Shooting Fish in a Barrel (Saturday in Saratoga)

We are getting great suggestions about where to go to meet men. The barge on Mondays, Barnes & Noble, golfing, the Ginger Man, Home Depot! Please feel free to add a comment & offer other suggestions. This post is about our night out in Saratoga on Friday, 6/4. In general, I’d say if you were looking to hook up and have a one night stand, particularly with a man from out of town, Saratoga is the place to be. Note: We did not take advantage of this opportunity!

9 Maple
CK: We started at this eponymous little place to see my friend’s jazz band. There was a small crowd, men with men and women with women (not saying anything . . .). We stayed for one set and bailed. We ended up back there at the end of the night and there was a bigger crowd but they seemed pretty young. They clapped when someone fell off her barstool! Jury is out on this place (plus they have no NA beer!).
DT: The bar itself is beautiful; the staff (male) seems more inclined to be friendly to, AND waive the cover charge for, young handsome men than 'mature' women. It's a small place but upscale and cozy. A friend of mine finds it extremely annoying that they measure the liquor. I didn't notice but it's worth noting. I hear if you like jazz in a cozy place, this is for you. Otherwise there are PLENTY of other options in Toga!

One Caroline
CK: Another place named for its address. We went in because we spied several men sitting at the bar. Many of them were on the young side (like they could have been our sons). The only prospect here was an older, white-haired gent who had obviously been golfing (and imbibing) as his face was quite red. He asked me out for dinner but suggested we go out in Saratoga the next night. Perfectly comfortable that I would have to DRIVE UP THERE! DT managed to distract him so we could bail. I’d say this place has potential but it wasn’t realized that night.
DT: I spied the chef re-entering the place when we were there . . . strikingly handsome. Too bad he disappeared into the kitchen. The 'children's' bar is rather odd -- if you like sitting 3 feet below the other bar flies (like the kids table at Thanksgiving) that's cool. We did sit there but were able to soon graduate to the big people's bar after the young men left. The bartender was friendly and it was a good, although light that night, mixed crown. Jury is out on this one.

Grey Gelding
CK: Now this is the place to be! We met many fun guys, all from out of town. One group (which included "Pie guy") was up from Connecticut to golf. Another was from New Hampshire and they were there to watch the Belmont at the Racino. Ooh, that’s another place we’re supposed to try. Anyway, Pie guy’s claim to fame was that he had baked pies for Aerosmith and Steven Tyler sang "My guy" to him but changed the words to "Pie guy." Also claimed to have baked a "bean pie" for Luther Vandross (with sugar . . .) . In addition to the man situation, the bartender was able to concoct a flavorful combination of non-alcoholic stuff for me and accommodated our request for an NA cosmo (which did not fool DT for a second). O.k. . . . My take on this bar is that it is a great, fun place for people our age. I’d go there again.
DT: Agree! OK, so the singer/guitarist was mediocre at best, but all were having fun singing along and requesting songs. A no-frills, no-pretense, place that is just plain fun . . . especially with the out-of-towners! Take note and be forewarned, it seems to me this is a great place for a married out-of-town man, and single out-of-town men for that matter, to hook up. You know, the kind where he and his wife have 'grown apaaat'. Not sure if SHE knows that. The staff are friendly, don't know if they measure the liquor, but it's more a beer crowd anyway. FUN place. Varied crowd age-wise but not much color.