Category Archives: local business

Dinner before Skulls and Bats

Posted on November 2, 2016 by mohawkvalleygirl

I wanted to go to a couple of stores and look at the post-Halloween sales, because I need some skulls and bats.  To encourage Steven to go with me, I suggested we get dinner out.  As an added bonus for me, I asked could we go somewhere that would make a good blog post.  We decided to try a place we hadn’t been to yet: Roma’s Pizza and Pasta in Herkimer, NY.

Roma’s is a fairly recent addition to our choices of places to eat in Herkimer.  It is located in the site previously occupied by Brian’s Roast Beef Deli.  We miss Brian’s!  But we hoped we would like Roma’s as well.

I noticed the daily specials on the wall outside the store: today’s was large cheese pizza, 20 wings, small antipasto, 2 liter, $34.   We weren’t that hungry.  As we walked in we encountered a delicious aroma.  Maybe we were that hungry.   A couple of people were standing near the counter in front, waiting for take-out orders.  We walked to the tables in the back, sat down, and looked at menus.

After great indecision I ordered a cheeseburger with fries while Steven got chicken tenders and fries.  He got coffee and I had water.  I confess to being intrigued by the Phat Sandwiches, which sounded huge, messy and wonderful.  However, I concluded that my first assessment of not being that hungry was probably right.  Actually, the cheeseburger was quite large and came with a generous helping of fries.  Oh, was it tasty!

I picked up a copies of the menu and the daily specials as we left.  We will definitely go to Roma’s again!  Roma’s Pizza and Pasta is located at 122 N. Main St, Herkimer, phone number 315-866-7888.

 

 

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Wrist to Seeds to Shout-outs

Posted on October 31, 2016 by mohawkvalleygirl

Well, it is Wrist to Forehead Sunday, we all knew it would be.  I’m still trying to get over my cold.  Yesterday’s chicken soup helped, especially when I heated up two more bowls of it this afternoon.  Extra sleep has helped too.  I may stop complaining about my ills any day now, but let’s not expect miracles, shall we?  At least I can stop whining long enough to give a shout-out to a local business that helped us out today.

In the best of circumstances I don’t often cook something good two days in a row.  Additionally, the oven was already occupied by roasting pumpkin seeds. Yes, we waited till the day before Halloween to carve our pumpkin.  What can I say, it’s been a rough month.  But today Steven carved a delightful face in the pumpkin we got from Pumpkin Junction in Sauquoit (ooh, that will make two shout-outs today).  I gathered the seeds and put them in the oven to roast, after tossing them in olive oil with salt and spices.  Just to give another shout-out, I used the Salt Free Essential Spice Blend I got from So Sweet Candy Cafe  (it was at their booth at the Mohawk Valley Garlic and Herb Festival in Little Falls, so it actually may have been So Sweet Candy Confections, but what’s in a name) (and I just gave a shout-out to the Garlic Festival, didn’t I?).

That was kind of a convoluted paragraph, wasn’t it?  You’ll have that when a blogger is not feeling 100% for some days in a row.  No matter, my original purpose here was to give a shout-out to Carney’s Corners.  Steven called in an order for pick-up, an Italian sub and pasta salad.  I had not had an Italian sub in a while.  I’ve been trying to get away from processed, aged meats, since I heard they may be migraine triggers.  Never mind that they are some of my favorite things.  Salami and pepperoni, YUM!  I thoroughly enjoyed my half of that sub.

OK, I’ve carefully put in links to Pumpkin Junction, So Sweet Candy Cafe and Mohawk valley Garlic and Herb Festival.  I couldn’t find a site for Carney’s Corners, but they are located at 232 N. Washington St., Herkimer, phone number 315-866-7191.  And if you don’t feel like clicking, Pumpkin Junction is at 2188 Graffenburg Rd., Sauquoit, 315-794-4604 (although their last day of business for the year may be Oct. 31, so hurry); So Sweet Candy Cafe is 531 Varick St., Utica, 315-765-6463.

 

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Short Shout-out with Skeleton

Posted on October 20, 2016 by mohawkvalleygirl
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Sugar Ray Bones seemed to be enjoying the ambiance quite a bit.

So yesterday Mohawk Valley Girl started something new by posting pictures.  It was FUN!  Although I suppose I could have done a better job at placing them and utilizing them to enhance my text.  Never mind, those things will come. Today I am having a kind of a Wuss-out Wednesday.  If I were to elaborate on why, it would be come Whiny Wednesday.  Nobody wants that!  Instead, I will give a quick shout-out to a business I have written about before:  So Sweet Candy Cafe in Utica, NY.

Steven had never been to the So Sweet, and I knew he would love it.  Additionally, Margaret, the proprietress, had posted pictures of her Halloween decorations on Facebook.  We made sure we had our Tablet before we headed out.

I took the above picture right away.  I LOVE skeletons!  The cafe had a naming contest for Sugar Ray Bones.  I did not enter, because I couldn’t think of any good skeleton names.  Red (which I did not think of) and Boney James (which I did) had already been taken by other skeletons I know.

We took some other pictures, but I have not downloaded them to my laptop yet.  My bad.  Then again, I can give the So Sweet another shout-out later.

Did I mention that today was Wuss-out Wednesday?  I guess I should have gone with Plan A and let this blog become All Splitting Issues All The Time, because I really have to wrap this up and get to dress rehearsal.

The So Sweet Candy Cafe is located at 531 Varick St . in Utica.  You can Like them on Facebook, and I totally recommend you stop in and see Sugar Ray Bones.

 

 

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Yay! Halloween!

Posted on October 19, 2016 by mohawkvalleygirl

I had been wanting to return to Pumpkin Junction in Sauquoit ever since I wrote about it for the October issue of Mohawk Valley Living magazine.  I decided Sunday was the day.

I made the decision as I drove to church, over Higby and down Graffenburg roads.  The views were incredible.  I had to remind myself to keep my eyes on the road.  I thought, “Steven has GOT  to see this!”

When Steven got home from work, he readily agreed, so, after doing a couple of chores we didn’t want to put off, we set out. I brought our Tablet, to take some pictures.

“Maybe I’ll finally learn how to put them in my blog,” I said.

I did not take any pictures of the views as we drove but right away saw things to snap photos of at the Junction.  After clicking outside for a while, we went into the barn and spent some good time looking at ALL kinds of decorations.

After acquiring some great new stuff for our Halloween decor, we went out and wandered through the Cornfusion Corn Maze.  We were delighted with our trip.

And now I am typing my words into WordPress.  I see how to add a photo, but am not sure how to… position it.  I wanted to put a photo up top, then words, then another photo, then more words.  Oh dear, let’s see what I can do…

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ALL sorts of pumpkins, gourds and squashes!

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We did not try to guess the weight of this pumpkin, although they had a contest for those wishing to try.

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Just one of the excellent displays

And now I see that I must learn more about this adding photos business. However, for today, here was my text and here are a few pics.  Local readers will like to check out Pumpkin Junction; it is a most wonderful Halloween place.  They are located at 2188 Graffenburg Rd., Sauquoit, and are open from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily.  You can Like them on Facebook.

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Just a Few Shout-Outs

Posted on October 12, 2016 by mohawkvalleygirl

So yesterday I thought I was coming down with something and today I am pretty sure I am.  It would not be such a big deal if I could keep from being such a colossal baby about these things.  Or if I could just quietly take a day off from posting.  But, as they say, I gotta be me.  However, instead of whining for 200 or so words about how crappy I feel, how about I give a brief overview of Steven’s and my Monday morning adventures.

We began by fueling up at Crazy Otto’s Empire Diner in Herkimer, NY.  Then we headed for the big city of Utica.  I drove, as I had slightly more of an idea where we were headed.  That is, I had been there.  I had not driven there.  However, after a wrong direction and only one turn around, we got to the So Sweet Candy Cafe on the corner of Columbia and Varick streets. Yay!

After that we had wanted to check out Adirondack Distillery, which is handily located right across the street.  The message on their answering machine said they were open Monday through Friday.  This Monday, they were not.  Rats!  We walked down Varick Street, just because we were there, then back to the car and headed on.  The Other Side Gallery was also closed.  I had not even checked their Facebook page, so I suppose that served me right.

We found Off-Center Records & Collectibles with very little problem.  A parking spot presented a little more problem, but we got one not too far away.  After a fun interlude there, we checked out New York Connection, which I had never heard of but noticed a couple of doors down.  Those are both stores I mean to write more about.

On our way home, we stopped at Juliani’s Produce and Greenhouse in Schuyler.  I got and immediately ate a chocolate half-moon cookie.  We also got fixings for a salad, which I later made (I believe I mentioned it in yesterday’s post).

We enjoyed our little jaunt very much, although I was ready to get home and relax.  I am ready to relax now.  I guess it is Tired Tuesday after all.

 

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Yummy Start to the “Weekend”

Posted on October 6, 2016 by mohawkvalleygirl

It is prior to 6:30 a.m, which may be the earliest I have ever posted.  I find that interesting.  My plan is to compose a quick shout-out to a local business we were at last night, then pack for our fabulous weekend away.

You know, I know news format, and that is a lousy lead.  Then again, this is not a newspaper, it is a silly blog (emphasis on the “silly” I’m afraid).  No matter.  I’m not editing; I’m posting on the fly, so here goes.

Last night I knew the sensible thing to do would be to start cooking dinner before Steven got home, frugally dine at home and get all our crap done for an un-frantic morning of departure.  Well, sometimes we do not do the sensible thing, do we?  Hence, we went to dinner at Sorrento’s Pizzia in Ilion, NY.  Our original plan had been to go to Froggy’s Take-out, also in Ilion, and, you know, take out.  That way we could potentially get some stuff done at home after we ate.  Additionally, Froggy’s is closing sometime soon for good, so we wanted to have a farewell meal from the place.

Unfortunately, by the time we got to Ilion, Froggy’s was closed for the night.  Sorrento’s is right down the street from there.  We love Sorrento’s!  And by now we were far too hungry to go home and cook.  There were plenty of spaces in the parking lot.  This would be great.  As we were entering, some ladies were leaving.  One said, “They don’t have any more food; we ate it all.”  I was understandably concerned but told Steven to hold the door open for the ladies anyways.  We were happy to learn the lady had exaggerated.

I got an appetizer of Bruschetta.  Yum!  Steven got a BLT.  The menu said it was on white bread, but when he asked if something else was available, the waitress offered marble rye. Again, Yum!  I almost changed my order to that.  We both had a glass of Pinot Grigio.  After all, it was a Friday for us.

We were quite delighted with our meal.  I made a fast blog post when we got home (an extremely lame one, by the way, but you’ll have that) but did not get a whole lot else done. Still, it made an excellent start to our five day weekend.

Sorrento’s Pizza is located at 86 Central Ave., Ilion, NY, phone number 315-894-9991.  Froggy’s Take-Out is at 4 W. Clark St., 315-894-1400.  You can Like them both on Facebook.

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Ooh! Look at the Skeletons!

Posted on August 25, 2016 by mohawkvalleygirl

One of the shortest stops Steven and I made on our Saturday adventures was at Hummel’s Office Plus in Herkimer, NY.  We had to get a birthday present for a young friend of ours.

I wanted to get her a blank book.  It is one of my favorite things to have, so I naturally think others will like it too.  First we looked for a pen in the office supply area downstairs.  Like many writers, I am fascinated by the tools of our trade, so I was happy to spend some time with the writing instruments.  We finally picked a green one, a pen I have gotten for myself many times.  Then we went upstairs to look for a blank book.

We were immediately confronted by the Halloween decorations.  I LOVE Halloween!  There were many decorations I had never seen before. I especially like the See No Evil, Hear No Evil, Speak No Evil Skeletons.  We went around pushing the buttons on all the ghosts and things that played music and/or danced.

However, we were there for a present.  After much debate, we picked out a blank book we thought our friend would like.  Steven asked the clerk to wrap it. What a good idea!  I am terrible at wrapping presents and I don’t know if we have any birthday gift bags.  At the cash register I saw a couple more Halloween things I would like to go back and purchase.

We had not spent much time at Hummel’s, but I felt it was time well spent. I’m not saying I will, but I just MIGHT  go back and buy those skeletons.  And maybe a green pen.

 

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Short Shout-out on Tired Tuesday

Posted on August 24, 2016 by mohawkvalleygirl

AAAaaand I’m sidetracked already (for readers just tuning in, yesterday’s post said I was trying to get back on track).  My allergies have kicked in BIG TIME.  I spent the day dizzy but managing to accomplish my work without being a danger to myself and others (as long as they didn’t piss me off) (just kidding; I strive for tolerance in the work place and elsewhere).  I came home and took a decongestant then fell asleep on the couch.  That actually felt kind of good, but waking up not so much.  Still, I managed to stand up in the shower.  I thought to take a bath so I could stay sitting but was afraid I would fall asleep and drown (is that really a thing or is that just what spouses say happened when they actually bumped one another off?) (am I watching too much Dateline?).

Where was I?  Ah yes, clean but still dizzy.  We’ll have to call this a Tired Tuesday post but perhaps I can say something of some substance in spite of myself.  How about a a quick shout-out to a local business.

Saturday Steven and I went out to breakfast at the Knight Spot in Frankfort, NY.  This used to be one of our go-to places when we went out for breakfast all the time, when we both worked retail hours and often had a day or at least a morning off together. We still try to go there fairly often for lunch, dinner or afternoon ice cream, although we don’t eat out as often as I would like to (but still more often than is strictly helpful for my waistline) (yes, I KNOW I could order more salad, shut up) (you know who you are).

I tried to talk Steven into ice cream for breakfast.  “A banana split would have fruit in it,” I argued.  “Fruit is good for breakfast.”  He wanted eggs.  He got eggs over medium, bacon and Italian toast.  I got my favorite breakfast sandwich of bacon, egg and cheese on a hard roll.  Yum!  I mixed it up a little by getting hot tea instead of coffee.  I have had a craving for hot tea lately.

When the waitress brought our food, she brought me hot sauce.  She remembered that I usually ask for it!  I thought that was awesome.

The Knight Spot is located at 264 E. Main St., Frankfort, NY 13340, phone number 315-894-4054.  For more information you can visit their website at http://theknightspot.com/.  You can also Like them on Facebook.

 

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Next Time with the View

Posted on August 5, 2016 by mohawkvalleygirl

Today I shall give a brief, slightly belated shout-out to Cucina Berto in Frankfort, NY, where Steven and I recently enjoyed lunch. We had heard about the place some time ago from Mohawk Valley Living. I’m thinking we just do not eat out often enough, or we would have eaten there sooner, because, yum.

Cucina Berto is located at Frankfort Marina, so there is a lovely view of the water from the tables on the deck.  However, we opted to sit inside, because it was raining.  Inside seating is more limited, but we found a seat with no problem.  The waitress brought us menus.  We both asked for coffee and a glass of water.

We got cheeseburgers.  Steven got fries with his, which he graciously shared with me.  I’m trying to lose weight so should stay away from such things, but sometimes I cannot resist.  They were very good french fries.

I noticed some good-sounding breakfast items on the menu.  Cucina Berto serves breakfast all day, so I can return at any time to try those.  I probably will.

Cucina Berto is located at 143 Marina Park Dr., Frankfort, NY, phone number 315-717-7724.  For more information you can visit their website at https://cucinaberto.wordpress.com/.  You can also Like them on Facebook.

 

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Post-Parade Pizza

Posted on July 28, 2016 by mohawkvalleygirl

Last Friday after the Doodah Parade in Ilion, some of us were quite hungry (yes, I am pretty much always hungry, what’s your point?).  We adjourned to Salvatore’s in Herkimer for some food and drinks.

I think the waitress remembered me from other visits, because she asked right away if I was thinking of a glass of wine.  I ordered Pinot Grigio.

“And a glass of water?” she asked.  It’s nice to be a regular.

I ordered a cheeseburger (I know the headline says “pizza,” but I wasn’t thinking about alliteration when I ordered).  I asked if I could substitute pasta salad for french fries.  I could.  Steven got fries with his burger, so I got to try a few anyways (diet?  What diet?).  I also tried a couple of sweet potato fries that one of our friends ordered.  Yum!  Other friends got pizza and wings.  We have enjoyed Salvatore’s pizza and wings many times, usually getting them delivered.

We ended up pushing a couple of tables together as more friends showed up after we had sat down.  Nobody minded.  The dining room was not busy, perhaps because it was later than the normal dinner hour.  The place continued to do a large take-out business, as usual.  It sure is good food!

We always have a good time when we eat at Salvatores, and have a great meal when we order delivery.  Salvatore’s is located at 650 1/2 W. German St., Herkimer, NY, phone number 315-866-2600.  For more information you can visit their website at http://www.salvatores-herkimer.com/. You can also Like them on Facebook, where they usually share their daily specials.

 

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