All Points North - Navigating the North Country

All Points North
SUNY Plattsburgh
101 Broad Street
Plattsburgh, NY 12901

apnletters@gmail.com

Reviews

Sweet and Savory with a Side of Bland
The moment I heard our waiter Shane’s heavy brogue, I knew Rí Rá’s Irish Pub would be a hit to both my taste buds and my ears. My mother, best friend and I arrived at the restaurant during lunch time, after spending a full morning of shopping on Burlington’s Church Street Marketplace. We were hungry and ready for some hearty Irish bistro fare, and Rí Rá’s delivered with a diverse, well-priced menu. Read More

The Little Things About Nuances
Such a tempter resides on the fifth floor of the Casino de Montreal. Overlooking the St. Lawrence River and providing a postcard-worthy view of the city’s skyline, Nuances Restaurant provided me recently with a dining experience that was more than just good. The dinner I enjoyed inside this sleek, modern culinary palace marks one of the finest meals I have ever had the privilege to savor. Read More

Circus Caf
Approaching the Circus Café, in beautiful downtown Saratoga, the first thing I notice is how well they incorporate the circus theme. Even outside on the sidewalk, the place looks very ring ling-esque. The podium where the host waits is painted red and says “Step right Up” like a ticket booth. Today's specials are written on a small chalk board amidst a sea of chalk drawn bubbles. Read More

"Feathered Friends"
As I walked down Brinkerhoff on my path to Plattsburgh’s Public Library, I heard a few birds chirping. The drizzle of the rain must have kept them from singing today. I thought about all the birdhouses I would see in the public art exhibit “Feathered Friends.” Maybe someone on Brinkerhoff would buy a birdhouse. Maybe then the birds could sing from inside their home.
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Adirondack Michigan's Plus Gets an A+
I walked into the A-frame-shaped restaurant and immediately felt at ease. A waitress with tired eyes and a beaming smile sat my friend, Emma, and me down at a small booth. It was a lazy Tuesday afternoon and a few elderly couples filled the booths beside the wide windows. The waitress handed us the menus and our stomachs grumbled in anticipation. Read More

It's All Good?
Conveniently attached to an Off Track Betting dive in the Skyway Plaza on route 9 It’s All Good Restaurant and Bar was my choice for lunch. Going in I wasn’t expecting to be knocked over backwards by the fine dining that a strip mall has to offer, but I was excited nonetheless. Read More

Spirited Away
After hiding in sneakers, rain boots, and cute waterproof flats for months, most feet are craving TLC and some fresh polish before making their debut in flip-flops for the summer. The staff at Spirit & Soul Spa demonstrate their understanding that even if you schedule an appointment thirty minutes beforehand, or just walk in, a pedicure isn’t a wham-bam procedure. Read More

Sandwiches Made to Go
In a country where there’s a Subway or Quiznos on every corner in every city of every state, a sandwich shop can be somewhat stale. That’s why I wasn’t really excited about reviewing Zuke’s Deli, Plattsburgh’s most famous sandwich shop. Read More

Going North To Georgia
From Plattsburgh, N.Y., you have to go north to reach Georgia. Not Georgia the state, land of humidity as heavy as an overcoat and peaches the size of softballs. Not Georgia the nation, either. Getting to the former Soviet Socialist Republic, located just west of the Russian Federation’s westernmost border, would require an airline ticket and probably a couple of lengthy layovers.
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Super Mario's
I’ve always wanted to take a tour of Italy. Though sights like the Coliseum in Rome or the beautiful canals of Venice are such attractive and historical icons of the country, the unique cuisine is what draws me to this place the most. Well, I never thought I’d get this tour in New York. Read More

Why the long face?
My friend, Emma, and I were the first to ride for the spring season on that beautiful Easter Sunday morning. Travis DeValinger, manager of the Ausable Equine Center, met us at a new trail site in Keeseville rather than at their regular spot in Ausable Chasm. Read More

Ashes to Ashes
It’s not every day that struggling musicians decide to release a book, but sometimes they just decide to try their hand at some creative or biographical writing. Generally, these works seem to fail miserably. They end up getting thrown into closets, trash bins, or storage never to be seen again. “Ashes with Sprinkles on Top” seems to fare a bit better. Read More

The Moonlight on Moonshine
I am sitting in a lean-to, two miles from the road and a fifteen-minute hike from the summit of Poke-O-Moonshine mountain. After spending the afternoon carrying a forty-pound backpack up a relentlessly steep hill, I am finally experiencing something I have wanted to do for several
years — I am camping alone. Read More

Mini Me
Blue is not so sad today. The eager children whose color spectrums have not ranged past the rainbow picked him frequently, partly because he’s the most popular color, and partly because he’s the first choice on the left. Red, on the other hand, never has a dull moment, but it is not her day for adventure. Read More

Giddy up!
The doors slide open to reveal an alley with stalls lining the left side. As I walk past each one, I read the names on the gate. Romeo. Blue. Prophesy. Eventually I come to the final and largest stall, which bears the name of Ladd. Read More