Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Oh people...contrary to what you might think, this town is the Marty McGillicuddy version of Northampton. I just realized that most people who tout this town are parochial locals, along with a lot of suburban Long Island/NJ who basically love the label of Saratoga. I don't know how to explain it to people outside of this area, but horseracing is a sleazy, corrupt cesspool that draws a lot of equally shady people to the track. It's not even an affluent town...relative to even some of the Rochester burbs and certainly Hartford. The east side of town is the epicenter for boorish rubes in raised ranches and a nice swath of section 8 housing near the track. Most of the eateries are high priced mediocrity? Lets debate this topic...because the folks running the tourist bureau certainly paint this town to be something it really isnt. It's the same group of people who go to Hilton Head and Newport. Parochial khaki wearing piggy faced wannabes with wives with hats that in any other world would get them laughed out of the room. Booooring!
I agree with you about the eateries! I was especially turned off by the DZ Eateries in Saratoga, overpriced and nothing special. Thank god they didn't give the cheesey MIL a show on Bravo, but that whole family is a whole other story with the patent theft.
I won't even get into talking about the school for dumb rich kids....
It used to be a very sophisticated town until the Northway was built. Its distance and priciness made it too hard for middle and lower class people to get to. Only the very best classes came here. But like everything else the middle class eventually moved in and today we own it. The few upper class people who come here in the summer aren't enough to lift the culture level.
I know Rochester and have been through Hartford though and neither of them has anything on Saratoga. Rochester has a couple of museums, true, which are OK but its ghetto is world class. And isn't Hartford near the town General Electric is leaving to have access to a more educated work force?
Saratoga is like Miami Beach in the 80's vs. today. Art center to theme park.
Hartford cultural events isn't just a summer event. The Hartford Stage, Park Playhouse, Bushnell, Wadsworth Athenium blow the summer season at Saratoga out of the water. Even the concerts...most of those are in the Civic Center or the Meadows. The city is an eyesor. But culturally (and culinary..find Brazilian, Peruvian, Polish, Vietnamese in Saratoga)...Hartford blows Saratoga out of the water. Rochester as well...where is the Eastman School of Music in Saratoga? Saratoga is a town for posers and drunks that wishes it were Tanglewood.
Saratoga has ghetto and Section 8 housing aplenty...the Tourist Council is petrified to let the tourists know about the dark side here...there's a lot of ghetto and a whole lot of blue collar folks here.
Hartford cultural events isn't just a summer event. The Hartford Stage, Park Playhouse, Bushnell, Wadsworth Athenium blow the summer season at Saratoga out of the water. Even the concerts...most of those are in the Civic Center or the Meadows. The city is an eyesor. But culturally (and culinary..find Brazilian, Peruvian, Polish, Vietnamese in Saratoga)...Hartford blows Saratoga out of the water. Rochester as well...where is the Eastman School of Music in Saratoga? Saratoga is a town for posers and drunks that wishes it were Tanglewood.
Saratoga has an artist colony, too. Yadoo. There isn't a city over 5000 people that doesn't have a Vietnamese restaurant and as for a Polish one, why would they want one? Kielbasa and pierogi? Do they have polka bands?
Saratoga was a summer resort like Key West or Newport. These people brought their entertainments with them when they summered and took them back after Labor Day. Now it's populated by better-off state employees. They're the indirect descendants of its former seasonal inhabitants.
But there are many fine old houses, hotels and restaurants they catered to the originals that are still around.
Hartford cultural events isn't just a summer event. The Hartford Stage, Park Playhouse, Bushnell, Wadsworth Athenium blow the summer season at Saratoga out of the water. Even the concerts...most of those are in the Civic Center or the Meadows. The city is an eyesor. But culturally (and culinary..find Brazilian, Peruvian, Polish, Vietnamese in Saratoga)...Hartford blows Saratoga out of the water. Rochester as well...where is the Eastman School of Music in Saratoga? Saratoga is a town for posers and drunks that wishes it were Tanglewood.
One of the most beautiful areas in New York, and guys like this can't stop posting about how bad it is. Are you comparing Harford (armpit) CT to Saratoga?
Hartford cultural events isn't just a summer event. The Hartford Stage, Park Playhouse, Bushnell, Wadsworth Athenium blow the summer season at Saratoga out of the water. Even the concerts...most of those are in the Civic Center or the Meadows. The city is an eyesor. But culturally (and culinary..find Brazilian, Peruvian, Polish, Vietnamese in Saratoga)...Hartford blows Saratoga out of the water. Rochester as well...where is the Eastman School of Music in Saratoga? Saratoga is a town for posers and drunks that wishes it were Tanglewood.
Thought you had given up your rant and crawled back to CT. I can't believe someone who spends so much time bad mouthing Saratoga would waste time continually responding to this forum. You shared your opinion, now move on. Very few share your negative opinion of Saratoga or all the other forums you negatively spew your rudeness. You have bad mouthed Albany, Massachusetts, Syracuse, North Carolina to name a few. Get a life and accept others don't agree with you.
Thought you had given up your rant and crawled back to CT. I can't believe someone who spends so much time bad mouthing Saratoga would waste time continually responding to this forum. You shared your opinion, now move on. Very few share your negative opinion of Saratoga or all the other forums you negatively spew your rudeness. You have bad mouthed Albany, Massachusetts, Syracuse, North Carolina to name a few. Get a life and accept others don't agree with you.
Oh Ellwood, I doubt you even live here day to day. Unfortunately, I'll have to explain it to you that constructive criticism of Saratoga isnt negative....if this town was truly a cultured mecca, you probably would have an authentic French brasserie and an independent/foreign movie house. There is neither...even the Jewish deli is a total fake. The town is basically a staged prop....
Oh Ellwood, I doubt you even live here day to day. Unfortunately, I'll have to explain it to you that constructive criticism of Saratoga isnt negative....if this town was truly a cultured mecca, you probably would have an authentic French brasserie and an independent/foreign movie house. There is neither...even the Jewish deli is a total fake. The town is basically a staged prop....
I actually do live in Saratoga and there has been increased population and building here. People here are friendly and helpful and the city is clean. Apparently people are attracted to the area and this year there has been an increase in visitors.
If you prefer a cultured Mecca then Saratoga isn't for you and others that share your opinion. With all the negative posts you provide, I doubt you will ever find your nirvana.
Hey Dingo, what do you know about Connecticut? You are chiming in from Jamestown NY? Having driven through that town last year I can tell you that it makes Binghamton look like Palm Springs.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
