One of Steve’s and my first stops last Saturday was at Il Caffe in Little Falls, NY, to fuel up for further adventures. We both got a breakfast sandwich and cup of their delicious coffee.
Yummy! The food was good, too.
We sat in the window, to see and be seen. The cafe is in the basement of an historic bank building. At least, I don’t know how historic it is, but it is old and cool.
I don’t know if this is still in use.
Up these stairs to the bank.
Il Caffe is located at 500 Main St., Little Falls, NY, phone number 315-823-9236. They are open 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tuesday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, closed Sunday and Monday.
Saturday after I got the horrible news of my dear friend’s passing, I did not want to do anything but stay home and cry. However, I had been texting Jenna, another theatre friend, about possibly meeting up somewhere. I thought it might do us good to get out of the house. It turns out I was right.
We did not stay for the band.
I suggested we meet at Iron Rock Brewing in Little Falls. I had not seen Jenna in a while, so it was nice to catch up.
Steve and Jenna.
We enjoyed the decor and the atmosphere. The service was excellent, as was the beer and wine.
I need one of those.
The large hanging is by a local artist, but I did not get the name. I daresay my ceilings are not high enough for such a thing, but I think it is pretty awesome.
Lots of choices!
It was a very nice interlude. I highly recommend getting together with friends at Iron Rock Brewing in Little Falls, NY.
Steven and I did a rather naughty thing by having ice cream for supper. I had a good excuse. You see, I had submitted an article about Honey Brook Bakery in Herkimer to MohawkValleyLiving magazine, only I neglected to take any exterior pictures. I suppose I could have taken the pictures and not eaten any ice cream, but what fun is that?
Steve holding my purse and bag while I take pictures.
It had been raining, so we did not take advantage of the outdoor seating. Perhaps another time.
I checked: the chairs were almost dry, but not quite.
We both got sundaes. Steven’s had a brownie and hot fudge. Mine had a cookie and caramel sauce. We both had chocolate ice cream. Yum! We could not finish them. I put the extra in a couple of bowls in the freezer. I love leftovers!
One of my pics.
Honey Brook Bakery is located at 310 State St., Herkimer, NY. They are open 7 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.
Yesterday, Steven got sprung from the pen, and by pen, I mean nursing home. In celebration, and since it was Wednesday, we went to Fratello’s Pizzeria in Frankfort to enjoy food and music.
We got there before the music actually started. I introduced Steve to my favorite bartender, Toni. We pored over the menus, pondering.
This is actually a picture from a different visit, but she is still this cute.
I finally decided on a burger, which was a recent addition to the Fratello’s menu. Yum! Steven opted for a shrimp basket.
Yummy! The food was good, too.
Music was by Matt Migliore. We had not heard him before. We enjoyed him very much.
I don’t know who the guy in yellow was.
I did not make notes on what songs he played. Steven especially enjoyed a Beatles tune. We danced our way out to Billy Joel’s “My Life.” Matt waved us a friendly good-bye.
Nice!
We enjoyed our food and the music, and I was delighted to introduce Steve to my Wednesday night thing.
I did not do my favorite Wednesday thing of going to Fratello’s Pizzeria in Frankfort for food and music, but that is OK, because I never made a blog post about last Wednesday, when I heard Max Scialdone. I shall now attempt to remedy the omission.
Full disclosure: one reason I wanted to eat out was so I could have leftovers for my lunch on Thursday and possibly Friday. Additionally, I needed a treat. I ordered a glass of Chardonnay and perused the menu. When I chose the grilled chicken salad, my favorite bartender, Toni, suggested I add cucumbers. Genius!
I loved the colored lights.
When Max Scialdone started to play, he said how happy he was to be back “at the Frat House.” Why didn’t I think of calling it that? A number of his fans were in the house. We all greatly enjoyed the tunes.
He had t-shirts for sale.
The music and food were just the treats I needed, and I ended up with enough leftover salad for both Thursday and Friday’s lunches.
Fratello’s Pizzeria is located at 158 E. Main St., Frankfort, NY, phone number 315-894-8484. They are open 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Saturday, 1 to 9 p.m. Sunday. You can follow their Facebook page to find out when you can enjoy some great local music.
I have been enjoying a lot of good local music at Fratello’s Pizzeria in Frankfort. Last Friday (Holy Cow, that was a week ago and I haven’t written about it yet!) I went there specifically to hear the Playin’ Again Band.
I first heard them two weeks before, when I impulsively joined my sister Cheryl, her daughter Kimberly, and Kimberly’s boyfriend Matt for pizza and beer (perhaps you read my blog post about it) (Which I would link to, but I can’t remember it’s title). Cheryl found out the band was playing again (see what I did there?) July 2. I made a mental note.
These guys are great!
Matt couldn’t make it, but Kimi, Cheryl and I sat at the bar and enjoyed good food and music. They both had fish fry. Huge pieces of fish! I have to get that next time. I ordered a more modest clam basket, substituting a salad for fries. Yum!
Ah, a sign!
When we heard these guys before, we did not know the name. Cheryl cleverly found out and let me know after the fact. This time they had a lovely sign.
Another wide view.
When I went in the other room to get the pictures, I danced my way in and out as usual. A table with three couples sitting at seemed to enjoy watching me. A short time later, they all got up to dance to a romantic tune.
It was another enjoyable evening. Thanks, Fratello’s!
To us Monday through Friday schlubs (YES, I am grateful to be one of them; must we go through this every time? Sheesh!), Wednesday has a particular significance. It’s either, “Yay! We’re halfway through!” or, “Rats! We’re only halfway through!”
Recently I have tried giving Wednesday a different meaning by making it my Local Music at Fratello’s night. I believe I mentioned it in yesterday’s post. Today I saw Phil Arcuri, one of my favorite music makers.
Different day, same smile!
The great thing about watching Phil play is that he is having so much fun up there. The man is pure joy, and it is contagious. The above is a picture I took a few weeks ago. I did not get any pictures tonight but enjoyed some good music and a calzone. I took home some leftover calzone and the happy feeling of having an enjoyable evening.
I do not have a whole lot else to say. I think that is OK. For Fratello’s information, arrow back to yesterday’s post. Or search Fratello’s on Facebook. Or wait till the next time I go there to enjoy food and music. It might be soon!
I am thinking of making Wednesdays at Fratello’s Pizzeria in Frankfort a regular thing. Last Wednesday I discovered another talented local musician: Gary Johnson.
He was excellent.
I was sitting at my favorite spot at the bar. I ordered a large antipasto salad, so I would have something for lunch for the next couple of days. A gentleman sat a couple seats down from me and ordered a calzone.
“Rome Calzone!” I said, quoting a local commercial. This guy is auditioning to be a spokesman for Rome Pre-Owned and can’t quite get it right. “Oh, sorry,” I said to the gentleman at the bar, hoping he knew the commercial.
“You’re fine,” he said.
Not many people were there when Gary Johnson started playing.
“That’s OK,” he said. “I’ll take quality over quantity!” I felt flattered.
He kept asking what we wanted to hear. Being unfamiliar with his repertoire, I told him to play his favorite. He responded with one of his favorites: “Tiny Dancer.” I love that song!
My view.
I enjoyed the music very much. When I left, I gave him a little wave and called, “Thank you!” I enjoyed my antipasto as well. Good Music, good food, why wouldn’t I make this my usual Wednesday thing?
Fratello’s Pizzeria is located at 158 E. Main St., Frankfort, NY, phone number 315-894-8484. They are open 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Saturday, 1 to 9 p.m. Sunday. They don’t only have music on Wednesdays. You can follow their Facebook page to find out more.
Last Wednesday I decided to treat myself to dinner at Fratello’s Pizzeria in Frankfort, NY again, because I had enjoyed good food and music there the previously. I sat at the bar, ordered a glass of wine and perused the menu. I noticed a musician setting up but did not know who he was.
“It’s Matt Grainger,” the bartender told me. “He’s phenomenal.”
I soon found out that she was right.
He was awesome!
I was amused that he opened the set with “Tequila Sunrise,” because Phil Arcuri (perhaps you read my blog post about his performance at Fratello’s) had opened with “Margaritaville.” I like boozy songs.
I enjoyed White Pizza with the music. I will need to eat out a lot more often in order to work my way through the menus of my favorite restaurants. I guess I don’t have to try EVERYTHING on the menu, but I could come close.
My view while I ate and listened.
One song Matt sang which especially resonated with me was “House at Pooh Corner.” I first heard that song many years ago after working on a play about Winnie the Pooh. I’m still humming the tune a week later!
Full disclosure: when I was writing this post in my head, I had a lot more to say. No doubt I will write more in the future about Fratello’s and Matt Grainger. For now I will say, great music, great food, what’s not to like?
Fratello’s Pizzeria is located at 158 E. Main St., Frankfort, NY, phone number 315-894-8484. They are open 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Saturday, 1 to 9 p.m. Sunday.
Friday I had another great evening at Fratello’s Pizzeria in Frankfort! Once again it was unplanned. I got back to my house from running errands to find a message from my sister Cheryl on the machine, inviting me to join her, her daughter Kim and Kim’s boyfriend Matt at Fratello’s.
I had already eaten. As a matter of fact, I heated up some chicken Riggies leftover from Wednesday’s visit to Fratello’s. My intention when I got home was to have a beer, because I had the Pride Stride 5K the next day. A long time ago, I heard that a drill sergeant had recommended one beer as a way to carb up before PT (Physical Training) test. Who am I to argue with a drill sergeant?
When I got there Matt immediately jumped up to give me a hug and get me a beer. I did not make a note of what kind of beer it was, but he told me there were notes of banana.
“Oh yeah, I can taste it. Potassium!” Also good for my projected run. They had ordered upside down pizza, which I had never had. Even though I had already eaten, I tried a piece. Then I had another.
A great band started to play. I later learned they were the Playin’ Again Band. We chair danced (actually booth danced). I also danced when I got up to take a picture, when I went to the bathroom, and when I left. Musicians like it when you do that.
Cheryl later found out they are playing again in July. We might just have to go!
Fratello’s Pizzeria is located at 158 E. Main St. in Frankfort, phone number 315-894-8484. They are open 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Saturday, 1 to 9 p.m. Sunday. You can follow them on Facebook to find out about all the great musicians they host. Don’t forget to try the upside down pizza!
Mohawk Valley Girl 