My Glens Falls: Allison GiamBruno

We caught up with Allison GiamBruno this week! She shares what keeps her local after growing up in Glens Falls, her perfect day in the city (including a favorite bookstore and a go-to date night spot), some Glens Falls diner nostalgia, and more…

Tell us about yourself!

I’m Allison GiamBruno, a freelance social media and email marketing strategist. I have a heart for helping creative entrepreneurs and women-owned businesses, especially here in Upstate New York, build meaningful connections with their communities. After my time in the agency world, I’ve found so much joy in taking the lead, helping passionate business owners in a way that’s hands-on and meets them right where they are.

When I’m not crafting the perfect subject line or configuring email automations, you’ll find me flowing through a pilates class at Hot Yoga Queensbury or cozied up at my favorite hangout spot, WorkSmart Coworking & Meeting Space, iced coffee in hand, of course!

On Life In and Around Glens Falls

I was lucky enough to grow up right here in Glens Falls, running around Thomson Ave as a kid. Back then, my world was a perfect little triangle, Sanford Street Elementary, the Crandall Public Library, and Crandall Park (aka the ultimate sledding spot on snow days).

I’ve stuck around because, honestly, where else can you find the perfect mix of small-town charm, the beauty of Lake George, and the energy of Saratoga Springs all in one place? It’s pretty special here!

Some Glens Falls Favorites

One of my favorite things about this area is the community of passionate, creative people who call it home. There’s so much talent, heart, and collaboration here. You might think that being only a few hours north of New York City means there aren’t many creatives around, but that couldn’t be further from the truth! Just a few friends who come to mind are Corine Pettit, Staci Oswald, and Jeremiah and Emily Lewis (who you might recognize from previous highlights on Glens Falls Living!). Our region is bursting with creative energy, and I feel so lucky to be part of it!

A Perfect Glens Falls Day

My perfect day in Glens Falls kicks off with a sweaty-but-amazing Hot Inferno Pilates class at Hot Yoga Queensbury (because nothing wakes you up like that). Then, it’s straight to Kru for a breakfast sandwich, plus an iced latte, of course. After that, my partner, Cameron of Black Mountain Visuals, and I love wandering through The Shirt Factory, stopping at Beldame Books - who can resist a good bookstore? We’d sneak in a little work session at WorkSmart Coworking & Meeting Space (because, balance), and then wrap up the day with a cozy dinner at [farmacy]!

On the Past

So many memories of Glens Falls come to mind, but the first one has to be summer trips to the Crandall Public Library, making sure I hit the reading quota for their summer program. I was a total bookworm, and I was all about snagging some fun prizes!

Another favorite memory is weekend breakfasts at Sam’s Diner on Dix Ave. with my dad. I loved checking out all the Wheaties boxes on display - it was such a comfy little spot and always felt like a special tradition. 

On the Future

Honestly, I can’t even think of a new business to bring to Glens Falls because there are already so many incredible ones, especially in the past 10 years. If anything, I’d love to see more recognition for the amazing businesses that don’t have a storefront. Many solopreneurs, creatives, and service-based businesses are doing great work behind the scenes. It would be wonderful to see local business groups and city leadership actively welcome and support these newer, independent businesses, especially those bringing fresh perspectives and innovative ideas to the area!

Road Trip: The Great Northern Catskills

Greetings from the Catskills! Did you know that the Great Northern Catskills are just over an hour from downtown Glens Falls? Cozy cabins, mountain views, and charming small towns await - all just a quick trip down the Northway. If you’re up for a fall getaway, here are some favorites from our recent trip (which would be equally as amazing in the winter, by the way)! 

STAY

Camptown: At the foot of the Catskills, this newly renovated 1930s motor lodge feels like summer camp for adults. Cozy cabins dot the property, made even more charming by the welcoming fire pit, string lights overhead, and of course, peak fall foliage. Camptown’s log cabins are dog friendly, and we couldn’t think of a better way to explore the Catskills than with your best four legged friend in tow. The location was the perfect jumping off point to explore the river towns to the east or the heart of the mountains to the west and south. Be sure to book one of their renovated cabins for the beautifully updated interiors!

EAT + DRINK

Gracie’s Luncheonette: Just up the road from Camptown, Gracie’s is a classic diner featuring scratch made American classics. Pop in for hearty breakfast, lunch, or just to grab a box of their fabulous baked goods - we heard the donuts are amazing!

Circle W Market: A favorite, we try to stop in to Circle W on each trip for their baked goods, breakfast sandwiches (and lunch sandwiches!), quiche, you name it! 

Deer Mountain Inn | Tannersville: A highlight of our trip, we took the scenic route to Deer Mountain Inn and ooh-ed and ahh-ed our way past waterfalls and striking mountain views. The Inn is tucked into a hillside with almost 200 acres of beautiful grounds and trails that we wish we’d had time to explore. The interiors are rustic in the best way - dimly lit, beautifully decorated, and wonderfully cozy. Dinner was amazing (don’t miss the house sourdough!), and it took everything we had to pull ourselves away from the cozy fire in the living room after dinner.

Casa Susanna: On property at Camptown (and also dog friendly!), Casa Susanna serves up authentic Mexican food with fresh, local ingredients. The menu is designed for tasting and sharing, so we ordered a variety and enjoyed the dishes with their fantastic house-made tortillas, and of course, margaritas! Every bite was full of flavor and we loved exchanging notes on favorites with the rest of the group at the bar.

SEE + DO

Walk the Windham Path: If you’re looking for a stroll instead of a hike, you don’t have to sacrifice on views! The Windham Path is a 1.5 mile loop that brings you across meadows, over bridges, and along the Batavia Kill Stream with spectacular views along the way. Great for biking and walking, kids and pups, this is a gem not to be missed!

Explore the Historic River Towns: We spent an afternoon exploring the historic towns along the Hudson - Coxsackie, Athens, and Catskill. Coxsackie was a favorite and felt a bit like we’d stumbled upon a movie set. Here are some of the favorites that we popped into or added to our list for next time:

• Coxsackie

• Eat + Drink: Coxsackie General Store, Coxsackie Creamery, Shipwrecked, Ravish Liquors, Patrick Henry’s Tavern

• See, Do + Shop: Coxsackie Antique Center, Reed Street Bottle Shop, Unquiet Antiques, Pilothouse Paper, The Bronck House and Barns

• Athens

• Eat + Drink: The Athens Rooster, The Stewart House

• Catskill

• Eat + Drink: Willa’s Bakery, Left Bank Ciders

• See, Do + Shop: Thomas Cole Historic Site, Magpie Bookshop, Kaaterskill Market, Catskill Chocolate Co

Until next time! If you’ve got any other favorites we should add to our list for next trip, we’d love to hear!

P.S. Check out more in our Road Trip series here. 

This trip was in partnership with our friends at The Great Northern Catskills. We are so thrilled at the opportunity to share this beautiful destination with you!

The Best Cider Donuts, According to Readers

It’s officially autumn, which means our cider donut diet has commenced. And by diet, we mean they are a large part of our diet ;) So many donuts to sample, so little time. 

We enlisted the help of our Instagram community (@glensfallsliving) to help us find the very best cider donuts in the area. Not surprisingly, there were a lot of opinions on the matter, but out of the many recommendations, there were a few clear winners. 

And so, if you’re looking for the best cider donuts within an hour or so of Glens Falls, we’ve got you covered. Read on for the top picks from your neighbors, and start planning your cider donut road trip (we have to try them all, don’t we?!).  

#1 Hicks Orchard

This was, by far, the top pick amongst those who responded. And not to play favorites but, well, it just so happens to be one of our favorites too! Why you ask? There’s the nostalgia factor of course — many people noted they’d grown up heading out to Hicks for apples and donuts — but more importantly, the donuts are moist, have the perfect amount of sugar on top, and they melt in your mouth. As one reader put it, “Hicks is the only choice!”. Pro tip: enjoy them warm! 

18 Hicks Road, Granville / Website 

#2 The Silo

This one snuck up on us, but it was the second most frequently mentioned spot! The Silo is a year round restaurant in Queensbury and not an orchard, which, apparently, is a big part of the draw! “Easily accessible and you can brunch at the same time!,” a reader noted. Another reader said she even served them at her wedding instead of cake! Year round cider donuts close to home? Excuse us while we zip over to Aviation Road to grab a half dozen! 

537 Aviation Road, Queensbury / Website 

#3 Saratoga Apple

Another frontrunner, Saratoga Apple scored big points with readers for moistness, warmth (hot off the fryer!), and that oh so important melt in your mouth factor. A hot tip from a reader: they’re best enjoyed with a glass of their hard cider in their on-site tasting room!

1174 Route 29, Schuylerville / Website

#4 McWhorter’s Orchard

Another Washington County favorite, McWhorter’s was frequently mentioned as having the best flavor and consistency. Bonus points for the Adirondack chairs with a view to enjoy them in!

5635 State Route 40, Argyle / Website

#5 Lakeside Farms

The final in our top five brings us south to Lakeside Farms in Ballston Lake, just off Exit 11 of the Northway. Our readers assure us it’s worth the drive for these “crisp on the outside, soft on the inside” donuts with the perfect amount of sugar. While you’re there, sit down for breakfast or lunch in their restaurant and shop their country store (you might wind up bringing home a pie, too!).

336 Schauber Road, Ballston Lake / Website

Honorable Mentions

You can never have too many donuts, right? Here are a few more recommendations we received:

The Garden Barn, Fort Edward

Saratoga Gluten Free Goods Bakery, Schuylerville

Indian Ladder Farm, Altamont

Would love to hear which is your favorite in the comments below! See you in the donut line!

Good Dog: Tucker

Good dog, Tucker! We got to catch up with this sweet lab boy and his owner, Kristen Wentworth this week. Kristen shares about meeting Tucker for the first time, a bit about their favorite summer activity - dock diving, some of their favorite dog friendly places, and more…

On Meeting Tucker

I found out about Tucker when he was a day old. I lost my last pup (a 12 1/2 year-old chocolate lab) just over a month before. I was actually looking into raising a guide puppy because I wasn't sure that I would be ready for another one of my own so soon. I was approved and went to an orientation, but due to it being during COVID, a lot of people wanted to do it. I was told it could be a while, so I had started looking for a dog of my own. My best friend saw a Facebook post about Tucker’s litter by a high school classmate of hers and sent it to me. It was the day before my birthday, and I ultimately decided to get myself a present. Knowing about him practically from birth was so amazing as I got to follow him from the start and got pictures of his first food, first bath, first time outside, etc. I also got to go out and meet him (he's from Pulaski) with my best friend when he was four weeks old, which was one of the best days of my life. It was absolutely love at first sight and really hard leaving him for another three and half weeks that day. 

Fun fact — two of his sisters ended up going to friends of mine in New Hampshire after seeing a Facebook post that I made about the litter and deciding to get him, so we got to meet them all on that day. And now we get to see his siblings Maple and Winni once a year or so when we visit family, which is really cool.

All About Tucker

Tucker is the perfect combination of energy and love. He is an active boy, which forces me to get out and do stuff with him every day, but he is also a giant love who will crawl in my lap (all 90 pounds of him!) and snuggle like no other. 

Tucker makes friends everywhere he goes. As a COVID puppy, I went out of my way to make sure he was socialized, so we went to every store and place where pups are welcome. He definitely has staff members that he remembers and looks for in many of these places. He also loves to visit with my neighbors, and is amazing with kids. 

Like most labs, Tucker loves to chase and retrieve balls, and he would live in the water if allowed. We started dock diving when he was 8 months old. He took to it right away, and has gotten pretty good. During our second year, we actually earned a sponsorship from his food company Canidae, which is a huge help. Tucker competes in all three disciplines of dock diving — Big Air (distance), Extreme Vertical, and Speed Retrieve — which classifies him as an Iron Dog. We received invites to the DockDogs World Championships in Dubuque, Iowa each of the past two years but were unable to attend.  I am really hoping we get an invite again this year and are able to go. Our season officially kicks off on Memorial Day weekend, and we have plans to compete in Vermont, Maine, New Hampshire, Connecticut, and New York over the summer.

Apart from this, he loves peanut butter and baby carrots. Unlike my previous two labs who would tear apart any stuffed toy within minutes of getting it, Tucker also loves his stuffies and probably has more toys than most children.

On Connections Made

One day last fall, we were out at Lake George, and we met a little boy named Tucker.  He thought it was so cool that he and my Tucker had the same name. He played with us for a few minutes and then went on his way with his family. Fast forward to last month, we were out at Lake George again and the same little boy came over to us at Shepard Park asking if that was Tucker. His mom proceeded to tell me that they have a seasonal home here and had just come up for the weekend. Apparently, the boy had not been able to stop talking about Tucker the dog after their last trip and had said on their way up the day prior that he had hoped he might see him. What are the odds? Needless to say, my boy has helped connect me with so many incredible people and pups, and this is probably one of the things I love about him most.   

Tucker and Kristen

On Local Dog Friendly Favorites

We live right behind Sutherland's Petworks, so this is hands down his favorite place and somewhere that we can be found several times each week. Tucker is also a regular at TJ Maxx, Hobby Lobby, Old Navy, JoAnn's, the Canal Street Marketplace, and Dancing Grain Farm Brewery. You can find us just about anywhere there is live music outside in the summer. 

And then, of course, there is the water. We mostly practice on the dock in Bennington, Vermont and travel around New England to compete, but we can also often be found at Lake George and Haviland Cove. The latter is a special place to me as I went there almost every night with my girl in the summer of 2020 before she passed away and have a memorial box there for her. Although Tucker never met Miley, he has always seemed to know there is something about this place and will go straight for the box as soon as we get there.

On The Love of a Dog

There are so many things I love about having a dog in my life. They don't care what you wear or what you look like, what you do for work or how much money you make. They just love you for who you are and find joy in the simple things. As a result, I have learned to do so also. I can be having the worst day, but 10 minutes of fetch with a giant dog who is grinning from ear to ear and tapping his toes in anticipation only to then run up to you with a big slobbery kiss is enough to turn all of that around for me. With all three of my dogs, I have also made countless connections, and that is the thing for which I am probably most grateful. 

My Glens Falls: Ashley Bucci

We caught up with Ashley Bucci this week! She shares what brought her to Glens Falls, what she loves about her career as an audiologist at Glens Falls Hospital, her go-to restaurants in the city, and more…

Tell us about yourself!

My name is Ashley Bucci and I am honored to be able to share my story with Glens Falls Living! I have worked as an audiologist at The Hearing Center of Glens Falls Hospital for a little over six years now. I first moved to Glens Falls seven years ago to complete my fellowship year at the Hearing Center as the final step in earning my clinical doctorate degree in audiology from the State University of New York at Buffalo. I previously earned my Bachelors degree in Communication Sciences and Disorders in the Capital Region area at the former College of Saint Rose. When my training was complete in 2018, I was very grateful to be offered the opportunity to stay on as a full time audiologist at The Hearing Center. 

On Being an Audiologist

The Glens Falls area has been very welcoming to me since moving here in 2017. It was an easy decision for me to stay and build my professional life here. The audiology department at the Hearing Center is a very special group of individuals that I’m grateful to work alongside each day. We serve a wide geographic area of individuals with hearing impairment and vestibular dysfunction. The population we serve ranges from newborn to seniors over 100 years old at times. This allows for a unique experience each day and the opportunity to support so many with hearing needs. My favorite thing about being an audiologist is not only the new people I get to meet each day but also catching up with the established patients returning for follow up or annual visits. It’s rewarding to be able to support them with the daily auditory needs that are meaningful to them such as conversing with a spouse or family member, enjoying music, or hearing the birds outside. 

Working for Glens Falls Hospital has allowed me to grow with further training in speciality areas such as tinnitus and serving as a preceptor to incoming fourth year graduate clinicians as I once was. I find the role of serving as a preceptor to be incredibly rewarding as it allows me to learn about emerging topics in the field that encourage taking a fresh perspective on daily clinical routines. The Hearing Center relocated to downtown Glens Falls last October, providing us a better view of the city and the ability to enjoy the nearby eateries and food trucks more often together after work. 

On Moving to Glens Falls

I grew up not far from here in Mechanicville, NY with my parents Mike and Denise and older brother Michael. Having called both my home, I recognize that Mechanicville and Glens Falls have a common ground in the fact that Mechanicville was also home to a bustling paper mill on the Hudson River many years ago that employed a majority of local residents, including my grandfather and great-grandfather. I feel that this type of industry cultivates a very hard working and authentic community group. This familiarity of interacting with kind and genuine people is very reminiscent to me of the place where I grew up.  My parents and close family still live in Mechanicville, but they come to visit often. It’s special to be able to share things that they enjoy up here, including hockey games, food and music events downtown, and family gatherings at our home. My dad is an avid fly fisher which I have been fortunate enough to learn from him and enjoy in the rivers of the Adirondacks and neighboring Vermont. 

My boyfriend Rob and I own a home together in the Kingsbury countryside just outside of Glens Falls. We have three cats named Claire, Melba, and June,  two dogs named Forrest and Chuck, and one beta fish named Rush. We’re fortunate to have a great view of the Vermont Mountains from our deck and a large play area for the dogs. Tending to the vegetable garden and raspberry bushes in the yard this time of year is one of my favorite pastimes. 

Some Glens Falls Favorites

With the array of wonderful local businesses to choose from in and around Glens Falls, a few of my regular stops include Moss Street Deli for their breakfast sandwich and coffee special , the Gourmet Cafe for birthday celebrations with my colleagues, and Coopers Cave or Sprinkles for ice cream in the summer months. I wanted to also mention that the best curly hair cut is available at Epiphany North Hair Design with James and my respect for the Adirondack Region Cat Adoption Center’s incredible work caring for cats in need and helping them to find their forever homes. 

On the Past (and the Future)

Glens Falls has brought me meaningful experiences in my adult life that I will always be thankful for, including the start of my career at The Hearing Center, meeting my boyfriend Rob on our first date at Siam Thai restaurant, and finding my oldest cat Claire in a downtown store front window during the Christmas season in 2019.  A special place in my heart will always be reserved for my hometown of Mechanicville, NY and the city of Buffalo, NY where I lived during my graduate school years, but I am now proud to call Glens Falls my home. My hope is that others can find the joy, success, friendships, and love that I have been fortunate enough to find here in Glens Falls . A big thanks to Glens Falls Living for the opportunity to be featured and to my co worker Rachel DeLuca for the nomination! 

Blueberry Farms to Visit This Summer

Blueberry pie, blueberry crisp, blueberry muffins, blueberry coffee cake… We looove blueberry season around here and we find ourselves going picking at least a few times each summer. Have you been? We’re sharing just a handful of local farms to try - because there’s nothing like a sweet treat made with fresh picked blueberries. Promise.  

Hicks Orchard | Granville: Opening soon for the 2024 season! There’s more than just apples at Hicks! Our family winds up here every summer. We usually head out on a weekday and enjoy the quiet of the breeze rustling through the leaves in the field and the promise of a cider donut at the barn when we’re done. They’re open Friday from 10am - 7pm and weekends from 10am to 4pm. Looks like they’ve got wood fired pizzas on Friday evenings, too! Find the rest of their info here. 

Winney’s Blueberry Farm | Schuylerville: Opening July 3 for the 2024 season! Another favorite to our south, Winney’s has a huge variety and lovely pastoral views. It also might just be the closest of these farms to Glens Falls - but don’t quote us on that ;) They’re open daily from 8am to 6pm. Grab their info here. 

Stu-berry Acres | Argyle: Open now for raspberries - blueberries to follow shortly! We picked here for the first time last summer and loved the easy picking and delicious berries. Bonus - they also have raspberries, which we had never picked before! Delish. Keep an eye on their Facebook for hours here. 

Gardenworks | Salem: Blueberries coming soon for the 2024 season. You’ve heard us rave about Gardenworks a time or two or ten, and we love them even more during blueberry season! Once you’ve picked, peruse the shop for more delicious goodies - or head out on a weekend to enjoy a delicious lunch or glass of wine at their Cafe. They’re open Friday - Sunday from 9am - 5pm. As of this posting on July 10, we haven’t seen an announcement that picking is open yet, but keep an eye out here. 

Strawberry Ridge | Granville: Opening July 5 for the 2024 season! We’ve picked strawberries here many times, but just found out they have blueberries as well! Keep an eye out for their u-pick hours here. P.S. Once you’re done picking, pop into Granville for a sandwich or a craft beer (here’s our mini guide to Granville with our favorites). 

Hand Melon Farm | Greenwich: We’ve heard great things about this farm! Pick your own blueberries are open now for the 2024 season, and they’re open 9am - 5pm on Wednesday thru Friday, and 9am - 4pm on Saturday and Sunday. Find their info here.

Yoleberry Farms | Fort Ann: Always a favorite for strawberries, they have blueberries this year, too!  Their u-pick will be opening soon for the 2024 season, and they’ll be open 9am-4pm every day except Monday. Find their details here.

Happy picking! And if you have another local favorite, we’d love to hear! 

P.S. Check out more from our Road Trip series here. 

Pride Month Kicks Off This Weekend With Lower Adirondack Pride’s Glens Falls Pride Fest

Lower Adirondack Pride is kicking off Pride Month with events all weekend long! We caught up with Cam Cardinale, President of Lower Adirondack Pride, to hear a bit more about the organization, the festivities they have planned for the weekend and what’s in store for the year ahead…

Pride Fest 2023 • Image Courtesy of Cam Cardinale

Tell us a bit about yourself, Cam!

I’m Cam Cardinale, President of Lower Adirondack Pride, the local pride organization serving Warren, Washington, and Northern Saratoga Counties. I have a strong passion for advocating for the LGBTQIA+ community at the local, state, and national levels, ensuring our voices are heard across all tiers of government.

In addition to this role, I am the Director of Community Relations for Southern Adirondack Independent Living, an agency that serves seventeen counties throughout New York State with the mission of helping people live more independently. I am truly honored to hold this position and advocate on behalf of people with disabilities in the communities we serve.

Cam Cardinale, President - Lower Adirondack Pride

On The Founding (And Reviving) of Lower Adirondack Pride

Lower Adirondack Pride was founded in 2010 under the name The Bridge. The organization initially hosted an annual pride festival and conducted advocacy throughout the community. In 2016, the organization went dormant.

In 2023, we decided to revive the organization, and a dedicated group of individuals came together to make it happen. In just 27 days, we planned an entire festival that attracted over 1,500 attendees. Since then, we’ve been hard at work with year-round programming including mixers, social events, support groups, sports leagues, community advocacy, and much more.

On Advocacy

Currently, our organization is focused on advocating for the LGBTQIA+ community within the Lower Adirondack Region and continuing to host events and programs year-round. Additionally, we’re partnering with local businesses to supply them with pride flags to show their support for the LGBTQIA+ community.

Pride Fest 2023 • Image Courtesy of Cam Cardinale

On Pride Fest

We’re thrilled about our 2024 Glens Falls Pride Fest, which has grown into a three-day event filled with fun and celebration!

On Friday May 31, we’ll be hosting a Gayla at The Queensbury Hotel. The night will feature a dinner, remarks, the presentation of our first Lower Adirondack Pride Community Champion Award to Glens Falls Hospital, a drag show, dancing, raffles, and much more!

On Saturday June 1, we’ll host a movie night in Glens Falls City Park, beginning at 8 p.m. We’ll be showing "Strange World” — Disney’s first movie with an openly gay character.

And on Sunday June 2, we’ll host the main festival in City Park. This event will feature over 50 vendors, including food trucks, non-profits, and local artisans. There will also be a parade through Downtown Glens Falls, yard games, a drag show, and more.

Pride Fest 2023 • Image Courtesy of Cam Cardinale

On The Future

Beyond our festival, you can look forward to continuous events throughout the year, ongoing advocacy work, and efforts to create a more inclusive environment for all.

We’re excited about the future and committed to making a positive impact in our community!

Lower Adirondack Pride
Website / Facebook / Instagram

Aloha 5K to Benefit Amanda's House at Glens Falls Hospital

Have you heard of Amanda’s House? A valuable asset that Glens Falls Hospital provides to our region, Amanda’s House is a comfortable home away from home providing complimentary accommodations for Glens Falls Hospital patients and their loved ones who have traveled from a distance for health care. With the Aloha 5K coming up on June 15 to benefit Amanda’s House, now seemed like the perfect time to share more about its positive impact on the community and how you can help ensure that Amanda’s House continues to receive guests for years to come. 

Amanda’s House

Amanda’s House is named for Amanda Rose Cafaro, who sadly passed away prior to her first birthday after being diagnosed with acute myelogenous leukemia in 1998. Amanda’s family was so touched by the community outpouring of support for their granddaughter that they decided to create a memorial in her name in the form of Amanda’s House, a cozy three bedroom home just a short walk from Glens Falls Hospital. 

Founded in 2001 and operated by Glens Falls Hospital since 2015, the house has seen thousands of stays throughout its 20 years in operation, welcoming a wide variety of guests, including those undergoing cancer treatment, family members of those who are in crisis as Emergency Room and Intensive Care Unit patients, those having inpatient surgeries, and many more. The home has provided comfort to those across our region and as far away as California, Tennessee, Pennsylvania, the Dominican Republic and many places in between.

Lindsey Kostun, a volunteer at Amanda’s House and Glens Falls Foundation Board Member, underscores the importance of this type of offering. “The ability for patients and their families to have a residential environment to stay in during treatment and recovery is the perfect complement to achieving health, comfort and a taste of home during their most challenging times,” she says. “Our family experienced this first hand when our one year old daughter faced brain surgery and months of chemotherapy treatment. Having the ability to use a facility similar to Amanda’s House gave us the chance to feel like we could still have a touch of normalcy when everything else was out of our control. Being able to volunteer at Amanda’s House and help others experience this peace is an honor.” 

Belinda Spinner, RN and Lindsey Kostun, Amanda’s House Volunteer

Providers treating patients at the hospital have witnessed the positive impact of Amanda’s House as well. Vickie Yattaw, Registered Nurse and Manager of Oncology Education and Support Services at the C.R. Wood Cancer Center at Glens Falls Hospital, has seen firsthand how Amanda’s House has eliminated the stress of travel expenses for patients undergoing treatment. “The Cancer Center treats patients from a wide geographic location and many drive a distance to get to their treatments. Some treatments are every day, Monday through Friday, for 6 to 7 weeks. The financial and emotional hardship of that amount of travel can be a deterrent for patients getting the lifesaving care that they need,” she says. “We are very fortunate that we can offer our patients the option to stay at Amanda’s house while undergoing their cancer care and relieve that one stressor so that they can focus on getting well.” 

Vickie Yattaw, RN at the C.R. Wood Cancer Center at Glens Falls Hospital

Belinda Spinner, an acute care Registered Nurse at Glens Falls Hospital, echoes this sentiment. Having spent 40 years caring for patients, she has been a witness to some of their biggest worries, one of those being their concern over the impact that the hospital stay has on their families. “I witnessed the beautiful moment that Amanda's House offloaded incredible weight from one of my patients. He and his family were visiting from another country while his son was at a Lake George camp. Unfortunately, he suffered an accident through no fault of his own, and had exhausted all travel medical insurance. His family had been staying with relatives that could no longer transport them to and from the hospital, so his wife and two children were staying all day at the hospital. The guilt that our patient was experiencing was obviously impeding his recovery. With one call to Amanda's House, they had a comfortable home to stay in that was close enough to walk back and forth to the hospital, stores and some entertainment for his family. I felt his gratitude as he hugged me. Tears trickled down his cheek as he sincerely said ‘thank you’.”

All proceeds from the Aloha 5K and 1 Mile Family Fun Walk will support Amanda’s House at Glens Falls Hospital. The family friendly event is scheduled for Saturday, June 15 at Haviland’s Cove Park with an off-street course winding along the beautiful Feeder Canal, complete with beach tunes to inspire your run or walk. Registration begins at 7:00am with a race start time of 9:00am, and don’t forget to wear your best Hawaiian gear! You’re invited to stick around after the race for music, kids activities (including visits from our friendly therapy dog teams), refreshments, prizes and more. Click here to learn more and sign up for the run or walk to support Amanda’s House, and learn more about Amanda’s House by clicking here. 

Photo courtesy of Glens Falls Hospital

My Glens Falls: Hillary Smith

We caught up with Hillary Smith this week! She shares what inspired her to open her bookstore, Black Walnut Books, where to get the best curry, her favorite stores to browse at The Shirt Factory, and more…

Tell us about yourself!

I’m Hillary Smith, the owner of Black Walnut Books and Little Black Walnut Books. I have been a bookseller for over 15 years and started my own bookstore, Black Walnut Books, in 2021 as an online and pop-up shop. I focus on books by Indigenous, queer and BIPOC (Black, Indigenous and People of Color) authors. I also love stickers, notecards and little gifts, so I have a lot of those too!

In 2022 I was a vendor at The Shirt Factory’s Holiday Open House, and I fell in love with the building and its awesome community of small business owners and artists. I was able to rent a studio there and opened my brick and mortar store in March of 2023.

This March I opened Little Black Walnut Books, a children’s bookstore, down the hall from my original store. It’s been great to have a dedicated space for kids to come and read, play and just enjoy!

I love partnering with other local businesses and non-profits (it’s one of my favorite things). I co-host book clubs with The Wood Theater, Beldame Books and Adirondack Pottery. I have partnered with Lower Adirondack Pride to throw regular pride mixers at The Shirt Factory. Beldame Books, Gifts of Nyx and I team up for awesome Boozy Book Fairs at Mean Max and Adirondack Winery. 

On Life In and Around Glens Falls

I grew up in Northern California and have also lived in Southwest Colorado. My partner is originally from the Schuylerville / Saratoga area. When we were looking at potential places to settle down, we really fell in love with Glens Falls. It’s such a sweet little town and I love that you have the Adirondacks in your backyard, but are also just a few hours away from Montreal, Boston and NYC.

We moved here 2 and a half years ago and never plan to leave. We live about 15 minutes outside of town. We bought a sweet little house that the previous owners built. I love that it’s close enough to town that my commute feels easy, but that I still get to have mountain views and the woods as a backyard. We have two dogs, two cats and 10 chickens and they all love it too!

My favorite thing about Glens Falls is how friendly everyone is and how, for a fairly small town, there is always so much to do! There are so many community events and awesome small businesses and local non-profits, it is such a dynamic place. 

A Perfect Glens Falls Day

My perfect day would start with a walk in Cole’s Woods; it is so gorgeous all year long and I love that it is right in town. Then I would head over to Sweet Rice for lunch, where they have the most delicious curry. After lunch I would head to The Shirt Factory for some shopping. My favorite stores to browse are Barn and Brick, Sweetside Records and Beldame Books. I can spend hours perusing their shelves.

I’d pop into Rock Hill Bake House to grab my signature double shot of espresso over ice in my Adirondack Pottery mug that I always have in my bag. Then I’d stroll downtown for a cocktail and dinner at Craft on 9. I love bringing a book to read at the bar. 

On the Past

Since I am still pretty new to the area, I don’t have much of a past in Glens Falls. I do love hearing from locals about how it has grown and changed over time. It is really amazing getting to work and live in such a historic place. I do, however, already have so many amazing memories here and can’t wait to build up a lifetime of them. 

On the Future

I would love it if we had a little art supply and stationery store. I sell a fair amount of that type of thing at the bookstore, but I love getting to go to a shop where they are really knowledgeable and passionate about, you know, the specific qualities of different pens. 

My Glens Falls: Cassie Leonard, MD

This article is sponsored by Hudson Headwaters Health Network.
Thank you for supporting the local businesses that support our work at Glens Falls Living.

This week we chatted with Cassie Leonard, MD, who you might recognize as an OB-GYN Physician with Hudson Headwaters Health Network! She shares what brought her family to the area from West Virginia, a bit about realizing her childhood dream of making an impact as a physician, some favorite local activities, and more…

Tell us a bit about yourself!

My name is Cassie Leonard and I am an OB-GYN physician at Hudson Headwaters Health Network. I live in Lake George with my husband, Jeremy Entwistle, and our three children — Claire (14), Caroline (12), and Charlie (8). My husband is a sculptor and operates his practice, French Mountain Studios, on our property and teaches part time at Union College. My children attend Lake George Schools, where they are active in sports, chorus, and band.

On Life in and Around Glens Falls

My family and I moved here about six years ago from Morgantown, West Virginia, where I was an attending physician at West Virginia University School of Medicine. We relocated to the Glens Falls area to be closer to family, since my husband grew up in Argyle.

When deciding where to live and work, we looked from Albany all the way north to where we currently are located. We ultimately decided to move to 50 beautiful acres in the Lake George area due to the closeness of family, fantastic school systems, and a small town feel.

On Making an Impact

Since I was a child, my dream was to become a physician. I wanted to be able to positively impact a community as my grandfather had done as a primary care physician in a small town in West Virginia. It is a privilege to be able to care for women in all aspects of their life, from family planning services, maternity care, gynecologic issues, menopause, and beyond. My days and weeks are always different, which keeps things interesting. One day I could be seeing patients in our clinic at 90 South Street in Glens Falls or at our Warrensburg Health Center, while another day I could spend delivering babies or operating on women at Glens Falls Hospital.

When I interviewed with Hudson Headwaters Health Network, I couldn’t imagine working for a better organization or a practice that more closely aligned with my values. Hudson Headwaters Health Network provides medical care to the North Country regardless of income or insurance and the mission of the Network truly allows me as a physician to best serve my community. Hudson Headwaters also provides a work environment that encourages home-life balance, which is necessary due to the rigors of my profession.

On Favorite Local Activities

When I am not at work, you can usually find me at the ball-field or track watching my kids play sports or hiking in our woods with our hound dog Millie. Our family skis and we enjoy winter sports as much as the summer. I have also recently been taking horseback riding lessons, which has been an inspiring and challenging new hobby.

My husband and I are always tackling home improvement projects on our house and property, which keeps us happy. As a family, we make it a priority to visit our camp that we built in the Long Lake area to fish, ride ATV, hunt, or just relax.

Our family really enjoys the greater Glens Falls area, the food and culture, and living in the gateway to the Adirondacks. We appreciate all that upstate New York has to offer and are excited to see what the future holds for us here.

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Discover the difference that comes with a rewarding career at Hudson Headwaters!

The non-profit network of nearly two dozen community health centers brings comprehensive primary care to North Country residents, regardless of their insurance status or ability to pay. The growing organization is constantly looking for talented, passionate individuals to join them in clinical and administrative capacities. Perks include comprehensive benefits, regular business hours, opportunities for growth, and an emphasis on work-life balance. Hudson Headwaters was named to Albany Business Review’s 2023 “Best Places to Work” and earned the distinction of “Best Medium-Sized Company to Work For” in The Post-Star’s 2023 Best of the Region.

Click here to see open positions and apply online today!

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My Glens Falls: Will Fowler

We’re chatting with Will Fowler this week! He shares his favorite memories of growing up in Glens Falls, his new favorite lunch spot, what he’d like to see more of downtown in the future, and more…

Tell us about yourself!

Hello! I’m Will Fowler. I live in Glens Falls with my wife, Katie, and our two children, Phoebe and Charlie Bird (we’re really into birds). I’m a co-owner of Sidekick Creative, where I’m a creative director and designer. We’re a boutique graphic design studio located downtown, and we just celebrated our 7th anniversary. We’ve been so lucky to get to do what we love while working with cool people and great clients.

On Life In and Around Glens Falls

I grew up on Lake Avenue, right across from Crandall Park, with my parents and four older sisters. My grandparents lived on the corner, so we had a very tight-knit family unit. My sisters and I went to St. Mary’s-St. Alphonsus, where our mom taught English, so we were together all day at school, too! Growing up I thought everyone’s family was this close, but now I look back and realize how lucky we were. My sisters and I have moved away to different places (Boston, Hawaii, Florida) at different times in our lives, but always seem to find our way back to the area. The more I travel, the more I’ve come to appreciate the quality of life here. We’re truly spoiled to have such a vibrant, safe, and welcoming little city—and we’re so close to so many great destinations, too. 

On Moving Around The City

Our first apartment was above Raul’s, which was so much fun. We loved living in the heart of downtown and eating tacos for every other meal. When we got married, we bought a house off of South Street Extension, where we lived for four years. When Katie was pregnant with our second, we had outgrown the house, and moved to Windy Hill, where we’ve been for three years. We love our quiet little street and our amazing neighbors. And now we’re closer to playgrounds and the bike trail, which is not as fun as Raul’s, but the kids seem to like it.

On Community

At the risk of sounding corny, my favorite thing about Glens Falls has to be the people. I feel like I know everyone from growing up here, but I’m always meeting interesting new people, too. There are so many good-hearted, down-to-earth folks who live here, who are dedicated to improving our community every day. 

A Perfect Glens Falls Day

My perfect day in Hometown USA would start with a bagel and coffee at Cool Beans with the crossword. It would have to include a round of disc golf at Crandall Park, which has become my new favorite hobby. The course is really well-maintained thanks to the volunteers and the Crandall Park Beautification Committee. Taco Kings Jalisco has become a favorite spot for lunch—I try something new every time and it’s always amazing. There are so many great restaurants downtown, but our go-to spot for special occasions is Morgan & Company (and the porch bar has to be my favorite spot for cocktails). For an after-dinner drink, we might go to Mean Max for a beer and darts, or The Golden Monkey for a specialty cocktail, which is another new favorite spot!

On the Past

Growing up near Crandall Park meant we had a front-row seat for the Memorial Day Parade and the Balloon Festival. Even after my parents sold the house on Lake Ave., we would come back for the Memorial Day parade every year and our old neighbors would save a spot for us, with coffee and donuts to share.

On the Future

I’d love to see more concerts come to the COOL Insuring Arena. My sister rented one of the new boxes for the Goose and Trey show in 2022 and it was such a cool experience. It felt like a renaissance for the arena. I’ve witnessed so many great moments there—from Jimmer and JG3, to this year’s historic season for the Adirondack Thunder—and I’m excited to see it continue to bring excellent sports and entertainment to our city!

Good Dog: Willow

Good dog, Willow! This sweet Yellow Lab / Golden Retriever mix is living the good life with Alexandra Barbieri! Alex shares what it was like meeting Willow as a puppy, Willow’s favorite places around the city, and how having a dog has changed her life…

On Meeting Willow 

My original intent when looking for a dog was that I would adopt, and I would not get a puppy. However, the adoption process was proving to be difficult at the time. I was living in an apartment, and some rescues are strict with housing requirements and living situations. I was also living with my roommate at the time who had an older dog that I adored, and all parties wanted to ensure the transition would be smooth.

When I found myself wanting to adopt every dog I saw at the SPCA, I knew it was becoming a bit overwhelming and emotional. I decided to take a break from looking, and that exact day my friends from Fountain Square told me there was a litter across the bridge in South Glens Falls with two dogs left. I was hesitant, as I still had it in my mind that I would adopt an adult dog, but I decided to visit after I was given some contact information and pictures.

Surprisingly, it was not love at first sight. At 10 weeks old, “Snowy” was super rambunctious and wouldn’t stop biting my shoe — it was not what I was imagining the first meet and greet to be like. I decided to sleep on it, and of course, I picked her up the very next day. I was completely unprepared for puppy life and all that it entails. We lived on the 3rd floor in a downtown apartment, so potty training was probably the biggest challenge. Still, it didn’t take long for us to get into a groove, get out in the woods daily, and start our life together.

All About Willow 

Willow is incredibly sensitive. She has the outgoing personality of a lab but also likes to be with just her people, especially getting some butt-rubs and showing her affection with a hard lean. She will also make it very clear when she wants me to wake up, with a hard paw or a stern groan.

She loves to hike and run in the woods with me, preferably near water. She doesn’t mind a nice dip, even in the middle of winter. She loves the snow but also likes to lay stretched out in the hot sun.

She can’t wait for the Adirondack chair to return downtown so she can jump on the arms and watch the traffic.

Her biggest quirk is that she does not tolerate skateboards and electric bicycles — she absolutely loses her mind.

On the Importance of Recall 

Once when she was a puppy, I lost her at Hudson Pointe where the floating bridges are. She was still so small at the time, so of course I was imagining all of the horrible things that had happened to her. I began running and calling her name when I finally ran into a gentleman jogging and asked if he had seen a yellow puppy. He said, “Yes! She’s walking with a couple a few hundred feet ahead with a stick in her mouth.” Crying with relief, I started running and eventually, there she was — sitting in the middle of the trail waiting for me like nothing had ever happened. I never saw the couple she was walking with, but I did immediately contact my dog trainer to start some very important recall training.

Some Local Favorites 

Willow’s favorite place downtown is Mean Max, where she can chill with me outside or play with her human (and often dog) friends inside. We also like to check into Fountain Square and Farmacy — thanks for keeping the water bowl out every day! 

Willow and I love going to Haviland’s Cove for some swimming and splashing. Typically, on the weekends, however, we head out of town for a nice hike.

On The Life Changing Magic of A Dog 

Willow changed my life. I always have had an active lifestyle, but it only increased once she joined me.

No matter the weather conditions — rain, heat, snow, below-freezing temperatures — we are walking, running, or hiking. She made me realize that I love trail running more than road running, and I now see the beauty in every step of our hikes in nature instead of just waiting for that final view.

I may not have slept in late for over 6 years, but I honestly wouldn’t want it any other way. She is the best decision I’ve ever made. I adore her and she knows it.

Good Dog: Whiskey

Good dog, Whiskey! This 3 year old Miniature Poodle and Chihuahua mix is living her best life after a chance meeting at the filming of The Puppy Bowl in Glens Falls led to her adoption back in 2021! Her parents, Patrick and Bethanie Lawrence, share more about meeting her for the first time, her spunky personality, and some local dog friendly favorites…

A Chance Meeting at The Puppy Bowl

We adopted Whiskey on October 6, 2021, while I [Bethanie] was volunteering at the filming of the Animal Planet Puppy Bowl at the Cool Insuring Arena in Glens Falls. At the time, Whiskey was named Raspberry, and she was one of the puppies competing on Team Fluff. I immediately fell in love with her, so I called Pat and let him know that I was bringing a puppy home. I was able to speak with Whiskey's foster mom and the woman who ran Shaggy Dog Rescue, the Texas rescue that sent Whiskey and her sister pups to the Puppy Bowl, and all parties agreed to let us adopt Whiskey that evening. Since I was committed to my volunteer role that day, Pat went to the pet store and got all of the things we'd need for a 3-month-old puppy and put some supplies in my car for me to use with Whiskey at the end of the volunteer shift. I brought Whiskey home that night and introduced her to Pat and our first dog, an elderly little dog named Hank. The rest is history! 

Whiskey on screen at The Puppy Bowl • Photo courtesy of Bethanie Lawrence

On Whiskey’s Spunk

Whiskey is spunky and usually a little nervous when meeting new friends, but she's as sweet as can be and wouldn't hurt a fly. We love to have her fur dyed by her groomer to match her personality. Whiskey loves to talk and play with her dog brother Hank and her friends at Adirondack Sniffari. She's scared of vacuums and other motorized things like electric fans and clippers, but she's very brave and has been working on getting more comfortable around them. 

On Buried Treasure

Whiskey is a treasure hunter and loves to find things under the couch, bed, desk, anything. When she was a baby, she would go underneath our bed and shimmy around looking for dropped pencils, hair ties, socks, and everything we'd lost. She would be so proud showing us what she discovered. 

On Farm Life

We often visit family in rural Pennsylvania and let both Whiskey and Hank off-leash on our family's farm since it's large enough that we usually don't have to worry about them running away. The farm neighbors recently got chickens and those chickens have been coming onto the farmland, and Whiskey met them recently. By "met", we mean she saw them and tried to catch them. She didn't catch them, thankfully, but now she has to be on a leash at the farm. 

Bethanie and Pat, along with Hank and Whiskey

On Local Dog Friendly Favorites

Whiskey loves going to dog camp with Adirondack Sniffari, and Sniffari's Camp Counselor Caitlin Steadman is her favorite non-family human. Her favorite store is Sutherland's Petworks in Hudson Falls; the people who work there are the friendliest and most helpful around. Whiskey enjoys going anywhere with trees and forests and all of the smells, including the Feeder Canal paths and Betar Byway. 

On The Love of a Dog

We love having dogs because they are a source of positivity and comfort for us. Our dogs are always loving and cuddle up with us in the sweetest way. They make us laugh, help us through hard times, and give us so much joy; they're part of our family. 

Good dog, Whiskey! Would you like to nominate a pup to be featured in our Good Dog series (your pup maybe?!)? Email us at hello@glensfallsliving.com or send us a note here.

My Glens Falls: Kate Austin

We caught up with Kate Austin this week! She shares a bit about the evolution of her business, Advokate, an ode to the amazing Glens Falls arts scene, her favorite downtown restaurants for vegan options, and more…

Tell us about yourself!

I'm a mom, a community member, an activist, an entrepreneur, and a big fan of Glens Falls. After working at The Chronicle newspaper and managing The Shirt Factory, I started my business, Advokate, LLC, in October of 2010, without a clear direction. 

At first, I thought I'd help artists hang up posters for their art shows or mail out postcards, and Advokate has now evolved into a design, marketing and communications agency with a team of twelve, plus three interns. 

I am also co-founder of the Arts District of Glens Falls, a board member with the Glens Falls Business Improvement District, and involved with the Jackson Heights PTA. Last year, New York State Assemblywoman Carrie Woerner named me a Woman of Distinction! 

My kiddos are Ellie (6), Danny (8), and Henry (11). We have a dog named Sasha and a cat named Jones. I'm divorced and live part-time with my partner, Jeremy. We were high school sweethearts!

On Life In and Around Glens Falls

I grew up in Killington, Vermont, and went to high school in Woodstock. I kind of landed here quasi-accidentally but fell in love with Glens Falls and put down roots. Now my parents live here in Glens Falls! They are a huge help with the kids.

Once upon a time (back in 2001, if we're being precise) I wrote down a wish list of everything I wanted out of a place to live. I wanted cafes, lots of things going on, a downtown scene, to feel safe, public transportation, and for it to be an hour away from Rutland, Vermont. Who knew!? I had never heard of Glens Falls back then. But it's right here, the city I always wanted.

I have lived in Glens Falls since 2006 or 2007. My former husband Cory and I bought our house on Morgan Avenue in 2009. I bought a house on Ridge Street last November and I adore it. I miss my old neighbors but I'm just around the corner. When I walked in, it just felt right. It has soapstone counters and an attic, and so many windows. There is a little brick side porch that I plan to use as an art studio. And most importantly, each of the kids has their own room. I love the houses in Glens Falls that are Tudor-style. I feel like I'm living in a fairy tale!

On Banding Together

There is so much to love about Glens Falls. I think my number one is the community, closely followed by the arts scene. 

I have seen neighbors taking care of neighbors in so many instances. Folks are welcoming and kind here. They collaborate. They work on seeing alternative perspectives and embracing diversity. I think the "group hug" (that's Glens Falls Director of Tourism and Business Development Amy Collins' catchphrase) philosophy is super strong here. We know how to band together, work as a team, and support one another. We respect one another even when we disagree. There are a number of volunteer-run organizations doing super important work. Such a small handful of people are doing so much for the greater good. I think that spirit of community is extremely strong in Glens Falls.

On The Arts

The arts scene is like no other. The fact that we have three museums within walking distance of one another in a city with a population of less than 15,000 is astounding. The galleries, the theaters, the cultural organizations. We're the smallest city in the country with its own Symphony Orchestra. And now we have murals and public art so you can tell that Glens Falls loves the arts without even setting foot indoors!

A Perfect Glens Falls Day

Some of my most idyllic Glens Falls days were when the kids were young. I'd walk them downtown, pushing a stroller, and we'd start our day at the Farmer's Market, then head to Crandall Public Library to get a stash of books. We'd relax in City Park, grab a snack from Rock Hill Bakehouse Cafe (back when it was downtown), and walk around the shops to see all of our friends out and about, maybe visit the World Awareness Children's Museum, and finish the day with Outdoor Cinema, watching a movie under the stars. 

These days, the kids are bigger. We like to go to the events the Glens Falls Collaborative puts on, especially Take a Bite. I just love when the whole city is hanging out together downtown on a beautiful sunny day. Henry likes to grab sushi from Sweet Rice around the corner with his friends. I order from Juicin' Jar and Alif all the time. Ellie and Danny love Downtown City Tavern's fries and slipper bread. I do almost all my shopping at Finders Keepers. 

On a date night, I'm usually found at Farmacy, because every week they have a different vegan option. I love their cocktails and it's so fun to try something new. I like the intimacy of the Bourbon Room, too, and Morgan & Co. is always a winner. I always end up at Fenimore's after a show at the Wood Theater. And I am loving the Golden Monkey for their vegan options and specialty drinks. The vibe there is so laid back and classy. Oh! And can't forget about Mint on Warren Street, which has awesome plant-based choices as well.

On the Past

I have met most of my favorite people in one of three places, all before like, 2010: At an art show at LARAC, NorthCountryARTS or at The Shirt Factory; at Rock Hill Bakehouse's Open Mic; or at Wallabee's Jazz Bar. Thursday nights were THE nights, back in the day. I think those moments early on were responsible for forming my foundational impression of Glens Falls. 

You'd make friends just by being in the same places over and over again. Everyone was creative and talented. And funny, and a good time. And so incredibly welcoming. The folks who hung out there were a real community of musicians, artists, writers and poets, and the atmosphere was hip, comfortable, and easy. I formed some core friendships in those years.

On the Future

Okay, so I'm super proud of the fact that the City of Glens Falls is running on hydro power through Northern Power & Light. (Full disclosure: NP&L is a client of Advokate's). Renewable energy is cool, and I hope more people sign up for it.

I think we could use more public art, for sure. I would love to see interactive sculpture and bespoke playground equipment around downtown for my children who love to climb on stuff. 

I think a refill/zero waste store is something we need. I would love to see more people shopping at Pure N Simple to take things to that level.

And I think there's plenty of room for more vegan eateries in town, and a broader spectrum of plant-based options at the awesome restaurants we do have. I dine out kind of a lot and there are so many hungry vegans who do, too!

My Glens Falls: Molly Mattison

We caught up with Molly Mattison this past week! She shares what brought her back to Glens Falls after growing up here (she bought a house a few doors down from the house she grew up in!), lots of Glens Falls nostalgia (including Boston Candy Kitchen and Barber’s Market), a bit about her little library, and more…

Tell us about yourself!

I’m Molly Mattison, a Glens Falls native. I live in Glens Falls with my 5 and 6-year-old boys, Rocco and Rex, and my husband Dale. 

I work remotely as Chief Operating Officer for the International TEFL Academy. We certify more than 6,000 people a year to teach English abroad and online, and help them find jobs. Our alumni are in more than 80 countries worldwide - it’s a really amazing way to get paid to see the world! 

I’m also the steward for my beloved GF Little Library. Come borrow a new read!

On Life In and Around Glens Falls

I grew up in Glens Falls on Lincoln Avenue. When I graduated, I went to college in Virginia, studied abroad in Italy, then spent several years living and working in Boston and Chicago. My husband is from Lake George, and we couldn’t imagine a better place to raise our family than Glens Falls. After 12 years away, we returned and bought our house — also on Lincoln Avenue, three doors down from my parents and the house I grew up in. Truly full-circle. 

Our home was built in 1911. One of our neighbors grew up in our home as a child in the 1950s. She shared how they had a boarder who worked for the Post Star as a photographer and used a small room in our basement as his dark room. There also used to be sleeping porches on the back of our home. My most vivid memory of this house from growing up was the impeccably manicured lawn - a reputation known far and wide, and one we’ve definitely fallen far short of - ha!

On Community

Without a doubt, what I love most about Glens Falls are the people - they are salt of the earth, and truly a community. When our family has faced tough times, our neighbors have been there to shovel, to bring a meal, or just to check in. Likewise, we try to give back to our community and the boys’ schools as much as possible. It’s truly a village I’m so appreciative of. I also love holidays here - like the hundreds of trick-or-treaters on Halloween or enjoying breakfast on the porch with friends and family before the Memorial Day parade. 

A Perfect Glens Falls Day

My perfect Glens Falls day would start with a walk downtown, and breakfast and a coffee at Kru. I’d then swing by Crandall Public Library with the boys, before getting fresh flowers from River ‘Rangements at the Farmer’s Market and/or from Oopsy Daisy Flower Farm and delivering a bouquet to my mom. 

If our day isn’t dominated by birthday parties or sports, we love to check out the local event calendars or take a daytrip. For dinner, we would head back downtown. A newer favorite for us is Rocco’s on Glen. Great vibes, great food, and my son Rocco calls it “his place” and loves to greet the owner. We might top off our night with a trip to Rude Betty, a favorite with us and the kids. 

On the Past

I had a pretty idyllic childhood in Glens Falls - my friends lived on the block, our bikes gave us the ultimate freedom, and we just had to make sure we were home by dark. I loved it as a kid, and I love it even more watching my kids as they’re just now taking off on their bikes - and their friends, too, live on our block. 

Growing up, my Dad and I were both early risers and we would sneak out of the house early on weekends and go have breakfast together at the Boston Candy Kitchen (Downtown City Tavern now lives there). They made ribbon candy on site, and had a little chocolate and candy storefront at the front of the diner. Since I came back to town, my dad and I kept our morning time together, taking an hour-long walk to kick off the day. 

We also loved Bill’s Ideal Diner and we go to Massie’s for every family birthday - a tradition that’s persisted in our family for more than 70 years. One thing I miss is Barber’s Market - it was a small neighborhood market on Shippey, and I would love to see something like that come back. 

On the Future

It’s been amazing to see the transformation downtown over the past few decades - I’m excited to see the ways South Street and the downtown area can continue to grow, hopefully with more locally-owned, small businesses. Overall, I just love Glens Falls for what it is and hope it will keep its essence as it continues to evolve (though I wouldn’t say no to a Trader Joe’s!)

My Glens Falls: Jeremiah and Emily Lewis

This week we caught up with Jeremiah and Emily Lewis! New to town, they share what drew them to Glens Falls, a bit about their work (Jeremiah is a filmmaker and Emily is a natural science illustrator and animator), their favorites around the city so far, and more…

Tell us about yourself!

Jeremiah: I’m Jeremiah Lewis. I’m a web developer and screenwriter. My passion is writing horror movies, and I’m lucky that I’ve been able to write a few horror short films that have gotten produced!

Emily: I’m Emily Meredith Lewis and I’m a Natural Science Illustrator and Animator and Library Clerk at Crandall Public Library. We have two dogs named Cider and Miso, and they are siblings we adopted from a rescue in Chicago.

On Life In and Around Glens Falls

Jeremiah: We were drawn to Glens Falls primarily so I could be closer to my producing partner (local filmmaker and business owner Cameron Gallagher). We didn’t have a family connection to the area, though we’ve always been drawn to areas in New York such as the Hudson Valley. We’ve only been here about nine months but it’s been a great change of pace from the last few places we’ve lived.

Emily: I’ve been enjoying learning about all the native flora and fauna, both in our neighborhood and the trails at the countless nature preserves. I’m in my final studio for my natural science illustration certificate at RISD CE. For that project, I’m focused on late winter/early spring botanicals and (fingers crossed) their pollinators. A lot of my spare time right now is hitting trails in search of subjects and inspiration. I grew up in the Appalachian region of Virginia. After living in three major cities and three mid-size cities, we both appreciate the sounds of birds and insects over constant sirens.

Jeremiah: I have really enjoyed being able to collaborate directly on filmmaking projects. I first met Cameron when Emily and I were living in Providence, through a project called The Rickety Man, which eventually was made into an award-winning film. Living in Glens Falls gives us the chance to collaborate in person, and it has made things like spitballing story ideas, working out pre-production logistics and actually being on set for filming a much more rewarding experience. We’ve already filmed two shorts and have several other projects in the works, and hopefully you’ll see something we’ve made playing at the local theater before long! And if anyone reading this wants to finance our next film projects, don’t hesitate to reach out!

On Glens Falls Neighborhoods

Emily: We currently rent, but we’re looking to buy a house, if only the market will cooperate! Our neighborhood has been really great, especially for walking our dogs and getting a ton of exercise. We love seeing the beautiful houses on all the streets we walk and have even begun to meet people on our walks (when the temperatures aren’t sub-freezing!).

Some Glens Falls Favorites

Jeremiah: Our favorite thing about Glens Falls is its proximity to so much nature and the small-town vibe it gives (while still having options for art, shopping, entertainment, etc.). Emily is making her way through all the nature preserves in the area: Meadowbrook Preserve, Hudson Pointe Nature Preserve, Cole’s Woods, etc. The amount of places and trails to explore in the area is astounding!

One place that probably deserves more recognition for its opportunities for local entrepreneurs is WorkSmart. Located in a restored historic bank, it’s a collaborative work space that’s inclusive, safe, quiet, and offers independent business owners and office workers the chance to bond with fellow go-getters while maximizing your productivity in a conducive setting. It’s the perfect place to get things done while connecting with some amazing people (not a sales pitch, we promise!).

A Perfect Glens Falls Day

Emily: On Saturdays we usually make a trip to the Farmers Market (it’s a weekly staple in the warmer months), then coffee from Kru or breakfast or lunch from Rockhill Bakery and Cafe (try their bread or their Reuben–it’s really tasty!). If the weather is nice we take a long walk with our dogs around our neighborhood, Crandall Park, or the Canal. We love popping into the library and exploring The Shirt Factory (so many fantastic shops and artist spaces) if we have a more leisurely day. We love The Weekender and if something catches our eye for that weekend, we will try and work it in. We also cook a lot at home, but we have gone out to Mint, farmacy, or we will do take-away from Aroy Dee.

On the Past

Jeremiah: Unfortunately, we don’t have any old memories since we’re recent transplants, but we love all the new memories we are making. LARAC’s Arts Festival, picking berries at Ariel’s Farm, The Balloon Festival, Thursday Market & Food Truck Corral at The Shirt Factory, and playing putt-putt up at Lake George, to name a few.

You know what is cool, though? For the first time in a long time we actually sat out on our porch and handed out candy to trick-or-treaters this last Halloween — that was a lot of fun and a reminder of what it’s like to live in a community where you know your neighbors and people can enjoy being out to celebrate something fun and spooky.

Glens Falls is shaping up to be the place where we make these memories and new traditions.

On the Future

Jeremiah: Vegan food has come a long way, and there’s plenty of opportunity for an enterprising restauranteur to open a vegan or vegetarian place that people can enjoy. One of our down-the-road dreams is to open a revival movie theater or space that plays double features of old movies.

Emily: I would also love for there to be a small art supply shop. The closest shop that carries my favorite colored pencils is in Schenectady!

We’re open to adventures, and we’re excited for what Glens Falls has in store for us in the coming months and years.

Good Dog: Honey

Good dog, Honey! This sweet 5 year old Beagle / Boxer mix is living the good life after being adopted from the SPCA in 2019. Her mom, Laura DeCaro-Wehrle (who you might recognize from Honey Bee Grooming!) shares more about meeting Honey at the shelter, her love for the ocean, her favorite local trail, and more…

On Meeting Honey

I saw Honey’s photo amongst a few others on the SPCA of Upstate NY’s Petfinder profile back in 2019. Her name had been Minnie. I decided to go after work with my coworkers to look at dogs there. We looked at a few puppies but they were all on quarantine because they had just gotten there from another state. Honey had been there for a few weeks. All the other dogs she traveled here with were already adopted. She was about 8 months old. She had some burn scars on her side but we don’t know how she got them. Although they’re usually covered by her hair length now, they’re still there. She was a wiggly little thing in the cage, dying to get out and say hello.

We got her out and I could tell she was a sweetheart but I was so scared to adopt my first dog as an adult. Being an animal care professional for over 10 years, I was so conscious of picking the pet that would fit my lifestyle. I have a small home, I worked long hours, I have cats, and I very much don’t like to get up at 5am to run my dog. I was very nervous about picking a dog that wouldn’t thrive in my care. My friends thought I was crazy because Honey was such a doll. Even the ladies at the SPCA had more faith in me than I had in myself. They let me know that Honey had a family coming to meet her the next day at a PetSmart event at 10am. My heart dropped, but then they said, “so make sure to be there at 9am”. I am so grateful to them for that information. They knew we belonged together and that the other family would find another dog to be their own perfect match. Honey was ours. 

It would be my husband (boyfriend at the time) Drew’s, first dog. Ultimately I let him decide. I brought him to the adoption event to meet her. Drew knew immediately. We brought her home that day. Three years later I opened Honey Bee Grooming, where not only did Honey become my logo, but she also became COO and the best shop dog around! It makes me feel really good when people meet Honey at the salon for the first time and say something like, “oh it’s THE Honey?!” Like she is famous or something. It’s great to see that other people think she is as wonderful as I think she is. 

On The Perfect Dog

Honey embodies her name for sure. She is a goofy little dog with a goofy little beagle’s bark. She is so wiggly, jerky and completely uncoordinated. Her favorite game to play with other dogs is chase. Her favorite things to do are to dig, go on sniff walks, sleep, and eat. The first thing people always notice about her is how soft she is. Even before I became a dog groomer, Honey got monthly baths. All that worrying and she is the perfect dog for Drew and I. 

Laura DeCaro-Wehrle and Drew Wehrle with Honey

On Invisible Big Dogs

Honey gets along well with other dogs, but she does this really hysterical thing where if a dog is over about 50 pounds, she kind of ignores their existence. It happens at the salon a lot — although she is always kept separate, she is very uninterested in any large dogs. We will also hang out with our friends who have 3 dogs — two under 50 pounds and one about 70 pounds — and she loves to play with the first two and pretends the other one isn’t there. He is so infatuated with her too. He will try to snuggle next to her sometimes when she curls up on the couch after playing and there’s a 50/50 chance on whether she just gets up and walks away or begrudgingly lets him lay next to her for a while. She is so sassy. 

On Dog Friendly Vacations

Drew and I have never gone on vacation without Honey. We look forward to it every year. Last year we found out that although she doesn’t care for lakes so much, she thinks the ocean is the bee’s knees. I think it has to do with the waves — she likes to dig at them when they come in. They give her automatic zoomies. 

Some Glens Falls Favorites

Honey’s #1 favorite thing to do in Glens Falls is to hang out with the peeps and pups from Adirondack Sniffari. They pick her up from the Salon on Mondays. The way she greets Tom and Cait is such a wonderful sight to see.

She also loves to accompany me to my nail appointments at Studio Elements in Glens falls. We see Sam at Nailvira, and the ladies there love her.

During the warmer months we love to grab a bite to eat at Raul’s. Honey loves to sun bathe and watch the cars go by at the circle. Last year was her first year being able to handle that level of distraction and excitement so I am excited to have more lunch dates with her this year! 

Honeys favorite trail to hit around Glens Falls is Meadowbrook Preserve. The lands are a bit marshy which makes for a dirty dog but the best sniffs in her opinion. A dirty dog is a happy dog! 

On Therapy Dog Goals

Honey is an aspiring therapy dog. We still have some work to do before I feel comfortable taking the test with her, but I take her to my appointments to practice managing her excitement in ever changing environments. She loves to sit quietly at the window and watch everyone walk by. 

On Loving a Dog

My favorite thing about having a dog besides the unconditional love is always having a best friend around. She always down for whatever we have in mind. I could never be lonely when Honey is there. I don’t need a social battery to hang out with her. Shes the very best friend a girl could ask for.

First Look: Giovanni Fresco

Calling all pasta lovers! We’re thrilled to share a First Look at Giovanni Fresco’s new location in Glens Falls. While they’ve been serving their scratch made Italian food at Farmers Markets across the area for 7 years, their new permanent home in Glens Falls has been open just over two months and is already a fan favorite. We caught up with owner Giovanni Casanica to hear a bit more about the new space, their plans to grow into a neighborhood shop, and the pasta, of course!

Giovanni and Francesca with their new addition, son Gabriele

On the American Dream

My wife Francesca and I moved here from Italy in late December 2016. My parents moved here first, so we came for the summer and fell in love with the area — Glens Falls, Lake George, Saratoga. We decided to move here and start our own business. I always wanted to have something of my own, and I just never could there — so we came here. 

We started our business in 2017. In the beginning our business name was GF for Giovanni and Francesca. My wife decided she’d rather not have her name on it, so we started thinking of something else that could replace that part of the name, and we came up with Fresco, because in Italian, fresco means fresh. And that’s what we do. Everything that we do is made fresh, and it’s made daily. We cook on the spot for most of our catering and markets, so having Fresco in the name just made sense. 

On Opening the Space

We started our business at Farmers Markets, and that continued to grow. Last year we were doing 6 markets every week, all over the area — Troy, Schenectady, Saratoga. We rented out different commercial kitchens to prepare food, which started to become difficult, especially as there was more demand for our product. So, we decided to take the next step, which was to find a permanent location.

Finding a location was really hard, and took us a lot of time. But in the end it worked out great because we were able to purchase this location in Glens Falls last year. We’ve been doing The Shirt Factory events in this neighborhood for the past five years now, so we were getting a customer base and a demand in this area. 

At the beginning we were just using it as a commercial space. We renovated the kitchen and everything else on the interior, but we mainly used the kitchen while we finished out our summer season last year. We wanted to wait a bit before opening the actual shop, but there was so much demand for it. People would knock on the door asking when we were going to open, so we decided to just go for it. 

We opened the shop the first week of December. It’s been incredible. The amount of support and love that we got from the community has been insane. We have a customer that donated our tables. We have a customer that donated the stone countertop. Everyone has been supportive of not only our food, but of our store as a place in the community.

When we were purchasing the building, we found out that this was historically an Italian neighborhood, so I was excited to bring that back. We have so many customers that have told us stories about growing up in the neighborhood, and they relate to our food because it brings back those good memories. Unfortunately through the generations, Italians have lost some connection with homemade cooking. So we are able to give them that connection, those memories, and that’s incredible. We’re happy that we are able to bring that nostalgia back to the neighborhood. 

On The Importance of Family

We have a poster in our shop that includes the line ‘Bringing Family Back Together’. Every day we have a different family meal that feeds 4-6 people. For us it’s very important. In Italy, family meals are the most important thing. Everything closes at 1pm, you have a 3 hour break with all of your family for lunch, you go back to work, and then you have dinner all together later. So that’s the type of feeling we want to bring back and give to the customer with our family meals. It’s affordable, made fresh, made daily. It’s important to us to continue doing that. Here in the US, people are so dedicated to work. Always thinking about work, and just constantly working — which is great because there’s a lot of opportunity. But every now and then, I’d encourage people to take a break, we’ll take care of dinner, and just enjoy the family and enjoy the moments. 

On Authentic Italian Food

I’ve always loved cooking. I cooked all the time with my grandmother, and I wanted to bring back those old recipes and ways of making the food. It’s been great for customers to see the pasta getting rolled and cut in front of them at the markets and events that we do. It’s something they’ve never seen before. 

We want to give customers the same flavors and tastes that we grew up with. The sauces are made just like we made in Italy. Everything is based on fresh ingredients in a good ratio. Our sauces cook for hours just like we did in Italy. That makes a big difference. We don’t add sugar, and our customers say that they don’t suffer from acidity from our sauce like they might with others here. It’s just those fresh tomatoes cooking for hours. 

On Fan Favorites

Our most popular item is our fresh pasta. That’s what we’re known for, and there’s a lot of demand for it. We have it here to sell for customers to make at home, but a lot of customers prefer for us to cook it — so don’t worry about it, we’ll continue doing that here as well! 

Our fried items are popular as well. We have four different kinds of arancini — traditional, Sicilian, mushroom and sausage, and spinach, and we also do a fried mac and cheese. Those are available every Friday and Saturday at the shop, since those are our frying days. 

On The Future

Our next step is to evolve our space into a one stop shop. To us, this isn’t just a take-out place, it’s a neighborhood shop. We’re going to be carrying more authentic Italian goods and local favorites, for example Puckers Pickles and North Hudson Coffee. We’d like to have fresh produce and eggs this summer. We also have Villa’s Bread delivered fresh every morning, steaming hot. We’re trying to get the best ingredients and products out there and bring them to our shop. 

Giovanni Fresco
47 Lawrence Street, Glens Falls
Website / Facebook / Instagram

My Glens Falls: Carly Samach

This week we caught up with Carly Samach! She shares a bit about the history of her charming craftsman home in the city, the unique Glens Falls location for her wedding, an awesome idea for a downtown business that someone should scoop up, and more…

Tell us about yourself!

Hello! I’m Carly Samach, I live with my husband, our two pups and our mischievous orange cat right outside of the Crandall Park area. Professionally I am a clinical therapist that specializes in the treatment of obsessive compulsive and anxiety disorders. I own my own practice in town treating individuals locally and all around New York State, and also provide education on these disorders to schools and medical teams that often interface with them. The disorders I treat are so common throughout the world, but I feel especially grateful to do the majority of my work here in our community. Anyone living with OCD and anxiety deserves to know that things can get better — I witness my clients create that truth everyday! 

I am also lucky to teach Kambal Yoga at Restore Balance - or as I fondly refer to it, sleepy time yoga. I love art, music, good food, being outdoors — all of which I strongly believe Glens Falls is an expert at curating and providing! 

On Life In Glens Falls

Glens Falls was a chance situation for my husband and I. Back in 2017, we found out we’d have to move from the home we were renting very quickly. The universe set its sights on Glens Falls for us, because at that point in the year we could not find a place to live anywhere in the Capital District, except a very sweet apartment on Glen St in Glens Falls. My husband grew up in and around Glens Falls, so for him it was a lot like returning to a nostalgic home. For me, Glens Falls was a space I hadn’t explored yet, and it's safe to say I fell in love fast. 

It's been 7 years since that fateful move and we now own a home in the city and are so happy to have built a life and community here. The primary variable that keeps us here is the very evident heart of the people in this town. It's illustrated through the beautiful businesses, the care individuals take in their older homes, the smiles you are greeted by when taking a walk around the park and the willingness to help one another out when needed. We’ve made friends that are now family for life in this community. 

On Historic Homes

Our home is a gorgeous craftsman with some pretty cool history. Thanks to our neighbors, we learned that our home was owned by one of the twin daughters of the Mayor of Glens Falls way back in the day. He built ‘twin craftsmans’ for his daughters and through our neighborhood and the previous owner we learned that the original owners lived here until they eventually passed. We’ve found love notes and sweet pieces of history as we’ve been slowly restoring it. Having grown up in an old farm house in Maine, this is what drew me to the homes of Glens Falls — they all have love in their stories. 

On Local Talent

One thing I wish more people knew about Glens Falls is what incredible art is here. Not only the newest murals at The Shirt Factory, but around town and built into the homes and buildings that have stood the test of time, and the many incredible artisans at The Shirt Factory. And I can’t forget to mention the number of incredibly talented musicians that reside here. Whether I’m catching a jazz night with The Daley News at The Bourbon Room or rocking out to Tom’s House at Mean Max — there is never a shortage of incredible music to enjoy! 

A Perfect Glens Falls Day

A perfect day in Glens Falls for me starts at Kru Coffee — my husband and I love their cortados and an avocado smash to fill up on. In my opinion, one of the best parts about Glens Falls is that you can spend time in the city to get the day started, and then drive or walk a few miles out and be in the mountains and the woods. After filling up on breakfast our day would likely take us there with the pups — we love to explore trails in the area and in the 7 years we’ve lived here we never fall short of finding new spaces to check out. From there our day is all about yummy food, or doing some light shopping in town, like stopping by Minky Mink, Fountain Square Outfitters, and Rude Betty to name a few. Whether we cook at home and then go in town for dessert or do the whole shindig in town we are never failed by the likes of Farmacy, Radici or Mint! 

On the Past

Fun fact: in May of 2021 my husband and I got married in the alleyway between Farmacy and Radici! Every time I pass that space between the two buildings I think of the beautiful Sunday afternoon where our incredible friends at Farmacy helped us create a magical and sweet day. To have our nearest and dearest standing with us in an alleyway that had been dressed in flower petals and loving mementos literally took my breath away. We couldn’t have asked for more. 

On the Future

My wish list business for Glens Falls would be a coffee shop bookstore that turns into a cocktail reading hang out in the evening. My friends and I fantasize about how awesome that would be all the time. Please somebody go for it! I promise regular reading coffee / cocktail visits by so many! 

Good Dog: Murray Murphy

Good dog, Murray! This 10 year old American Pitbull Terrier and American Staffordshire Terrier mix is all smiles as he lives the good life in Glens Falls after being rescued from a tough life in Texas. His mom, Emily Murphy, shares more about the chance meeting that brought them together, his affinity for Thomas’ English Muffins, and some local dog friendly favorites…

On Meeting Murray 

I actually met Murray at the Charles R. Wood Theater where I work! I had been Executive Director for about 3 weeks, was 24 years old and still in grad school and thought I already had enough life changes happening, what was one more? It was funny, I was in my office with the door closed when I heard a knock on the door and had to finish up a call before I could answer. When I came out, it was just this little guy standing there with no human.

After a second, I saw the human around the corner — Bridget Dunigan, who was the Managing Director at Adirondack Theatre Festival at the time. She was looking to drop something off for me and he was there with her. I just assumed he was her dog, but it didn’t stop me from obsessing over him. Our Box Office Manager at the time, Dan Cowan, told Bridget in an e-mail that I hadn’t stopped talking about her dog and to please bring him by anytime.

A week or so later, they came back and I started asking questions about him. Come to find out, Bridget was fostering him through a rescue called Rescue Dogs Rock in New York City. He ended up in New York after he was rescued in Texas, having sadly been used for dog fighting then dumped before he was brought to the Callaghan Road Animal Hospital in San Antonio where they saved his life and got him stable for transport. All that mattered to me in that moment was that she had said ‘foster’ and that meant he was available to be adopted. I immediately texted my mother that I had found ‘the one’ and made plans to have a trial sleepover that weekend and a playdate with some dog friends in the family to see how he would acclimate. Everything went perfectly and he moved in a few days later on April 29, 2017.

He was unfortunately heartworm positive when he was rescued, but the folks at For Pet’s Sake Veterinary Center took incredible care of him and continue to to this day. Otherwise, he was ready to love and be loved and I am so glad he knocked on my door that day!

On Murray’s World

Now that he’s gotten a little older (being a rescue, we’ll never be sure of his age, but we think he was about 3 when I adopted him 7 years ago, so about 10 now) he definitely has acquired the personality of a grumpy old man. We always say, “it’s Murray’s world and we’re just living in it!”. He likes to nap when he wants, where he wants and does not like to risk getting his velvet ears wet in the rain or snow. He loves his Grandma (my mother, who still hasn’t forgiven me for getting her hopes up about a human ‘the one’) and they love to curl up and watch a Hallmark movie when I’m working long days at the theater. 

He also goes to ‘camp’ with Adirondack Sniffari twice a week where he gets to go on adventures with Camp Counselors Caitlin and Tom and he learns so many new things. He does go solo as he can get a little overwhelmed by other dogs because of his history, but he has no problem being the center of attention. He loves all humans and will protect them from the neighborhood squirrels by chasing them around the backyard until he tires himself out, then you’re on your own while he’s napping.

Murray with his mom, Emily Murphy

On Social Media Fame 

Murray has gone semi-viral a few times on various platforms. The first time, because he inexplicably became obsessed with Thomas’ English Muffins - that brand only. Truly, I conducted an experiment with control muffins and a hidden GoPro in the kitchen and he would only take out Thomas’ English Muffins and just carry the package to his bed and hold them when home alone. Not even eat them, just kind of sit with them. I entered him into their #1 English Muffin Fan contest and he won! They sent us a huge box of toys, a personalized bandana, orange balls and even a 3D printed gold medal English Muffin.

He also went viral on TikTok after finding a nest of bunnies under the porch in the backyard. He nudged them all out onto the grass and cried until I came out, and they were so small I didn’t even know what they were. He was so worried about them as if they were his babies and I was worried that he would hurt them in some way, even accidentally. But, he just sat by them and watched over them. Right away, we had North Country Wild Care come and re-nest them and we covered them so he couldn’t get to them but their Mom still could. Still, he would just sit and watch them until they eventually grew out of the nest and headed out on their own. Whenever a bunny comes across our yard, I like to think its one of his children or grandchildren coming back to say hi!

Sharing his stories got him a lot of attention across social media and landed him a spot as the family dog in the local film Forget-Me-Nots by Caitlin Stedman and Kayla Romanowski and he was even included as one of the rescue dogs in local author Elizabeth Macy’s book Lucky’s Adventures in Winter Wonderland. It always means so much to me to see bully breeds being celebrated in the media and shown for the happy, loyal and goofy dogs they are!

On Local Dog Friendly Favorites 

As I said, Murray loves being the center of attention, so taking a walk around downtown is his favorite. Often, folks will ask to pet him and say hello and he loves getting pats and told how handsome he is. We love to walk over to the electrical box outside of St. Mary’s that his (and my!) dear friend Shelley Fairbanks painted - he is the big brown smiling mug on the side facing Warren Street! He loves to explore around Crandall Park and if the playground is empty, hop up on the slide to show ‘All Paws’ that he learned at camp!

We’re big fans of Davidson Brothers’ dog menu (he usually opts for the grilled chicken) and he’s been known to join me at any of the amazing restaurants with outdoor seating like Fenimore’s, farmacy and Raul’s! They always bring out a cold bowl of water with the cold margaritas at Raul’s, which we love!

On the Unconditional Love of a Dog 

Being able to come home after a long day and having a little tail wagging when they see you regardless of what may have gone wrong that day is such a gift. Your dog doesn’t care if you messed up at work, got in an argument with a friend, had your shirt on backwards all day and no one told you - they’re just happy to see you. An unconditional love like that of a dog is so special and unlike any other connection we experience as humans. Plus, giving a dog (especially a rescue dog) a happy, safe and healthy home is such a rewarding feeling. I’m only 31, but being a part of bringing a dog from bait dog in dog fighting ring to an adored and celebrated superstar pitbull advocate may be one of the greatest things I’ll ever achieve.

Good dog, Murray! To read more in our Good Dog series, click here.
Would you like to nominate a pup to be featured in our Good Dog series (your pup maybe?!)? Email us at hello@glensfallsliving.com or send us a note here.