An Upstate Halloween

This Halloween was extra special because I got to spend it with my dear friend Marisa (aka City Mouse), who decided to escape the Big Apple for some upstate shenanigans.  Yay!

Our weekend started Friday night with chai tea from the Illium and home-made stuffed peppers, and ended with zombies and too many beer samplers from the Pump Station.  With a few pit-stops in between, of course.

I won't lie: I was extremely worried that Marisa was going to bored out of her mind all weekend.  What could I show her that she didn't already have in NYC??

Her visit ended up being amazing, of course (old friends, new friends, food, sleepovers, and beer can't be bad).  And her enthusiasm helped me "rediscover" what I do love about living up here...

"It smells like my childhood."

"So good!"

"I had these white carrots in New York..."

"I can't believe these amazing colors.... made by Nature!"

"It's not what I imagined."

There's nothing like seeing your own city through fresh touristy eyes.  There are so many things to enjoy about Upstate NY... from our fall-scents to our colorful scenery, our fresh produce to our friendly people ("Everyone here is so friendly!").

Hope you also had a happy Halloween :)

Our itinerary, in case you were wondering:

1. Troy Night Out-- chai at Illium Cafe

2. My stuffed peppers made with Yummy Peppers from Gade Farm, and quinoa instead of spelt (which I liked better)

3. Saratoga Farmers Market, shopping, and carrot soup lunch at Saratoga Coffee Traders

4. Lebanese cuisine from The Phoenician

5. Albany Aqua Ducks Haunted Trolley Ride (thanks, AOA!)

6. beer samplers and spinach dip at the Pump Station (make sure you go to the bathroom before you leave...)

Saratoga Farmer's Market

Hi Greenies!  It's been awhile... I took my first week of summer vacation to heart!  Though mostly I've been trying to keep cool during this heat wave, we did have some fun in the sun this weekend at the Saratoga Farmer's Market.  Here's some pics of what we experienced:

Most of the market is covered, which is helpful during this intense weather!

Apparently you can get multi-colored carrots! I didn't buy any, but I came close.  I don't even like carrots, but these are super fun.

There were a LOT of plants for sale here... flowers, veggies, etc.-- more here in Saratoga than at any other market I've been to yet.  I'm soooo jealous for a garden...

Here's Erin gazing down at her favorite purchase--- some fresh red raspberries.  We're now in the peak of raspberry season, so these should be popping up everywhere, and at reasonable prices (you can also go out and pick some if you can stand the heat!).




This was a very large market, possibly bigger than the Troy Farmer's Market, and I bought quite a bit here... some small red potatoes and yellow squash, which we grilled up on Sunday for our 4th of July BBQ, a huge head of green leaf lettuce for $2.50 (not bad at all), and some rainbow swiss chard, my new favorite leafy green.  I get a Fail for taking pictures of my food before I ate it this time! (I was too excited to eat it!) but I promise, all was delicious.  However, don't make the mistake we made: we totally forgot a cooler.  This meant we were unable to buy the fresh eggs, yogurt, cheese, free-range chicken, or grass-fed beef that was also for sale here.  (I was especially disappointed because I saw my fave yogurt from Argyle Farms, also available in Troy, but couldn't bring any home with me this time.) Something I haven't yet seen anywhere else were fresh mushrooms for sale.  I didn't buy any: at $10 for the small box, they were a bit over my price range, but it was still great that they are available.  Also, there was a stand of some local wines for sale, as well as a pie-tasting contest (free pie??), and honey iced tea for 25 cents.  

Finally, the best part of heading up to Saratoga for the Farmer's Market is that you're then in Saratoga, and can walk around town to shop and have lunch, which we did, of course.  My opinion is that it's totally worth the drive this summer if you have a Saturday free.  This was an awesome market, but what else would you expect from Saratoga?