Passports!
Jul 20, 2022 | Albany, NY
This was a day mostly of just kind of wandering around. Wandering around in the heat, that is. It's starting to get pretty hot at this point, with high 80s and low 90s becoming the new norm which is a good 10 degrees up from when we arrived in early July. And since it's humid here, it feels a good 5 - 10 degrees hotter than dry heat of the same temperature. But we're not letting that stop us!
First we went to the library to scan some art Erika made because she started taking online classes for design recently. Then we went to lunch at Son of Egg which is a Korean restaurant that kind of leans toward street food style items. We wandered around Lark Street a bit after that, which is definitely the part of town that has the most personality. Downtown is a bit stiff and business-like, but Lark Street has the funkier businesses.
When we got home there was a package sitting on top of the mailbox with our new passports inside. So despite my dad paying for certified mail, they did not come to our door for a signature and didn't even bother to put it inside the mailbox. Well, at least we have them.
This pic exemplifies an Albany phenomenon that we had been scratching our heads about since we arrived: those red X's posted on the buildings. We figured it at least had to do with the building being vacant, but we weren't sure if it meant they were condemned/dangerous, or if it was just more of a "no trespassing" situation. We even wondered if it was some kind of shaming of foreclosed properties. Turns out it's for the first responders and indicates to them that a building is dangerous to enter. There is a controversy about their use however, because some feel that it damages the economic outlook of certain neighborhoods if they get too many of the marked buildings. Seems like the EMTs could just have a database of information on buildings. Nobody else seems to have this weird system!
This pic exemplifies an Albany phenomenon that we had been scratching our heads about since we arrived: those red X's posted on the buildings. We figured it at least had to do with the building being vacant, but we weren't sure if it meant they were condemned/dangerous, or if it was just more of a "no trespassing" situation. We even wondered if it was some kind of shaming of foreclosed properties. Turns out it's for the first responders and indicates to them that a building is dangerous to enter. There is a controversy about their use however, because some feel that it damages the economic outlook of certain neighborhoods if they get too many of the marked buildings. Seems like the EMTs could just have a database of information on buildings. Nobody else seems to have this weird system!
An outreach campaign here. "Should Never Use Guns"
An outreach campaign here. "Should Never Use Guns"
Someone found something useful to do with one of these X buildings!
Someone found something useful to do with one of these X buildings!
This might be our favorite piece in the city. I feel like I need to go back and take better pictures of this one.
This might be our favorite piece in the city. I feel like I need to go back and take better pictures of this one.
This is our neighborhood, the Ten Broeck Triangle, featuring Ten Broeck Mansion, which has stood since the late 1700s.
This is our neighborhood, the Ten Broeck Triangle, featuring Ten Broeck Mansion, which has stood since the late 1700s.
I took a trippy vertical panaramic photo of the super pointy church near our house.
I took a trippy vertical panaramic photo of the super pointy church near our house.
New Orleans style houses in our neighborhood. Very unique for this area where nearly every house is in the brownstone style.
New Orleans style houses in our neighborhood. Very unique for this area where nearly every house is in the brownstone style.
Visited the garden at the Ten Broeck Mansion
Visited the garden at the Ten Broeck Mansion
Here's the guy. "Ten" must be some kind of Dutch naming scheme because we've seen other "Ten Whatever" named stuff around here.
Here's the guy. "Ten" must be some kind of Dutch naming scheme because we've seen other "Ten Whatever" named stuff around here.
This is apparently a type of redwood. Weird body shape compared to the West Coast varieties
This is apparently a type of redwood. Weird body shape compared to the West Coast varieties
Lunch time!
Lunch time!
"Tornado Potatoes"
"Tornado Potatoes"
An interestingly named ice cream bar brand
An interestingly named ice cream bar brand
This area and their ivy. It's everywhere.
This area and their ivy. It's everywhere.
I bought Erika some cat earrings at an art/gift shop on Lark St
I bought Erika some cat earrings at an art/gift shop on Lark St
This church is so fortress-y
This church is so fortress-y
Stopped for a small snack at a vegan sandwich place called Subculture. Several of the restaurants in this area have this sort of "one and a half floor" situation, where the first floor is half underground, so the second floor is only half as high off the ground as a normal 2nd floor would be. It makes for nice window seating.
Stopped for a small snack at a vegan sandwich place called Subculture. Several of the restaurants in this area have this sort of "one and a half floor" situation, where the first floor is half underground, so the second floor is only half as high off the ground as a normal 2nd floor would be. It makes for nice window seating.
The is the Armory. It was originally built for the National Guard, but has mostly been used as a sporting arena since like mid century.
The is the Armory. It was originally built for the National Guard, but has mostly been used as a sporting arena since like mid century.
And they have arrived! Canada here we come. Thanks for mailing them, Dad!
And they have arrived! Canada here we come. Thanks for mailing them, Dad!
