Doorways of Albany, and other stories

[urbpan]

My dad and I went to Albany, the capital city of New York, yesterday. I suspect they thought that New York City was too damn crowded to put the capital there. Albany is a parcel of land once ruled by deer and snow monsters, but now has a little bizarre city squatting in the middle of nowhere. Despite its small size I managed to get us lost (on foot) so we got to see some pretty buildings and doorways.



I liked the little handmade stained glass at the top of this doorway.


Empire State Plaza was the center of our adventures--despite being allegedly "closed for the winter" as if they have other seasons there.


The castle of the Snow Monster King was sacked in the 1800s by Dutchmen, and converted into the State Capitol building.


I presume that this doorway leads to the workshop of Miracle Max.


I posted on facebook and twitter asking for recommendations on what to do in Albany. Despite receiving answers such as "bring a good book" and "go to Buffalo instead," I did get an excellent tip from audacian: The City Beer Hall.


The whole reason we were there was that my dad had tickets to see the Moth Radio Hour in a theater in that egg-shaped building seen above (I forget the name, good thing I take pictures everywhere I go). The show was good--listen for stories on the theme of "Lost and Found." Super super sad stories but very well told. We spilled out into the Plaza and I got us lost again.


Getting lost is an opportunity to see things you wouldn't see otherwise. I found most of the public art in Albany to be pretty awful, but I kinda like this one.

Comments

[ruthling.livejournal.com]

that's very close to where I grew up. The egg shaped thing is called The Egg. Who knew :)

[captainsblog.livejournal.com]

I wasn't the one who recommended you come here- and I wouldn't have, this weekend, with NCAA hoop fever filling the hotels and jacking up parking downtown to insane levels.

Curious who performed for the Moth; an author dude I follow from Hartford often performs (and sometimes organizes) for them.

[urbpan.livejournal.com]

Food critic Steve Barnes, a black man named Shannon, A young (45 ish) woman with white hair named Amy (local writer apparently), a Scottish woman whose last name is Ferguson, and a Iraq war veteran.

[asakiyume.livejournal.com]

Was it good?

[urbpan.livejournal.com]

Yes, they were all good storytellers. The theme was "Lost and Found" so many of the stories were very sad tales of loss.

[trenton22.livejournal.com]

"Go to Buffalo instead" - heh! Looks like you found some pretty cool doorways in Albany and had a good outing with your dad, though.

[urbpan.livejournal.com]

We always have a good time!

[asakiyume.livejournal.com]

The state capitol is pretty dang impressive, you have to grant.

I remember when all this was first built! (Okay, not the state capitol, but the egg and the plaza and the museum.) I remember my best friend's father taking us down after it opened--we posed by those pressed-metal people in your bottom photo. And I remember coming to a Don MacLean concert, outdoors--we sat on the steps in front of the museum.

[morty-baby.livejournal.com]

What a great photo of your dad! The State Capital building is magnificent. I would have done a scene from Rocky on the steps in a heartbeat. Which is why people don't like going anywhere with me. I love that little doorway, it would make a neat door to my dirt-floored spider-inhabited basement. Yes, it would.