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I grew up in Colonie. At the age of 14 I moved to Troy. During and after college I lived in Albany. I have since lived in Virginia (Norfolk), Massachusetts (Boston), Rhode Island (Newport), Connecticut (Riverton) and now Illinois (Chicago). You know ... they were all really great places to live. Some of my favorites were Troy, New York and Riverton, Connecticut. Most people would be surprised by the mention of Troy, but the people are really terrific. People in Albany often point to Troy as a crime ridden place beneath contempt. In fact, Troy was recently considered one of the best (THE best, I believe) places to live in the U.S. Those from Albany would rather die than accept that, but it's really a great town. As for Riverton, CT ... wow. Pretty place. Right along the Farmington River, it is as beautiful a place as you could hope for in New England. If you have the time on a Sunday morning, drive out the Mass Pike, take the 1st exit off the pike and follow route 20 south to Route south. Stop at the Chicken Place on the way back and get a "Chicken Only" pot pie. Mmmmm. Great stuff. Use your map and make it to Riverton (an hour and a half from Albany). If you can, have dinner at the Riverton Inn (built in 1793) or dine at the movie house in Winsted (five minutes down the road). Shop at the Hitchcock Chair Factory, buy some ice cream at the candy store, drive down the road that skirts the river, bring your fishing pole or buy one at the general store (great sandwiches, by the way), ask around for the Barkhamstead Reservior and take the drive there. Bring your camara and a picnic basket and just relax for the day. Then ... go home.
Anyway, the point is that all these places have great spots and not so great spots (and some really bad parts sometimes). So much is perception. I still hear folks here in Chicago talk about the terrible crime in New York City. They are almost all very surprised to learn that Chicago is one of the worst cities for crime in the U.S., and NYC isn't even on the top 10 list (18th, I think).
My brother lives in Slingerlands (Outside Albany). Loves it. Most of my friends in the area live in Latham or Balston Spa. They love it. I'm told Clifton Park (the place to live in my youth) ain't all that great no mo! Ask anyone in Albany about Troy and they'll think you crazy to mention the place. Truth is, crime is lower there than almost anywhere in Albany County and the schools are as good or better. No one in Albany would admit that (or believe it) but its true.
Connecticut had the worst schools, public or private. Newport, the worst poverty. Boston was a ball. Loved every part of it and it's a terribly dangerous place at night. Norfolk ... fun town if you like the beach. Not bad if you don't but the winters there ... terrible.
Utica is just the wrong city in the wrong place at the wrong time; something God dropped on his way to Syracuse and was too tired to go back and pick up. Utica was great when Genesee beer was there ... but you had to keep drinking. Personally, I always liked Utica. It seems to be a town just waiting to expand into greatness. Of course, it's been waiting since it started but, who knows ... maybe someday.
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