Our friends over at Move That Block have another giveaway for you. This one should be fun!

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Dear Valentine’s Day Couples and Singles:

How would you like to win a $50 gift card to Exit 9 Wine and Liquor for whatever your Valentine’s Day plans may be? It’s as simple as tweeting with your Twitter account:

‘I love you more than _____ loves ____’

An example:

“I love you more than Lucy loves Ricky. @MoveThatBlock #loveyoumorethan”

**PLEASE NOTE: Be sure to include @MoveThatBlock and #loveyoumorethan so we can track who has entered to win!

Simple and fun way to earn a cool prize for Valentine’s Day!

Can’t wait to see all the creative answers our fans come up with! Let the games begin!

Our friends over at Success PR have teamed up with Gold Buyers Direct and the Ronald McDonald House Charities of the New York Capital Region to raise money through the donation of old, unwanted, or broken jewelry, precious metals, and gold!

Join us on Friday January 20th, 2012 from 3:00pm to 6:00pm at the Ronald McDonald House at 139 S Lake Avenue in Albany, NY.

A representative from Gold Buyers Direct, Inc. will be there to appraise your old, broken, or wanted jewelry.

You can donate all or a portion of the sale of your gold to the Ronald McDonald House Charities of the Capital Region. 100% of your donation is tax deductible and now is the time to make extra donations because it’s tax season!

It’s that time of year again – where to spend New Year’s Eve! We have taken the time to gather up many local New Year’s Eve offerings in case you are a last-minute type of person. If you know about a package or special offer that is not included in our listing, that’s because we have not gotten a press release or submission about it. Please get us the info and we will put it up quickly!

All submissions can be made to us at: general@albanyalive.com

Or call 518-533-5331 x1 and leave a detailed message outlining your event. *Please email in an event flyer, or web image we can use in your listing.

Thank you and Happy Holidays to ALL!

Jack’s Oyster House
Phone: 518-465-8854 | Visit Website
Christmas Eve and Christmas Day: Open 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. both days, serving a limited a-la-carte menu as well as turkey, ham or seafood feasts for $24.99 per person. Jack’s is also offering complete Christmas meals to go for six to 10 people for $149, 12 to 16 ($199) and 18 to 20 ($249). Orders are due by Tuesday, Dec. 20, for pickup on Saturday, Dec. 24, or Christmas Day by 11 a.m. New Year’s Eve: Serving from 4:30 to 11 p.m. with a special limited menu from Executive Chef Larry Schepici. Menu price and details forthcoming, to be posted here. Call 465-8854 for reservations. Jack’s is located at 42 State St.

Chez Mike
Phone: 518-479-4730 | Visit Website
The restaurant will have three seatings for New Year’s Eve: 5, 6:30 and 8:30 p.m. The early seating is for a three-course meal with choices for $47, or four courses with choice at the later two seatings for $55, plus tax and tip. See the New Year’s Eve menu. Reservations strongly recommended; call 479-4730. The restaurant is located in the Hannaford Plaza (596 Columbia Turnpike). Chez Mike in East Greenbush will be open on Christmas Eve serving its regular menu with holiday specials.

Al Baraki
Phone: 518-238-1238
The Lebanese restaurant Al-Baraki in Cohoes will host a New Year’s Eve celebration from 9:30 p.m. to 12:30 a.m. on Saturday, Dec. 31. In addition to a meal (menu after the jump), there will be a belly dancer, DJ, karaoke and holiday favors. The price is $45 per person, plus tax and tip, and reservations are required; call 238-1238. The restaurant is located at 133 Remsen St. Al-Baraki New Year’s Eve menu: Appetizers: Deluxe Mezza:Hummus, Baba Ghannouj, Tabbouli, grape leaves, Cheese and Beef Sambouski, mini Spinach Pies, Kibby, Artichoke, Lebanese nuts, olives caviar… Main course: Kofta, Chicken, and Shrimps skewers on rice, OR vegetarian Mousaka, and salad Dessert: Variety of delicious Lebanese Pastries straight from Lebanon

Taste
Phone: 518-694-3322 | Visit Website
Taste restaurant in downtown Albany will be serving a set five-course, $75 tasting menu as well as its full regular menu from 5 to 9 p.m. on Christmas Eve. For New Year’s Eve, diners seated from 5 to 6 p.m. will be offered a five-course tasting menu with choices for $89; for seatings from 6:15 to 10 p.m., a seven-course, $109 tasting menu with choices will be available. All prices are per person, plus tax and tip. See the menus. The restaurant is located at 30 South Pearl St. (entrance on Beaver Street). Call 694-3322 for reservations. Taste will be closed on Christmas and New Year’s days.

New World Home Cooking
Phone: 845-246-0900 | Visit Website
Dinner: 6:30 p.m. Friday, Dec. 16. Six courses with sparkling pairings, $65 per person, plus tax and tip. Christmas Eve – Saturday, Dec. 24: Seafood specials from chef-owner Ric Orlando’s family traditions, 5 to 11 p.m. Christmas Day – Sunday, Dec. 25: Full regular menu available 3 to 9 p.m. New Year’s Eve – Saturday, Dec. 31: Open for dinner with special holiday a-la-carte menu. Live music. New Year’s Day – Sunday, Jan. 1: Comfort food and dinner buffet (breakfast served until 3 p.m.). Call (845) 246-0900 for reservations. New World Home Cooking is located at 1411 Route 212. Holiday details for New World Bistro Bar in Albany will be listed separately.

Maestro’s at The Van Dam
Phone: 518-694-3322 | Visit Website
Maestro’s at the Van Dam in Saratoga Springs will be serving from 4 p.m. to midnight on New Year’s Eve — Saturday, Dec. 31. Options include the full regular a-la-carte menu, a three-course holiday prix-fixe with choices for $39 per person or a Chateaubriand meal for two for $135 per couple. Details here. Reservations required; call 580-0312. It will be open from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. for lunch on Christmas Eve — Saturday, Dec. 24 — and closed on Christmas Day. The restaurant is located at 353 Broadway.

Victory Cafe
Phone: 518-463-9113 | Visit Website
9pm until 1am there will be an open bar, food, DJ Tony Platinum and chanpagne toast. $40 per person. Contact Erin Clary (Clary.Erin@gmail.com) or Jen Mero (Jennifer.Mero@gmail.com)

Prime at Saratoga National
Phone: 518-583-4653 | Visit Website
Prime at Saratoga National in Saratoga Springs will be seating for dinner from 5:30 on New Year’s Eve, serving its regular menu plus holiday specials. Also, Prime-Saratoga is hosting its second annual New Year’s Eve party in PrimeLive Ultra Lounge from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. Admission to the party includes open bar, array of hors d’oeuvres, live music and champagne toast. The cost is $99 per person, or $50 per person for patrons who dine first at Prime-Saratoga and spend at least $80. The restaurant will be serving its jazz brunch from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on New Year’s Day. It will be open from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Christmas Eve — Saturday, Dec. 24 — for gift-card sales only. Closed on Christmas Day. Call 583-4653 for reservations. The restaurant and club are located at Saratoga National Golf Course, a mile east of Northway Exit 14 on Route 9P in Saratoga Springs

Bellini’s Italian Eatery
Phone: *Variuos below | Visit Website
The two Capital Region location of Bellini’s Italian Eatery and their sibling restaurant in Saratoga Springs Jacob & Anthony’s American Grille, will be open from 5 p.m. on New Year’s Eve. Both Bellini’s locations will be offering a special menue with entrées priced from $29.95 to $42.95, including choice of appetizer and dessert; on the Jacob and Anthony’s menu, entrées run $32 to $54, including choice of soup or salad, and dessert. Call the individual restaurants for reservations: Bellini’s-Slingerlands, 439-6022; Bellini’s-Clifton Park, 348-2090; Jacob & Anthony’s, 871-1600.

The Olde English Pub & Pantry
Phone: 518-434-6533 | Visit Website
The Old English Pub in downtown Albany will celebrate its first New Year’s Eve with a reservations-only dinner and party. The $50-per-person price includes the meal (entrée options: prime rib, stuffed Cornish game hen, stuffed portobello) and beer, wine and champagne from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. Advance purchase required. The pub is located at Quackenbush House, on Broadway at the foot of Clinton Avenue.

Marche at 74 State
Phone: 518-434-7410 | Visit Website
Check out their special New Year’s Eve menu and be sure to ask about the $99 room rate for New Year’s Eve Dinner Guests!

Vapor Night Club
Phone: 518-581-5775 | Visit Website
Downstairs at Vapor – Doors open at 8:30pm $20 advance/ $25 at the door Enjoy live entertainment by the New York Players, watch the ball drop on our amazing 16′ HD screen and our balloon drop at midnight. VIP Upstairs at Vapor – Open bar 8:30pm-12:30am $129 per person or $249 per couple (includes tax and gratuity) Enjoy 3 hours of Heavy Hors d’oeuvres, champagne toast at midnight, and coffee and dessert table. Dinner options at Fortunes Restaurant Early Bird Dinner – 5pm-6pm only Includes salad, entrée and dessert – $29.95 per person* Dinner and Dancing Includes a 4-course dinner and admission to downstairs party at Vapor – $65 per person* Call 518-581-5775 to make a reservation. *Tax and gratuity extra. Must be 21 or older to enter Vapor.

The Wine Bar and Bistro
Phone: 518-463-2881 | Visit Website
The Wine Bar and Bistro in Albany will be serving a five-course meal with choices (after the jump) on New Year’s Eve — Saturday, Dec. 31 — with seatings at 6 and 9 p.m. only. The regular menu will not be available. The price is $85 per person, plus tax and tip; wine pairing is $35 extra. Reservations mandatory; call 463-2881.

Sperrys
Phone: 518-584-9618 | Visit Website
Sperry’s restaurant in Saratoga Springs will have two seatings for New Year’s Eve — Saturday, Dec. 31: Diners with reservations from 5 to 7 p.m. may choose from an a-la-carte menu of Sperry’s favorites or a three-course, Hollywood-themed prix-fixe menu for $45. 8:30 p.m. seating: Six-course, Hollywood-themed menu for $85, movie soundtracks and scenes, midnight toast, guests encouraged to dress as their favorite Hollywood star Call 584-9618 for reservations or to order. Sperry’s is located at 30½ Caroline St.

Wolff’s Biergarten
Phone: 518-427-2461 | Visit Website
For New Year’s Eve this year, Wolff’s Biergarten in Albany will host its second beefsteak, an event featuring all-you-can-eat filet mignon, salad, bread and fries, abundant beer and a split of champagne. 8 p.m. seating, $85 per person; people who attended Wolff’s soldout beefsteak in October will receive a $20 gift certificate for each New Year’s Eve ticket purchased. Wolff’s is located at 895 Broadway. For ticket information and more details visit: http://bit.ly/tO569n

Comedy Works
Phone: 518-584-9618 | Visit Website
Spend this New Year’s Eve in style at the Comedy Works. Starting at 8:00pm until 1:00am, the package includes: Shrimp Cocktail Appetizer, Buffet featuring carved Prime Rib, Chicken Cordon Bleu, and Stuffed Sole. Along with the main dishes are oven roasted potatoes, rice pilaf, mixed vegetables, salad and bread. Desert consists of Chocolate, Carrot, and Lemon cakes. There will be four hours of Open Bar (8:00pm – Midnight) and a Champagne Toast at Midnight! Guests will enjoy a hilarious comedy show featuring headliner Chris Rich and then after will be a DJ and dancing from the end of the show until 1:00am. Your ticket also includes Overnight Hotel accommodations for 2 at the Best Western with Full hot breakfast the next morning. Pricing as follows: $299 per couple (includes all taxes and gratuities) if booked before 12/25/11 $349 per couple (includes all taxes and gratuities) if booked after 12/25/11 *Please note you will only need to purchase ONE ticket per couple Purchase Tickets Here The Comedy Works 200 Wolf Rd Albany, New York

Red Square
Phone: 518-465-0444 | Visit Website
Timbre Coup and Consider the Source are LIVE at Red Square in Albany, NY on New Year’s Eve! The show begins at 8:00pm. Tickets are $15 in advance and $20 at the door. This is an 18+ show.

Blue82 Lounge
Phone: 518-495-3703 | Visit Website
The club Blue 82 in downtown Albany will host a reservation-only party (i.e., no walk-ins) on New Year’s Eve that will include four hours of open bar starting at 9 p.m., hors d’oeuvres, champagne and party favors at midnight and a DJ.The cost is $85 per person or $150 per couple. Jackets required for men. Call 495-3703 for reservations. Blue 82 is located at the eponymous North Pearl Street address.

Jillian’s of Albany
Phone: 518-432-1997 | Visit Website
The Schmooze: $10 cover Free Champagne Toast & Party Favors! Book a room at the Holiday Inn for $99 and receive FREE admission to Jillian’s plus Shuttle Bus back-and-forth!

Capital Region Taxi Cab Directory!

Please don’t wait, program a couple cab numbers in your phone right now! Stay safe and arrange a ride this New Year’s Eve!

Albany Taxi’s

• Duffy’s: 518-433-8400
• Yellow Cab: 518-434-2222
• Buzzy’s: 518-433-8888

Schenectady Taxi’s

• Capitaland Taxi: (518) 372-7777
• Taxi Midway: (518) 280-3333
• Central Taxi Co: (518) 346-2344
• Blue & White Taxi-Schenectady: (518) 370-0300

Troy Taxi’s

• Capitaland: (518) 270-8294
• Black & White Cab: (518) 272-6961

Saratoga Taxi’s

• Saratoga Express Taxi: (518) 669-4073
• Saratoga Taxi: (518) 584-2700
• Palmer’s Taxi: (518) 584-3666
• Charlie’s Taxi: (518) 584-1761
• A+ Taxi: (518) 441-8769
• Hello Taxi: (518) 932-6459

Clifton Park Taxi’s

• Eagle Taxi: (518) 365-1209
• Reliable Taxi: (518) 371-5528
• Shuttle Bug Taxi (518) 892-3052

Lake George / Glens Falls Taxi’s

• Consolidated Taxi: (518) 668-9600
• White Cab Company: (518) 792-6000
• Tri County Cab: (518) 792-1234
• Joe’s Taxi: (518) 792-1234
• Park Avenue Taxi: (518) 636-2000
• City Cab: (518) 793-6666

All images courtesy of respective websites.

So how do you win? Well if you remember, we’ve been doing bi-weekly giveaways with MoveThatBlock.com and giving away lots of cool stuff just by having you do things on Facebook and Twitter. This time around we’re looking for some comments on a video MoveThatBlock.com posted. All you have to do is swing over to YouTube, watch this video, and leave a comment. Your comment = a chance to win the Winter Chill prize package from Ten Year Vamp!

The event is Saturday December 17th. We will pick a winner by December 14th! Stay tuned for more prizes!

Off the top of our heads we can name a few good places to go, but we will definitely seek the help of others in our community to help John out! Have any good ideas for John? Please comment below!

Savannah’s / The Dublin Underground
Bandaoke at Savannah’s/The Dublin Underground on Thursday nights continues to be a very popular fan favorite. Why? It’s simple! Rather than the same old karaoke experience they have a live band, The Ruddys, and you are invited to hop on stage with them! Pick from a book of hundreds of songs! Things usually kick off around 9:00pm. They also have an awesome selection of beers on tap!

The Barrel Saloon
Occasionally, (like this past Friday), you will catch a band like The Schmooze doing bandaoke at The Barrel Saloon located in Albany’s coined “Warehouse District” on Broadway. You may remember them from the Pearl Street Block Party after Alive at Five. Also, on most Wednesdays there is “Countryoke” at 9:00pm! As far as we know, this is the only spot offering Countryoke.

Elda’s on Lark
Elda’s does karaoke every Wednesday night! This Wednesday should be extra special as we got word they are gearing up for the biggest bar night of the year, Thanksgiving Eve! Looking to sing your heart out with some of your friends who are coming back into town? Check out Elda’s!

Blue82
Blue82 has Karaoke on Tuesdays at 9:00pm. Blue is always a fun place to relax and drink! Their free pretzels & mustard will keep any audience you bring entertained, even if you can’t sing!

JJ Rafferty’s
Looking to go someplace different? Venture out to JJ Rafferty’s on Wednesday’s at 8:30pm. If you miss their Wednesday night karaoke they do a shorter session starting at 5pm for happy hour on Fridays!

Bombers
Need a place in Schenectady? We suggest karaoke on Wednesdays at Bombers.

It’s almost that time of year again! Our inbox is already getting flooded with Holiday shopping specials and coupons. Black Friday is approaching quickly! What to do, what to do, what to do? Kick-start your shopping this year by “Liking” MoveThatBlock.com on Facebook and get entered to win $50.00 to Crossgates Mall.

We are on week 8 of 16 – halfway to having given away a ton of cool prizes! Stay tuned for more announcements and keep looking here for more giveaways.

With technology on their side and an innovative team of creative thinkers Success Public Relations has created a new multi-media digital forum that increases clients’ sales and profits, while minimizing the impact on their wallets.  By offering commercials, webinars, interviews, and event coverage both online and in digital-media locations throughout the Capital District Area, SuccessPR-TV has created a new advertising era.  It successfully marries together TV with the new-age medium of the Internet, resulting in the birth of multi-platform, digital-based advertisements that successfully reach new clients.  SuccessPR-TV provides the perfect forum for local businesses to be digitally discovered in stores across the region, on television, and on the dominating advertising force that is the Internet.

Success Public Relations is a PR firm that helps local corporations share their success stories by welcoming them into SPR’s vast network of business relationships.  For more information about joining the SuccessPR-TV network call Success Public Relations today!

FOR MORE INFORMATION
Laura Parker
Success Public Relations
Phone: (518) 785-9500
E-mail: laura@successmagazinesltd.com 

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Win $50.00 to Victory Cafe

Continuing our 16 Bi-Weekly giveaways with MoveThatBlock.com we are giving you the opportunity to win $50.00 to The Victory Cafe. Victory is a favorite hangout for MTB staff on weekends after a hard week of pushing the Internet to it’s limits. We at AlbanyAlive.com also love Victory for their food, especially pizza. Chicken taco pizza may be one of the greatest inventions ever.

Back at the MoveThatBlock.com Indy Car 225 Indy race their sponsored car was in a crash. Move That Block is looking for the most creative, funny, or unique caption or comment to fit the photo below. Go to the Move That Block Facebook Page to enter to win. Like the page to view the photos, then leave your caption or comment on the photo of the crash to get entered to win! Quick & easy! Tell your friends!

Check out more about Move That Block here: http://www.nhms.com/handler.cfm/template,video/cat_id,43305?med_id=1432337

We wanted to take a minute to remind you of the 16 Bi-Weekly Giveaways we have been rolling out to real Capital Region winners thanks to our friends over at MoveThatBlock.com. If you have not entered to win yet check out all the prizes, rules, and details here. This week the prize is a $50.00 Gift Card to Browns Brewing Company in Troy, NY.

The theme of this week is winning! Not only do you have a chance to win a double date with Wes from MTV’s Real World reality TV series to a NASCAR race, but you can also Win VIP Bottle Service at Blue82,  tickets to the Albany All Stars Roller Derby season opening bout, and there are more prizes to be announced shortly!

Want to win the date with Wes & MTB Model Brittany J.  ?  Watch this video.

Want to win the VIP Bottle Service for you and friends?   Click Here.

Want to win AASRD Roller Derby Tickets  ?  Click Here.

Read the official press release below:
ALBANY, NY- MoveThatBlock.com – Local businesses attempt to get consumers interested in their company by hosting contests in hopes of some propelling exposure. In an economy that is cutting marketing and advertising costs, how do they find ways to hold contests and give away free stuff? One local startup company has stood out from the rest by offering contesters a date with Real World Star, Wes Bergmann and model Brittany J., along with tickets to the NASCAR race in New Hampshire.

MoveThatBlock.com was founded by Pat Gray and Todd Drowlette in September 2010. The idea for a free social marketplace was sparked in a college dorm room at Siena College where these two roommates decided that the internet should be free and then MoveThatBlock.com was born. After working for real estate, Todd noticed the need for an innovative, cutting edge free to post and search website. MoveThatBlock.com will take over the market share from Craigslist in the next year and is the company to keep an eye out for.

MoveThatBlock.com is promoting their relationship portion of their site with this contest. Unlike any other small local business in the Capital Region, MoveThatBlock.com has held unique and interesting contests to gain exposure for their company. Most contests have involved their mascot, Blocky, whom most people have seen around the Capital Region taking pictures with citizens to win prizes. Now they are bringing a local model and national star into the mix.

Wes Bergmann first appeared on The Real World Austin in 2008. Since then, Wes has been on five Real World/ Road Rules Challenges including one of which he won. He blasted a video of the event earlier this week on his Facebook page, Twitter and on his profile with MoveThatBlock.com. Brittany J. is a local model which has done shoots with Ambrose Photography and Eric Williams Photography as well as music video shoots.

Contesters whom enter will get a chance to win a double date with both Wes and Brittany. This double date includes tickets to a NASCAR race on September 24th and a dinner date to follow. Lucky winners will be able to network at the race and also meet a Real World Star.

MoveThatBlock.com is dedicated to facilitating connections with people in ways which no other local startup has. By getting celebrity Wes Bergmann involved, MoveThatBlock.com is making a statement that they are not to be ignored. This is one of many intriguing contests; keep on the lookout because MoveThatBlock.com will be incorporating more celebrities with their contests.

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For media inquiries or advance media credentials please contact Sable Eldridge at (315) 952-6809 or to confirm Wes Bergmann’s contribution contact his agent Andy Binder of Tobinder Talent.