Halfway into January, some of our shiny resolutions for the New Year may start to feel lackluster. The lines at the treadmills at the gym are already shorter, and I already forgot I meant to drink half my weight in water this week. Perhaps it’s time to revise your commitments, and make them reflective of your commitment to the Capital Region…and its commitment to a well-balanced, thriving, and energetic community. We have some suggestions for your consideration after the cut!
Take a class/lesson: Learning keeps us young, energetic, and inspired. And the learning opportunities in the Capital Region seem nearly endless. Meditation. Belly Dancing. Yoga. Moroccan Cooking. Defensive Driving, Sewing and/or The Cha-Cha.
Buy Local Produce: Support our local farmers, your health, and regional sustainability by checking out some of these institutions. Denison Farms. Honest Weight Co-op. Troy Farmer’s Market. Field Goods. Or check out a restaurant that sources locally: New World Bistro.
Learn Some Local Hi(or HER-) story. Albany Museum of History and Art. Katie Mullany House. The Schuyler Mansion.
Have Your Groceries Delivered. Shoprite from Home. Market 32. Or, if you’re a small shopper, order them for pickup and save yourself one time-consuming weekly errand…and maybe some impulse buys, too!
Sample a Specific Regional Cuisine: Troy and Albany cuisine is underrated, in this writer’s humble opinion. The range and quality of options for cities our size is truly impressive, and if you’re craving variety, there’s no reason to settle for the same old thing. Ramen. Regional Indian. Pho. Ethiopian. Moroccan.
Support a Local Business in Your Neighborhood: Settle in for a winter afternoon with a cozy blanket and a staff recommendation from The Book House. (National Book Award Finalist Pachinko may change your life.) Float in thousands of pounds of salty warm serenity at the newly renovated Float Center, Requiescent. Breathe the green and enliven your space with a new plant from River Garden Studio. Finally buy a perfect Valentine’s gift for Your Person at Elissa Halloran Designs. Learn to make unique mixed drink with the bitters and mixers on Lark Street’s Brew. Visit Tierra Roasters.(The Blonde Roast is to-die-for.)
Tip Your Mail Carrier. I know it’s a Federal Agency and not local to Albany. But it just seems like a good idea. (Have you FELT how cold it has been this month?) A gift card to be used anywhere would be great, or if you know something personal about your carrier, a play on that might be nice. (Ours has small dogs, so he’ll get a gift card to PetSmart to pamper his pooches.)
Volunteer. Volunteer. Volunteer. Volunteer. The Capital District is what it is in part due to the strength and generosity of those who live here, and there are so many inspiring, community-building ways to perpetuate that spirit.
Happy 2018!
