A Stunning September

Mrs. Fussy looked into some yoga classes for me. But while doing stretches might be great for my overall health and well being, I don’t see them helping to undo the damage that will unfold over the next couple of weeks.

Grab your calendar, because while some of the upcomming events are private, most are not. And you may want to get in on some of the action.

While you’re getting the calendar open, I’ll tell you that Young Master Fussy will be celebrating his birthday on Saturday, the same way he does every year. We take him out for his favorite food. Fortunately for me, that would be Ala Shanghai’s soup dumplings.

That XLB feast will be followed by some donuts, slow cooker pulled pork, and Trader Joe’s macaroni and cheese from a box. No cake. The kid prefers Boston creme donuts. And he prefers the ones from Bella Napoli to all others in the region. What can I say, the boy has good taste.

Monday is Labor Day, and now that my old friend Raf has moved to New York, I’m going to drive the kids down for a visit. I’m hoping he’ll cook something. He’s a very good cook. And he’s totally fussier than I am. Or at least he used to be. We’re all mellowing out in our old age.

Wednesday I have plans to eat my first actual lunch at little pecks. I am very excited. But unless you are the one friend I’m meeting, that’s not an event for you either. Sorry.

But Friday night is the beginning of the Saratoga Wine & Food Festival. I’ll be there. You can buy a ticket. It’s not cheap, but the list of participating restaurants in this beer and beef grilling extravaganza is pretty darn impressive. It includes Salt & Char, 15 Church, Sperry’s, Ama Cocina, Prime, Druthers, Hamlet & Ghost, Henry Street Taproom, Fish at 30 Lake, The Wishing Well, and more. Wow.

Saturday is the big day for the Saratoga Wine & Food Festival, with the Grand Tasting. I’ll be there for that too. And I’m also giving away a pair of tickets to that on Yelp. So even if you aren’t feeling particularly flush, there’s a chance the universe will smile upon you next week if you enter.

But Saturday is also the day the Chef’s Consortium has its annual Bannerman Island event. I’ve always wanted to go to that and have never been able to make it. Harumpf. But if the Wine & Food Festival isn’t your scene, you might prefer to eat on the grounds of that mysterious castle looking thing in the river you pass on the train on the way to Manhattan.

I’m going to rest on Sunday to prepare for Monday.

Monday, September 12 is The City Beer Hall’s epic R&B karaoke party with Grimm Ales and Kent Falls Brewing Company. I bought a ticket to that. More tickets are still available from what I hear. But the food menu was just released yesterday, so those remaining tickets may be going fast.

This menu blew away my expectations. I couldn’t contain my joy and excitement when I saw it. So instead of picking it apart for you, I’ll just share the whole thing. It’s not a sit down dinner, but rather, these are food stations and passed apps. So in theory, you can eat all of these things. My only problem is that I don’t even know where to start.The $65 ticket price also covers six pours of pretty much impossible-to-find beers that should pair beautifully with this food. Someone is going to have to pry me away from the platter of duck pastrami.

Tuesday we’ll have a CSA pickup so I’ll have a salad. That will be a nice change of pace. Wednesday maybe I can have a salad too.

Thursday, September 15 is Third Thursday Taven Time. That’s the ongoing monthly event where I go out with a bunch of people, mostly Yelp people, and we split orders of pizza, wings, mozz sticks, and beer. They are always a lot of fun, and I’ve missed the past couple outings. Fortunately, we live in a tavern-rich part of the world, and there are always more taverns to visit.

One of these weekends I’ll make it to Superior Merchandise Company’s Scandinavian Saturdays. They will be hosting the next one on September 17, but I may need to take a break. Maybe some of you coffee lovers can go and report back. It sounds like they bring in really extra special beans in very limited quantities. I’d love to taste how they prepare them.

And let’s not forget Sunday, September 18 is the second to last Rock N Roll Brunch. Ever. Josh said he had me in mind when he thought up the chicken fried chicken livers. Yeah. So, I’ve got to try and find a way to eat those. I just gotta.

There’s a bat mitzvah in New Jersey on September 24. A Manhattan day trip on Sunday, September 25.

Oh. And Thursday, September 29 is a big day too. So you know how the Tech Valley Center of Gravity is a maker space? Well, they have a kitchen in there. And now that’s going to be a maker space too. Starting Thursday, September 29 the CoG will start offering cooking classes. It sounds totally cool, and I’m totally going.

Are you still here? Thanks for reading all of that. I had to get it off my chest. Let me tell you what. For making it down to the end, I’ll clue you in on a little secret. We have a date for the next Tour de Cider Donut. It’s October 1. Save the date. We’re going donut hunting again. But more on that later.

Have a great holiday weekend.