Category Archives: local business

Tip Top Breakfast at Top of the Morning

I met my Elks friends for breakfast this morning at Top of the Morning Cafe in North Utica, NY.  We had eaten there before, so I was able to refrain from annoying the car behind me by slowing down at every turn looking for Coventry Avenue.  I may have annoyed other cars with other driving behavior; I make no promises when it comes to annoying people.

I remembered to take a picture on the way in.

There were many good menu choices as well as some tempting specials.  I dithered and debated.  Then I went ahead and ordered two eggs over medium with Italian toast.

“That’s it?” Michele said.  I had been looking at some pretty elaborate meals.

“I’ll eat it, and I’ll like it,” I said.  Actually, the eggs were exactly the way I like them, and the toast had plenty of butter, also the way I like it.

I enjoy a simple breakfast sometimes.

I also liked the coffee mugs: what I call a four-finger mug, because the handle is nice and big.  I put pepper on my eggs but no salt.  Lately I have been eating eggs without salt and find I like them just as well.  Who knew?

Bonnie got one of the more elaborate breakfasts. I think it was a meat lovers scramble.  I took a picture for blogging purposes.

It did look tempting!

I may get one of the bigger breakfasts another time and take some home.  For today, I enjoyed what I got.

Top of the Morning Cafe is located at 414 Trenton Rd., Utica, NY.

 

I’ll Never Get My Phil!

Yes, I went to Fratello’s Pizzeria in Frankfort, NY last night and enjoyed the musical stylings of Phil Arcuri!  It was great!  I had fun!  Everybody had fun!  I loves me some Phil!

He is the best!

I confess, this is not a picture from last night  I did take a picture as soon as he started and shared it on Facebook, inviting all my Facebook friends to come on over and join me.  Full disclosure:  nobody ever has.  I could feel unloved because of that, but I choose to think they are all busy or perhaps live too far away.  Why give my already low self-esteem another knock?

Phil greeted me right away, when I was gimping out to my car because I had forgotten something.  He immediately expressed concern over my crutches.  I assured him I would dance my way out regardless.  I chair danced pretty much they whole time as soon as he started playing.  Well, barstool danced, if you want to be didactic.  I sang along as well.  Most local musicians like it when you do that.  All the ones I follow are so nice about it.

I had not been to Fratello’s in a while, so I was glad to return.  They are located at 158 E. Main St., Frankfort, NY.  You can follow them on Facebook to get the musical lineup.  The food is pretty good, too.

 

Return to Yetty’s

Yesterday, feeling hungry and remembering how much I love restaurant leftovers, I made my way to Yetty’s in Herkimer.  I ordered a Muffaletta, a marvelous sandwich olives and cold meat on a delightful bun.  I can only eat a quarter of it, leaving three more quarters for my future dining pleasure.

 

Hi, buddy!

Of course I was happy to see the actual Yeti looking down on us diners, of which there were not many, since I was late for lunch and early for dinner.  I had forgotten the pictures I took of him the last time I was there are somewhat blurry.  That will be my excuse for another stop at Yetty’s!

My other excuse is to try another of their delicious desserts.  I had not tried any before but ventured on a piece of carrot cake.  It was yummy!  And huge.  I could not finish it and left the restaurant completely stuffed.

Today I am going to attempt a trip to Hannaford, to purchase some regular food.  Previous to this, my sister Cheryl and my parents have brought me some provisions.  However, I like to take responsibility for my own nutrition.  I was going to use Hannaford To Go but I really want to get a puzzle book with anacrostic puzzles, and you really need to look those over in person. I hope my leg holds out.

Yetty’s Pizza and Pasta of Herkimer is located at 109 Mohawk St., Herkimer, NY.  They are currently open for lunch and dinner Thursday through Sunday.

 

A Welcome Blast from the Past

Yesterday I drove to Little Falls, NY, and back in time to Rock Valley Brewing Co. for their Blast from the Past Music Festival.  The music started at noon, but I got there sometime after one and enjoyed the tunes of One Lime Summer.  There were a lot of people there, many of them wearing fraternity and sorority letters I remembered from my days at Potsdam College.

My friends showed up shortly before two.  We were there to see Double Axle, the premiere bar and beer blast band from the ’70s and ’80s in the greater Potsdam area.  They were celebrating 50 years, looking and sounding very good indeed!

They were fine, yes!

The crowd loved them!  I loved them!  The inevitable happened:  crutches and all, I got up and danced.  It was awkward.  It was silly.  I have no regrets.  Soon other people got up to dance.  Feeling I had done my job, I sat back down and continued to chair dance.  Actually, since I was at a picnic table, I guess I was bench dancing.

I did not stay as long as I would have liked to.  The sun was hot, and I have a bit of sun sensitivity (my late, lovely husband used to say I was part Addams).  However, I stayed long enough to feel deeply satisfied with nostalgia and music.  I think everybody else there was having just as good a time.

Rock Valley Brewing is located at 56 West Mill St., Little Falls, NY.  They are a great place to visit even when they are not hosting a music festival.

 

An Excellent Dinner

Last night I was hungry as well as wanting to get out of the house, so I went to Salvatore’s Pizzeria and Restaurant in Herkimer, NY.  I was not disappointed!

One of my go-to places!

It was right around four when I got there, so I had my choice of places to sit.  I ordered broiled haddock with a side of pasta, then got an antipasto salad to take with me, thus ensuring a few meals in the coming days.  I also took some of the fish and pasta home, so I am set!

My waitress was one of my fellow actresses from Ilion Little Theatre, so that was nice.  We were able to enjoy a little chat, although more diners arrived after me, so she was a little busy.  I really miss my theatre friends.  I must make my way back to ILT soon.  I think I saw something about auditions in the coming weeks.  I wonder if there are any parts for actors on crutches (preview of coming events).

As I ate, I enjoyed the music: classic rock from the ’70s and ’80s.  Yes, they are “oldies” now, but so am I.  I embrace it.  I only wish my body had waited till after the Boilermaker 15K to give out as it has, but let me not hark back to my foolish problems.

Salvatore’s Pizzeria and Restaurant is located at 650 1/2 German St., Herkimer, NY, phone number 315-866-2600.  They do a booming take-out business as well as offering a full-service sit-down dining experience.

 

Almost a Perfect Tasting

Emboldened by my success with breakfast out yesterday, I went to a wine tasting at Valley Wine and Liquor in Herkimer, NY.  I do love wine.  I checked:  a little bit of wine is not incompatible with the medications I am on (I risk a HIPAA violation to soothe any fears my well-wishers may harbor).  Wines from two wineries were offered.

She was very knowledgeable.

First I tasted wines from Mazza Chautauqua Cellars, a New York State winery using grapes from Long Island.  I did not even know they grew grapes on Long Island.  Anita, the lady pouring, told many things about the wines, but I was not very quick at taking notes.  I enjoyed the Perfect Rose.  The Perfect Bubbly was sweeter than I like, but I am sure it would be perfect for many.

Revelation wines from Columbia Valley in Washington State were next.  This is a third generation winery, making sustainable vegan wines.  I tasted a lot of grapefruit in the Sauvignon Blanc.  The Riesling was sweeter than I like, but then I like really dry wines.

I decided to purchase a bottle of the Perfect Rose.  Anita nicely carried it to the register for me, and a young man carried it to my car.  Two crutches make things awkward, but one does what one can.

Valley Wine and Liquor is located at 326 S. Caroline St., Herkimer, NY.  They have tastings almost every weekend.

 

Back with the Breakfast Club!

Since I drove myself around Herkimer, NY (where I live) twice in the last two days, I made bold to drive to Little Falls to join my Elks friends for breakfast at Ann Street Deli.  I believe I have mentioned that there is a group of us who meet every week for breakfast at various local places.  It was not that far of a drive, after all.  I made it there with no problem, found a parking place close to the door, and went in to await my friends.  I did not have long to wait.

Good for breakfast or lunch!

As you may have guessed by the snow if not the Christmas decorations, this is a picture from earlier this year.  It is difficult to take a picture while gimping along on two crutches.  Sometimes I use one crutch in order to carry something in the other hand but I did not do so this morning.

I had a croissant sandwich with one egg, cheese, and sausage.  It was quite tasty.  I cannot remember the yummy sounding things my friends ordered, but I may order them another time; then I will remember and report back.

More than the good breakfast, I enjoyed the company of my friends.  Being incurable sociable as I am, it was good to talk to people.  Of course I was able to talk to family members this past weekend, but for the most part I have been alone on my couch.  It’s not that I do not enjoy my own company, but you can get too much of a good thing.

I am so delighted to write about a Mohawk Valley Adventure again!  I hope I can have another one soon.

 

Don’t Look Now, But…

Thursday I gimped my way to Yetty’s Pizza and Pasta of Herkimer, NY.  I sat at a table instead of the bar as I usually do.  Partway through my chicken sandwich (Yum, by the way), I saw that we were being watched.

An excellent vantage point.

I guess I shouldn’t be surprised at seeing a Yeti at Yetty’s.  I thought it was delightful and wondered why I hadn’t noticed it before. No doubt because my back is too him at the bar.  How rude of me.

I zoomed in.

My close-up turned out kind of blurry.  That means I have an excellent excuse to return to Yetty’s soon. 

Yetty’s is open Thursday through Sunday, and they are still open, despite the For Sale sign out front.  If you are in Herkimer and are hungry, I suggest you stop in!

Thank You, Nonna Maria!

I had been craving a wood-fired pizza for some time.  I also had been wanting to try Nonna Marie Wood Fired Oven at Stone Mill, which I had heard raves about.  How perfect, then, that my way home from Canajoharie, NY on Friday (perhaps you read my blog post about the Shakespeare thing), took me right by Little Falls!  A couple of turns, and there I was, ready to partake.

I should have gotten a shot of the sign outside. Silly me.

I ordered the Vegetarian, with cherry tomatoes, roasted peppers, mushrooms, onions, mozzarella, and basil.  I got it to go, since by then I did not have far to, you know, go.

Looks like a place for a couple to sit for a photo op.

I did not have long to wait, but long enough to notice a picture on the counter advertising a sandwich that looked really good.  I told the workers I would need to come back to try it.

Here’s a clearer picture.

I will probably have to make multiple trips, because there are a few other pizzas on the menu I would like to try as well.  Luckily, Little Falls is one of Mohawk Valley Girls favorite destinations.

Nonna Maria’s is located at 410 Canal Place, Little Falls, NY.

 

We Reporters Have to Eat, Too

I decided this morning I would treat myself to breakfast out so I could definitely make a real blog post and plug a local business.  For one reason, I knew I would be out and about, searching for a picture to go with my story about the Ilion Village Board meeting for Sentinel Media (regular readers may recall I have a side hustle covering a few meetings and such in the Valley).  For another reason, an Everything Bagel at Saturday Spreads sounded really, really good.

Great place to stop!

Since I knew I was going to be enjoying a cup of Utica Coffee later (“Wake the Hell Up!”), I sipped a cup of tea while I wrestled with my journalistic endeavors (“Wake the Hell Up” is Utica Coffee’s tag-line; I’m not cussing at you).  Soon I was headed to Ilion in search of illustration.  I failed to get a shot of some soon-to-be-demolished properties, because they were quite overgrown by now.  Also, the neighbor’s dogs started barking at me, and I felt unwelcome.  Finally I got a shot of some re-paving that was also talked about at the meeting.

Central Paving seems to be doing a fine job.

I explained to one of the fellows working that I was not taking pictures for any nefarious purpose.  He told me he thought the mayor was doing a good job, and I agreed.  Of course, it is impossible to please everybody.  Even for Mohawk Valley Girl, if you can believe such a thing.

Finally I was at Saturday Spreads and enjoying my repast.  I got the Utica Grind this time, which I remembered to write down:  Cream Cheese, Heirloom Tomatoes, Lemon Zest, Utica Grind, Flaky Sea Salt.

My writer’s breakfast.

I said to the waitress, “Some people make fun of people for taking pictures of their food, but I’m going to use it in my blog post.”  I really enjoyed it.  I found it quite salty and spice; it make my lips tingle, but they tend to get a little chapped this time of year due to allergies.  I looked longingly at the pastries in the case as I left but resolutely headed out the door.  I need to take off a few pounds for the sake of my knees and back if for no other reason.

Saturday Spreads is located at 264 E. Main St., Frankfort, NY.  You can follow them on Facebook.