Another Yummy Interlude

We needed to get my husband Steven a ticket for the Great American Irish Festival in Frankfort, so we headed to the Price Chopper in Little Falls.  Of course I cannot go to Little Falls for just one thing, so we also got a mid afternoon snack at Ruggiero’s Trattorio.

One of my favorite places for drinks and food.

We have eaten there before.  Our favorite place to sit is the bar, which is where we sat today.  We had some Chardonnay.  I got a bowl of French Onion Soup while Steven had a slice of pizza.  I had a bite or two of his pizza.  It had sausage, peppers and mushrooms. Yum!  I adored my soup. It felt so good on my stomach!

Steven enjoying a sip or two.

A fellow sat two seats down from us at the bar and gave the bartender a bottle of blueberry beer.

“I have to love a guy who pulls a bottle of beer out of his pocket.” I told him.

He told us how he likes to try different kinds of beer, but you often have to purchase a six- or twelve-pack at a time, so he sometimes gives some away to people he thinks will like them.  I referred him to Beer Belly Bob’s in Ilion, because he has a rack where you can mix and match a six-pack of craft beers.

We had a fun time there. I also got a picture of our bartender Carly.

A good bartender with one of my favorite names.

Ruggiero’s Trattorio is located at 546 E. Main St., Little Falls, NY, phone number 315-823-1414.  They are open Tuesday through Saturday from 11 a.m to 9 p.m., Sunday noon to 7 p.m.

 

Pedestrian Post for Wuss-out Wednesday

Have I used that title before?  I don’t care if I did.  Without going into tiresome details, I am in a mood to wuss out.   Come to think about it, I have pretty much been wussing out since June.  Judge me if you would like to.  It is immaterial to me.

Anyways, my husband Steven and I took a short walk earlier.  I took my trusty Tablet in hopes of getting enough pictures for a blog post.  First I tried to get a shot of the Lutheran Church on the corner of German and Henry.  The bright sunlight hindered me.

I run by this church almost every day.

Hmm.  Not well centered but at least it’s not backlit.  I did not have any more photo-ops on the walk so tried to pad things out with some shots of the lawn.  If only I had done more yard work (refer to earlier remark about wussing out all summer) (and no, computer, I do NOT mean “sussing”!).

The best bloom so far.

Our Black-Eyed Susans have had a lot of greenery but few blooms so far.  I am seeing a lot of buds, though, so things may improve.  That patch also has chives, some of which I put in a macaroni salad earlier (ooh, I could have done a cooking post!), and an unidentified plant which I just noticed today.

If they bloom I’ll take another picture.

 

Next I got a shot of our Rose of Sharon, also not blooming.

At least it’s too big to get mowed accidentally.

We planted another plant when we did the Rose of Sharon, but I do not know what it is called.

It turns red in the fall.

Then I noticed some purple flowers I had not seen before, amongst the sadly overgrown stuff near the fence.

Can you see the fence starting to fall? I’ve been meaning to fix that.

Also never planted by us are some Brown-Eyed Susans.  They first showed up a few years ago and there seem to be a lot of them now.

Also not blooming yet.

Now I see that title really does not fit the post.  And yet I cannot think of anything better.  Oh well, sometimes I have elements of Non-Sequitur Thursday on Wuss-out Wednesday.   It happens.  I prefer to look on the bright side: I’m closing in on 400 words, after not feeling able to frame a sentence earlier.  Can better blog posts be far behind?   I hope you’ll stay tuned to see.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Another Yummy Meal

I continue my posts about last Saturday’s Mohawk Valley Adventures with yet another shout-out to one of my favorite local spots, Salvatore’s in Herkimer, NY.

After leaving Little Falls after the Cheese Festival,  Steven, Kim and I were feeling peckish.  Salvatore’s sounded good.  As we walked in we saw our friend Thom, who played The Man With The Music in Where’s the Cheese Monger?, the Cheese play I referenced in yesterday’s post.  Of course we all sat together.

My dining companions.

Thom had a slice of pizza and a beer.  I had a chicken wrap sandwich with pasta salad.   Steven had a fish sandwich with fries.  I completely do not remember what Kim had, but she drank Moscato while Steven and I enjoyed Chardonnay.

As we sat there, Thom said something to Salvatore behind the corner.

“Are you THE Salvatore?”  I asked.  I had never met him.  Naturally I wanted to take a picture.

The man responsible for many great meals!

We had a fun time as always.  I know I have given many shout-out to Salvatore’s.   At least it makes a change from whining about how I can’t make a blog post today!

Salvatore’s is located at 650 1/2 West German Street,  Herkimer NY, phone number 315-866-2600.  They are open Monday through Thursday from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., Friday and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.

 

Mmmmmm… Meeples!

I just realized I did not write about a couple Mohawk Valley Adventures I had last Saturday in conjunction with the Little Falls Cheese Festival.  In lieu (that’s one of my favorite words) of my usual Monstrous Monday, therefore,  I will give a brief shout-out to Meeples Mug House.

In between performances of Where’s the Cheese Monger? (remember, that play I directed?  I believe I wrote a blog post or two about it) I went in search of a cold drink. I ended up at Meeples, where I had my first ever chocolate egg cream.  Yum!

While I drank, I sat at a tall table (I love sitting at a tall table) and tried to write, with I admit indifferent success.  I also watched two young men making shaved ice. It looked pretty good, especially on such a hot day.  Their business is called Sweet Chillz.

Sweet Chillz.

I came back after the play and took a few pictures.  I also had another egg cream.

It was a very popular item.

You can’t really see it, but the line went way back.

A frantic moment behind the counter.

Naturally I wanted a picture of Laura and Matt, who own the place.

My dates for the afternoon.

My husband Steven and friend Kim  joined me for my second visit to Meeples.  Alas that I cannot go back again for a few days.  They are open 5 to 9 p.m. Thursday, 5 to 10 p.m. Friday,  2 to 10 p.m. Saturday and 2 to 8 p.m. Sunday.   Meeples is located at 598 E. Main St., Little Falls NY, phone number 315-868-7488.

 

Slacker Sunday? Or Cinema? Whatever!

Is Slacker Sunday a thing or does this have to be a Sunday Cinema post?   I don’t know why I’m asking.  This is my blog and I make the rules.  Full disclosure: I have had a couple of drinks.  Judge me if you are so inclined.

We began the relaxing portion of our Sunday out on our deck, enjoying a lovely breeze and watching some laundry flap.  How I love my clothesline and am so grateful to my parents for giving it to me.

Eventually we went back into the house and pu in our DVD of Death on the Nile, one of our star-studded Agatha  Christies (ooh, that autocorrect burns my buns!  “What the” instead of “Agatha”?  And “buns”  instead of “burns”?  What the Hell?).

After Death on the Nile, we enjoyed Rope, an Alfred Hitchcock,  but not one of his more prominent films. Now we are watching The Giant Gila Monster, from our collection of 50 Horror Classics. I can’t say I am particularly enamored of the flick, but I’m the one who picked it.

I feel sorry I can’t share pictures of these movies, but it is not so easy on the Tablet as it is on the laptop.   We all know I am not as technologically adept as one could wish.  However, this is Wrist to Forehead Sunday.  I swoon on my metaphorical chaise lounge and hope for a better post tomorrow.

 

Doing the Doodah

We do the Doodah!

I open with a picture, because this post is going to be heavy on the illustrations,  light on words.  I am one tired blogger, but I hate to miss a day, so here we are on Slacker Saturday.  At least I didn’t slack out of being in the parade.  I did, however, slack to the extent of riding on the float instead of walking behind it.

For those of you just tuning in, the occasion was the Doodah Parade, part of the Ilion Days festivities.  I participated, as I have for the past three years, with Ilion Little Theatre.

Here’s a colorful pair.

I took all my pictures before the parade, as we milled around waiting to get started.  It was very warm and humid, but at least it had stopped raining.

My friend, Kim, looking gorgeous as usual.

Ilion Days’ theme this year was Clowning Around Ilion, so we had a circus-themed float.  However, we were invited to dress any way we liked.

We had a variety of get-ups.

I see now  I did not get as many pictures or as good pictures as I should have.  However, you’ll have that, especially when you’re dealing with me.

A lot of the kids had red noses.

A candid shot.

And another group shot.

I took this group shot, then the guy who drove the truck said I should be in the picture,  so he took the picture at the beginning of the post.

Ooh, look at this, I am over 200 words.  Maybe I’m not such a slacker after all.  Oh, I probably am.

 

Pre Parade Post

So I decided to do the Doodah.  Somebody pointed out to me the 5Ks are plentiful, but Doodah Parades are few and far between.

I am sitting on my couch, thankful for fans, trying not to sweat too much.  I have a rather foolish costume on, one I made up at the last minute.  My main criteria was that it be light colored and light weight.  It is a stinking hot humid day.  Seriously,  the meteorologist and anchor on this morning’s news agreed the word for today’s weather is “gross.”

No matter, I will enjoy the parade, and I hope the parade viewers will enjoy me.  I intend to ride on the float, in shade if possible, and give the beauty queen wave to all.

I suppose you are all wondering what my costume looks like.   Well, I am terrible at doing selfies.  Maybe I can get somebody at the parade to get a shot that I can include in a post parade post.  Oh well, maybe I could try.  Let me get my tiara back on.

My arms aren’t long enough to get the whole outfit.

You can’t see all the fringe.  If anybody asks what I’m supposed to be, I’m going to say I’m a member of the Lunatic Fringe.  Oh, I also still have on my reading glasses, not my fabulous pair.

Anyways, I see I am over 200 words.  And it is Lame Post Friday.   On to the Doodah!

 

To Doodah or Not to Doodah

I thought of that title while I was running this morning, and I like it.

The Doodah Parade is part of the Ilion Days festivities in Ilion, NY.  Full Disclosure: the Days have been going on since July 13, and I have missed them all so far.  What the heck was I doing last weekend? Probably drinking wine.  Judge me if you so choose.

Anyways, for the last three years I have participated in this deliciously named parade with Ilion Little Theatre.   Last year I was a wizardry witch.  That is, I wore the silly wizard costume I had worn in May for a March of Dimes event but paired it with a silly witch hat I have had for some years.  And I had two wands, because my friend Kim gifted me one that day.

Me at last year’s parade.

 

The previous year I dressed as Dorothea Doodah, a character of my own invention.  The first year I participated I dressed as a pirate.  I don’t have any pictures of the other Doodahs, but I may have one of me as a pirate, when I revived the costume for a parade in Little Falls.

I’m the one on the right.

Clearly my main problem with being in the parade tomorrow is that I must come up with a costume. Of course it is perfectly acceptable to repeat a costume, but it is more fun not to.  I could probably come up with something.

Also on the Don’t Do It side is my desire to run in a 5K in Ilion on Saturday.   Many people can do both.  I am not of their number.   Again, judge me if you will. I felt after my run this morning that I am in fine 5K shape.  And so I dither.

My silly wizard costume, which I include for your further entertainment.

I have really been enjoying running lately.  But I always enjoy dressing up in a costume.  Could I do both?  Will I end up doing neither?  As always, I hope you’ll stay tuned.

 

Walk to a Watering Hole on Wuss out Wednesday

Today’s post will be part Wuss-out Wednesday part shout-out to a local business,  It has been such a sticky-icky day there was not much I could do.  Earlier I went to Salvation Armani, as it is sometimes called, and found a couple pieces for my costume for Mummer’s Along the Mohawk.  Sometime later, I walked downtown, and that will form the basis of my blog post.

I planned to cash in a couple lottery tickets, mail a letter, and have a drink at a local watering hole.  I did not take many pictures along the way.

It doesn’t look like much right now, but…

 

I took a picture of the space where Glory Days used to be, because I noticed the bushes growing.  I thought it might be nice to document how they looked before they took over the whole space.

I continued my walk,  taking no further pictures before I arrived at one of my favorite watering holes, the End Zone Pub and Grub.  I sat at the bar and ordered a glass of wine.  Eventually my husband  Steven joined me.

We had the place to ourselves for a while.

We had to wait a while for the kitchen to start cooking,  but that was OK.  We spent some of the time chatting with the owner, Brock.

Two handsome men.

Eventually we had cheeseburgers which were yummy.   We enjoyed our time at the End Zone Pub and Grub,  and now we are home.  Happy Wednesday,  everyone!

 

Diamond Days Are Coming!

I just got back from a meeting with the Business and Professional Association of Herkimer about the Herkimer Diamond Days Festival Aug. 2 and 3, 2019.  I may be a volunteer.

All kinds of events are planned, most of which take place on North Main Street in Herkimer, NY.  There will be food trucks, vendors and live music. Events run from 5 p.m. to midnight on Friday and from, 10 a.m. to midnight on Saturday.

The festival will feature lots of entertainment.  Jenny & The Buckshots play from 8 p.m. to midnight on Friday.  On Saturday, Scott Raymond is scheduled from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., Lauren Quail from 3 to 5 p.m., and The Dead Bolts from 8 p.m, to midnight.  Additionally, the Happy Haggs and the Dance Center will perform.  Other groups may yet be added (maybe a group I am involved with, but no promises).

Further up Main Street the Herkimer County Historical Society will offer tours of the museum and a book sale in the Eckler House.  The 1834 Herkimer County Jail will also offer tours.  In Meyer’s Park, just two blocks from Main Street,  the Herkimer Elms Lodge will host their annual car show from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

I am still wondering how I can volunteer, and deciding which attractions I want most to enjoy.  If any of my local readers want to get involved, as a volunteer, vendor or entertainer, you can contact the Business and Professional Association of Herkimer at www.HerkimerBPA.com or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/herkimerspoppin/