Category Archives: local business

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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Fun Breakfast

Posted on July 19, 2013 by mohawkvalleygirl

Last Sunday Steven had the day off, which is rare, and we had a lot of cleaning to do in our recently flooded basement, which these days is not the least bit rare. We still were not able to cook on our stove, and we needed sustenance before we began. I offered to cook scrambled eggs in the microwave, but Steven said, “Let’s go out.” Where to go?

I have often driven by the Family Fun Center, a bright purple and fuchsia Victorian-looking building (not that I know from architecture) on Main Street in Mohawk, NY, but never ventured in. I thought it was more a place that families went for parties or activities or, you know, fun. I knew they did a Friday Fish Fry, because a sign out front says so. A co-worker said they did a good breakfast, so after debating where to go on Sunday, we decided to check it out.

It’s often problematic to go out for breakfast on a Sunday, because this is probably the most popular day for breakfast out. I do hate fighting a crowd. I said if we could find a parking space, we could probably find a seat. As we walked in the back door (we tried the front, but a sign there said to use the back), a little girl immediately said, “Hi!”

“It is a fun center,” I said, after returning the greeting. We sat in a booth and looked around.

It is an old house with large rooms and an ornate ceiling that I admired. The dining room is brightly painted and decorated with retro and antique Coca-Cola memorabilia. I do enjoy a restaurant with cool things to look at. Adjoining the dining room is a room with a pool table and video games. I did not walk in and check out what all they had, but it looked like a fun center to me.

I ordered an egg sandwich on a roll with bacon, egg and cheese. Steven got eggs over medium with bacon, toast and some very yummy potatoes (I tried them). We had a strenuous day of basement cleaning ahead of us, but we felt we had fueled up for the endeavor.

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Help from the Belly Up

Posted on July 17, 2013 by mohawkvalleygirl

I realized I had neglected to write about a Mohawk Valley adventure Steven and I had the Saturday before last. We went to the Belly Up Pub in Herkimer, NY for their Summer Saturday, which on July 6 was also a fundraiser for victims of the recent flooding in the Mohawk Valley.

We went to a previous Summer Saturday and enjoyed it very much (perhaps you read my blog post about it). We may not have attended another that Saturday, what with our own flooded basement blues, but we felt we should support the cause. Also, blues notwithstanding (or maybe because of the blues), I thought it would benefit me to get out of the house for the evening.

We stopped for dinner first at Crazy Otto’s Empire Diner, handily located just a few doors down. After filling up on burgers and homemade chips (or is that a misnomer: homemade in a restaurant?) we repaired to the Belly Up.

It was early enough to easily find a table inside (tall bar tables such as I love). We figured we could go outside for dancing later if we decided to. For the moment, the air conditioning felt good.

It continued to feel good, and we ended up not going outside at all. DJ Big Poppa was spinning tunes. We enjoyed his selections. Our friends Phyllis and Jim joined us, and we had a fine time visiting and making silly jokes (two of my favorite pastimes). At one point we saw somebody setting up a camera.

“And me having a bad hair day,” I lamented. This, of course, was another silly joke. I have only one kind of hair day since my St. Baldrick’s Day adventure in June. It’s actually now about a half inch long (haven’t measured). I think it looks cute, although I may be flattering myself.

I didn’t pay too much attention to the camera after that, but I guess they did interview somebody. A fellow I work with saw it on the news and said Phyllis and I were in the background. I knew there was a reason I should watch my local news on Sunday.

We later learned the evening raised over $1,800, to be donated to the United Way CNY Flood Recovery Fund. This is especially good news, as it seems FEMA is not going to come through with help for individuals. In light of that, I’m wondering if we will see fundraisers in other venues. Way to set the example, Belly Up Pub!

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Dinner and the Laundry

Posted on July 11, 2013 by mohawkvalleygirl

I mentioned in passing that Steven and I went to the laundromat yesterday (Tuesday). I thought I’d give that local business a proper plug today.

Colonial Laundromat in Ilion is located at 59 Central Ave, about two blocks into town coming off State Route 5. It’s clean and large, with various capacity machines.

We picked the biggest machine for things that had been in the basement during the flood and two of the next-largest for other things. We utilized one of the four change machines to supplement our supply of quarters. Another patron pretended it was a slot machine and cheered getting a big pay-off. That is one of my favorite laundromat jokes.

As I said, it is a nice clean business. A young lady was going around with a squirt bottle and rag, making sure it stayed that way.

Even though doing laundry involves a great deal of sitting around, we were working up an appetite. As our clothes tumbled in the drier, I realized the operative thing to do was to order food for us to pick-up on the way home. This entailed some discussion, because of course we had not planned ahead and, for example, stored any restaurant numbers on my cell phone or even written them in my notebook.

“If restaurants around here were smart,” I said, “they’d hang up fliers in here, so people doing laundry could say, ‘Oh, let’s eat here when we’re done!'”

Hmmm, no fliers. Finally Steven asked the young lady with the squirt bottle did she have a phone book. She did. I made the call, to Sorrento’s, right across the street, at 86 Central Ave.

When the lady heard where we had ordered, she said if she had known, we could have looked at her menu. She orders from there a lot. It didn’t really matter. I had known all day what I wanted for dinner: antipasto salad and garlic wings.

A short time later, as Steven went into Sorrento’s to get our food and I waited in the vehicle, I realized we hadn’t even needed to bother her for the phone book. There was the phone number right on the sign: 315-894-9991. We could have looked out the window and seen it.

So going to the laundromat was not so bad, especially with our reward of a yummy supper.

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