Blog Master G

During the past few weeks or so since Jen and I have decided to move to Saratoga Springs, NY, we’ve been met with one of two reactions (appreciated disappointment from friends and family aside): “That’s great!” or “Huh? That’s random.” A very telling fact is that we’ve so far heard nothing negative about the place. So without further ado, I present to you an explanation of why we’ve chosen to live in this seemingly random place, known as the city in the country and home to more bars per capita than anywhere else in the country (our drinking buddies cheer and begin to see the allure).

The obvious reasons aside (close to Jen’s entire family and her oldest friends), the essence of Saratoga Springs is best captured in this 2002 article from the New York Times: JOURNEYS; 36 Hours | Saratoga, N.Y.

“SARATOGA: It’s a name that evokes privilege and leisure, spas and cures, gambling and bars and, of course, horses, especially during the August thoroughbred season. But there’s more to this town than high living and horseflesh. The Saratoga Performing Arts Center, the summer home to the Philadelphia Orchestra and the New York City Ballet, offers a schedule of cultural events that rivals that of any big city. The Saratoga National Historical Park, site of the first major American defeat of the British and one of the 15 most decisive battles of all time, is nearby. Just north is the Adirondack wilderness; directly south is the capital city of Albany. Saratoga, the summer destination of many of the most famous names in American history, is a small town with a big vision.”

Though admittedly I haven’t yet been to Saratoga Springs, I trust Jen’s judgment along with everything I’ve read and have heard from others who live or have visited there.

Hell, how could I go wrong moving to a place that’s all about “privilege and leisure?”