NY State Museum in Albany

September 8, 2014 Comments Off read Attractions, New York, Northeast, Travel, USA

I want to get my hands on a reproduction copy of Icones animalum now.

I wanted to take a picture in front of this giant drawing of old-timey NY and then make it look like I was part of it, but then felt deep embarrassment over taking a selfie in a museum so I didn’t line it up properly and this is what we ended up with. I feel like I’m in the “Take On Me” video.

“Anti-Fertility Symbol” by Megan Cavanaugh. This would have been a delightful addition to my “Never Gonna Have a Baby” shower.

Albany’s Cultural Education building is jam-packed with public services: the NY State Archives, the NY State Library (one of the largest libraries in the world!), and the NY State Museum. I only had time to check out the NY State Museum, and even that was very limited as I needed to hoof it back to the hotel and make myself a presentable wedding guest, so I was only able to see one of their (enormous) floors. I was able to learn a bit about the history of New York City as well as some of the history of Albany and New York State, see some of the creatures of the nearby Adirondack mountains, check out their impressive mineral collection, and see the “Best of SUNY” art exhibit. My only complaint is that it’s not laid out very well. Things seem to be jammed in where there’s physical space instead of where they belong: natural history is mixed in with urban history, their 9/11 stuff is split between the NYC area and the Adirondack Wilderness area, and it makes the museum even more difficult to navigate when it’s already a labyrinth. I’d also like for monitors placed so there’s easy access of information without obscuring the exhibit itself, but that’s just nitpicking. It’s free (donations accepted and recommended — at $5 per person, it’s still a bargain) and definitely worth checking out if you’re in Albany, but not necessarily worth going out of your way to visit.

Spotted on the Roadside: A Colossal Clog in Albany, NY

September 5, 2014 Comments Off read New York, Northeast, Spotted on the Roadside, Travel, USA

Albany is proud of their Dutch heritage, and in 2012, installed ten huge clogs (six at a whopping seven feet long, four at three feet long) throughout the city as part of the “Stand in the Soles of Albany” program. This clog, however, might have gone rogue, as all of the clog installations were supposed to be removed in May 2013, and this bears out as I didn’t see any other clogs on my wanderings through the city, and I definitely visited some of the other installation locations. If they need ideas for future clog uses, I’d like to see them hollowed out and turned into clog cars for a clog parade where they could clog along, clogging traffic. Clog.

Spotted on Lodge St in Albany, NY

“Well, I’m from Utica and I’ve never heard anyone use the phrase ‘steamed hams’ before.” “Oh not in Utica, no! It’s more of an Albany expression.”

September 1, 2014 3 Comments read New York, Northeast, Travel, USA

While Jason was off doing his groomsman duties over the course of the couple of days we were in Albany, I decided to take take the opportunity to wander around and see what there was to see. More than once I found myself thinking “Dude, where is everybody?” It’s not that peculiar that a state capitol is no longer a center of commerce, but aside from a few cars on the road and the occasional other pedestrian, it felt absolutely deserted. I’ve heard that when school is in session, it’s more lively, but I can’t speak to that: all I know is that when our cab arrived at midnight and everything was closed, it made me feel like I was in a suburb, not a city. In 2013, Conde Nast Traveler Magazine determined Albany was the 7th most unfriendly city in the country (the 13th most unfriendly in the world!). Aside from an unpleasant encounter with a cab driver (which was admittedly just as much my fault as his), I have to say that I just don’t see it. Everyone that I spoke with was perfectly nice, and I didn’t solely interact with people in hospitality–so either the title shook the natives to their core and they’ve made a strong effort to change how they’re perceived, or the list is mostly a bullshit excuse to put up a slide show for ad revenue. I’m thinking the latter is more likely. Continue reading →