Category Archives: Upcoming Events

Friday, Feb. 15 Valentine’s Day at Carmen’s with the Doc Scanlon Trio

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Friday, Feb. 15 Valentine’s Day at Carmen’s with the Doc Scanlon Trio
Prix Fixe Dining with music at 6 & 8

 rubiat

Friday February 15th Valentines at Carmen’s

PRIX FIXE.…….$55.00 Per Person…Price includes music cover. Price does not include tax or gratuity.

Bottle of Champagne

House Salad tossed w/Ginger Vinaigrette Dressing

Soup…..Choice of Lobster Bisque or Tomato Bisque

ENTREE

Medallions of Lobster Tail, and a choice of Filet Mignon or Baby Rack of Lamb
Parsnip-Potato Puree
Asparagus

DESSERT

Flan
Chocolate Cake drizzled w/Grand Marnier and topped w/creme fraiche

TAPAS
Crab Cakes w/a creamy poblano sauce, served over rice w/veggie

Grilled Hangar Steak w/Churrasco sauce served w/yucca fries

Arroz con Pollo…..Chicken cooked in an herbed tomato base w/rice

Risotto served w/mixed seasonal veggies

Flan

Chocolate Cake

YouTube-Somebody-Loves-Me

Grand Reopening/New Paintings/Tapas/ Spanish Style Hot Chocolate

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Grand Reopening
This Friday, January 25
with Mundo Nuevo
smooth Cuban Jazz
Shows at 6 & 8  —  $5 Cover Each
MundoNuevo

New Exhibit—
Paintings by Carl Voegtling
Passage, Oil, 30″ x 40″
Artist’s Reception:
Saturday, February 9, 4-7 pm
Passage,-Oil,-30'-x-40'
Tapas Specials for Friday, January 25:

Black Bean & Corn Soup

Ropa Vieja
Shredded Beef in Tomato Sauce
Served w/ Yucca Fries

Pan Seared Scallops
Crispy Saffron Rice Cakes & Bacon
topped w/ Avocado Sauce

Roasted Chicken
w/ Garlic Mashed Potatoes and Veggie

Sweet Corn & Exotic Mushroom Tamales
w/ Roasted Red Pepper Coulis
& Avocado Sauce
Served With Black Beans & Veggie

Apple Pie

Flan

Saturday & Sunday—
Try our
Thick & Dark & Creamy
Spanish Style Hot Chocolate

2013 Calendar:

New Music Schedule:
Troy Night Out only (Last Fridays) @ 6 & 8 PM
February 22:  Sunny Side Of The Street Band
Gypsy Swing and Hot Trombone Jazz
—check out their free downloads here:

Carmen’s Café
CarmensCafe@nycap.rr.com

—open 5-10 Friday for Tapas & Music
9-4 Saturday & Sunday for Breakfast-Lunch

198 First Street (Corner of Adams)
Troy, NY 12180
(518) 326-2064

We will reopen on Friday, January 25, with Mundo Nuevo

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The next week, Jan 25th we reopen with Mundo Nuevo  and hope to see you all  happy and full of love  from a wonderful year’s end and new beginning.

With All Our Hearts,

— Carmen &  Jim

Mundo Nuevo is a musical quartet that is dedicated to preserving the classic repertoire of the Spanish speaking Caribbean, Mexico and South America. Jose Cruz, Walter Ramos, Fernando Gomes, and Jose Melendez.


Cafe open from 5–10pm with music in two live shows from 6–7:30 or 8–9:30 5$ Cover.

Call 518 326 2064 for reservations

Annual Christmas Eve Potluck

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Annual Christmas Eve Potluck at Carmen’s Café Monday, December 24, from 5-10

As the Potlatch tradition of the Northwest Native Americans was explained to Carmen:
When you have a good year, you naturally want to share it with your neighbors. You might invite them over for a celebration, and give them gifts like blankets to show your friendship.

Maybe the next year is great for them, so now they invite you over. They feed you, then give YOU blankets— the ones you gave them, plus some other new ones. By the tradition, their blankets are just as powerful a gift as yours, but the ones they give back to you are extra special— they have been given before, so have twice as much love woven into them. This can grow to hundreds of blankets, given back and forth year by year, a symbolic expression of a cherished relationship.

Carmen’s Café is Cuban-American, not from the Northwest, but they love the idea of Potlatch, that the spirit and intention of goodwill is more important than monetary value. They invite one and all to their annual Holiday Potluck on December 24 from 5-10. Carmen will lay out a basic spread— rice and beans, with picadillo, salad, plantains and yucca, with flan for dessert and sangria and spiced cider to refresh. Bring your own addition to share with all— drinks and desserts, main dishes and sides. Enjoy the spirit of giving and say a holiday hello to your neighbors.

Photo courtesy by Kathleen Lisson

12/14: Mundo Nuevo Returns to Carmen’s!

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12/14:  Mundo Nuevo Returns to Carmen’s!

Mundo Nuevo is a musical quartet that is dedicated to preserving the classic repertoire of the Spanish speaking Caribbean, Mexico and South America. Jose Cruz, Walter Ramos, Fernando Gomes, and Jose Melendez.


~ Dinner Specials for 12/14 ~

~ SOUP ~

Black Bean and Corn Soup

~ TAPAS ~

Stuffed Clams

Seafood Bouillabaisse
over saffron rice

Grilled Flank Steak
w/Garlic Mashed Potatoes and Veggie

Pulled Chicken
w/ peppers and onions in a spicy tomato sauce, served w/rice and beans

Risotto
w/sauteed seasonal veggies

~ DESSERTS ~

Flan
Chocolate Cheese Cake

Cafe open from 5–10pm with music in two live shows from 6–7:30 or 8–9:30 5$ Cover.
Call 518 326 2064 for reservations

Sensemaya Trio: Latin Jazz Salsa Dance Rhythms

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12/7: Sensemaya Trio

Sensemaya Trio fuses hot Latin dance rhythms with the cool sophistication of jazz improvisation. Their repertoire includes funkified interpretations of classic salsa to originals written in the revolutionary timba style of Cuba. Their own uniquely fresh Latin jazz compositions include a variety of styles from Puerto Rico, Jamaica, Brazil and the Dominican Republic. While Sensemaya can cater to the intimate jazz listener, their true purpose is to get audiences out of their seats and on to the dance floor.


Cafe open from 5–10pm with music in two live shows from 6–7:30 or 8–9:30 5$ Cover.
Call 518 326 2064 for reservations

~ SOPA ~

Potato-Leek Soup

~ TAPAS ~

NY Strip Steak w/a chimichurri sauce
served with garlic mashed potatoes and veggie

Grilled salmon over saffron rice
w/a roasted red pepper sauce

Roast Chicken
w/yucca fries and veggie

Polenta Cakes w/portobello mushrooms,
fresh mozzarella, and grilled veggies w/a sundried tomato tapenade

~ DESSERTS ~

Chocolate Cheesecake

Flan

~ SPECIALS FOR SAT & SUN –  DEC8 & 9 ~

Huevos Benedictus
poached eggs over rice cakes w/bacon and house made hollandaise sauce

Apple-Walnut-Cranberry Pancakes
multi grain or regular

The Nellies perform at CArmen's CAfe for The Troy Victorian Stroll

Sunday, 12/ 2: Victorian Stroll Come Hear The Nellies: energetic rootsy, alt-country, Americana band

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Sunday, 12/ 2: Victorian Stroll Come Hear The Nellies 2-6PM, No Cover

Victorian Stroll Special: Fresh Scratch-Made Spicy Hot Chocolate

photo

From http://www.thenellies.com/

The Nellies are an Albany, NY based, rootsy, alt-country, Americana band. The band is driven by core singer-songwriter duo, Karen Ann Gilpin (acoustic guitar/banjo) and Peggy Lecuyer (mandolin/harmonica) who both contribute driving rhythms and beautiful two part harmonies to their songs. They are joined by Gene Lemme who keeps The Nellies in line on the upright bass. Also joining The Nellies at shows are an assortment of stellar lead players such as Kevin Maul and Mike McMann, as well as others. You will find The Nellies’ energy contagious. Their fun loving stage presence will put a smile on your face.

Karen Ann and Peggy write a number of the songs that The Nellies perform and combine them with well chosen covers performed by Fred Eaglesmith, Donna the Buffalo, The Grateful Dead, Kasey Chambers, Gram Parsons, Abigail Washburn, Bob Dylan and Gillian Welch as well as the inclusion of some favorite, traditional bluegrass songs.

The Nellies have proudly released their first CD in October of 2011 and are laying the musical groundwork for their next release. You will find The Nellies playing at a variety of events and venues in the greater Albany, NY area – please go to our gigs tab to see where we’ll be playing next and feel free to contact us to play at a venue near you!

11/30: Sonny & Perley Jazz, Bossa Nova, American Songbook Standards, and International Cabaret

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From sonnyandperely.com

The exciting duo of Sonny Daye and Perley Rousseau achieves a rare musical symbiosis. The husband and wife team have spent the last several years developing and perfecting their unique blend of Jazz, Bossa Nova, American Songbook Standards, and International Cabaret which has become their musical signature. They engagingly perform the timeless standards of the Great American Songbook such as Berlin, Gershwin and Porter as well as the irresistible Bossa Nova melodies of Antonio Carlos Jobim.

December 24 Annual Christmas Eve Potluck at Carmen’s Café

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December 24 Annual Christmas Eve Potluck at Carmen’s Café

As the Potlatch tradition of the Northwest Native Americans was explained to Carmen:
When you have a good year, you naturally want to share it with your neighbors.  You might invite them over for a celebration, and give them gifts like blankets to show your friendship.

Maybe the next year is great for them, so now they invite you over.  They feed you, then give YOU blankets—  the ones you gave them, plus some other new ones.  By the tradition, their blankets are just as powerful a gift as yours, but the ones they give back to you are extra special—  they have been given before, so have twice as much love woven into them.  This can grow to hundreds of blankets, given back and forth year by year, a symbolic expression of a cherished relationship.

Carmen’s Café is Cuban-American, not from the Northwest, but they love the idea of Potlatch, that the spirit and intention of goodwill is more important than monetary value.  They invite one and all to their annual Holiday Potluck on December 24 from 5-10.  Carmen will lay out a basic spread—  rice and beans, with picadillo, salad, plantains and yucca, with flan for dessert and sangria and spiced cider to refresh.  Bring your own addition to share with all—  drinks and desserts, main dishes and sides.  Enjoy the spirit of giving and say a holiday hello to your neighbors.

11/23: tophenjammin — Soulful, Jazzy Bluegrass – Ice Cream for the Ears

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tophenjamin is Benjamin Lane on mandolin (and occasional melodica) and Christopher Lane on guitar. They both sing. The brotherly duo plays a wide variety of styles, but their sound is firmly rooted in bluegrass and gospel and heavily influenced by jazz and R&B. vocal harmonies frequently compliment their acoustic picking.