February 2011

Taking the Train into the City

Back when we were thinking of moving to Albany, I had this romantic notion that we would be taking the train into New York City all the time. Reality set in when I discovered that Amtrak charges nearly $100 per person round trip between Albany and Penn Station. For a family of four, it’s cheaper [...]

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Greetings from Greene County

by Gina Martin

I have a confession to make. Even though I’ve covered every inch of the Capital Region with my trusty Chevy Suburban, I’m still navigationally challenged. So, when I was asking my friend, Gina Martin, how to get to an event in Greene County, it was soon obvious to her that I had no clue how [...]

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Get the Message! Explore Graphic Design with Kids

by Sandra Foyt

Even though I expected to be surprised, I discovered something truly unexpected. Ensconced in a Plexiglas cabinet was the Spiralizer, a rare and amusing oddity. One of a mere handful in existence, the object appears to have been plucked from a wizarding shop in Diagon Alley. Intentionally remarkable, it was meant to be played with, [...]

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How to Read Your School Report Card

by Sandra Foyt

Last week, New York State released the 2009-2010 School Report Card, two months earlier than last year. Interestingly, they did so while many New Yorkers were packing their bags for Winter Break. Perfect timing or pure coincidence? I’ll let you decide. It’s just numbers, I know, but I like to know how kids are faring [...]

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Why Some Kids Will Become Engineers Someday

by Sandra Foyt

Science for kids is fun with these hands-on science experiments from various disciplines of engineering.

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The Metropolitan Museum of Art – Tips for a Fun Thing To Do With Kids In New York City

by Sandra Foyt

The Metropolitan Museum of Art is a great museum for kids, and one of our favorite things to do in New York City. What if I told you there was untold treasure within reach? And all you had to do was travel a short distance to find it? It’s true. Less than a three hour drive [...]

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Every Food Has a Story

by Sandra Foyt

Human beings are nothing if not predictable. It turns out that that is just as much true in ancient history as it is in modern times. Just as the explosive growth of the Internet may be attributed to an interest in porn, now we learned that the shift from hunter gatherer societies may be directly [...]

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Maple Syrup in the Capital Region: Get Ready for Sugaring!

by Sandra Foyt

Bright, sunshiny days remind us that warmer days are right around the corner; and that means that sugaring season is upon us. That’s right, it’s almost time once again to pull out the taps, bucket spouts, and sap bags. Alternatively, for those of us less willing to set up taps on our trees, or less [...]

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A Rose is a Rose but a Pear Blossom is Everlasting Friendship

by Cie McCullough Buschle

Forget to order a dozen red roses? Get to the florist’s too late and and all that’s left is a sad looking single rose? Fear not! Roses aren’t the only flower around. In fact, many other flowers have meanings of love – or friendship – that will suit your needs to a T. There is [...]

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Chocolate On My Mind

by Sandra Foyt

I’ve got chocolate on my mind. Not just any chocolate. Dark, rich, sumptuous. Special occasion chocolate. The kind we found at the Chocolate Mill Café on a dark and dreary day last year in the doldrums of winter’s last gasp. I was in Glens Falls on a Saturday afternoon, with a pack of kids, when [...]