About three years ago, I looked around the neighborhood where I had been living for 12+ years and realized that things were happening, exciting things. Our “Main Street,” Delaware Avenue, was getting an overhaul, complete with sidewalks, crosswalks and new lighting, and things were looking good. New businesses were opening and we had some great new neighbors who had moved in. In a burst of inspiration, I thought that our neighborhood needed a community voice, and a name, and DelSo, aka DELaware Avenue SOuth was born.
Although I had originally perceived the blog as place where multiple writers could contribute, things never developed that way. It was just me. I wrote about events in my neighborhood, my city and the greater Capital Region. I started to grow a little following and writing increasingly became an outlet for my creative side, as well as a justification for my happy hour research. Things were fun.
In the fall of 2010, DelSo’s focus turned increasingly more personal. I began to write more about relationships, emotions, and life’s winding road. My DelSo friends were incredibly supportive during this difficult time and my blog stood up to the challenges of an intense, up close focus. Because of DelSo, I’ve lost some friends who were uncomfortable with things I had to say. I’ve also met people, people I can not imagine not knowing, who came to know me through my writing and now hold an important place in my new life.
DelSo has become increasingly used as the term for our neighborhood and I couldn’t be more pleased. We’ve got some awesome new businesses (I’m talking about you, All Good Bakers, Mingle and The Cheese Traveler) and I love that they’re using the term DelSo in their advertising. A friend pointed out that Google maps includes DelSo as a neighborhood, which is remarkably cool and this little made up word of mine has taken on meaning. Wow.
So – to those of you new to my blog, welcome. Be prepared for posts about anything and everything. For my faithful DelSo friends, please bear with me as I migrate from my original Blogger site to my new(ish) WordPress spot. I’ll try to remember to post in both places until I’m completely moved in here, but please feel free to follow this site. You never know what will happen next, but I know you don’t want to miss it.
DelSo 
I started reading your blog several years ago and I’m so glad that the shop has brought you into our personal stratosphere! I really enjoy your writing 🙂
I’ve mentioned this before on other blogs, but the night we arrived in Albany in 2003, Nick drove me up and down Del Ave, and I was so excited by “my” new neighborhood, with all of the cool, varied ,small shops and fab independent movie theater. Now that the stimulus projects have been completed to help make our neighborhood more walkable/livable, restaurants & other businessnes are thriving (thank you DANA, DAMG and the community of course), and neighbors (I think) are feeling the solidity of a walkable, diversely occupied neighborhood with fun/interesting things to do. There’s a lot of talk lately about how downtown could improve and I think the powers that be need only to look at the DelSo for a great example of how to cultivate a thriving, diverse community with local flavor.
Putting the DelSo lable on our enriched local neighborhood has helped brand ourselves from the rest of the city, much like the “Albany’s Main Street” moniker. We’ve lived nearby for 9 years now and the DelSo is the first place I’ve called home that has really warmed my heart and helped me feel settled. It is THE COOLEST to have our shop in our own neighborhood now. We love the people and businesses here so much!
The Cheese Traveler (with TIlldale Farm Products) is delighted to be moving into the neighborhood. We are a family-run business and we are looking forward to really connecting with the DelSo area. We currently have a booth at the Delaware Avenue Farmer’s Market on Tuesdays (4-7p) behind the Library where we sell from twenty locally produced (within 50 miles), handcrafted farmstead and artisan cheeses.
We’ve been enjoying getting to know our neighbors who come to the Farmer’s Market. Our store at 540 Delaware next to All Good Bakers and Mingle will feature charcuterie, an expanded selection of fine cheeses from North America, Europe, and Great Britain, specialty products, and organic meat, poultry and eggs, and a cafe. DelSo is an exciting place to be! Thank you so much for welcoming us.
Delso is my last name. Your blog is interesting. Im glad I found it. I live in Sacramento. CA.
Welcome, Mary Delso! I’m a fan of your state and your name. Thanks for being a new follower and I hope you join the conversation when you are interested.
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blog, the map | DelSo” was in fact good! I personallycouldn’t agree with you more! Finally seems like I personallydiscovered a site truly worth reading through. Regards, Dominic