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Stockbridge Mainstreet by Norman Rockwell
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I'm confused about Schenectady. This was the city we joked about when tour started probably because it was the smallest of any cities we're going and the name brings up an image of some kinda forgotten town. like another Flint Michigan story. Just a lot of proof there was once a heyday for Schenectady. Sadly most of the people tho, aside from the few business types that pass on their lunch break, at least the ones roaming downtown, they look like they're on meth. And, like my hometown of South Bend, you start to wonder what happened to that once bolstering city
In the historic district downtown called the Stockade, these protected houses predate the 1700's-we're talking 1650-OLD for our country. As I'm walking down State Street through the small stretch of town, aside from half the buildings with empty store fronts and the remainding few scattered New Agey head shops and Mom & Pop used book stores, you realize its not totally wiped out. After all, they CAN fill an entire 2500 foot equity theatre house for 7 days. Another mystery about towns like Hershey and Hartford-where do they come from? seriously. But yes, its evident Schenectady is trying everything possible to revitalize whats left.
Julian told me about this place Ambition Coffee House which so far, has been a nice breath of sanity at least until Mike Evariste got food poising from the cajun chicken salad sandwich. I would never have guessed passing the xmas lights on the way in, dangling over the low aluminum ceiling noticing the painted murals of Dolly Parton and the Golden Girls and the red patent leather love seats, that that this is where the action would be. Not counting the bad food-I could make better at home-This is where I came for conversation because frankly I was bored . Not food. The story's on the back of the menu but basically when the owner bought the building in 2000 and cleaned out the upstairs they found evidence of a brothel-poker chips, early 1900's corsets and bras. The owner, Marc Renson, talks about it more along with the crazy stories around opening up Ambition in his newly published book 'Is The Coffee Fresh?' http://www.ambitioncafe.com/
He's not saving this town but from everything else around. Its definitely a haven for anyone deprived of a little slice of life now and then. Clearly they weren't getting it elsewhere. On one of the last daysin town, Lee and Nicole (filling in for Lulu on her sick leave), Larkin, and I all made a trip East to Berkshires, a 45 min drive east. We dropped Lee off at the Red Lion Inn in Stockbridge Mass to meet his aunt for brunch and cocktails. 'have fun hiking the mountain. I'll be getting drunk on my Aunt this afternoon' Lee says in his unapologetic new york Yiddish drawl. We made our way just up the road to Mt Monument for a nice steep but short hike up to the top clump of Rocks to a stunning view, even for the East.
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| the elevator |
Anyone in nyc trying to get away for a weekend (significant other included), check out the Red Lion Inn. http://www.redlioninn.com
This place is crawling with history. Its the oldest continuously operated Bed & Breakfast in the country. Just a classic portrait of old New England and a glimpse into how the old timey NYC folks used to spend their summers when the city was too sweltering hot. It takes you back to a simpler time, like the Rockwell painting. No Iphone's or Internet or Bieber Fever. Do I sound like my old man yet?... sort of in the vein that Ambition Coffee House was to Schenectady. If we had more time, the Norman Rockwell museum is just up the road but we'll save that for July when we're good and ready to take our well deserved day-of-rest from the Broadway. Ah it's a tough life:)
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| Larkin Bogan as 'Bambi' |
