Tag Archives: coffee

Another Stop at the Java Shop

Posted on August 5, 2026 by mohawkvalleygirl

I treated myself to a late but excellent breakfast at the Java Shop in Herkimer, NY.  At least, it was late for me.  I had been up since 5:30 (not an unusual time of rising for me), finished my article about the Herkimer Town Board meeting for the Daily Sentinel, and driven out to East Herkimer to take an appropriate picture.  This brought me to almost 9 a.m.  I decided to treat myself, put a little money into the local economy, and give myself something to blog about later.  This is how I multi-task.

I did not take this picture till I left.

I ordered the Drink of the Week, which was Raspberry Cheesecake.  I opted to have it as an iced coffee and, alas, forget what the other options were.  Fine reporter I am!  I had had two cups of regular coffee earlier, as I worked on my article but hoped the ice and extras would fool my stomach into thinking I had not had that much coffee after all.  Dylan, the young man getting my drink, opined that you cannot have too much coffee.  My brain and my soul agree, my stomach not so much.  I also got an Everything Bagel with cream cheese.

As I sat I worked on a letter to a friend, trying to remember if it was The Java Shop or Shoppe.  I always set the scene when I write a letter.  I checked the sign as I left, also taking the picture, which I have neglected to do the last few times I have been at the Java Shop.  My previous picture had some glare on it. I also noticed some outside seating.  Nice!

A place to sit another day.

The Java Shop is located at 402 Mohawk St., Herkimer, NY.  They are open Monday through Friday 7 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., Saturday 9 a.m. to 1 p. m.

 

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Another Good Breakfast

Posted on July 31, 2026 by mohawkvalleygirl

Thursday I met my Elks friends for breakfast at Marr Logg Restaurant in Utica, NY.  We had eaten there before and liked it.  I liked that I knew exactly where it was, having driven by it many times back in my National Guard days.  OK, I didn’t know EXACTLY where it was.  I knew which street it was on and drove slowly till I found it once again.

Bonnie held my leftovers while I took the picture when we left.

I was the first to arrive and staked out a large table.  There was an even bigger table with a Reserved sign on in, but I knew that wasn’t for us.  We never reserve.  For one reason, we are never sure how many of us are going to arrive.  I sat down, got coffee and glanced at the menu.

“I’m happy to see you’re open on Sunday,” I told the waitress.  “I often feel like breakfast on a Sunday and can’t find a place that’s open.”

She encouraged me to come, and said if the parking lot looked full to come in anyways.  “Sometimes eight people are meeting, and they all drive their own cars, so it’s not as busy as it looks.”  I promised to remember.

I was happy to see some friends show up soon, and Bonnie was REALLY happy to see the waitress with the coffee.  So was I, quite frankly.  I had been up since before six and hadn’t had a cuppa.  Of course I was quite indecisive as to what to get.  Everything looked so good!  At last I settled on two eggs over medium, hash browns and Italian toast.  I ended up taking most of the hash browns home. When I saw the omelets others had ordered, I made plans to order one of those next time.  At one point I had to take a picture of the chef I had taken a picture of last time.

A very patriotic fellow.

I remember taking a picture of him the other time we had been there.  I wonder if  I can find it in my Media Library, because I believe he was dressed differently.

There he is!

I love when a restaurant or other business dresses something for the season!  I will certainly suggest returning to Marr Logg in the fall to see what attire the chef spots then.

Marr Logg Restaurant is located at 1130 Culver Ave., Utica, NY.  They are open for breakfast and lunch Monday through Saturday and for breakfast only on Sunday.

 

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Stop Typing, Me, and Start Writing!

Posted on July 25, 2026 by mohawkvalleygirl

Hello and welcome to another Late and Lame Post.  I neglected to make my Lame Post Friday blog post on Friday, and here I am prior to 7 a.m. (I slept in) on Saturday, listening to my coffee lazily brewing, and thinking it would be good for me, if for nobody else, to try to type in something (as Truman Capote famously said, “That’s not writing, that’s typing.”

My current state of mind.

I throw in a picture to pep things up, as I like to do at these times.  I did not want to take the time to search my Media Library for either a coffee cup nor my one picture of typewriters (note to self: get more pictures of typewriters), but this one caught my eye.  It is me as the alleged murder victim at the end of A Revolutionary Murder.  I was supposedly blown up by a cannon (“canonized” as one cast member put it), and we all thought it would be funny if I came out at the end looking like this.

Ah yes, books.

Scrolling down my Media Library I came across this picture of the Little Free Library on the walking trail at the Town of Herkimer Park.  I put a couple of books in the Little Free Library at Valley Wine and Liquor yesterday when I stopped by for a wine tasting (good wines, yum!).  This is to remind me that I have not yet written that novel, although I have made a few false starts.

I guess it’s time to get myself going.  At least I have made a blog post, lame as it is.  Will I write anything today?  Will I even type another blog post?  A little uncertainty adds interest to my weekend.

 

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Throwing a Little Wild

Posted on June 19, 2026 by mohawkvalleygirl

Hello and welcome to another post from the couch.  It is a good day for a Throwback Thursday, I think.  I had a chance to go to breakfast with my Elks friends (the Breakfast Club, the son of one of the members calls it, I like that) but feared my leg would not cooperate.  I am in better spirits these last two days, because I managed to brew some coffee.  Two cups yesterday, and I am on my second cup today.  AAAhhhh!

Behind the coffee cup is my biggest fan.

I just scrolled all the way down and all the way back up my Media Library and could not find the picture of the coffee mug I am using.  I settled for Dyn’s Cider Mill, so I can plug an area business.  I just looked at their Facebook page and saw a post from July 2025 saying they would be closed for the upcoming year.  I wonder if that means they will be open sometime in 2026.  I can only hope.  And hope if they do open I can make my way over there.

I do not currently feel fresh as a daisy, alas.

I said this was going to be a Throwback Thursday, so I share this picture from June 2017 of my lovely front lawn daisies.  I missed the daisies and my peonies this year. Who knew the season for them would be so short?

A dignified group, yes?

This is a kind of guerrilla theatre group I was in in 2019, Mummers Along the Mohawk.  We performed at the Great American Irish Festival, the last year it was held in the Herkimer County Fairgrounds in Frankfort, NY. What fun it was.

The house had no tenants.

This was in 2020, a barren year for activities, theatrical or otherwise.  But I see I took time to decorate my front yard.  Why did I not do that again? Note to self: decorate the front lawn.  After I get rid of the dead daisies and peonies.

I see I am over 300 words.  That’s pretty good.  Coffee, theatre, daisies… I could bill this as a Non-Sequitur Thursday, too.  As always, I thank you for tuning in.

 

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Would Coffee Help?

Posted on June 13, 2026 by mohawkvalleygirl

Well, I am having a difficult time making my Lame Post Friday post.  I do not want to go on about my health woes, but I have some pain that comes and goes (mostly comes), and it keeps coming especially strong every time I sit down at my Chromebook to write.  Could it be psychosomatic?  I fear my post will be dull and boring so I am subconsciously trying to keep myself from making it?  It could be, but then, what am I subconsciously trying to prevent myself from doing the rest of the time?  Also, I am almost always afraid my posts will be dull and boring, yet I make them anyways.  Once again I say, what the hell, me?

At least she dies happy.

I add a silly picture to pep things up.  I personally have not had coffee or tea since Friday.  No wine, either (SAY IT AIN’T SO!!!!!).  When I do finally have a cuppa, I expect to enjoy it.

Pretty!

I add the Luna Moth because it is beautiful.  I was happy to get a picture of it while I was supposed to be working.

Who, me?

While searching for a third picture, I found Candice DeLong of Deadly Women and other true crime shows.  Last night while I was clicking around RokuTV, I found Deadly Women and watched a couple of episodes.  It is a total re-enactment-fest, which I don’t particularly like, but I loves me some Candice DeLong.

Reading over this post before I hit Publish, I think it reads like I haven’t had coffee in a week.  Maybe I’ll try for a caffeinated post tomorrow.

 

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My Java Reward

Posted on May 19, 2026 by mohawkvalleygirl

When you get your biggest chore done by eight o’clock in the morning, it is a beautiful thing.  That is the observation I made to the staff at the Java Shop in Herkimer, NY this morning after I made my order.

In fact I had more than just coffee.

I had written my article on the Herkimer Town Board meeting for the Daily Sentinel, taken a picture to go with it, and got them both emailed out.  I drank a cup of tea while I  wrote, just in case I decided to treat myself to breakfast out (must watch my coffee intake).  Of course I decided to treat myself.  I ordered a breakfast sandwich with ham and provolone on a toasted roll, because I enjoyed the last one so much.  I got a regular hot coffee.

A writer’s breakfast.

As I breakfasted (broke fast?), I worked on a letter to my friend Kim in Colorado.  I SO miss going on Mohawk Valley Adventures with her!  Dylan, the young man who brought my sandwich to me, asked if I was writing another murder mystery.  I remember Dylan from when he worked at the End Zone.  He remembered me coming in with my friend who had since moved away.  I was pleased to tell him I was talking to that very friend.

That does remind me I need to start working on the next murder mystery.  At least a good breakfast should help!

 

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A Little Help Waking Up

Posted on April 28, 2026 by mohawkvalleygirl

Last week when I was out and about and wanted to treat myself to a late breakfast, I finally went to Saturday Spreads in Frankfort, NY.  I was extremely happy I finally made it there.

I love a good coffee shop!

The cafe is located where the Knight Spot used to be.  They were open only for ice cream for the longest time and finally opened indoor seating.  They have remodeled the inside.  There is less seating than when it was the Knight Spot, but it is charming.  I ordered a coffee and an everything bagel with fancy toppings, then sat at a tall table (regular readers know I have a thing for tall tables).

They serve Utica Coffee, which has the memorable tag line, “Wake the Hell Up!”  Of course I love local, but this is also yummy coffee.  My bagel came with cream cheese, tomato, capers, red onion, and fresh dill.  It had a name but I foolishly did not make a note of it.  All the more reason to return!  The other reason being to try the other bagel toppings or treats they offer, and to drink some more coffee (I often need to wake the hell up).

For those who do not share my thing for tall tables.

Saturday Spreads is located at 264 Main St., Frankfort, NY, phone number 315-444-8151.

 

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It All Started with the Spider

Posted on April 15, 2026 by mohawkvalleygirl

I am having a Tired Tuesday Post.  It may even be construed as a Terrible Tuesday Post, but let us not become too dramatic.  Then again, drama is my life!  (Said with a dramatic gesture).

This morning there was a spider in my coffee.  Ew!  This is what happens when you do not examine your mug before adding coffee.  I have only myself to blame.  Full disclosure:  I drank the rest of the coffee, spider germs be damned.  I had to finish my story about the Ilion Village Board Meeting for Sentinel Media.  Caffeine helped.

As my day progressed, I needed to go to Ilion again to drop off a flier of my latest murder mystery, A Revolutionary Murder, at Morning Star Methodist Church.  While there I shopped at their Pay It Forward Thrift Store.  Alas, I did not take any pictures.

Later in the day, I walked to the post office to mail a note and post card, then on to the Herkimer Elks Lodge to reserve two tickets to the previously mentioned murder mystery.  Then I walked on to The End Zone Pub.  Just to say hello.

You can’t really see the new light.

While I was there, Brock, the owner, was placing a new light in the front display.  I took a picture, but as you see, not a very successful one.  What can one expect on a day which began with a spider in one’s coffee?

 

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Another Brew, Another Book!

Posted on April 14, 2026 by mohawkvalleygirl

This morning I had occasion to go to Little Falls, NY, so naturally I made a stop at Athenix Books and Brews, one of the all time coolest bookstores ever.  Nick, the owner, greeted me by name as I walked in, which is so flattering!  I had a box of books from my parents’ house and asked if he was still taking donations.  He said, “Always!”  This is good news for me, because I haven’t even started cleaning out my own library!

Lots of choices!

I was in need of a treat to ordered a Mocha with whipped cream and a deluxe brownie (it’s true:  I do not have weight-loss goals; I have weight-loss daydreams).  I sat down at a tall table and worked on a letter to a friend while I sipped and nibbled.  I really want to begin some more substantive writing projects than letters and post cards, but one does what one can, and I believe most people like to receive snail mail on occasion.

A very welcoming atmosphere.

Sometime I will have to come in with a friend, so we can sit on the couch to sip and chat.  After I had finished my treat, I naturally looked for a book and found one amongst the used books.  Reduce, reuse, recycle!

No, I did not purchase one of these books!

It has actually been a while since I had stopped into Athenix but I hope to stop in again soon.  As I was leaving, two ladies were entering.  “This is a great place,” I told them, and I could tell they were quite taken with it as they continued into the store.

Athenix Books and Brews is located at 624 E. Main St., Little Falls, NY, and is open daily.

 

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A Really Tiresome Tuesday

Posted on April 1, 2026 by mohawkvalleygirl

I really really want to do a Tired Tuesday post.  That is, I really really want to do a blog post and only feel capable of managing a Tired Tuesday.  At the risk of oversharing (it’s kind of a hobby of mine), tomorrow I am finally having a colonoscopy.  I guess some people start getting them at age 50, but I have always been kind of a late bloomer.  I tried to spend the last few days eating easy to digest food (as much as I could manage at the Elk of the Year Banquet), and today I am eating NOTHING SOLID.  What a struggle for a big fat pig like me!

Wednesday afternoon or Thursday will be OK with me, too.

Of course I have very little to complain about.  I can sit here and do nothing except not eat; I do not have to be at work, I do not have to be getting anything specific done.  Then again,  I always say go with your strengths: complaining is one of mine.

What I will feel like if I go too long without eating.  Or without coffee.

I went to look for a silly picture to cheer the post (and myself) up, and found this one.  How appropriate, yes?  My only hope is that I do all the prep properly, so nothing terrible happens, like having to reschedule or my butt exploding.  I try to keep myself from envisioning possibilities.

The other possibility, if I don’t get food and coffee at some point.

My sense of humor comes to my rescue as usual (what isn’t to laugh at Joan Crawford with an ax?).  I laugh at myself.  I sit here drinking tea, water, broth.  Later on I will have some GatorAde and that stuff they tell you to put in it.  I feel a little better now that I have expressed myself about the matter.  I hope you are all having a delightful Tuesday.

 

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