Category Archives: local business

Post-Christmas Shop Talk

Posted on January 10, 2014 by mohawkvalleygirl

I seem to remember NOT giving a shout-out to some of the places where I Christmas shopped, because of fear some recipient would have his or her surprise spoiled (could I have obviated the danger with a well-place Spoiler Alert?)(too late now). Well, Christmas is over, presents have been opened, I’m even almost over my post-Christmas letdown. Let’s talk shopping.

The Remington Country Store in Ilion, NY, is a fun place to shop. It is located on Catherine Street, attached to Remington Arms. You walk through the Remington Museum to get there (also worth a visit, but today we’re talking about shopping).

I got all my nieces and nephews Remington t-shirts. I decided to channel my Grandma, who used to get all her grandkids the same thing. Convenient, and you can’t be accused of playing favorites. Grandma used to divide by gender, but I decided to go gender neutral and get everybody the same thing (I could further discuss this decision with some half-baked philosophy on Lame Post Friday).

Full disclosure: my nephews may have felt ripped off, because I got them Remington t-shirts last year. I was still dividing by gender at the time. See, I’m still evolving.

I also got a green Remington beer glass for my Dad. He likes to drink his beer out of a glass, sometimes frosted in the freezer. For my Mom, I got some notecards with Jim Parker prints, and a Remington pen. My Mom writes a lot of letters and sends cards on many occasions.

There are many more items for sale at the Country Store. I don’t imagine I’ll wait till next Christmas to shop there again. The store is open from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. For more information call 315-895-3200 or 800-243-9700 or visit wwwshopremingtoncountry.com.

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Love that Sausage Gravy

Posted on January 8, 2014 by mohawkvalleygirl

Mohawk Diner recently moved to new digs (I thought I wrote a blog post about it, but now I can’t find it. Oops). I noticed that their old digs, on Main Street in Mohawk, NY, is now Liz’s Mohawk Diner. Saturday morning I checked it out.

We know Liz from other diners.

“Is Steve on his way?” she asked me as I sat down.

“No, he has to work,” I said sadly. I’m going to suggest he go there on a day off soon, even if it has to be without me.

The place looks spiffy and bright. I admired the chicken-themed decor and perused the specials board. I decided to get eggs over medium and home fries with sausage gravy. The special included coffee and toast made with Heidelberg bread. Yum!

I really enjoyed the home fries with sausage gravy. The gravy was made with lots of sausage, and the potatoes were cooked to perfection.

The place has the kind of hometown diner atmosphere I love. The patrons and Liz were cracking jokes back and forth.

“Pay the waitress,” Liz told one.

“You know she’s a pain,” he answered.

Liz did know. “That’s why I hired her.”

She wasn’t a pain; she was a good waitress. And Liz is an excellent cook. It was a fine breakfast. Liz’s is open 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. for breakfast and lunch.

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New Year, New Shoes

Posted on January 7, 2014 by mohawkvalleygirl

Saturday I made my yearly visit to Melfe’s Shoes in Ilion, NY, for steel-toed work shoes.

The store is located at 64 Central Ave. I parked in Sorrento Pizzeria and Restaurant lot (hmmm, haven’t eaten there in a while; that would make a good blog post) (preview of coming attractions).

I felt fortunate to arrive at a time when the store was not too busy. However, I have also been there at busy times. The staff is very good at getting everybody taken care of.

A nice lady named Vicki took care of me. While she brought out 7 1/2 Wides and I walked around in them, we chatted about the weather and the great outdoors. She likes to go fishing. That’s a sport I think I tried once in junior high. Might be time to try it again (I won’t say “preview of coming attractions,” because it might be a while) (unless I try ice fishing. Hmm…).

I was very happy with the shoes I picked and with the service I recieved. I also got a pink Melfe’s t-shirt. I will probably wear it to work. Melfe’s carries other foot gear than work boots. I may return soon to check out some of their other ware (ah, yet another preview of coming attractions).

For more information on Melfe’s Shoes, call 315-894-4049.

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A Stroll But Not a Shop

Posted on December 22, 2013 by mohawkvalleygirl

I think Saturday Pedestrian Post is going to be a thing, till the return of Saturday Running Commentary, of which I do not despair.

It is raining in the Mohawk Valley today (Saturday, as I said). My schnoodle, Tabby, does not like to walk in the rain. She will go a few feet, then stop and give me a look that says, “What are we doing out here?” She won’t even go into the backyard to do her business till she’s desperate. She will stand on the porch and look out at the wet landscape speculatively.

When it looked as if the rain had stopped for the moment, so we gave it a try. Of course it had started again by the time I had found a proper jacket (damn weather that changes every five minutes), got Tabby’s harness on and made sure I had poop bags. However, Tabby seemed to want to go, so we started out.

It was not raining very hard. We headed down Bellinger Street towards Church. I had an idea to walk to Main Street, so see if anything was going on with Herkimer Now’s Shopper’s Stroll. This was to be a Christmas event featuring specials at participating businesses, strolling carolers, horse and buggy rides, a live nativity and more. I figured a cute little dog with wet paws would not be welcome in a business, but I figured we could see some sights.

Tabby wanted to go a different way, but I convinced her and we made it to Main Street. The live nativity was to be later (preview of coming attractions), so things were quiet at Herkimer Reformed Church. It started to rain a little harder as we started down Main, but I didn’t get the Look from Tabby, so I hoped for the best.

There was the horse and buggy! Two beautiful Clydesdales pulled the covered wagon, first at a walk then at a trot. Tabby seemed very interested. Perhaps she wanted to make friends with the horses. Or she thought all the people getting a ride would probably like to pet her.

The rain tapered off but did not stop. We crossed the street to the old Glory Days, where some people were putting up murals. I had read about these in the paper. They were painted by local high school and elementary students. They are beautiful and certainly improve the appearance of that sad building. I complimented the people putting them up, and thanked them for doing it.

I would have liked to stop in a Weisser’s Jewelers. Steven got me a lovely ring there for an anniversary. I wonder if I could find a nice ring there for him. However, I kept my wet-pawed doggy out of there and kept walking. Likewise we stayed out of Mary Anne Mothers Designs. We greeted Santa Claus in front of Brian’s Roast Beef Deli. Some people were taking pictures with him.

We did not walk by all the businesses that participated, and I apologize for not giving a shout-out to everyone. However, if any of my lovely readers would like to know more about the Herkimer Shopper’s Stroll or about Herkimer Now, you can visit their website at www.herkimernow.com. You can also Like Herkimer Now on Facebook.

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Fun for Pets’ Sake

Posted on December 19, 2013 by mohawkvalleygirl

Saturday Steven and I went to the Antique Mall at 100 E. Main St. in Mohawk, NY for a fundraiser for 4PetSake.

4PetSake is a food pantry for pets. I don’t know much more about it than that, but anything that helps animals is OK in my book. Additionally, we had never been to the Antique Mall. It sounded like an excellent Mohawk Valley adventure.

The event ran till four. It was after two when we arrived (due to Steven’s work schedule). We checked out some of the antique vendors first. I love looking at antiques, except that it’s a little disconcerting when I see things that I remember very well from my childhood. I suppose I’m getting to be an antique myself, although I prefer the term “vintage” (and my readers who might be older than me, don’t worry: you’re vintage, too, and I’m sure we all improve with age) (any of my lovely readers, at any rate).

Eventually, Steven and I made our way to the 4PetSake people. Our first order of business was to put in for the Basket Raffle (also known as a Chinese Auction). As I made my selections, I heard some lovely Christmas music. Then I saw that it was a gentleman at the end of the room, singing into a microphone. When he paused, I approached him and told him how much I was enjoying it.

“I thought it was a CD,” I told him.

“It is.” He indicated where his background music was coming from.

“Oh, but your voice is so beautiful.”

“Thank you.”

“No, thank you.” It really added to the ambiance.

Steven and I also bought some treats at the bake sale as well as a couple of hot dogs. Before we left, we checked out a few antique vendors we had missed. It was a very enjoyable afternoon. We’ll have to check out the Antique Mall again, and we will definitely look for more 4PetSake fundraisers.

For more information on 4PetSake, call 315-796-2584, or email pet-sake@hotmail.com. You can also Like their Facebook page.

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Happy Anniversary, BUP!

Posted on October 10, 2013 by mohawkvalleygirl

I’ve given a shout-out to the Belly Up Pub before, but I feel it is appropriate to do so again, because they celebrated their one year anniversary last Saturday.

Herkimer Now posted the anniversary on their Facebook page and suggested people stop down to help celebrate following the Superhero Sprint. This sounded like a good idea to me. Steven worked till 4:30, so we made a plan to meet there.

The Belly Up Pub is located on 122 W. Albany St. in Herkimer, NY. The site hosted Albany Street Cafe when Steven and I first came to the area. Before that it was a place called Dineen’s. Dineen’s was open long enough ago that women were not allowed to stand at the bar. I would have a problem with that.

I left my house about quarter after four to walk down to the Belly Up. As usual, I felt a little guilty about walking anywhere without my dog, Tabby, but she’s not 21.

Sitting at the bar, I ordered a glass of wine and began writing a blog post (not this one). I wished the bartender a happy anniversary. Their real celebration did not start till six, with drink and food specials as well as live music later on, but Steven and I like to go to a bar early, when it’s not as crowded. We got to take advantage of the Happy Hour Specials.

I fell into conversation with some gentlemen that walked in after me, so I did not get much writing done. When Steven showed up, we ordered some appetizers, which saved me cooking dinner. The Appetizer Sampler includes your choice of fries: regular, sweet potato or eggplant. I chose eggplant, because you can’t get eggplant fries just anywhere. It came with two dipping sauces. Yum.

It was a very pleasant interlude. We hope to do it again soon, even without the excuse of wishing the Belly Up a happy anniversary. For more information on the Belly Up Pub, visit their website at www.bellyuppub.com. Or you can like their Facebook page.

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Breakfast with Rachel

Posted on September 2, 2013 by mohawkvalleygirl

I put Rachel’s name in the title, so she can pretend she’s famous. At least, perhaps she is famous in certain circles, but I don’t think my blog will increase her fame. I’m afraid my blog is a little rinky-dink compared to some. Still, I like it.

Where was I? Ah yes, forgoing Wrist to Forehead Sunday for once (I hope) to write a little about my breakfast with my friend, and to give another shout-out to Crazy Otto’s Empire Diner.

When Rachel told me she would be passing close enough to Herkimer, NY to stop for a brief visit, she suggested we meet at one of those yummy places I write about. Since we would be meeting for a latish breakfast, I thought she would like Crazy Otto’s.

Obviously, lots of people like Crazy Otto’s. They didn’t have a booth free, so we sat at the counter. I pointed out the Georgia license plate Steven and I contributed to the decor. She was suitably impressed.

After hearing the specials we perused the menu. I picked something I had never noticed before, French toast with coconut flakes. Rachel wanted pancakes with eggs. This came with choice of meat. The waitress recommended sausage, which I must say looked pretty good. I may have to have another meal at Crazy Otto’s soon so I can try it.

It was really wonderful to sit and talk with a friend I had not seen in years. I only felt bad that it was just a meal and not the whole weekend. I guess anybody who knows me knows I could talk for three days at a stretch, but I would have let Rachel talk, too.

As I write this (I am composing at the keyboard, just to give you the proper mental image), I feel a bout of Wrist to Forehead coming on. Rachel read yesterday’s post, where I said I would write a post about our breakfast. She expressed (via Facebook comment) that she was looking forward to reading what we talked about. I commented back that now I felt the pressure to come up with something profound. Well, everything Rachel says is naturally profound, but this blog, not so much.

Never mind, we had a lovely breakfast, and I hope it is not another eight years till we see each other again. If you are meeting a friend you saw eight years ago, or one you just saw yesterday, or eating breakfast by yourself, I recommend Crazy Otto’s Empire Diner. Their website is www.crazyottosempirediner.com. You can also like them on Facebook.

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Fun at the Mill

Posted on August 27, 2013 by mohawkvalleygirl

I thought I would write a little bit more about Sunday’s visit to the Fly Creek Cider Mill.

It is always an enjoyable drive from Herkimer to Fly Creek, over mountains with great scenic views. I looked at farmland, lakes and more. Luckily, Steven was driving.

We went into the main building while we waited for my sister and two nieces to arrive. I thought it couldn’t hurt to get a head start on some sampling. That is one thing I love about Fly Creek Cider Mill, lots of free samples. They have dips, sauces, spreads and more. My favorite this past Sunday was a spinach and artichoke dip, which they had heated up. We bought a jar of that.

We also tried a few of the wines. Hard cider was also available for sample, but I didn’t want to be greedy. The Mill is part of the Cooperstown Beverage Trail, which a lady gave us a booklet about. Could be a future blog post (or posts).

After the others had arrived, we had some more samples and wandered upstairs to look at the many gifts and decorations available. I almost feel it is too early to think about Christmas decorations, but, oh, I love all the Santas! Of course, it is never the wrong time for Halloween, as far as I’m concerned, so I thoroughly enjoyed looking at those things.

When we had browsed and tasted our fill, we made our purchases and went outside to see the animals. There are chickens, ducks and geese, walking around a fenced in area or swimming in what I think is Fly Creek. We fed them some corn, available in gumball-type dispensing machines for twenty-five cents. Note to self: bring more quarters next time.

Steven and I try to get to the Mill at least once every year. I hope to go again in a couple of months, when the drive down will be enhanced by the changing leaves.

Fly Creek Cider Mill is located at 288 Goose St., Fly Creek, NY 13337, phone number 607-547-9692. Their website is www.flycreekcidermill.com. You can also Like them on Facebook.

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Garlic for the Blog

Posted on August 15, 2013 by mohawkvalleygirl

Steven and I did a very little running around on Sunday, and already I was tired of it. I did NOT want to also stop at the grocery store. What did we REALLY REALLY need? Milk. Oh, they must have that at the drug store.

As we pulled into Rite Aid in Herkimer, NY, I noticed T & J Fruits and Vegetables next door. Of course I know T & J’s is right there. Last year I got some lovely purple flowers for my container garden, the one color I sorely lacked at the time (please don’t ask about my container garden this year) (I SAID DON’T ASK!).

“If we stop over there first,” I said. “I could write a blog post about it. Look, they have those hangy-uppy garlic things.” I meant the braids of garlic.

I usually buy supermarket garlic. At the Little Falls Garlic Festival last year an area grower expressed horror at the thought.

“It’s made in China!” he said. “Just buy what you need for the whole year right now.”

I did not. For one thing, the garlic braid I did buy didn’t stay good till I had used it all. I suppose I was supposed to dry it or freeze it or something. In any case, there is a sign right next to the Hannaford garlic that says, “Product of USA.” Perhaps not as local as it could be, but I make do. However, I was certain what they had at T & J’s would be more local.

T & J’s looks really cool on the inside, like one of those old grocery stores run by a little old Italian guy (there used to be at least a couple of those in Rome, NY). They have a great selection of produce. I almost got some tomatoes on the vine that looked divine, but since I had no plan for their immediate use, I refrained.

I asked if they had any shorter garlic braids than what I saw. They did not. I went out front and grabbed a long one. I will just have to use lots of garlic in the coming weeks. Shouldn’t be too difficult for me. Regular readers may recall I went right home and used some, for Wrist to Forehead Cooking (Sunday’s post).

T & J’s Fruits and Vegetables is located at 221 S. Caroline St., Herkimer, NY 13350. Phone number is 315-866-7272.

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Continuing the Fun

Posted on August 10, 2013 by mohawkvalleygirl

When Steven and I left the Balloon Farm Bed and Breakfast (see yesterday’s post), we were not ready to end our afternoon of fun. We decided to treat ourselves to a visit to the Waterfront Grille in Herkimer, NY.

The Waterfront Grille is located just across from the New York State Thruway exit, at Gems Along the Mohawk. Lil’ Diamond Cruises leave from there, and there is a delightful retail store that highlights many area businesses and attractions. I’ve plugged Gems Along the Mohawk before, and probably will again.

We sat at the bar and ordered drinks. I love looking out over the water. I hope to go on one of the cruises before the season is over. We discussed the possibility as we perused the menu. After much debate, we got two of the appetizer specials: bacon-wrapped artichoke hearts and grilled chicken wings. Yum!

Waterfront Grille’s actual address is 800 Mohawk St., Herkimer, NY. Their phone number is 315-717-0700.

This is quite a short post, even for a Lame Post Friday. I’ve been trying to think what I could add to it and, what a surprise, I got nuthin’. Not even a would-be witty comment on why I can’t think of anything. I suppose you’ll have that in the blogging business. Happy Friday, everybody.

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