Search
A Weekend in Albany
I am back from a wonderful interesting weekend in the tri-city area of Albany, Troy and Cohoes. Even though I kept hours more suited for a 23-year-old than a 60-year-old, I managed to squeek in enough sleep in between the visiting, shopping and night life.
The highlight was getting to see my grandson Ethan, who is now almost seven months old. Holding him, talking to him, laughing with him are all treats that I never realized would be so rewarding.
On Saturday he was wearing a tee shirt with the message "Grandpa Is My Hero." I never knew that such a little thing could bring such pride and joy. This "Grandpa Fox" role is pretty nice.
The visit to Cohoes also gave me an opportunity to hug my son Erik on his 30th birthday. I can still remember the moment of 3am on August 22, 1978, so well that you have to wonder how thirty years could fly by so quickly. My son is a man, a father, and a great friend.
The weekend trip also afforded me the opportunity for Erik and his wife Sarah to meet a certain someone who accompanied me down the Northway. They were happy to finally meet my best friend after having heard so much about her for three years.
Albany is a fun city with many great restaurants, lots to do and enough shopping areas to make any woman happy. However, the most interesting part of the trip, aside from family gatherings, was having breakfast at Denny's at four in the morning.
There's a whole other world out there at four in the morning. That's what night life in Troy can do to you, I guess. But if you visit Denny's at four in the morning you can count on at least one police cruiser parked by the front door and at least two on-duty police officers inside to greet you.
In fact, while waiting to be seated, I know I was given the hairy-eyeball treatment by the officers, wondering what this old guy in a ponytail is doing with this beautiful girl at four in the morning.
I felt the urge to pass them my "On the Sly" business card, complete with website address, to let them know that this is all legit, and that I was working undercover for my blog about the police at Denny's at four in the morning.
As I sat and looked around I quickly realized that we were far from the strangest-looking couple in the place. There were girls with pink hair, purple hair, no hair. There were guys with face piercings, forehead tattoos and dangling earrings. My little ponytail was the least of the cops' worries.
This scene at Denny's, a nice affordable family restaurant, just seemed so remote from what I am used to in Plattsburgh. Can you imagine going to Friendly's or Appleby's and being greeting by a police patrol car at the front door? Can you imagine heading into Wendy's for a late-night burger, only to be eyed by a pair of state police officers?
Maybe I'm out of touch with night life in Plattsburgh, because I have to admit that here in the North Country when it reaches four in the morning I'm a lot closer to waking up than going to bed.
I guess once in a while you have visit the other side, just to see what you're missing. Now I know.
Comments
hi foxy. I remenber the times your mom would come over to our house to have a cig with my mom cuz she did not want your dad to know she was smoking. It was so funny they would laugh about at the table many times.. My mom would spray your mom's clothes with whatever we had in the house, so your dad would not smell the smoke on your mom's clothes. my we sure had some fun back then.
say hi to your mom for me. Oh by the way is ray lamonda's mom still living..
terry prentice
(Foxy's note: Great to hear from you, Terry. You are now an official Blogoteer! Yes, Mrs. Lamonda is still living next door to my Mom. Watch for the "Fox on the Run" tv shows that Goose and I are making about Johnson Avenue. You and your family are mentioned in Part 2.)
Posted by: Terry Prentice | October 6, 2008 10:37 PM
Denny's? We had three at one time in Ottawa
and there only remains one. Much better spots to eat at even at 4 in the morning.
We have a casino that's open 24 hours a day and the food is great!
Posted by: Norm Stotland | August 29, 2008 9:27 PM
Foxy; Sounds like you had a good time seeing the family and bringing your lady with you!
You are living up to your name Foxy the Foxman! In reading the readers' comments I may never get to Plattsburgh! Too many stops along the way! It amazes me how everything has changed! Years ago After boxing in many tri-cities tourneys and driving back to Plattsburgh on Rt 9 most of the cities and towns were locked up and you were lucky to see a cop's car! Our biggest concern was the car breaking down and no help around.
This was before the Northway!
Posted by: Lenny Smallacombe | August 29, 2008 5:17 PM
She's one of many, Craig, one of many!
If you come down and need some assistance in scoping out the Saratoga night life, please give me a call ! I'll even buy the dough-boy.
Kern
Posted by: Kern | August 29, 2008 9:05 AM
Kern,
Will that gal in the tight black dress be there this weekend? Will she buy the pizza?
Craig Mathews
Posted by: Craig Mathews | August 28, 2008 6:52 PM
Could you please clarify how a trip to see the family in Cohoes turns to being at a Denny’s in Troy at 4 o’clock in the morning? I have some friends on the Troy PD and I am sure they would love to hear about that part of the evening.
If you really wanted to impress the officers, you should have gone over, dropped your card, and asked, “What’s the matter? Doughnut shop closed?” I bet you’d still be in the Troy lock-up.
Plattsburgh has some interesting night life hanging around its various restaurants, convenience stores and donut shops at 4:00 AM. I remember hanging out downtown and munching down Monopole Pizza, subs at the Pizza Uno on “the corner”, or getting dirty water dogs from hotdog cart guy (Is he still around?).
But if you really want to see some great night life at 4 o’clock in the morning, come to Saratoga during track season. I think it’s the only place in the world where you can see a really drunk, filthy-rich woman, decked out in the tightest little-black-dress, carrying her $300 Steve Madden stiletto heels, walking barefoot, chewing on a dough-boy (a concoction of chopped up turkey breast, mozzarella cheese, and a special sauce all melted inside a pizza dough pocket). That’s living!
(Foxy's note: Nice to hear from a Blogoteer who is right there in the heart of all the action! As for being at a Denny's at four in the morning --- long story!)
Posted by: Kern | August 28, 2008 9:52 AM
Foxy, That is funny. I had a similar experience this last trip up. I landed in Syracuse at midnight and of course my son Chase was there to greet me. As always he was hungry, so we drove to Dennys in Cortland where he was going to school. Living in Kirwin I have to drive 70 miles if I want to eat at Dennys. And...speaking of night life, because my flight was so late and it was graduation weekend the hotel sold my room. Needless to say I had a problem. All rooms in the city were booked so I spent 1 night at my son's Frat house and 2 nights at his girlfriend's Sorority House. Whew!!! What a weekend. I am gettin' way too old for that. Keep up the good work!
(Foxy's note: Too much for us over-50 guys, right? Although I'd like to find a way to spend a few nights at a sorority house! Lucky guy!)
Posted by: vonrader | August 26, 2008 1:16 PM
We have visited that same Denny's while in Troy for a hockey tournament. Its not any different at 4pm than you describe at 4am. The following weekend we were in Rome. It made the scene in Troy look like a White House dinner. Thank goodness we always get to come home to the real North Country.
Posted by: Rick K | August 26, 2008 12:03 PM