Tag Archives: mohawk ny

Bob Barker Would Approve

Posted on May 5, 2015 by mohawkvalleygirl

I always liked how at the end of The Price is Right Bob Barker used to and now Drew Carey does remind us to spay and neuter our pets (although I do not watch that show on a regular basis).  I am pleased to participate in a fundraiser for spay and neuter programs.  I am especially delighted to do so when the fundraiser uses a play on words for its title.   So I made a definite plan to go to the Spay-getti and No Balls Dinner sponsored by 4PetsSake food pantry (whose name is another good play on words), last Saturday at the American Legion in Mohawk, NY.

 

The Legion is in a lovely building.  I admired the staircase and woodwork as Steven and I walked in.  When we purchased our dinner tickets, I asked would it be all right to go into the bar area and purchase a glass of wine.  It was all right with them if it was all right with the Legion.

 

The Merlot was tasty.  The dinner was even better.  The spaghetti was not overcooked, as sometimes happens with these large dinners, and despite the No Balls title, two delicious meatballs were included.  We waited till after we had finished dinner and a yummy dessert (brownie for me, red velvet cake for Steven) before looking at the items available for the Chinese auction.

 

After we left, we sat on the front porch for a few minutes.  I do love sitting on a front porch and am so happy we finally got the weather for it.  Mickey and Minnie Mouse and a large dog were playing on the lawn with a few kids.  The dog petted one little girl.  When we left he was rubbing her tummy.

 

It was an enjoyable evening, and it got even better when Steven got a phone call that he had won a basket of dog treats from Adirondack Puppy Truffles in Remsen.  They are wheat free, corn free, soy free, handcrafted and all natural.  Tabby loves them.

 

All proceeds from the dinner benefit 4PetSake’s low cost spay and neuter program.  For more information on that, contact 4PetsSake at 315-796-2584, email pet-sake@hotmail.com, or visit their website www.4petsakefoodpantry.org.  For more information on Adirondack Puppy Trifles, call 315-272-3532, email truffleb@me.com or visit their website, www.adkpuppytruffles.com.  Both also have Facebook pages.

 

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At Least I Like Sourdough Bread

Posted on March 4, 2015 by mohawkvalleygirl

Yesterday I talked about a lunch under stress (good lunch, not bad stress, in case you missed it). I don’t always have stress when I eat out and I don’t get to eat out as often as I would like to. However, we were celebrating Steven’s birthday weekend last weekend, so I make bold to offer two eating out posts in a row.

One of my favorite things to do on my day off is to eat at a good hometown diner. The Mohawk Valley is blessed with several. Last weekend, when my husband Steven and I had a rare Saturday off together, we began our day with breakfast at Liz’s in Mohawk, NY.

Liz greeted us as we walked in and we sat down, admiring as always the rooster decor. Several specials were posted on the wall, but we also looked at menus. Decisions, decisions. At least I knew I was definitely getting something with toast, because Liz serves Heidelberg Bread. Yum!

I finally settled on two eggs over medium with homefries and sourdough toast. Steven ordered the same only adding bacon, cholesterol be damned. When I confided that sourdough was my favorite I learned that Liz doesn’t like it. Heresy!

“All the more for me,” I said, although I contented myself with one order.

The potatoes were perfection, and the eggs were just the way I like them, yolks runny, whites not. While we ate we got to chatting with two ladies sitting at the next table. One of them had seen us on stage at Ilion Little Theatre, although she had missed my most recent theatrical triumph. We both expressed a wish that Steven would be in another play soon. He is considering the prospect.

The Dog Whisperer with Cesar Milan was on the television, which led to a discussion about our dogs. We probably could have sat down with another cup of coffee and chatted for another hour. I do love conversation. Conversation and a good breakfast are an excellent combination for a Saturday morning.

Liz’s is located at 150 Main St., Mohawk, NY, phone number 315-941-5609. They are open at 7 a.m. 7 days a week with dinner Wed., Thurs. and Fri. till 7 p.m., Sat. till 5 p.m.

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An Antique Adventure

Posted on December 10, 2014 by mohawkvalleygirl

One of the best things about discovering a fun place is introducing a friend to it. Saturday I introduced my friend Phyllis to Mohawk Antiques Mall. It is located in an old factory building just before Main Street in Mohawk crosses Route 5S and becomes Mohawk Street in Herkimer.

Phyllis and I were having a whole day of Mohawk Valley adventures, and this was our first stop. Full disclosure: I stopped there mainly because I want to write an article about it to submit to Mohawk Valley Living, my favorite magazine. I have not written the article yet but thought maybe I could warm up to it with a blog post.

It is a bright, airy place. You walk into a large room with an open stairway in the middle. We walked around checking out the different areas. In a hallway to the right I noticed some photographs by Gabe Oram, a Mohawk Valley photographer. Beyond that hung some more vintage prints and paintings. Later I noticed artwork by Vicki Ferrus, a local artist, hanging in the entryway.

Upstairs we looked at old toys, old books, musical instruments and more. Both Phyllis and I looked for things we remembered from our grandmothers’ houses, always a favorite thing to do in an antique shop. I saw some games I remembered from my own childhood. Oh well, I suppose everybody gets old sooner or later.

Back downstairs I showed Phyllis the vintage postcards in an old card catalog. She found a Christmas present for… I’ll never tell! Near the checkout there were a few tables with chairs. One table had signs on it reading, “Come sit for a spell.” CNN was playing on a TV, and one of the tables had newspapers on it.

The mall currently houses 47 dealers. A list can be found on their website, www.mohawkantiquesmall.com. You can also find out about upcoming events. 4PetSake, a food pantry for pets, often holds fundraisers there. The mall also has a Facebook page which regularly posts pictures of interesting pieceE. The mall is located at 100 e. Main St., Mohawk, NY. Phone number is 315-219-5044. They are open Mon. and Wed. through Sat. 10 a.m.to 5 p.m., Sunday 11:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

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Getting Lost on an Awesome Day

Posted on December 8, 2014 by mohawkvalleygirl

I’m afraid it’s Wrist to Forehead Sunday again. Am I coming down with Monday Through Friday Syndrome, where Sunday becomes a depressing day in which dread of Monday overshadows all else? Say it ain’t so!

Oh, it ain’t so. I don’t loathe and despise my job, although I confess to some angst that I was not born rich instead of good-looking. After all, if I was rich enough I could always pay for plastic surgery. Just kidding. I’m not so beautiful I would want to go under the knife if I was less so. Actually, I’m not beautiful at all and I get by on force of personality. But I digress.

In fact, my wrist is on my forehead because I am tired. My friend Phyllis and I had quite the day yesterday. I got material for several blog posts but I am too brain dead to write them today. So let’s call this a preview of coming attractions and I’ll give you a brief overview.

I picked Phyllis up in the pouring rain and we went to Mohawk Antiques Mall, which Phyllis had never been to. Then we drove to Little Falls, where we promptly got lost.

“That’s OK,” I said. “Driving around Little Falls is always good for a blog post. I think I’ll call it ‘I’m Only Here for the Blog Post.'” Then later, “It really is an adventure” and “I do love looking at all these old houses as we drive by.”

At last we arrived at our destination, the Co-op, to find it had closed for the day. A little more Little Falls driving brought us to That Little Place on Main Street, a very nice little diner. Outside the diner we discovered Fall Hill Bead and Gem.

Back in Herkimer we walked around Gems Along the Mohawk and greeted Santa Claus. From there we went to the grand opening of The Looking Glass, a make-up and photography studio. Then we went to my house for a glass of wine and relaxation. We wound up our day with dinner at Applebee’s with our husbands, Steven and Jim, and Phyllis and Jim’s daughter Kelly.

It was quite the awesome day. I intend to write more about it. After a good night’s sleep. Hope to see you Monday.

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Adventures in Mohawk

Posted on September 17, 2014 by mohawkvalleygirl

Last Saturday as we drove out of Herkimer, NY on the way to the Mohawk Valley Garlic and Herb Festival, I pointed out Mohawk Station Bar and Grill, and Mohawk Antiques Mall. When we left the festival one sister suggested we get some lunch at the Station then browse the Antiques Mall. I thought it was an excellent suggestion.

The Mohawk Station used to be an actual train station and still looks like one. We all admired the decor as the waitress led us to a table big enough to accommodate our party of nine. We enjoyed sandwiches, salads, soup and pasta, respectively. There was plenty to pick from. Perhaps I should bring Steven there for dinner one night soon.

After lunch we drove across the street rather than walk, because it’s kind of a busy street. Also, we didn’t know how long we’d be at the Antiques Mall and didn’t want to take up the restaurant’s parking.

It is easy to spend a lot of time at Mohawk Antiques Mall. Three rooms downstairs and a long room upstairs house many dealers and a wide variety of goods. I’ve been there several times, but there is always something different to see (it seems silly to say “something new” about an antiques mall).

My favorite thing this time was an old library card catalog filled with post cards. It was wonderful! The card catalog by itself was a nostalgic item for me as I remembered the days when I could research a topic with some success (the Internet still mystifies me). Somebody went to the trouble of alphabetizing the post cards which filled the drawers.

The others in my group enjoyed the antiques mall as much as I did, so I was happy I had mentioned it. I told them about some of the special events held there as fundraisers for 4PetsSake, the food pantry for pets. We’ll probably return for some of those. Maybe I can write blog posts about them.

The Mohawk Station Bar and Grill is located at 95 E. Main St., Mohawk, NY. For more information call 315-219-5223 or visit their website at www.TheMohawkStation.com. The Mohawk Antiques Mall is at 100 E. Main St., phone numbers 315-219-5044 or 315-866-1209. Their website is www.mohawkantiquesmall.com. Both businesses are also on Facebook.

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Cool Cruise-In

Posted on August 2, 2014 by mohawkvalleygirl

I like pets and I like old cars. What could be better than a Cruise-In to benefit 4PetSake, the local pet food pantry. Actually, it was free to look at the cars. They were selling hot dogs to benefit 4PetSake. I like hot dogs, too.

The event took place in the parking lot in front of the Mohawk Antiques Mall on July 30. This was actually the rain date, as it had originally been scheduled for the 23rd but been rained out. The 30th was beautiful all day. Some clouds were gathering by five, when the event started, but nothing too threatening. We arrived shortly after five (I was typing in that day’s blog post) and parked behind the antiques mall.

After a quick glance at the cars we headed for the food. Four bucks for two hot dogs and two root beer floats. What a deal! Popcorn and chips were also available, as were t-shirts that said, “I’m into S&N: Spaying and Neutering.” I do want one of the t-shirts but did not want to leave myself short of cash. Perhaps Steven will surprise me with one. Maybe for my birthday.

I asked for the most burnt hot dog. It was delicious. We sat at one of the picnic tables to eat. That gave us a great view of the 1929 fire engine belonging to Mohawk Fire Department. It was cool.

A DJ was spinning tunes from the ’50s and ’60s. I had a hard time to keep from dancing. Oh well, maybe I did a step or two, a little hip swing as we walked around looking at the cars.

I particularly admired a Mustang convertible from the ’60s. I only know it was from the ’60s because it resembled one my dad restored, which was 1965. I confess I don’t know much about years and models. I just like to look. Other cars were showing up, including one with fins that pulled in just as we were leaving. I love the fins.

We left before the hot dog eating contest, because I do not care for eating contests. I think they’re disgusting to watch and it is no way to enjoy food. We did not go into the Antiques Mall, although we did admire a few items visible in the windows. We’ve walked through it before and no doubt will again. I’ll probably write a blog post about it.

For more information about 4PetSake or the Mohawk Antiques Mall, you can Like their Facebook pages or visit their websites: www.4petsakefoodpantry.org and www.mohawkantiquesmall.com.

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A Cup with a Cop

Posted on July 31, 2014 by mohawkvalleygirl

It’s no secret that I love this area, my adopted hometown of Herkimer and the surrounding villages. I am naturally interested in any efforts to improve our quality of life. Under that heading, I made sure to attend Coffee and Conversation with a Cop last Saturday at the Baptist Church on Washington Street in Herkimer.

Full disclosure: I had another motivation to go. I thought I might have a chance to ask a policeman all my stupid questions regarding the local police for the novel I am writing.

The event ran from 9 to 11 a.m. I arrived close to nine and parked in the Green Street lot in front of the Municipal Building. A couple of people wearing name tags hung out around the door greeting people. Just inside the door a table was set up gathering contact information. They gave me a name tag, too. I got myself a cup of coffee and a donut and looked around for a cop that wasn’t busy.

People were still milling about, unsure of the event’s format. Three police officers were sitting at tables, which were set up in a U shape. I waited till one was free, sat down opposite him and pulled out my notebook.

Patrolman Patrick Murphy works for the Mohawk Police Department, but I was sure his answers would also be germane to Herkimer PD. He was very informative. We had an excellent conversation not just about my novel questions. A few other people joined in as we talked about police work in general and Patrolman Murphy’s experiences in particular. I was glad other people joined in, because I didn’t want to hog the cop.

After a while an older gentleman spoke up and asked that the policemen to sit at the head table, because he wanted to hear what people were asking them. I think a more informal format, such as we were doing, had been originally envisioned. However, after a couple tries, the older gentleman prevailed and the discussion became general.

I learned that the idea for coffee and Conversation with a Cop came from Dan Higgins, a snowbird and member of the church. He said communities were holding similar forums down south, so he approached Rev. Bell with the idea. he would like to see these meetings happen once a month.

“The church needs to be a part of the village, not just Sunday mornings,” he said.

Janice Lester Bell, the first lady of the church, spoke of the corporate and spiritual ministries of the church. The main focus of the day was not a complaint session but a chance to raise concerns and a chance for citizens to ask What can we do? Many concerns were raised. The officers answered questions, explained appropriate times to contact the police, and shared their own problems with staffing limitations.

“If you see something, say something,” is the best way a private citizen can help.

Several people had ideas on how to improve things. I found this encouraging, and I like the idea of monthly Coffee and Conversations. I’ll be watching for the next session.

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More Saturday Adventures

Posted on April 18, 2014 by mohawkvalleygirl

To return to my Saturday adventures: after breakfast and returning my book to Frankfort Free Library, my friend Tracy and I drove through Ilion into Mohawk to the Mohawk Antiques Mall, where 4PetsSake Food Pantry was holding an indoor garage sale.

The place was hopping, but we managed to find a parking space. We went to the indoor garage sale first, admiring some antiques we walked by to get there. It was fun looking at the various vendors.

We got into quite a nice conversation about art with the guy from Riverstone Sculptures. Tracy recognized his unusual style from some pieces she had seen at the Mohawk Valley Center for the Arts. He told us how he looks for different shapes, utilizing things such as automotive parts and items from the hardware store. I asked if they had a website, which led to a discussion about computers (they are not online).

We moved on to where the 4Pets Sake people were selling food.

“We could have had breakfast here,” I said. If you read Tuesday’s post you may remember that we refrained from having ice cream for breakfast. Hot dogs for breakfast, however, I would find quite acceptable.

Instead I bought some cookies, a plate of Italian ones and some chocolate chip that were three for a dollar. Tracy ate one of those and I piggily had two (I did mention I was up three pounds as a result of the weekend). We saved the Italian ones.

After that we went into the regular Antiques Mall and looked around. We met the owner of the mall. He was pleased to welcome an out of town visitor. He told us about an Elvis impersonation contest planned for May 10.

“Tracy would be interested in that,” I said. “She loves Elvis.” I like Elvis too and immediately made a note of the date.

We also checked out the Factory Outlet Store. A lady handed us a coupon good for one day only. We did not make any purchases, although Tracy was tempted by some vests. Perhaps on a future visit.

We were very pleased with our visit, which was only one of our planned adventures for the day. The Mohawk Antiques Mall is located at 100 E. Main St., Mohawk, NY. For more information you can visit their website at www.mohawkantiquesmall.com. For more information on 4PetsSake Food Pantry, visit their website at www.4petsakefoodpantry.org. Both are also on Facebook.

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Big Smiles and Full Stomachs

Posted on March 4, 2014 by mohawkvalleygirl

One thing Steven and I had been especially looking forward to on our weekend off together was going out to breakfast. We used to have breakfast out together all the time, but when our work schedules changed, it became a thing of the past. We set out Saturday morning with big smiles and empty stomachs.

We went to Liz’s Diner on Main Street in Mohawk, the previous home of the Mohawk Diner. Donna and Liz greeted us as we walked in the door. We remarked on how happy we were to be there.

Donna brought us coffee. We admired the chicken-themed decor as we perused the menu on the wall. They offered some tempting specials, but I just wanted scrambled eggs and toast. Steven got eggs over medium with bacon and toast. However, it was toast from Heidelberg bread. Yum! I got Italian while Steven had peasant.

As we ate, we were amused by the interactions of Liz, Donna and the regulars sitting at the counter. Two men with long beards were especially amusing. After they left, Donna told us she called them ZZ Top. I thought that was very appropriate. I like ZZ Top.

We liked our breakfast, too. It was a great start to our weekend. Liz’s is open from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m., serving breakfast and lunch. I noticed the lunch menu on the wall. Some of the selections looked pretty tasty. I may have to go back, even if I can’t bring Steven.

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Love that Sausage Gravy

Posted on January 8, 2014 by mohawkvalleygirl

Mohawk Diner recently moved to new digs (I thought I wrote a blog post about it, but now I can’t find it. Oops). I noticed that their old digs, on Main Street in Mohawk, NY, is now Liz’s Mohawk Diner. Saturday morning I checked it out.

We know Liz from other diners.

“Is Steve on his way?” she asked me as I sat down.

“No, he has to work,” I said sadly. I’m going to suggest he go there on a day off soon, even if it has to be without me.

The place looks spiffy and bright. I admired the chicken-themed decor and perused the specials board. I decided to get eggs over medium and home fries with sausage gravy. The special included coffee and toast made with Heidelberg bread. Yum!

I really enjoyed the home fries with sausage gravy. The gravy was made with lots of sausage, and the potatoes were cooked to perfection.

The place has the kind of hometown diner atmosphere I love. The patrons and Liz were cracking jokes back and forth.

“Pay the waitress,” Liz told one.

“You know she’s a pain,” he answered.

Liz did know. “That’s why I hired her.”

She wasn’t a pain; she was a good waitress. And Liz is an excellent cook. It was a fine breakfast. Liz’s is open 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. for breakfast and lunch.

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