connell, program coordinator through the Center for Excellence in Aging. "People were very eager to be a part of it," Connell says.

These participants agree to work toward a healthier lifestyle, and they earn points for participating in healthy activities like exercising, visiting the doctor regularly, and eating healthy food, she says. These points are recorded on a scorecard, which they carry with them and then turn in at the end of the month.

The Biggest Winner is a winner because of its relatively narrow focus, Connell says. The program also works because it engaged people in their own communities, and provided help that was in line with individual goals, she says. The program also gave participants plenty of incentives to stick with their new healthier lifestyle, including monthly prize drawings for people who earned at least 30 points. At the end of the year, these individuals qualify for the grand prize drawing of $5,000.

The program focuses on taking small manageable steps, but participants report that the impact is anything but small. Ron Scott, Townsend Park Homes Tenant Association President helped bring the program to the affordable housing complex on Central Avenue. Scott is active with "Just Say Yes to Fruits and Vegetables," Healthy Hearts on the Hill, Active Choices, and serves as a task force member for the Neighborhood Health Task Force and the Center for the Elimination of Minority Health Disparities. He liked the Biggest Winner program because it "ties all these programs together," he says, and because it helps residents feel like they're in charge of their aging and health.

Since bringing the program to the complex, Scott says more residents are taking advantage of the nearby Albany YMCA. He also reports that the seniors have become more mobile, and are taking advantage of some of the activities in the area. Residents will tell him they walked to the CVS and back, the next time he sees them, they say they've gone to the park, he says. "They're more active and sometimes that means their minds are more active," he says.

One winner's story

Looking at Maria Morales, it's hard to believe that just over a year ago, she weighed 300 pounds. Today, this woman is a svelte 173 pounds, and full of life, but a year ago, she says, she spent a lot of time at home, in bed. "I would get up to go to the bathroom, or the kitchen, and then go back to bed," Morales says, sitting on the couch in her parents living room. "I didn't do anything."

Morales attributes her weight to depression; not long before the weight gain, she had broken off her marriage. She also successfully battled two bouts with Hodgkins-Lymphoma, but the cancer had left her with a rod, plate, and screws in her leg. She was taking regular medication to combat the pain, but it left her feeling slow and lethargic.

Finally, her primary care physician, Dr. Robert Paeglow, gave her a hard dose of reality. "'Maria,' he said, 'you're going to die of a heart attack if you don't lose some weight,'" she recalls. After that, she says, she made a conscious decision to start a diet and start exercising. Morales wasn't a big eater, but she liked her sweets, she says--cookies, cake, candy, ice cream--and giving them up was not easy. She also joined a gym, and began to swim regularly at her brother's pool and go on long walks. She was on a fixed income, so she needed to find affordable ways to get in shape. Initially, she was exercising 4-5 times a day, a vigorous schedule for anyone, but for someone so overweight, it was particularly challenging. Sometimes, it was hard to find the motivation, but Morales just kept telling herself she could do it and that her life was worth it. In no time at all, she had gotten down to 279 pounds, but she felt like she needed some support to keep going.

Dr. Paeglow, who was one of the co-founders of the Biggest Winner program, encouraged her to join the new initiative as a way to stay on track. Morales joined and found great support in the new program, she says. She liked it because it covered the full spectrum of health, both physical and mental. She got involved in new activities like zumba, and began attending regular meetings Overeaters' Anonymous meetings. As a result, she became more social, more self-confident, she said. "Now I feel like that Mary J. Blige song, 'You Ain't Got Nothing on Me,'" she says with a laugh.

Before the Biggest Winner program, Morales had trouble walking up a flight of stairs, today the 39-year-old woman feels like she can do anything. "That program saved my life," she says. She glows with new life, and looks forward eagerly to what awaits. Morales has a new boyfriend, and is contemplating another wedding. She is also looking forward to returning to school and finishing her clinicals so that she can become a nurse, she says. The Biggest Winner program taught her the secrets of healthy living, and she plans to continue working out and eating right: "Now I know forever how to do it," she says.

Morales is looking forward to the Closing Ceremony and her shot at the $5,000 grand prize, but, she says, she already got the best prize she could hope for: she got control of her life. "The Biggest reward for me is that I'm going to live," she said. "I'm not going to die."

NABA completes tenant parking lot

The Northeastern Association for the Blind of Albany completed their brand-new parking lot on Central Avenue. The parking lot will provide much needed spaces to the non-profit's tenants at their two adjacent properties. The lot also offers a small green space for clients' guide dogs, complete with a picnic table donated by the Girls, Inc. club of Albany.

The new lot was completed in mid-November, and is now in use. For safety and security, the parking lot is fenced with handsome brick and iron; tenants are issued a code to gain entrance. New lightpoles have been added to ensure that the parking lot is well-lit. It's been landscaped as well, to make it more pleasant.

The lot will provide 10 spaces to the University at Albany, NABA's tenants at 299 Washington Avenue, as well as additional spaces for the future tenants at 80 Central Avenue, says Christopher Burke, NABA's Executive Director.

Eighty Central is currently empty, but NABA is in talks with a potential tenant for the old building, says Burke. If terms are agreed upon and met, this tenant would take a good portion of the building's 17,000 square feet, and NABA would use the remainder to expand its children's programming and technology resources, he says. NABA is already pressed for space in its current location at 301 Central, and by collaborating with this potential tenant, they could gain as much as 5,000 additional square feet.

The new tenant will not be named until all the paperwork has been finalized. In the interim, NABA is trying to identify funding to begin to rehab the old building, starting with the historic facade. This process could begin as early as spring, Burke says.

The collaboration with this new tenant is very exciting, Burke says. Building a new parking lot, securing tenants, and restoring an adjacent building for expanded programming is part of an innovative multi-phase approach to building and developing the agency. It's ambitious, but also it's exciting, Burke says. "That will make us permanent," he says.

Veteran's Day Parade 2009

Seems like old times: Original Shalimar Owner Reclaims Landmark Restaurant

Qasim Bhatti just opened Lazeez on November 1, but already, he feels at home. Not surprising, since Bhatti owned and operated Shalimar out of this building for years before deciding to take a break from the restaurant business in 2000. He turned the business over to his brother-in-law, Leo Ashiq, who went on to open two additional locations in Bethelehem and Clifton Park.

This fall, when Ashiq announced plans to close the original Albany Shalimar to focus on his suburban locations, a collective groan went up across the city. Thankfully, the restaurant's original owner swiftly stepped in and filled the gap. In fact, there seemed to be almost no interruption in service, and the only outward sign of the shift was the new restaurant sign on the building.

Bhatti's restaurant Lazeez offers a menu almost identical to Shalimar's, and the dishes are cooked by the same chef and served by many of the same staff members. Customers who have grown accustomed to the comfortable ambience, complete with lantern lights and colorful artwork will be happy to find that the restaurant's interior is exactly the same. Even the buffet is the same--in fact, I wouldn't be surprised if the chafing dishes were in the same order.

"The perception is that it's a new restaurant because of the name, but they come in and they see it's the same or an even better operation," Bhatti says.

In the future, Bhatti would like to update the menu with some new vegetarian options and to offer some new appetizers, but all cooked in the same northern Indian style that his customers have come to so appreciate, he says.

After a nine-year hiatus from the restaurant business, Bhatti says it's a pleasure to be back on Central Avenue. He and his wife started the restaurant in 1992, during a real turning point in the area, and they became intimately involved in the neighborhood and its residents. Bhatti has been gratified to see many of those same customers still coming in. "The local community has supported me over so many years," he says. He hopes that same level of support will continue.

Lazeez is located at 35 Central Avenue, Albany. They offer delivery service. For more information, please call 435-0333 or visit their website at http://www.eatlazeez.com/.

Roadmap for the Future: Albany's Comprehensive Plan Underway

Where are we going? Are we there yet? The City of Albany has engaged a planner and appointed a new board, all with the goal of creating a comprehensive plan for the city. The plan will take a long range view of the city's future, to figure out both where we are, and where we'd like to be in the next 20 years.

Slated for release in 2011, the comprehensive plan will be the first in the city's 400 year history.

Neighborhood Association members across the city are being invited to attend a series of January meetings so that residents can provide their input on the state of the city. At Monday night's West End Neighborhood Association meeting, John O'Grady, president, exhorted members to participate in the meetings. The city needs to hear from its constituents, he explained to the members who met at the West End Presbyterian Church.

The plan is an important document, which promises to have a long-lasting impact on Albany. It will serve as the city's guiding policy document, and "set a common direction for the city," says David Rouse, Principal with Wallace Roberts and Todd, a planning and design firm out of Philadelphia that was hired to consult on the process.

The firm will work with the city's Department of Planning and Development, as well as the city's recently created Comprehensive Planning Board. The 30-member comprehensive planning board is made up of city personnnel, business owners, and civic leaders who were appointed by the city's Common Council in September. According to the city website, the board will provide guidance for the plan and make a recommendation to the council for its adoption.

The process for creating the city's first comprehensive plan promises to be both thorough and thoughtful. "We're under way, and we're looking for the entire process to take between 15 and 18 months," Rouse explained. The comprehensive planning board will host group meetings, hold one on one interviews, and conduct massive surveys, all with the goal of soliciting input from the public. This week, Rouse and his colleagues kicked off the process by holding meetings with city stakeholders, including transportation agencies, neighborhood associations, and business improvement districts. During the meetings, attendees were asked about the city's strengths and challenges.

While it's still early in the process, the meetings have nevertheless revealed a number of concerns, Rouse says. Stakeholders voiced concerns about the high number of tax-exempt properties in the area, the perception problem with the city school district, and safety issues. However the meetings also revealed a long list of city assets, including walkable neighborhoods, a number of vibrant arts institutions, and a wealth of historic architecture.

In January, the city will hold another series of public meetings, this time aimed at city residents. "We want as many people to participate as possible," Rouse says. Residents will be asked what they like about living in the city and what they would like to see improved.

The idea is to capitalize on some of the city's assets and solve some of the problems that have been identified, Rouse says. The plan will serve as a starting point, and could help direct zoning changes, regulatory changes, and transportation infrastructure, he says. It could even make the city more eligible for grant funding: "Generally, if a community has a good plan in place, it puts them in a good position for competitive grants," Rouse says.

The meetings will be held on January 28, 29 and 30. Times and location will be announced soon.

Other meeting notes:

--Janet Parker, community liasion for the Albany Police Department, updated the audience on recent criminal activity in the area. There's been an upsurge in burglaries from cars, which will probably continue to rise as the holiday season approaches, she cautioned. She advised people to park in well-lit areas, don't leave valuables in plain sight, and always lock your car doors and roll up your windows. "I've seen larceny for things like change in a cupholder," she said.

--A public meeting will be held on December 3rd at 6:30pm in the Education Building of the St. Rose College, Carl Touhey Forum to discuss the selection of the new police chief. Residents will be asked to help choose criteria for the selection of this new post.

Legal clinic for small business

Contact: Paul Stewart
Capital District Community Loan Fund
518/436-8586 tel
For Immediate Release
November 16, 2009

Free Legal Clinic for Entrepreneurs

The Capital District Community Loan Fund and the Legal Project of the Women’s Bar Association are sponsoring a legal clinic for small business and micro enterprise owners on Thursday, December 3rd at the Legal Project Office, at Stuyvesant Plaza in Albany.

Volunteer attorneys with expertise in business-related matters will provide individual and confidential consultations on specific questions about: the various forms of business ownership and legal structure; purchasing an existing business; trademarks & copy rights; contracts; and permit and zoning issues for example.

Space is limited. Participants must sign up for an appointment by calling the Legal Project at 435-1770. Priority is given to women, minorities and low income people starting or owning their own business. The meeting place is handicap accessible and there is free parking.

This clinic is one part of the Capital District Community Loan Fund’s efforts to provide accessible, affordable and relevant training and capital to businesses that have traditionally been denied access to services. The Community Loan Fund is a non-profit community development financial institution founded in 1985.

The Legal Clinic of the Women’s Bar Association is offering this clinic as part of their Small Business Legal Network and with financial support from the New York State Bar Foundation.

Mayor's Drop Off Event a Success in spite of rain

With the support of the Lodges, Central BID, Hannaford Supermarkets, Nigro Real Estate, Stewarts, and Hoffmans Car Wash, Mayor Jerry Jennings held his annual Drop Off Event on October 24. The event held at Hannaford Plaza to gather winter gear for Albany's underprivileged kids, and even rainy weather couldn't dampen the spirit of giving. Tents were erected to protect volunteers, and as the day went on, the coats and winterwear kept piling up.

The Mayor will distribute the proceeds at five area schools on November 16, said Bob Van Amburgh, Executive Assistant to the Mayor.

"Girls Need a Place": Girls, Inc. holds annual lunch

The vision for Girls Incorporated is simple. It was founded in 1957, when three girls were prohibited from joining the city Boys Club. The girls took action, and went to the then-mayor Erastus Corning to ask for help. Fifty-two years later, at the foundation's annual luncheon, Gail Wilson-Giarratano, President and CEO of Girls Inc. recalled the important message the girls carried to the mayor so long ago: "'Us girls, we need a place,'" she said, her voice filling the ballroom crowded with Girls Inc. members and alumnae.

Mayor Corning agreed with the young women, and he established Girls Incorporated, which has been offering fun, educational programming for young women ever since.

The message those "three girls in action" carried to Mayor Corning is as true now as it was then, Wilson-Giarratano explained at Thursday's Girls in Action Fundraising luncheon. In today's stress-filled world, where there is more pressure on girls than ever to become prettier, skinnier, and stronger, they need a safe haven where they can escape from that pressure, and figure out what they want, she said.

To that end, Girls Inc. offers educational programs in media literacy, financial literacy, sports and adventure, health and wellness, as well as homework help. Perhaps most importantly, the clubs offers a safe space for girls to meet with other girls and simply be themselves, she said.

Thursday, one young woman after another took the stage at the Century House and spoke of the important role Girls Inc. played in their lives.

Lisa Simmons, a former police officer and is now a Crime Prevention Specialist at Union College, who was a member of the club in the 1970s spoke about how important it was to have that consistency in her life. "I was a girl who needed a place," she told the room. Marsé Pulley, who just graduated from high school and is just about to embark on her training as a nurse, agreed. For her, Girls Inc. was "a stepping stone to overcoming adversity," Pulley said.

Girls Inc. has two locations, one in Albany and one in Schenectady. These clubs offer vital afterschool programming, as well as workshops and summer camp, but they need financial contributions in order to continue their mission, explained Felix Neals, member of the Board of Directors. Luncheon attendees were encouraged to make a donation using pledge cards distributed at the tables. Neals explained that "there's no right or wrong amount of giving," and that even small amounts help connect girls with services.

People can also help by giving their time, explained Penny Page, Vice President for Development. People can donate their time and skills to the Cornerstone Group, a committee that helps with fundraising, she said. The luncheon program also listed a number of supplies needed by the club in the form of a "wish list." Their wish list includes everything from modeling clay to photo paper, white T-shirts, computer mouses and journals, all of which would be used for programming.

Girls Inc. is located at 25 Western Avenue, Albany. (518) 436-0034. For more information about Girls Inc. of the Capital Region and how you can get involved, please visit their website: http://www.girlsinccapitalregion.org/

Girls Inc. Wish List

modeling clay
plaster of paris
beads and string
markers
colored
paper
scissors
pipe cleaners
tissue paper
styrofoam balls
glue
badge kits
photo paper
organizing bins
easel boards
white boards
new volleyball net
exercise flooring
mesh sports
bags
10 compound light microscopes
soldering iron
12 scientific
calculators
bunsen burners
beakers
hot plates
graduated
cylinders
K-nex building kits
leaf blower
breast exam model
various woods for woodworking
t-squares
hand push drills
disposable cameras
writing tablets
2 electric CD players
headsets
journals
sand table/water table
lights for growing
plants
computer mouses
turtle filter
blenders
apple corer
First Aid kit supplies

Caribbean Breeze Packs Flavor Whollop

Brisas Del Caribe, the newly-reopened Caribbean and Spanish-American restaurant on Washington Avenue, brings the taste of the tropics to Townsend Park. The menu offers Caribbean favorites like jerk chicken and fish, oxtail soup, curried goat, and fried pork chops as well as a selection of more mainstream and vegetarian dishes.

Reopened under new ownership in late September, the remodeled restaurant offers an expanded menu, with the same eye toward flavorful, authentic Caribbean food. The restaurant maintained the same chef. He uses fresh ingredients, and then seasons and cooks them just right, turning even simple dishes into Caribbean reveries.

On the night we went, we ordered jerk chicken ($8.99) and pork pernil ($10.99). The jerk chicken was falling off the bone, and so savory that my dining companion couldn't stop raving. I was equally impressed with my entree, a slab of pork obviously fresh, and roasted in its own skin to maintain its tenderness. It was topped with peppers and onions that carried vinegary power punch, but it was served with a hot bowl of beans that tasted like they had been simmering all day, that more than balanced out the vinegar. Both dishes came with our choice of white or yellow rice, and a side of steamed vegetables to round things out. We also ordered fried plantains ($2.50) and an empanada ($1.50). Dinner came with salads. The portions are generous, so plan to bring some home for lunch the next day.

We had the restaurant to ourselves that night. The liquor license is still in the works and that may be scaring people off, our waiter told us. The food was so good (and affordable) that we were baffled as to why people would skip it just because you couldn't order drinks. Don't they know that if they drink too much of the island rum, they won't be able to appreciate the yummy spiciness of the food?

In addition to expanding the menu, the new owners also gave the restaurant a much-needed facelift. In addition to some more superficial changes, the wall between the narrow bar and dining area was torn down to give a more open feeling to the space. Tearing down the wall also revealed the island-inspired murals painted along one side of the dining room. The room was so dark and narrow before that you could hardly see them; now you can gaze at these prettily-painted oceanscapes and farm scenes, and almost believe you're on vacay.

Our bill came to about $30.00. For bargain hunters--try the All You Can Eat Buffet, $7.99. It takes place Monday through Friday from 10:30am-3pm, making this a perfect stop for lunch, letting you sample a range of dishes and all for an affordable price.

Brisas Del Caribe is located at 244 Washington Avenue, near the corner of Henry Johnson Boulevard. For more information, call 462-0895.

"Dead is the New Alive": The Linda's Zombie Fest Welcomes Undead

This weekend, the dead took to the streets as part of the Linda's second-annual Zombie Film Feast II. Beginning Friday, October 23, audiences enjoyed three nights of zombie entertainment that included 10 films, live music, video gaming, and a celebration of all things undead.

"The festival has been a success," said coordinator Graeme McKenna. "We've had nice crowds at the films, and lots of people purchased passes so they could attend all three nights. We've had good consistency."

The festival culminated Saturday night with a zombie walk down Lark Street and Central Avenue, a brain-eating contest, and a zombie prom. Dressed in their funereal best, people began meeting at the Lark Street BID at 4pm. Couples, individuals, friends and even whole families met on the sidewalk, to compare costumes and discuss the finer points of zombie lore. Some took the opportunity to reapply their makeup, adjusting their bloody maggots and making sure their bite marks were on straight. By 5pm, a sizable crowd of bloody zombies had assembled for the walk, and when McKenna gave the signal, the hoards began their long limp down Lark Street and Central Avenue to the Linda.

Crowds assembled on either side of the street to watch the 100-or-so participants stagger past, snapping pictures and shuddering at the gorey scene. As they moved down the streets, they groaned and growled, and yelled for brains. The corpses were in various stages of decomposition. Many looked as if they had really stepped right from the grave, complete with torn and muddy clothes and rotting flesh.

Play It Again, Karim: Casablanca Moroccan Restaurant Delights

Central Avenue has long been a destination for international cuisine. Worldly palates come uptown to taste the very best in Asian and Middle Eastern foods, and with the addition of Casablance Moroccan Restaurant, they can add one more stop to their dining itinerary.

Casablanca is located in a small space off Townsend Park, on the same block as already well-known restaurants like Shalimar, Gandhi and Aashiana. Its owners have worked hard to upscale the space, using Moroccan lamps, statues, weavings, and boldly striped fabrics to make it a little oasis from the hustle and bustle of Central.

I had never eaten Moroccan food before, so the menu was a completely fresh experience for my tastebuds. The restaurant serves breakfast, lunch and dinner, and a range of dishes that include items from the grill, appetizers, salads, soups, tajines , and couscous. At the chef's suggestion, my dining companion and I split a salad sampler, which provided a more than ample taste of four salads: smoky zalook with eggplant, bell peppers and tomatoes; cherifiya, a fresh-tasting mix of red peppers, tomatoes, lemon and cilantro; potato salad, which bears little resemblance to the mayonnaise-based conconction we swear by in this country; and a beet salad, served cold and finished with a dash of orange blossom water. Karim, the restaurant's chef and our dining tour guide also introduced us to loubia, white beans cooked in a spicy sauce and served with homemade bread.

For the main course, we ordered a vegetable tajine and a vegetable couscous. Casablanca is extremely friendly to vegetarians, because they go out of their way to provide detailed preparation instructions for each dish. They also do not mix meat and vegetables during cooking, so you can be sure the dish you order is truly vegetarian.

The tajine was a mix of seasonal vegetables served in a light sauce, flavored with olives and served with rice sweetened by candied apricots. But the couscous was the real show stopper. Karim warned us that Moroccan couscous is not the instant dish served in this country. In Morocco, cooking couscous is an all-day affair, and uses three separate steaming procedures. The dish we enjoyed had a completely different texture from the boxes of couscous sold at the supermarket, and a buttery, smoky flavor that you can't find in the grocery store. The dish was topped with zucchini, carrots, squash, turnips cabbage, onions, and roasted chick peas. After lunch we split a pot of sweet Moroccan mint tea and baklawa and basabousa, a semolina cake sprinkled with cinnamon and sugar, and listened to Karim's story about his windy way to restauranteurship.

With its affordable menu (meal for two came to $25) and friendly owners, Casablanca should be your next dining destination. It promises to be a wake-up call to your palate.

Casablanca is located at 14 Central Avenue. For more information, please call the restaurant at (518) 463-1111.

Mayor's Drop-Off Day Promises to be most successful yet

This week, Albany Mayor Jerry Jennings announced plans to hold a local Drop-Off Day, where city residents can donate winter coats and clothing for city children.

Part of the National "Make a Difference Day," the drop off day initiative is in its fourth year, and promises to be the most successful yet, said Bob Van Amburgh, Executive Assistant to the Mayor. The event's new location and exciting attractions will really draw people in. "As people are riding by they're going to see this and say what's going on?" Van Amburgh said.

This year, the event will take place in the Hannaford Shopping Plaza on Central Avenue this Saturday, October 24. The mayor has invited the New York State Police Dive Team, who will be demonstrating their skills with a large dive tank. Radio station 99.5 The River will be broadcasting live from the site, and the Albany Fire Department will also be on location.

In previous years the event was held at Washington Park. This year, the Mayor's office reached out to the Central BID for help in finding a new location. The new location at the shopping plaza will be more visible and provides enough room to create a "curiosity factor," Van Amburgh said.

"We're extremely pleased with the new location," Van Amburgh said.

Anthony Capece, Executive Director for the Central BID, is pleased that the event is taking place in the district, and said he hopes businesses and residents will turn out to attend. "The event helps kids who can't necessarily afford a new jacket or winter gear, and there are quite a new in this neighborhood," said Capece.

People can participate by donating new and gently-used winterwear, or by donating cash to help purchase winterwear. Lodge's department store has discounted their stock of coats to $16.00 and slashed prices on the rest of their winter merchandise, "so for $20, you can really outfit a kid," said Van Amburgh. All proceeds will be used to purchase winter gear to help keep city residents warm this year. All participants will also be entered in a raffle to win a donated 32-inch flat screen T.V.

The mayor's office hopes the event will be gather up to 5,000 items for kids this year.

New York State Writers Institute Kicks Off Star-Studded Season

Friday night, the New York State Writers' Institute inaugurated its 25th anniversary season with Nobel Prize-winning economist Paul Krugman at the downtown campus's packed Page Hall.

Krugman, the author of several bestsellers and columnist for The New York Times spoke about the country's current financial crisis, and answered questions about U.S. financial policy, international trade theory, and the country's economic history. Krugman, who recently had dinner with the President and several other renowned economists, admitted that the current crisis is dire indeed, but said he believes that with additional stimulus and careful allocation of funds, the U.S. can steer its way out of these problems.

The short talk on the current recession concluded with an extended Q & A period, which Krugman explained is always the "most interesting" part of these events. Krugman spoke frankly and humorously to a packed auditorium. He punctuated his entertaining and enlightening discussion with frequent quips and ribbings, proving that even genius economists have a sense of humor.

Page Hall's 900-seat auditorium was filled to capacity. In fact, the program was so well-attended that many people were turned away at the door, said Program Director Donald Faulkner. With a roster that includes award-winning authors, historians, and politicians, this season's series of programs promises to be a series of turn-away events.

This fall, the New York State Writers Institute is celebrating its 25th Anniversary Season. The program was signed into law in 1984 by then-state governor Mario Cuomo, and November 16, Cuomo will make a special appearance to help commemorate the legislation. The season looks to be a truly remarkable one, with a line-up that includes Henry Louis Gates, Jr., Lorrie Moore, Richard Russo, Doris Kearns Goodwin, Russell Banks, and Don DeLillo.

Since the program started, it has hosted over 1,000 writers and screened 400 films. Events take place at the uptown and downtown campuses of the University at Albany. For more information about these events, please visit the website at www.albany.edu/writers-inst

Magic Hands: Mildred Elley Offers Discount Massages

This fall, let Mildred Elley get their hands on you.

Students from Mildred Elley's Massage Therapy program will be providing massages to the public as part of their training. Clients can choose from a number of styles for their 50-minute massages, including Swedish, hot stone, and pregnancy massages. The massages cost just $30, with a $10 discount for seniors.

The massage clinic takes place in the state-of-the-art spa at the school's recently renovated building at 855 Central Avenue. Arriving clients check in with the receptionist and complete paperwork, and then conduct a brief interview with their massage therapist. After that, they are taken to a semi-private area to undress and get on the table. Massages take place in relative silence with some relaxing music. Clients can indicate whether the pressure is appropriate.

"The massage clinic is important to the students training because it give them the opportunity to have a real life experience," said Belinda Green, Massage Clinic Coordinator. "They have the opportunity at this point in the program to work on the public, which allows them to encounter different pathologies." Students will work with clients with a range of conditions, including high blood pressure, diabetes, sciatica, as well as more everyday problems like muscle discomfort and stress, she said.

"The students also learn how to educate the public on the health benefits of massage therapy," Green said. "It's important to take time for you."

Mildred Elley also offers a full menu of spa services including haircuts, haircolor, manicures, and pedicures, all done by students and all at cut rates. The school uses high-end Redken products for their clients.

The fall massage clinic schedule:

September 21-November 13, 2009
Tuesday & Thursday
12pm to 4:30pm

Monday & Wednesday
5:30pm to 9pm

October 9-November 22, 2009
Saturday & Sunday
10:30am-2:30pm

Mildred Elley is located at 855 Central Avenue, Albany. For more information, please contact the school at 786-0855.

Central celebrates last farmers' market of the season

Recently customers strolled through the brisk open-air Central Avenue Farmers' Market enjoying the season's final harvest, but the mood was anything but sad.

After just a season together, customers greeted the farmers and staff like old friends, and lined up to buy fresh winter squash, apples, potatoes, homemade bread, pies, and other fruits of the season. Nearby, dancers from the Center for Nia and Yoga beckoned to the audience, and a few brave souls joined them for a joyful dance that seemed to capture the mood of the morning. Market staff and sponsors said there was a lot to celebrate.

"We're very proud of all the hard work and the outreach that was done to promote this market and bring it to the neighborhood. We learned a lot, and we're looking forward to making it even bigger and better next year," said Anthony Capece, Executive Director the Central BID, one of the market's primary sponsors and organizers. "It's been nice to be a part of bringing something like this to Albany."

"We were amazed at the outpouring of vendors and neighbors in support of the market at The Linda. What a great season and we owe it to, in large part, the CBID for making it all happen," said Alan Chartock, President and CEO of WAMC Northeast Public Radio and WAMC's performance venue, The Linda.

The market will return to the parking lot of the Linda, WAMC's Performing Arts Studio in next May. "We look forward to continuing to help the market grow in vendors and in recognition as it is the only inner city market in the area, attracting people from all walks of life and accomplishing great things," added Chartock. "I just love it!"

In addition to bringing the best in produce and goods from local farmers to the public, as well as inviting people to take another look at Central Avenue and what it has to offer, the new market continually demonstrated a focus on health and education. During its inaugural season, the market offered a range of resources to the public, including cancer screenings from Cancer Services Program, health screenings from Whitney Young Health Center, information about healthcare reform, Biggest Winner programming, and Active Generations programming. The market also offered health education focused-programs for kids, including a yoga class and two healthy eating workshops, as well as workshops from Five Rivers Nature Center, The Nature Conservancy, the Albany Public Library, and the Albany Pine Bush Discovery Center.

The summer market was so successful that the BID has announced plans to launch a trial " Concept Fall Harvest Market". The new market, which will feature fall produce, will take place in the parking lot of 855 Central Avenue, every Saturday from 10am-2pm during the month of October.

"We have a number of vendors who still have a lot of produce to sell, apples, pumpkins, squash, baked goods, and we wanted to offer them an opportunity to keep bringing that service to the public," said Molly Belmont, Market Manager.

The new harvest market will began Saturday October 10.

Big Bellies Gobble Garbage, Smash Trash with Sun's Rays

Last week, in another green efficiency iniative, the Central BID deployed new trash cans throughout the district. The new Big Belly Solar Compactors work like mini garbage trucks, gobbling up litter and then compacting it for greater storage capacity. This translates into less maintenance work and cleaner streets. Plus, the Big Bellies are solar-powered, so there are no extra energy costs associated with disposal.

The Big Belly cans were posted at bus stops throughout the Route 5 corridor, where trash is most abundant. Regular compaction means no more overflowing cans. It also means trash can go longer between pick-ups, and that saves fuel and labor costs. The compacted trash also takes up less space in the landfill, and since the cans run on solar power, it's clean and green.

The Big Belly cans were purchased with money from a NYSERDA grant, through a partnership with CDTA and have already been two weeks on the street with no mess and no pick-up. "They're already paying for themselves," Anthony Capece, Executive for the BID explained at a recent committee meeting about the district.

Will Sing for Food: Sing for Your Supper at Paradiso

Brave? Talented? Just hungry? Ristorante Paradiso, a Central Avenue fixture, is hosting "Sing for Your Supper," a new promotional event that allows customers to sing popular tunes in exchange for their meals. Sing just two songs, and your meal is on the house.

The event kicked off last night, and everyone got into the act, with customers singing hits by Elton John, Pat Benatar, Simon and Garfunkel, and even the bartender chiming in with his bass voice for Chantilly Lace. Participants got to enjoy a buffet of Chicken Francaise, Eggplant Roulades, Baked Ziti, and House Salad.

Sponsored by G.A.E.S. Magazine, the "Sing for Your Supper" event will take place each week for the next two Thursdays, September 17 and 24, from 6-8pm at Ristorante Paradiso on Central and Robin. Depending on its success, the event may continue through the month of October.

The event is the brainchild of Matt Woodruff, Publisher/Editor of G.A.E.S., Albany's Gay Arts, Entertainment and Shopping Magazine. Woodruff says he wanted to come up with a way to support Ristorante Paradiso, a longtime Albany business that's he says has been very supportive of the gay community. Woodruff says they saw that Paradiso had karaoke, but noticed that people didn't really turn out for it, and thought offering free dinner in exchange for some music would be a popular idea.

In tough economic times like these, the event is a fun, affordable way to have a night out, with good food and entertainment, Woodruff says.

The event also benefits the magazine, offering a new opportunity for exposure. G.A.E.S. is a relatively new monthly magazine, in existence just six months, but is already available in over 150 locations throughout the city, he says.

Ristorante Paradiso is located on the corner of Robin and Central Avenue. Sing for Your Supper takes place every Thursday night from 6pm to 8pm.

Central BID Helps Celebrate National Night Out

No insurance? We've got your protection against cancer

ALERT: The Cancer Screening will be held at the

CBID famers market this weekend!

For many people, consistent medical care is simply out of reach. Their jobs don't offer health insurance, and that means living in perpetual fear of getting sick or hurt. But for the last 10 years, the Albany County Cancer Services Program has been trying to ease that fear by offering free screenings, and treatment for those diagnosed with cancer.

The program is aimed at early detection, and so it promotes annual exams for everyone, regardless of income, said Christie Ray-Marchetti, Outreach Manager for Cancer Services. "We want to try to catch cancer early when it's most treatable," Marchetti said.

The Cancer Services provides annual pap tests, clinical breast exams, mammograms for women and colorectal screenings and prostate education for men. If cancer is found, the program will also cover chemotherapy, radiation, surgery, "whatever they need," Marchetti said.

The program works through a network of care providers, including private physicians and area hospitals like Albany Medical Center and St. Peter's Hospital. "People have a choice when it comes to who they see," Marchetti said. "It's not a clinic."

Funded by the New York State Department of Health, the Cancer Services Program offers cancer screenings to women over 40, men over 50, and anyone who doesn't have health insurance, or whose insurance doesn't cover screenings.

Last year, the program conducted 650 screenings in this county alone.

For their convenience, patients can get screenings in the evenings, and the program also works with the Bellevue Mobile Mammogram Van to bring medical care right to people's work and neighborhood. The Cancer Services Program has physicians right off Central Avenue, Marchetti added.

Now there is simply no excuse not to get regular, annual cancer screenings and protect yourself against cancer.

To schedule your free cancer screening, call the Cancer Services Program Intake Coordinator at 454-4055, or check out one of these upcoming screening events:

Upcoming Events:

September 14, 10am-2pm

Cancer screenings at Koinonia Health Center, 553 Clinton Avenue

October 6, 3pm-6pm

Cancer screenings at the Albany Public Library, 161 Washington Avenue

Chapman Stained Glass Studio Restores History for more than 100 years

Near-BY News:

Stained glass windows lean up against the windows in the showroom of the Chapman Stained Glass Studio, offering a lesson in what the clear glass windows could be. Inside the workspace, more windows wait for their touch-ups.

The converted garage on the corner of Quail and Elberon is filled with glass projects in various stages of completion, and contains everything from leaded glass door panels to monumental church windows. The shop is a short history in the advances made in the art of stained glass windows, beginning with the small jeweled windows, progressing to large glass portraits with painted surfaces that show shading, and then making way for Tiffany's opalescent shimmer and creative use of leading.

Ron Buckley, the shop foreman and head glazer points to a series of cracked gable windows from a Schuylerville church. Glazer Adam Krawczak is binding the cracks in these ancient windows, first soldering the pieces together, and then using horseshoe nails to hold the pieces in place until they dry.

Chapman Studios is also responsible for rescuing the generations Albany High School stained glass windows from the old high school at the corner of Washington and South Lake Avenue last year. The windows had been stored away in an old corner of the building when the old high school moved to its new location in 1913, and had long-since been forgotten. When work crews discovered them last year, Chapman Studios was responsible for moving, restoring, and storing them for the school district for future use. More recently Chapman completed the stained glass projects at the Albany Courthouse and Hackett Middle School.

The studio also creates new windows for homeowners and churches, and you can see examples of their detailed work in the showroom. The studio was established in 1898, and moved to its present location in the 1980s. Buckley has been working here since 1990, when he came on as intern. "I like the job because we're restoring history," Buckley says, looking around the shop. Where possible, they also try to connect private buyers with pieces that would otherwise end up in the landfill. Recently, they successfully sold two mammoth glass windows to a private buyer in Pennsylvania. Buckley and his crew are very happy because the shop has been looking for a home for the pieces for more than 30 years, he says.

Chapman Stained Glass Studio, Inc. is located at 212 Quail Street, Albany, NY 12206. For more information about their work, please call them at (518) 449-5552.

New Green Machine Hits Streets

District regulars who are out and about will notice a new vehicle on the streets this week. The Green Machine is a new lean, mean, cleaning machine and it's coming to a corner near you.

The new street-cleaning machine, a 636 Tennant Sidewalk Vacuum, was delivered to the Central BID offices last week. Staff watched excitedly as the machine got loaded off the delivery truck by means of a tow truck, and then gave it a test run before stowing it in the garage.



Anthony Capece, Executive Director for the BID says that the new machine will make life much easier for the crew. The new machine boasts a powerful vacuum system and power washing system, and a cab with better visibility and steering capacity, which means a safer driving experience for the crew.

Super Sandwiches and Deli Shop Offers Affordable Lunch to Local Community

Anthony Davis and his family just opened Super Sandwiches and Deli Shop in the old wireless phone store at 171 Central. Red patent leather stools and a tall lunch counter adorn the comfortable lunch spot, which boasts a large selection of Boar's Head sandwiches and subs.

The deli has been gaining ground since it opened two months ago, and today Davis, who previously worked in construction, says that business has been steady. "Business is going okay considering we just opened," Davis says. "I can't complain."

Davis decided to open the shop after doing extensive research on the food and local community. "I was thinking it would be a nice place to open up shop that does sandwiches and soups, and you could get them to go," he says. Davis likes serving the local community, and enjoys visiting with his regulars. He tries to make lunch as convenient as possible by also accepting pre-orders by phone and fax.

New to Super Sandwiches? Try one of the big subs, which can be ordered with all the fixings including pickles, olives and hot peppers and a homemade banana pudding for dessert. And with breakfasts starting at $2.50 and sandwiches at $4.99, you can't beat the price! Maybe it's time to stop brown-bagging your lunch...

Super Sandwiches and Deli Shop is located at 171 Central Avenue, and open Monday through Friday from 8am-7pm, and Saturdays 9am-7pm. To place an order for pick-up, you can call the shop at 487-9960.

Albany Convention Center Authority Open House

The Albany Convention Center Authority will be holding an Open House on Thursday, August 27th from 2:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. at the Authority Offices at 386 Broadway (the R.B. Wing Building) in Albany.

LOCAL CAREER COLLEGE RECOGNIZED BY CITY & LEGISLATIVE LEADERSHIP

Working together, Albany City Councilman Michael O’Brien and County Legislator Ray Joyce met recently with Faith Takes, President of the locally operated Mildred Elley/Austin School of Spa Technology, located at 855 Central Avenue in Albany. The school now in its 91stth year, is one of the Northeast’s best recognized career colleges, offering programs in Business Management, Cosmetology, Digital Graphics, and Nursing. A number of area residents, primarily returning adult students and those re-training themselves for vocational careers, make up the student body of 1200 full-time students. During their discussions, Councilman O’Brien, Legislator Joyce and President Takes analyized the prospective courses which are of greatest interest to the student residents in the Capital Region community. Mildred Elley offers the most advanced training available because they know how crucial up-to-date employment skills are in professional development. Complete course offerings are detailed by visiting the school or going to http://www.mildred-elley.edu/.

Vacant building opens as grocery store

A new grocery store opened on Townsend Park.

Festooned with flags, the 37 Central Avenue Market just opened its doors for the first time 10 days ago and since then Owner Yasir Osman business has been "all right." Osman decided to locate the store in the building that was once the Deja Vu Video store because of its proximity to the Townsend Park Homes. Osman wants seniors and residents nearby to have easier access to necessities like bread, soup, ice cream, sodas, laundry detergent, soda and juice.

The store also sells snacks, cigarettes, cell phone accessories, and coffee. The thing that sets his grocery store apart is that he does not sell beer or lotto. "I think they just get you into trouble," Osman explained.

Osman said he invested about $16,000 in remodeling the building, and today it is neat as a pin. The shelves are neatly lined with salad dressing, coffee, and cereal. The hot coffee and cream display are set up on a table with a clean white tablecloth, and here and there soda and chips are arranged in tidy displays. Osman cashes out two little girls buying ice cream bars on a shiny new register. "They're neighbors," he says with a smile.

Groceries are a new endeavor for Osman, and he says he hopes that the store serves his community and supports his family.

New Farmers' Market Hits Its Stride

In its 10th week, the Central Avenue Farmers Market is already hitting its stride. Fruits and vegetables have started to pour in, and this week marks the beginning of tomato season. Corn, salad fixings, and green beans continue to be plentiful, and customers are also stocking up on the market's farm-raised poultry and 100% grass-fed Angus beef.

The market has been featured in a number of news stories, and the market's publicity efforts are also starting to pay off. Customer numbers are climbing, and expected to keep growing as more produce rolls in.

This week marks the beginning of the Market Fresh Kitchen cooking series, where a number of area chefs will be providing cooking demonstrations at the market. Noah Sheetz, the Governor's Chef and a perennial favorite, will return to the market to kick off the series. Sheetz is known for his emphasis on local foods, and is a strong advocate of farmers' markets.

Other upcoming events include a Holistic Health Day, a Flea Market, and an Artist's Market. The market continues its outreach efforts trying to hook local audiences, and make the market part of their weekly routine.

Market organizers are also investigating how the can better serve low-income populations, andthey are currently putting together a survey to solicit feedback about the market.

To highlight the Avenue's international flair, the market will offer cuisines from around the world. Food vendors will include Capital Q, for a taste of down-home south, The Big Fat Greek for Greek and Meditterranean food, Al-Baraki Lebanese, Paquito's Mexican Food, and for a green touch, a Solar-Powered Hot Dog Stand. Each week the market will feature a different vendor.

The market is open every Saturday from 9am-1pm and is located at the Linda, WAMC's Performing Arts Center at the corner of Quail and Central. For more information about the market, please check out the website at www.centralavenuefarmersmarket.com.

This Week at The Central Avenue Farmers Market

Come join us at the Central Avenue Farmers' Market
Every Saturday, from 9am-1pm
At the parking area of The Linda, WAMC’s Performing Arts Studio, 339 Central
Quail and Central, Albany
THE MARKET WEB SITE
Support the city's newest market!
This Week, Saturday August 1
Farmers and Vendors
14 farm stands will provide the very best in homegrown fruits and vegetables, 100% grass-fed Angus beef, poultry and eggs, artisan cheeses, fresh-cut flowers, homebaked pies, fresh herbs, homemade bread and scones, handmade jewelry, crafts, and gourmet specialty items. Click here to see our full list of vendors.
Cooking Demonstration with the Governor's Chef
Please join us for a cooking demonstration by Noah Sheetz, the Governor's Chef. Noah will show you how to make great dishes with the very freshest ingredients of the season! This event marks the beginning of our cooking demonstration series, "Market Fresh Kitchen." These demos will take place every week, and highlight a different chef every time.

Food stamps now welcome

Now market customers can use their EBT benefits to purchase groceries at the market. Just bring your card to the Market Manager booth to purchase tokens for use in the market. It's that easy to buy fresh, local goods!
Central Avenue Farmers' Market--Growing Our Community!

Albany Named ALL AMERICAN CITY

First published in print: Saturday, June 20, 2009

Albany has won the title of "All America City" after city officials promoted its municipal improvements, youth programs and historical significance.

The National Civic League made the award Friday to a team of 25 boosters, including Mayor Jerry Jennings, during a meeting in Tampa, Fla. Jennings said by phone after the ceremony that it was a tough competition, pitting Albany against some of the best and brightest cities in the country.

"It's celebration of everything we've done and all the efforts the city has made to make it a great community for everyone," Jennings said.

The last time Albany received the award, which the league considers the equivalent of a "civic Oscar," was in 1991. Albany was one of 10 to receive the award among 32 finalists nominated. Jennings and others had submitted a 27-page application that detailed improvements made to the city since the mayor'selection, including the Capitalize Albany revitalization plan.

The city could use the All America City logo for up to the year, said Mark McGrath spokesman for the National Civic League, using it to market the city and attract tourists or businesses.

Humberto Martinez and Jordan Carleo-Evangelist contributed to this story.

Townsend Park Turnaround: Workshop creates plans to improve neighborhood park

Townsend Park is at a crossroads, literally and figuratively. Not only is the little triangular park located at a fork in two busy roads, it is now at an important turning point. The city of Albany and the Central Business Improvement District are working with concerned citizens and nearby business owners to try to reclaim the park, and make it a more attractive place for the community.

The park has long been a destination for vagrants, and frequent drunk and disorderly conduct citations are given out there, said Anthony Capece, Executive Director for the Central Business Improvement District. This group wants to turn that around, and make the park less attractive for undesirable activities, and more attractive for shoppers, after-dinner crowds from the adjacent restaurants & Lark Street, Capece said.

The community group met in late winter, and then again in early spring to discuss their plans. At the recent meeting, held at the Townsend Park Bakery, Barton & Loguidice Consulting, an engineering firm, introduced some modifications that could help change the park’s personality, Capece said. The engineering firm made suggestions about maintenance, lighting, trees, and plantings, all with an eye towards making the park more useful for the public. Then, the panel discussed ideas and made some suggestions of their own.

Other concerns that the groups have brought up:

    1) The age & safety of the overgrowth of the trees and the lack of quality grass

    2) The appearance of the parking lane on Central Avenue near the meters

    3) The lack of any kind of "feature" like a fountain or light display

    4) the landscaping and long term control of the ammenities (benches, trash cans, statues etc)

Now, the next step is for the consulting firm to digest that information, and create some design plans for the park. Then, another meeting will be held to review those plans, and make some decisions about how to proceed, Capece said.

“We want to take the whole park and make it better,” Capece said. “We want to say, ‘What functions here, and what doesn’t,’ and then make changes.”

Boost for non-profit: NABA expands manufacturing

With the economy in a prolonged downturn, it’s nice to hear some good news every once in a while, and the Northeastern Association of the Blind at Albany has some. “You pick up the Business Review and everything’s doom and gloom, and meanwhile, we’re growing,” says Christopher Burke, Executive Director of the Association.

This quarter, the Northeastern Association of the Blind at Albany (NABA) hired eight new employees for its manufacturing unit.

Sales have gone up, too, Burke said. This year’s sales are already up $828,000 over last year’s, and with orders continuing to come in, Burke expects to them to go up even further.

The association attributes increased demand to government stimulus money and the manufacturing unit’s faster turn-around. “We’ve improved operations so much that turnaround is up,” Burke said. “Now we’re getting repeat orders.”

Located on the third floor of the NABA building at 301 Washington Avenue, the manufacturing unit consists of a vast network of industrial sewing machines, other machines for fabrication, and storage and shipping facilities. Here, sighted and visually impaired employees work together to construct safety vests, tyvek suits, and other uniform components for organizations including the New York City Transit Authority, the Long Island Railroad and the U.S. military. On a recent weekday afternoon, employees, NABA’s workforce totals 90, bustled over the machines, and carted materials back and forth across the busy floor.

The association also houses a clinic for the visually impaired, and provides services and programming for children, adults and the elderly, including training programs and summer recreation programs.

Recently, New York State Senator Neil Breslin awarded the association a $15,000 grant to help expand the children’s programming—another good piece of news. The association will use the grant money to help set up technology facilities for the youth on the 4th floor of the building. There, kids will have access to tools like magnifying screenreaders, voice-activated GPS, and software that makes text on the computer screens larger. Once installed, these desks will also be used by adults, teens, and other populations.

NABA houses all these programs and the manufacturing unit under one roof, and there’s not a lot of space left over, Burke said. They’ve already reconfigured the building to expand operations, and if they grow much more, he said, they’ll run out of room.

Still, Burke admits, these are good problems to have. “We’re very busy now, we’ve got orders in hand. The future looks busy,” Burke said. “In this economy, that makes for good morale.”

Shine On! 'Shining Rainbow' Restaurant a mecca for unusual dishes

Beef with Balsam pear. Squid fried celery. Spinach with garlic sauce. Not your typical Chinese fare, right? But maybe that’s not so surprising when you discover the name of the restaurant is Shining Rainbow. Then, dishes like spare ribs with bitter melon don’t seem so out of place.

This new Chinese-Japanese restaurant on Central Avenue has a menu that seems to encompass every possibility—even though the kitchen is about the size of a lunch counter. The restaurant has Chinese dishes, sushi, and a fairly large dim sum selection, which makes for some difficult dining decisions.

The waiter recommends their mushroom with chicken hot pot, “a real Chinatown specialty,” he said. My companion has chicken lo mein, as per his usual (he is becoming a connoisseur of lo mein.) We also order some dim sum to begin our meal, green leek dumplings, stuffed bean curd, and steamed pork dumplings. These appetizers were prettily presented, flavorful, and large enough to be a meal in and of themselves. I would highly recommend this place for dim sum; they seem to have a lot of show in them. The main dishes were less artisitic, but still good. The lo mein was smoky, with tender pieces of chicken and slivers of scallion and carrot mixed in with the thick noodles. My hot pot was a new experience for me to handle, the chicken was still on the bone and clearly seemed to be more for flavoring than eating, however combined with the tasty mushrooms and the unique sauce, it mixed well with the sticky rice and made for good, cozy eating. Our bill, with two sodas, came to about $30.

Next time, I’m going to order from the sushi menu, which is the same sushi as that served in the very popular Shogun Sushi in Delmar (the restaurants share partners). While we waited for our food, several sushi rolls came out that looked wonderful, including one elaborate roll that was wrapped around an orange.

Shining Rainbow has great lunch specials, with plenty of seating for diners-on-the-go at their lunch counter. There are also a number of deep, gondola-like booths ranged around the restaurant for longer, more involved meals. This three-week old restaurant is just getting on its feet and eager to please, and the staff is friendly and knowledgeable. Come looking for something out of the ordinary.

Shining Rainbow is located at 209 Central Avenue. They are open every day, and also offer delivery. 396-3881.

Everyone's invited: Blessed Sacrament School hosts open house for prospective parents

Next week, Blessed Sacrament School opens their doors, and invites the community in for a visit. Parents interested in exploring the school, and parents who already have children in the school are all welcome to attend.

“The open house is important, because we feel it is a way to let people know we are here!” said Administrative Assistant Nancy Kelly. “We often ask the parents visiting how they heard about us. Most people respond by saying by word of mouth, from a family member, friend or co-worker or by the advertising we do in newspapers, flyers and inserts. Many people didn't even know we where here.”

Parents take the tour with a current student and explore the school. The student will answer any questions the parent might have. After the tour, the parent will visit the classroom teacher that their child will possibly have next year for further academic information.

The open house also provides an important opportunity for students to show their parents around, and get them up to speed on what they’ve been working on and introduce them to their teachers and school staff.

“Every faculty member and staff knows each and every child's name and grade,” said Kelly. “We have an excellent faculty who is involved with both child and parent. Our principal's office door is always open to both student and parents with any concerns.”

The school is located next door to the Blessed Sacrament Church at 605 Central Avenue. The Open House will be held on Thursday April 2 from 6-7:30pm. For more information, please contact the school at 438-5854.

Bringing the market to your doorstep: Farmers Market Opens on Central

Farmers may be headed to the city this summer, bringing their homegrown fruits and vegetables to sell on Central Avenue. The Central Business Improvement District and WAMC-Northeast Public Radio are teaming up to create a new farmers’ market in the parking lot next to the Linda Norris Auditorium.

The parking lot is cold and empty now, but starting May 30, it will be home to crowd of vendors offering a range of farm fresh products to district residents. The market will be a convenient source of fresh fruits and vegetables, and will also be a boon to farmers, who are always looking for new places to sell their wares.

The market also promises to be a unique opportunity for neighbors to meet, bringing together people from Washington Park, West Hill, and Sheridan Square every week. Discussions are currently underway on other programs this new public square might host.

One goal of the planners is that the market will accept EBT and WIC benefit cards, so that everyone has access to the very freshest produce for healthy meals, and it could also become a place where people can make donations to the Capital District Food Pantries.

WAMC and the BID say the market is part of a long term vision for the neighborhood. The people who live and work on Central see it as a working, thriving area for development, and the market is a way to display the very best the region has to offer.

The market will take place in the parking lot beside the Linda Norris Auditorium—WAMC’s Performing Arts Studio at 339 Central Avenue on Saturdays from 8am to noon, lasting from May to September. Any farmers/vendors who are interested in selling goods at the market should contact the Central BID at (518) 462-4300.

Come Again--Ristorante Paradiso Reopens!

Matthew Daskalakis has tried many things over the years, but this former pro baseball ballplayer, turned New York State worker, turned restaurateur, has found a home at Ristorante Paradiso. The restaurant reopened in January after a seven month hiatus, and owner Daskalakis welcomed back his loyal customers. “That’s the very best part of the restaurant,” Daskalakis said. “We do have a very decent clientele.”

Daskalakis said the economy is tough for restaurants, but he can’t imagine doing anything else. “There’s parts that you don’t miss. You don’t miss the cost. This is a tough building when it comes to costs,” he allows. “But you get through it.”

During the break, Daskalakis remodeled and retooled the restaurant, expanding the dining room to allow for more even more guests. The restaurant is now open for dinner and banquets, and will continue serving Italian specialties like chicken marsala, eggplant parmigiano, Delmonico steak and prime rib that it's been so famous for.

Once a 24-hour cafeteria, the Ristorante Paradiso has been an Albany fixture since the 1920s. Daskalakis purchased the restaurant in 1977, the same year the location was being used for the filming of Ironweed, a movie based on William Kennedy's novel about Albany. Today, the restaurant has the same old world charm it has always had and the same great food, and author Kennedy is still a frequent patron.

As part of the remodeling, Daskalakis removed the platform and booths in the dining room to make way for more tables. Daskalakis has also begun to offer some new specials and discounts, including complimentary drinks on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays. On Valentine’s Day, the restaurant offered a special menu, and the dining room, already quite romantic with its stain-glass windows, painted ceilings and table top lanterns, was festively decorated with bunches of red and white balloons. Daskalakis presided over all of it, welcoming customers in like old friends and showing them the restaurant’s latest updates—clearly glad to be back doing what he loves.

Ristorante Paradiso is located at 198 Central Avenue, serving dinners Tuesday through Sunday from 5pm to 10pm. Ristorante Paradiso makes a great setting for banquets.

District Deals: Discount shopping goes up

Except for a brief stint at UPS over the holidays, Jayvon Israel has been without a job for several months. “I’m putting in applications, but there’s nothing out there,” he said. Israel was shopping at the Dollar General on a recent weekday, snapping up low-priced juice, dish soap, and paper towels. “I do more of my shopping here now,” said Israel. He also does more shopping around than he used to, comparing prices at the grocery store, box stores, and discount stores before he makes purchases, he said.

Israel’s not alone. The current economy has a lot of people looking for ways to stretch a dollar, and many are shopping for bargains right here in the Central Avenue BID district.

According to a Datamonitor report on national shopping trends, more people are turning to discount stores for good deals on food and groceries. “The current economic downturn has contributed to consumers switching to discount stores and private label alternatives more often in 2008,” the report states.

“Business is on the rise,” said Dollar Tree Manager Ben Nisky. The dollar store in Westgate Plaza offers a range of merchandise and also boasts a wide selection of holiday and party goods and toys, and more customers are coming in looking for a good deal.

This past Friday, customer Rita Fiscarelli loaded her cart with Valentine’s Day gift bags and cute stuffed animals. “I like to get holiday stuff here because it’s inexpensive,” she said.

Business is also booming at The Dollar Shop, located across the street in Hannaford Plaza. The store expanded two months ago to keep up with its growing customer base, said Manager Pervez Butt. The new store offers more space for displays and also more shopping aisles, stacked with everything from aluminum baking pans to candles and cooking spices. The store carries over 100 different brands, he said.

More people are coming in, but they’re still buying the same things, Butt said: “Mostly candy, hair stuff, socks, party stuff.”

Over at Dollar General at 484 Central Avenue customer numbers are also up, and so is demand for grocery items. Store staff report that customers are buying a wider range of goods here than previously, including more food, household goods, and clothing. To accommodate demand, the store carries more name-brand grocery items, including soda, juices, milk and snacks, and drug store sundries like makeup, shampoo, and toothpaste, with prices as low as $1 and $2.

In a tough economy like the one we now find ourselves in, bargains like these can help families stay afloat.