Tag Archives: Little Falls NY

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.

 

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.

 

It Was Not a Cheesy Play

The reason I went to Little Falls, NY at 9:30 yesterday morning (as referenced in my earlier post) was that I was director of Where’s the Cheese Monger? the play written by Little Falls resident Angela Harris.  Our venue was the Little Falls Community Center.

I was a little worried about getting an audience despite the crowds outside at the festival.   I suggested one of us put on the cheese hat that was part of the set and stand outside the door inviting folks in.  I was willing to do it myself, but Angela kindly did the honors.  I don’t know how effective it was, but people liked it.  Some asked for pictures.

I couldn’t resist taking a picture as well.

I am not adept at taking selfies.

After nicely posing, Angela said we must take a selfie.  Or is it an usie?  Ussie?

I was standing in the back.

The two performances went well, despite some technical glitches.  We had near Standing Room Only crowds.

Mac Blac on the job.

Our announcer Malcolm Hightower, standing.

Here is another full cast shot, including The Man with the Music, a new and welcome addition to the ensemble.

It was a fun experience with nice people, another successful theatrical production by LiFT, the Little Falls Theatre Company.

 

So Scattered I Slacked

I had a fun filled Saturday.  Late in the day, I realized I had yet to make my blog post.  Now here I am, on Sunday morning (which may or may not match my WordPress timestamp; I don’t know how to fix these things), another poat behind.  I maintain my hopes of getting caught up.  We shall see.

I did not run Saturday morning, because I had to be in Little Falls by 9:30 and I wanted to be leisurely.   I was leisurely enough to write my post cards but not leisurely enough to walk to the post office with them.  Then I had a last minute crisis and was almost late anyways.

The event bringing me to Little Falls was  Where’s the Cheese Monger? the play by Angela Harris which enlivened the Little Falls Cheese Festival. During these two events, I also visited Meeples Mug House to enjoy a cool beverage.

Returning to Herkimer, I had a great meal and a few laughs with friends at Salvatore’s.  Then it was back home for the movie watching portion of the evening.  We enjoyed Straitjacket and The Lost Boys.  I was in the mood for scary movies.

I think it was in between movies that I remembered my blog post, alas, only briefly.  But here is my Saturday post only a day late.  I fully intend to make my Sunday post TODAY.  Ooh, maybe I could make an unprecedented third post and be on my way to being caught up at last. It could happen.

 

Cheesy Post about the Cheese Play

I love all things cheesy.   Cheesy movies, cheesy pick-up lines (oh, they don’t work on me, but they crack me up), and, yes, cheese.  All right, I don’t really love cheesy pick up lines, I just couldn’t think of another cheesy thing and I wanted to list three.  What do you want from me on Lame Post Friday?

My main purpose today is to plug LiFT, Little Falls Theatre Company’s performance of Where’s the Cheese Monger?  It is an old timely radio play written by Little Falls resident Angela Harris.  Two performances are offered, 11 a.m. and 1:30 p.m., in the Little Falls Community Center, 534 E. Main St.  Admission is free with seating on a first come, first served basis.

The play is part of the Little Falls Cheese Festival,  which runs from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Main Street.  Area cheese producers and others will offer samples and sales.  Musicians will also perform.  I have attended in past years, and it is quite fun.

Not the current cast.

I thought I would throw in a picture to pep things up.   This is the cast from last year’s cheese play, Where’s the Cheesecake?  I played a small but pivotal role.  This year I am directing.

Both of these ladies reprise their iconic roles.

Our talented playwright and previous director.

I add a couple more pictures from last year, just for good measure.  I’ll try to take some pictures tomorrow.  In the meantime,  Happy Friday!

 

A Little Fun in Little Falls

Yes, I am making my Scattered Saturday post on Sunday morning.  You may judge me, and I will neither protest nor defend myself.  Never mind that, on with the post.

I was missing a Girl’s Day in the Finger Lakes with my sisters and Mom, because Monday is the deadline for Mohawk Valley Living magazine, and once again, I am behind the eight ball (that is a cliche for “I don’t have my act together,”  but I thought I would sound cool by referencing billiards) (go ahead and tell me pool and billiards are not the same thing; I deserve it for using a cliche to try to be cool).  Where was I?  Ah yes, looking for something to write about.  I feel a little uncomfortable admitting I write these things so close to the last minute, but that behavior used to get me all A’s when I wrote papers in school.  Why would I mess with success?  Or how can I fight nature?  But I digress.

Steven and I drove to Little Falls, NY, one of my favorite places, in search of a distinctive, fun local business I have not written about.  Unfortunately, I have written about a lot of them.  We parked on Main Street and took a slow walk down it.  It was a lovely day for a walk, at least.  We stopped into Designs by Shelly, a flower and gift shop.

Just a few gift suggestions for my husband. I’m helpful that way.

I sadly noted a couple of places no longer in business, giving Little Falls’ Main Street something in common with Herkimer’s.  I would have liked to stop into Meeples Mug House, even though I already wrote about them, but they were not open yet.

In front of what used to be West End Steak House, long closed, still missed.

We did stop into White Rose Bakery, which I have written about, and had a cup of coffee and a treat.  Yum!  We considered continuing down to Paca Gardens or Fall Hill Bead and Gems, both of which I had written about, but decided against it.  We headed back to Herkimer, in search of other adventures.  Did we find any?  That will have to await future posts.

White Rose Bakery: yummy coffee and treats, pretty windows.

 

Fun and Games on Scattered Saturday

He looks mean, doesn’t he?

I was hoping for a picture of a big explosion to start off this week’s Scattered Saturday post, because that is pretty much how Demolition Man (1993) begins.  It is what we are watching now.  I suggested it because it is a funny, fun, fast-paced flick.  We had just watched The Bad Seed (1956), a perennial favorite of ours.

Isn’t she sweet?

Our day was even more fun before we got to the movie-watching portion.  We went to Little Falls for the grand opening of Meeples Mug House, the new board game cafe.  We played gin and then Yahtzee, in between enjoying a delicious sandwich (me) and soup (Steven).  I’ll write more about Meeples in another post (preview of coming attractions).

I took more pictures for subsequent use.

Before that, I went running and, um, not much else.  I made a phone call to arrange donating an afghan to the H.A.L.O. Chinese Auction tomorrow at the VFW (another preview of coming attractions).  While watching movies, I did a load of laundry and popped a bowl of popcorn (yum).  It was Aversa’s Popcorn, just to add a little local flair to the post.

For local readers, the HALO Chinese auction is at the  Herkimer VFW from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.  HALO is the Helping Animals Live Organization, a no kill, not for profit, cat rescue group.

Meeples Mug House is located at 598 E. Main St., Little Falls, NY.  They are open from 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.

And that brings me over 200 words, which regular readers will remember I consider respectable.  I WILL write more about Meeples, possibly in an article in Mohawk Valley Living magazine.  I will also write again about H.A.L.O.  Right now, however, I have knitting to do, and I have to watch Sylvester Stallone kick Wesley Snipes’ butt in Demolition Man.  Happy Saturday, everyone.

 

Several Stops on Scattered Saturday

It is time to make my Scattered Saturday post so I can return to the bra off, sweats on, wine drinking, movie watching portion of the evening.  It has been a cold, windy Saturday, yet I managed to get out for a bit.

First I got my post cards written, as well as a short letter which Steven helped me finish.  We were both having a hard time getting ourselves started this morning.  At last we had both washed up and dressed.  We stopped first at the post office then at Basloe Library, where we returned the two movies we watched last weekend as well as two novels I read (I still have a biography of Rasputin, which is not due for another week or so).  Then we headed out Route 28.

Our destination was the Rusty Nail Grill in Little Falls, where I wanted to drop off an afghan for a fundraiser they are having tomorrow.  I would like to write an entire blog post about our drive out and the Rusty Nail itself.  Maybe tomorrow.  We drove back a different way, going through Little Falls but not making any stops.  Back in Herkimer, we went to Hannaford (a grocery store that loves local, by the way), then back home.

After relaxing at home for a bit, we gassed up my car then went to a wine tasting at Valley Wine and Liquor in Herkimer.  The wine tasting rates a blog post as well, as I took a few notes on what we tried.  Soon we were back home and into our sweats.

While we watched an old monster movie I DVR’d some time ago, Steven fixed us some yummy BLTs.  Now we are looking at a movie we have seen many times but love.  However, that is a subject for perhaps a Sunday Cinema post.  In the meantime, I am over 300 words. Happy Saturday, everyone!

 

Monday Mail Meanderings

This is not a Monday Mental Meanderings but a Pedestrian Post.  I walked to the Post Office to mail the post cards I usually send out on Saturday.  I took my Tablet along to take a few pictures, thinking to make a change from my usual Monday Monsters (don’t worry, monster lovers; no doubt I will resort to my frightening friends later in the week).  I thought of this alliterative title as I walked home.

I put the Tablet into a soft bag I got at Paca Gardens in Little Falls (just for a little more local color).  I did not trust myself to carry it the whole way, especially not in its case.  I was only a little worried I would not be able to see the screen properly, because it was quite sunny.  I put my prescription sunglasses in the bag, thinking I might need them.  Not neglecting to also put in the post cards, I set out.

Right away I saw what I considered a cool-looking tree.  I love the look of bare branches against the sky. I got the Tablet out of the bag and tried to log in without the stylus.  That didn’t work, because I was wearing gloves.  So I got out the stylus and promptly dropped in in the snow.  It is a combination pen/stylus given to me by Herkimer County Historical Society after Shattered Angel, the play they put on at Ilion Little Theatre last fall.  It says “Shattered Angel/Ilion Little Theatre” on it (see? more local color!).  It is a very cool thing.  I brushed it off as best as I could, logged into the Tablet, and could not get the picture. I include the story of me trying, because it is just so typical me.  I walked on.

As I approached St. Francis de Sales Church, I thought I would get a shot of the statue of St. Francis wearing a red scarf, as he does this time of year.  I worried it would be back-lit, but it did not turn out too bad.

He looks saintly, does he not?

After I crossed the street, I tried to get a shot of the whole church.  That one turned out too shadowy, so I do not include it here.  I walked on into Meyers Park, where I knew I could take a picture of the statue of General Herkimer.  First, however, I saw the stone bench I have often admired but never sat on.

I was hoping the inscription would be legible.

Beyond the bench is a statue, only I do not know who it is. However, according to the inscription, he was instrumental in having women work for the government. I’m all about good jobs for women!  I was worried I had cut his head off, but I see now that I did not.

It seems they engraved his signature but did not print out the name.

I also got a shot of the pavilion, which is always a pivotal location when the park hosts community events.

It may not look like such a much now, but the potential is there.

I think my picture of General Herkimer is just a little back-lit, but in a blog about a walk in Herkimer, I feel I should include the General.  Here he is, in the iconic pose, directing the battle though morally wounded.

I see he has a similar scarf to St. Francis’.

On the other side of the park, I walked by the Methodist Church and decided to get a shot of that.  It turned out better that the one of St. Francis, so I include it.

Perhaps I should learn how to photoshop out power lines.

I was happy to get a shot of the post office.  I think I had a post card of it but already sent it to someone.  I do love sending local post cards.  In fact, I am not sure if the post card was of this post office or Little Falls’.  They are similar buildings.

My weekly destination. I do love post offices.

I had meant to talk more about the actual walk, over the ice and through the snow.  However, I see I am approaching 700 words.   Do my readers want to read over 700 words on a Monday? I hate to try people’s patience.  Additionally, Dateline is on OWN as I type.  So I say Happy Monday, and stay tuned for monsters later in the week.

 

Truman Capote Was Not Invited to Dinner

How about a cooking post instead of my usual Non-Sequitur Thursday.  I make it a statement instead of a question, because I am making the post regardless.  It is a little non-sequitur-ish, though, because I made the stuff on Sunday, but Steven is heating it up as I type for tonight’s meal.

I had some Dino’s Sausage, made in Utica, NY, just to give this post a little local flavor (see what I did there?).  I put it in a frying pan and chopped up an onion to throw in with it.  Then I peeled and crushed up a few cloves of garlic, purchased at the Mohawk Valley Garlic and Herb Festival in Little Falls (more local flavor!).  I set the timer to let the garlic breathe for 15 minutes.  Just as an aside, it is a lot easier to wait for garlic to breathe than it is for wine.  Ahem, not that I drink a lot of wine.

After adding the garlic, I just kept stirring and breaking up the sausage till it was almost done.  Then I added a can of diced tomatoes and a can of mushroom pieces and stems.  I stirred in some basil, oregano and a very few hot peppers (I didn’t want to make Steven’s bald spot sweat).  I often put in a can of tomato paste at this point, but Steven thought it sounded lighter without.

We had the sauce over angel hair pasta, my favorite.  I put copious amounts of grated cheese on mine.  It was delicious.

It was just as good reheated tonight (I paused in my typing to eat midway through the second paragraph; could you tell?).  Is this blog post as good as some of the other nonsense I have been typing in lately (I reference Truman Capote:  “That’s not writing, that’s typing”)?  Only my readers can judge.  Some people say “Don’t judge,” but in this case, I don’t mind. Happy Thursday, everyone.