Category Archives: local business

Mmmmm… Tomatoes!

Posted on July 8, 2024 by mohawkvalleygirl

I recently had a conversation with a co-worker about how much better homegrown tomatoes taste.  Of course they are best out of one’s own garden, but a farm stand or farmer’s market can be an acceptable second.  Last Sunday I went to And Stuff of That Nature to feed my fresh tomato appetite.

Right there, inviting me to buy something!

The stand is handily located on State Route 5, between the Frankfort Bridge and Watkins Road.  There is space enough on the shoulder to pull over; you only have to be a little careful getting out on the driver’s side.

There are many choices available.

There are many vegetables to choose from, but tomatoes were what I mainly wanted.  I could also have gotten honey or a hanging basket of flowers or a dozen eggs.  Well, it isn’t that far from my house; I can easily return for more fresh goods.

Lots of choices!

I was tempted by the hanging baskets but was skeptical of my ability to remember to water one  This is another reason I am not as disappointed as I might be about not achieving my container garden.  In years past I have remembered to water.  These days I question myself.

And Stuff of That Nature is located at 3759 State Route 5, Frankfort, NY.  You can follow their Facebook page for updates about items available.

 

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Remember the Alamo?

Posted on June 24, 2024 by mohawkvalleygirl

Late posts lead to more late posts.  This is how bad habits start, or return as in this case.  I had two genuine Mohawk Valley Adventures yesterday, which is why I was too tired to post.  Yes, I need more vitamins, vegetables, or exercise. Or maybe a vacation.  AAaaahhhh… (pause for fantasy of sleeping in and doing nothing for days).

Be that as it may, yesterday afternoon I went with my friends Kelly and Jim to the matinee of The Savage Dilemma at Ilion Little Theatre.  It was really funny.  I not only laughed out loud at parts of it, I laughed out loud when I could tell a funny line was coming up.  Alas, I did not get any pictures.  Of course, we are forbidden to take pictures during performances by copyright laws and consideration for the actors.  Still I could have gotten a couple pictures of them still in costume after the performance.  Only I liked some of the Act I costumes best.

After the show, we went to The Alamo Bar and Grill in Poland, NY.  They wanted to take me someplace I hadn’t been, or at least hadn’t been often.  In fact, I had been there once for lunch a long time ago, so I was delighted to return.  We enjoyed the decor, and the food even more.  We shared loaded fries, which could have made us too full for our sandwiches.  Kelly had Brisket, while I had a Classic Burger.  Jim had a Slider Train, which included burgers with different stuffings.

None of my picture turned out very well.

All over were past-used tap tops (is there a better name for those things?).  We speculated that some of them might be valuable antiques.  We also liked the fake fish.  At least, I’m sure some of them were fake.  Some may have been real.

You can see more tap tops behind it.

I noticed a picture of an old stone fort. “What is that?” I asked, pointing, then immediately realized.  “Oh, it’s the Alamo.  Remember the Alamo?”  I said it in a conversational tone, not like a war cry.

It was a very enjoyable afternoon and evening.  The Savage Dilemma will be presented again next weekend at Ilion Little Theatre.. For more information, you can visit their website or Facebook page.

The Alamo Bar and Grill is located at 8773 S. Main St., Poland NY. You can also visit their Facebook page.

 

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Belated Shout-out to Great Music

Posted on June 16, 2024 by mohawkvalleygirl

I neglected to write a blog post about my visit to Fratello’s Pizzeria in Frankfort, NY, the Wednesday before last.  I went purposely to hear Phil Arcuri, one of my favorite local musicians.  I also had the idea that if I ordered a salad, I would have leftovers to bring for my lunch at work.  Both purposes were fulfilled to admiration.  I texted my friend Kathy to join me.  We sat at the bar as usual and had a wonderful evening.

From my Media Library.

I neglected to take my usual shot on my phone, which I share to Facebook urging others to come enjoy the music.  How remiss of me!  Those who were there heard some great music.  Phil was soon joined by a guest artist.

“That guy used to be mayor of Herkimer,” I told Kathy.  Kathy lives in Ilion, so I thought it was likely she did not know.

Never mind politics; this guy should go into entertainment!

The ex-mayor has a really good voice!  I was reminded his name is Tony Brindisi.  I am not so good at remembering names, unfortunately.

They had fun singing together.

I enjoyed my salad (and had enough left over for lunch), the music, and conversation with my friend.  Altogether a lovely evening.

 

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Tired Shout-Out

Posted on May 29, 2024 by mohawkvalleygirl

Can I make a Tired Tuesday post before I become too tired to do anything but go to bed?  I’m thinking yes.  The beauty part to a three day weekend is that it is usually followed by a four day week.  We like four day weeks.

I just returned from an enjoyable dinner with my bestie, Kim.  She is leaving the area in the next day or so (not precisely scheduled since she is driving), and I wanted to have one last nice dinner together.  We went to Salvatore’s in Herkimer, NY.

A good place to eat.

Well, that just took me forever to find a picture of Salvatore’s in my Media Library.  I keep thinking I am going to go through and index that Media Library, but every month the job becomes more onerous.  Hey, I just realized this picture is probably from December, because there are wreaths on the wall.  Then again, I know I also have some October pictures with harvest-colored decor.  I suppose I should get some more season pictures of the places I visit.

Our dinner at Salvatore’s was very enjoyable.  The food was delicious, and the service was friendly.  It is a favorite place of both me and Kim.  As I told the waitress, when Kim returns for a visit, we will surely stop at Salvatore’s.  In the meantime, I suppose I will go there by myself or with other friends.

Salvatore’s is located at 650 1/2 German St., Herkimer, NY, phone number 315-866-2600.

 

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Thanks, Weisser’s!

Posted on May 25, 2024 by mohawkvalleygirl

I suddenly remembered I wanted to give a shout-out and thanks to Weisser’s Jewelers in Herkimer, NY.  They helped me out with a gift recently.  Of course I could not make the post till I had actually given the gift, which accounts for the delay.

These guys are great.

My late, beloved husband Steven, had given me a couple of wonderful presents from Weisser’s, and I had visited the store myself, so I knew it would be a good place to find a nice present for my mother for her birthday.  I walked to North Main Street one Saturday morning and explained my mission.

There was a lot to see.

I looked around, admiring different necklaces, earrings, and bracelets.  I hesitated over some rosaries.  My mother collects them, so I thought one might be nice.  However, I was not sure what colors she has and did not want to give her a duplicate.

Who wouldn’t like a Herkimer diamond?

I was taken with the Herkimer diamond jewelry, some of which was paired with different months’ birthstones.  Ultimately, however, I decided not to go with Mom’s birthstone, emerald, because I thought she wore more blue than green.  I picked a beautiful, delicate necklace with a blue stone. Alas, I neglected to take a picture of it.  The nice lady offered to wrap it, which I was grateful for.

Mom liked her present, and I am thinking of returning to Weisser’s soon to purchase something for myself.  Maybe with a Herkimer diamond!

Weisser’s Jewelers is located at 246 N. Main St., Herkimer, NY, phone number 315-826-2544.  The are open 10 a.m. to 5:30 Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday.

 

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Family, Food and Fun at Asteroga

Posted on May 9, 2024 by mohawkvalleygirl

Wednesday night I walked down to Asteroga Ale House in Herkimer, NY, to meet some members of my family for dinner.  It was half price burger night. I got there a little early so sat at the bar and sipped a glass of wine while I waited. My sister Cheryl and my parents soon showed up, and we sat at a table.  We were joined by Cheryl’s daughter Kimi, Kimi’s boyfriend, Matt, and his daughter Athena.  We were a merry group, having a lot of laughs while we enjoyed our meal.

Kimi and Athena.

I had a cheeseburger with lettuce, tomato, and red onion, well done.  Athena had the same but no tomato, and added waffle fries to hers.  Mine came with homemade chips and a pickle.  Athena is particularly partial to pickles, as am I.  Kimi opted for a Reuben and regular fries.

Athena and Matt.

I forget what kind of burger Matt got, but it had an onion ring on top.  Cheryl got the bacon-mushroom-Swiss burger.  That sounded yummy.  Mom got the same, and Dad got an Italian burger.

Mom and Dad.

I did not take any pictures of the food.  Quite frankly, I was too interested in eating it.  My dining companions graciously agreed to have their pictures taken for the blog.

Cheryl and Kimi.

I took half my burger and some of the chips home, for future enjoyment.  It started to rain when I walked home. I often say, I ain’t sugar; I won’t melt.  Lately, however, I begin to wonder:  would I melt like the Wicked Witch of the West?  At least this time I survived to make the blog post.

 

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A Little Art, A Little Music…

Posted on April 18, 2024 by mohawkvalleygirl

I have just returned from the Renaissance Pub in Little Falls, NY, where I attended a Meet the Artist event with Oscar Stivala.

Oscar Stivala is a jazz trumpeter as well as an artist.  The Renaissance is displaying some of his works, and he was playing music tonight.  Some friends joined him.

They were awesome!

I sat at the bar and ordered a glass of wine.  Oscar was already playing with a guy on guitar.  He was soon joined by a man on bongos and then a woman on trumpet.  The music was wonderful.  As I sipped, I looked at his paintings, which I foolishly did not get any pictures of.  It took me long enough to get pictures of the musicians, because different ones played at different times.

Here were two without Oscar.

I was joined by my friend Angela Harris, who wrote Strike Story, a play I had the honor of being in a few years ago.  She also wrote the cheese plays that were part of Little Falls Cheese Festival.  She is working on one for the next festival.  If there is a part for me, I assured her of my willingness to participate. We were soon joined by a couple other friends, and it was a very nice evening.

Here are Oscar and another musician whose name I did not ask.

I did not get the names of the other musicians playing.  My bad.  I hope to go to the Renaissance Pub again and write more blog posts about it.  I would also like to blog more about Oscar Stivala’s music and art.  However, for today, this will have to do.  Once again, I thank you for tuning in.

 

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A Fine Start to the Weekend

Posted on April 13, 2024 by mohawkvalleygirl

I don’t always go to the tastings at Valley Wine and Liquors in Herkimer, NY, but I had to go yesterday, when they were sampling F%&*(ing Good Wine (they spell out the word on the bottle).  Who could resist?  I have also been inconsistent in making blog posts about the tastings I have attended.  However, in chatting with Dave, the pourer (is there a technical term for that person?  I think there is, but I do not know it), I mentioned my blog, and he seemed so impressed that I feel almost obligated to write this post.

He was very cool.

Alas, he had only one wine to sample, Pinot Grigio, but I liked that quite a bit.  Pinot Grigios tend to be  almost middle of the road to me, even semi-sweet at times.  This one was dry and tasty. I purchased a bottle, for future consumption with my sister who also likes dry wine.

Luckily for me, Dave was also pouring samples of Talk House canned cocktails.  Talk House is a bar on Long Island, actually more than a bar but also a venue for music and events.  A female entrepreneur wanted to bring the taste of Talk House to the world.  I remarked how canned cocktails are a wonderful thing for going to the beach, on picnics, etc.  Cans are safer than bottles, and the cocktails are already mixed.

I tried Blood Orange and Grapefruit Tequila, the latter earning my ultimate accolade of Yummy.  Although I am not big on vodka, I also tried Cranberry, Lime, and Hampton Mule Vodka.  Dave also mixed a little of the Lime with the Hampton Mule, because that is the way he likes it.  My favorite was the Hampton Mule, but it was not something I would crave.  I purchased a four-pack of the Grapefruit Tequila.  If it gets warm enough for porch sitting next week, I am all set (this weekend is predicted to be cold and rainy).

As I paid for my purchases, I chatted with the cashiers, saying how this was a fun way to start the weekend.  I like to try something new, but even more I enjoy chatting with the pourers, who are always friendly and often full of stories about the products they sell.

Valley Wine and Liquor is located at 326 S. Caroline St., Herkimer, NY, phone number 315-867-5800.  They have tastings most Friday evenings and Saturday afternoons.

 

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It Is Not a Headache to Find Mohawk Valley Adventures

Posted on February 10, 2024 by mohawkvalleygirl

Thursday turned into a real Blogger’s Sick Day as I left work with a dreadful migraine.  And then I had to deal with some stuff I did not want to deal with, with a headache or at all.  Oh dear, that sounded mysterious since I do not intend to explain.  Regular readers know I consider explanations tiresome.  Never mind. Suffice it to say (I love that expression, “suffice it to say”), I dealt with stuff, competently or otherwise, continued to deal with stuff Friday afternoon, and it is now Saturday morning when I hope to make my Lame Post Friday Post.

Full disclosure:  I have another headache.  However, it is not a migraine, and I have reasonable hopes it will go away, if not with coffee, perhaps with food and an OTC pain reliever.  Enough about me; on with the post.  Which may also be about me, but you will have that with a personal blog.

I don’t usually whine when I wine.

This is a shot from a wine tasting at Valley Wine and Liquor in Herkimer, NY.  It was Bully Hill, a New York State wine, obviously something near and dear to my heart.  There is a tasting today of Menage a Trois wines, another favorite.  I thought a picture of local interest and a preview of coming attractions would be a nice change form my beloved monster pictures.

Fun bartender at a fun bar.

Here is Tino, one of my favorite bartenders at the End Zone Pub, also in Herkimer.  I was there last night (not long enough to be the source of this morning’s headache, I don’t think, unless my capacity has gone WAY down in just the last few months) (SAY IT AIN’T SO!!!).  It is easy walking distance from my house, which is nice.  It also tends to get a nice clientele.  I had a great conversation with some folks I just met.  So there is another shout-out to a local business.

They were nice!

Speaking of nice people I just met, this picture was right there when I returned to my Media Library.  This was a couple who sat next to me at the bar on a busy night at Fratello’s Pizzeria in Frankfort.  The husband said, “We’ll be your new acquaintances.”  We had a lovely visit.  I gave the wife a piece of my garlic bread with mozzarella.  The husband gave me one of his bucket of beers.  We enjoyed the music of Tom Maneen.

Well, this has turned out to be not such a lame post after all.  I wonder if I ought to bill it as a Scattered Saturday instead.  In any case, over 400 words and three pictures, I call it a post.  Thank you for tuning in.

 

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Music, Food and Friendship

Posted on February 3, 2024 by mohawkvalleygirl

When I picked up my Chromebook to make my Wednesday blog post early Thursday morning, my internet suddenly and mysteriously vanished.  Long story short, the problem was solved last night (Friday), I hope, and here I am  ten finger typing on my couch Saturday morning, no coffee yet, surprisingly enough.

What I had meant to blog about two days ago was a trip to Fratello’s Pizzeria in Frankfort, NY for music, food and good company.  My friend Kathy texted me to see if I was going out.  I had wanted to but felt undecided about it.  Her text decided me and soon we were sitting at the bar, waiting for the music of Max Scialdone.

A little blurry, but it will have to do.

I took my usual photo with my phone to post on Facebook, encouraging others to join us.  I do that almost every time, and nobody has ever accepted my invitation. However, some of my Facebook friends like to know I am out enjoying local music.

I ordered a steak and cheese wrap.  Cabernet Sauvignon went well with it.  Kathy drank beer but was not hungry.  She was there for the music and the company.  We had a nice visit.

It really does say Max Scialdone.

A couple other patrons remarked about Max’s name in lights. I had noticed the sign unlit when we walked in.  I tried to get a picture of it with my Tablet.  Alas, it did not turn out well, but I figured I could just tell my blog readers that it said Max Schialdone.  I will try to get a better picture at a future time.

Kathy and I were both glad we had gone out.  No doubt we will do so again.

 

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