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Hey Albany, hope your week’s off to a good start!

In today’s wallet-friendly edition: Jacob & Alejandro’s new café and wine bar, the Greatest Show on Earth, and 600 recycled lights in Firebird + lots of fun things to do for free.

Today’s sponsor, American Hartford Gold, is helping folks around Albany protect their savings as gold and silver continue to gain momentum. Their free guide explains what’s driving the surge… and what to know before adding precious metals to your portfolio. Grab your free copy here.

📰 In the news

Help for entrepreneurs and landlords: Troy LDC is accepting applications for Community Business Grants to upgrade commercial spaces in Troy, offering $5,000 to $10,000 on a 50% reimbursement basis. Applications are due by March 20 — see how and when to apply.

Big changes brewing locally: Jacob & Alejandro’s will open a larger Troy spot this spring, adding JAJA’s Natural Wine Bar and more coffee options. The new cafe nearly triples capacity, with another location planned — see what’s planned next.

Exploring liberty’s living legacy: Close to home, the Schenectady Historical Society is honoring America’s 250th with exhibits, live theater, an Independence Day celebration with George and Martha Washington, and a symposium on Revolutionary-era life — check out the full lineup.

Nothing prepares you for a pet emergency: I learned that the hard way after charging $10k to a credit card for life-saving surgery on my cat, Miss Stache. As soon as we got home, I signed up for Spot. It’s super affordable – and reimburses up to 90% of the bill.

Highlights this week:

• Experience the Greatest Show on Earth
• Talk and signing with Mahogany L. Browne
• 600 recycled car lights ignite Firebird

🫶 We got your back

Craving a real deli fix: When only a stacked sub will do, Ragonese Italian Imports delivers hot parms and cold-cut classics that truly satisfy. It’s the neighborhood spot you rediscover every week, the place for a low-effort, high-reward lunch. Generous, messy, and exactly right… no frills, just bold deli joy.

Midweek nature fix: Washington Park is Albany’s built-in breather. Loop the lake, wander the paths, and claim a shady bench for a quick reset. Dog walk, podcast stroll, or just you and birdsong… a lap here has a way of unclenching the week.

Local toy fix: Schenectady standby The Open Door Bookstore tucks an expansive toy and gift selection alongside the stacks, ideal for last‑minute kid birthday surprises, rainy‑day boredom busters, and tiny rewards you swear you’ll save for later. Curiosity tends to do the cart‑filling… with plenty to discover.

Why your last diet didn’t work: Sustained weight loss is nearly impossible with diet alone. Your body literally fights back by making you hungrier the moment you start restricting calories. That’s why more doctors are recommending GLP-1s. The best part? Getting them has never been easier. We compared three programs to help you find the right fit. See which ones stood out →

Your data is for sale right now: There are over 400 websites selling your info to marketers, political campaigns, and scammers. They’ve got your phone number, home address, relatives’ names… you name it. That’s how robocallers seem to know everything about you before you pick up. You can remove your info one site at a time, or pay a service to do it for you. Here’s what we recommend →

📆 Free events worth checking out

Have an event to share? BaseLocal Verified Businesses can submit them for free! Learn more about how to submit an event here →

All events are subject to change without notice. Always check official event pages for the most up to date information.

🦊 Martin Cahill: Audition for the Fox @ University at Albany | Tuesday (3/10) at 4:30 PM – Think your family tree is dramatic? UAlbany alum Martin Cahill, a USA Today bestseller praised by N. K. Jemisin, whose debut sends an underachiever bargaining with a trickster fox to save her ancestors. Smart talk, bragging rights, and a signing, free on campus, books available.

💃 Latin Dance Lessons – Thursday Series @ Baila Albany Dance Studio (Latham) | Thursday (3/12) at 6:30 PM – Thursday night in Peter Harris Plaza is ladies only, and it’s the kind of dance workout that tricks you into forgetting it’s exercise. Start with a free beginner bailoterapia warmup, then polish salsa styling and heels technique. Bring friends, shoes, and register before it fills.

🏛 Her Legacy in Their Hands: Shaker Women and the Making of the Museum’s Collection @ Huxley Theater | Friday (3/13) at 12:00 PM – Skip the sad desk salad and head to the State Museum for a free lunchtime talk, where Ashley Hopkins-Benton spotlights the Shaker women who basically saved the collection. Oval boxes, tools, textiles, and even a lone fountain stone, all thanks to their meticulous, stubborn care.

🎬 Film screening: “Going to Mars: The Nikki Giovanni Project” @ Page Hall | Friday (3/13) at 7:00 PM – An Emmy and Sundance-winning documentary on Nikki Giovanni is screening at UAlbany’s Page Hall downtown, blending archival grit, live readings, and cosmic visuals into a sharp, soulful ride. Come for poems and history, stay for the wit, community vibes, and the unbeatable price, free.

🥕 Winter Farmers Market @ Troy Atrium | Saturday (3/14) at 9:00 AM – Craving farm-fresh without freezing your toes? Head to the winter market inside the Troy Atrium, where 100+ farmers, specialty bites, prepared eats, and makers you wave to set up shop. Free weekend parking nearby, cash, cards, and SNAP welcome, and the dog stays home.

🧶 Knitting Clinic @ Up-Stitch | Saturday (3/14) at 2:00 PM – Second Saturday at Up-Stitch means one thing, Dorothy saving half-finished scarves from their plastic-bag purgatory. Swing by her free, drop-in knitting clinic, ask the questions your YouTube didn’t answer, and leave with your project, your sanity, and a few new tricks. No registration required.

🎶 Music Blingo @ Nine Pin Cider Works | Sunday (3/15) at 12:00 PM – Drop-in bingo-with-a-playlist turns decades of car-radio sing-alongs into prizes. Swing by any time during the three-hour game every third Sunday, guess the song, mark your card, and out-nerd that friend who only listens to vinyl. Free, open to all, no shushing required.

Wanna see more? Browse our full events calendar →

📻 Albany report

Weather forecast

Today – High: 70°F – Low: 43°F – Precip: 6%

Patchy fog before 10am. Sunny, with a high near 70. South wind around 5 mph. Later: Patchy fog after 2am. Partly cloudy, with a low around 43. East wind around 3 mph.

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Tomorrow – High: 68°F – Low: 41°F – Precip: 58%

Patchy fog before 8am, then rain showers likely. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 68. Southeast wind 2 to 12 mph, with gusts as high as 23 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%. New rainfall amounts less than a tenth of an inch possible. Later: Rain showers. Cloudy, with a low around 41. Southwest wind around 13 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph. Chance of precipitation is 90%. New rainfall amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible.

Are you quietly overpaying for car insurance? 🚗

Premiums have been climbing across New York but most folks won’t notice until they’re hit with a higher bill when it’s time to renew.

That’s exactly what happened to me. I had the same policy for half a decade. Autopay was on, it was out of sight and out of mind. Turns out I was blindly paying way more than everyone else I knew.

If you haven’t checked in a while, you’re probably overpaying too – here’s the comparison tool I used.

This house is wild

An auction opportunity on Rapple Drive, this 1950 Cape Cod offers 1,603 square feet with 4 bedrooms and 1.5 baths. Occupied and sold as-is, there is no interior access and drive-by showings only. Cape Cod charm and midcentury vintage make it a rare find for investors and flippers at this size.

Take a peek inside →