Friday Fish Fry at the Cooperstown Diner

Lunch at the Cooperstown Diner
Originally uploaded by JuneNY

Terry and I decided to go to T.J.'s in Cooperstown today for their $5.00 fish fry. I met up with her at Price Chopper at ll:30 and off we headed. Unfortunately, when we got to T.J.'s there was a sign on the door saying that they are closed until February first. We quickly changed our plans and went to the Cooperstown Diner, a couple of storefronts down. They offered a fish fry at a higher price, but it turned out to be a lot more food. It included soup, coleslaw, fries and hush puppies. Both of us took some home in a carry out box.

After that we spent a bit of time in Cooperstown. Terry went to the bakeshop while I took a picture of this ghost sign, which is visible from the parking lot for Doubleday Field.



We went to the COOPERSTOWN GENERAL STORE, which was the old NEWBERRY'S. We asked about how to get to the basement, and were told that the Baseball Hall of Fame has that space now and they store stuff there. Terry found a SKY BAR (one of her favorites).
We stopped so I could take a couple of other pictures, of the Oldest Building in Cooperstown, another ghost sign and a couple of statues.
I love this ghost sign with the vines growing all over it. Most likely it is not very visible in the summer when the vines are in bloom.
It was a short but fun afternoon.

OLD STORES AND MORE Adventure: January 22, 2011

O.S. Burch & Son Dry Goods and Groceries: Hartwick, New York
Originally uploaded by JuneNY

A few days ago, Leslie emailed me to tell me that there was an open house in the old Burch Store in Hartwick, New York. I knew immediately that I HAD to go to this!

We met up and headed out to Hartwick. When we arrived, we saw that the front of the store had been covered up.........which is why I had not noticed this interesting old building on a previous explorations trip last year.

The open house was great. We were allowed to explore most of the first floor, and the second floor, and on the first floor there were a lot of items from the days when the building functioned as a store. It opened up in 1879 and closed in l959. Here are pictures of how it looked long, long ago.................


We decided that since we were already out, we had time to do some exploring. I pulled out my LANDMARKS OF OTSEGO COUNTY book, and we headed off. The first place we found was a place I have wanted to see for a long time. The original BRESEE'S STORE. We found it rather easily, and here is a picture of it. It was especially neat to see this old building now since Bresee's Department Store in Oneonta is being torn down as I type this. Of course, its a big project, the demolition has been going on for weeks and will probably continue for several more weeks. But this old place still stands on a back road in Hartwick, New York.

We drove back to the village of Hartwick, stopping a couple of times so I could take pictures. The next building we looked for was an old district school house in the Town of Hartwick that was pictured in "the book". We located the intersection in the book but no schoolhouse. We figured that maybe it had been torn down recently, but as we continued down 59 we found it at the corner of 59 and Bush Road. Here is a picture.

We also found a small old cemetery down Bush Road, and I want to return to hide a geocache there in good weather. Then we located a "Hop House" that is in the book. Here is a picture:

We saw at least one more "landmark" from the book and then headed back. We were going to try to find one geocache THE BEEHIVE, but the batteries in Leslie's GPS gave out, and I did not have my GPS with me. We got a bit lost right around that time, but eventually I recognized a back road that I knew would take us to Laurens where Leslie had left her car.

It was a great afternoon even though it was cold. It was fun driving my Subaru Forester SUV on those back roads. Thats what SUV's are for! If you see this Leslie, thanks for telling me about the Open House at the old store.

Pictures for this adventure can be viewed here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/juneny/sets/72157625758883247/

OTESAGA AND SPERBECK'S ADVENTURE

Terry and Yvette and I set aside today to go to Cooperstown to have the luncheon buffet at the Otesaga. Yvette backed out due to the weather, but Terry and I decided to see if the weather might clear up so tha we could still go. I called her at eleven a.m. and we decided to
go ahead and to go Cooperstown because the sun was shining and it had cleared up.

The entrees today were talapia and pot roast. They offered their usual spread of salad items and deserts. It was a good meal, but Terry and I agreed that things had changed since the last time we went (last month). The red velvet cake was not as good, the lemon sauce for the talapia was not as good, etc. I am really not sure if I want to go again.......since it is a kind of expensive lunch......sixteen dollars.

After lunch we walked around the Otesaga looking at the old photographs and reading about places around Cooperstown. I took a couple of pictures including the view of Otsego Lake from the front of the Otesaga.

When we left, we realized that the weather had deteriorated quite a bit, so we discussed whether or not we should stay and spend some time in Cooperstown. My plans had been to go to the library for their art exhibit and to "The Smithy" where more art work is on display. But we decided to skip those. However, I could not resist taking Terry to Sperbecks' Grocery, which is a true old time mom and pop type store. Here are a couple of pictures.



Terry was happy to find out that they had SKY BARS. The owners of the store were pleased to tell us some of the history of the store. It opened in August of l941 by the present owners grandfather. His mother ran the store for forty years. During prohibition, there was a "speakeasy" in the basement.

After that, we decided to head back to Oneonta. On the way there, the weather cleared up. I dropped Terry off at her car and then I went to FoxCare and walked for about twenty minutes (it would take a lot longer than that to walk off the meal I ate at the Otesaga). It was a great day, even if we did cut it short.

Artful Friday Night Adventure

Chenango County Council of the Arts: Norwich, New York
Originally uploaded by JuneNY

Yesterday, Carol and I decided to go to Norwich for the opening reception of her daughter in laws art show at the Chenango County Council of the Arts in Norwich.

I left a bit early because we were going to meet up in South New Berlin, and I thought maybe there might be something interesting to photograph there. There was. I noticed this old empty hardware store.
The days of Mom and Pop type stores are gradually coming to an end, and I like to find them and take pictures, ones that are still in business and those that have given up the ghost.


Carol arrived and we headed to Norwich. We stopped at PRICE CHOPPER first to pick up a few groceries. I had chosen four cooking projects for the coming weekend. Unfortunately, some ingredients that Rachael Ray uses are not available in local stores, so I was unable to get the ingredients for two of them.

We arrived at the "show" around five p.m. There were photographs and paintings by Jill Kraft (Carol's daughter in law" and Catrina Phetteplace. The paintings were downstairs in the Mariea Brown and raymond Loft Gallery and the photographs were upstairs. I think I enjoyed the photography exhibit more than the art. Jill has a couple of photos of old abandoned buildings and one of an old general store in McDonough, New York. (I plan to set up a day trip around McDonough soon).

Ohhh! I almost forgot to mention the refreshments. In addition to punch and wine, there were mini sandwiches, vegetables and dip, deserts and several appetizer type things. Everything was delicious!


I drove Carol back to South New Berlin and we loaded her groceries into her car. It was a fun evening!

New Years Day ADVENTURE~!! 1/1/11

Once again, Leslie and I got together on New Years Day to go geocaching.

Our first stop was right on Main Street, Oneonta where I found CACHE ON A RAIL, it was quick and easy.


Then we headed out to Davenport Center where we found one geocache (TWINS) and could not find another (Route 23 Pitstop). I stopped to take a picture of a very small, abandoned building in Davenport Center. Here is the picture:

Davenport Center, New York
Originally uploaded by JuneNY

We headed back to Oneonta to look for a couple of DOG WALK geocaches. But, we stopped at Gersters Market to use the bathroom and have a bite to eat. We both had the chicken and biscuit special.

We chose to go to Fortin Park and we found two of the many DOG WALK geocaches. The first one we found is hidden near the river or creek.
The second one is hidden near the picnic shelter.

After that I took Leslie home and then picked up some groceries at Hannafords and then went home. It was a great day! There is no better way to celebrate New Years Day!!!

New Years Eve (day) ADVENTURE: December 31, 2010

Terry suggested the idea that we might go to the Otesaga Hotel for the lunch buffet on New Years Eve day. I liked that idea, but when I called the Otesaga, I found out that they would not be open for lunch on Friday, December 31st. I called around to the other restaurants in Cooperstown and found a couple that would be open and we decided to continue on with our plans to have a fun afternoon out on New Years Eve Day.

However, when I met up with Terry in Oneonta, she said she would like to go to Worcester instead. She wanted to have lunch at Ardy's. I told her I was pretty sure Ardy's would be closed since the owners go to Florida for the winter, but we decided to go anyways and have lunch at THE WORCESTER INN (also known as THE WHITE HOUSE INN).


Our lunch was great, soup and sandwich(I had cabbage/keilbasa soup) and pumpkin pie for desert and the final bill was less than twelve dollars for the two of us.

Terry suggested that we do some geocaching, but since I had planned on going to Cooperstown, I didn't have any Worcester geocaching info. with me.

After lunch we went inside the old mom and pop type store just down the street. Here is a picture of it.
Terry has shopped here before, since she used to live in Westford, and she said the shelves used to have a lot more items on them. This small store really has that old time feel to it.

Then we crossed over to the Worcester Historical Society. It was closed, but there were phone numbers posted on the door and Terry called one of them and a woman agreed to come over and open it up for us. We walked around Main Street a bit while we waited, stopping in CASH OIL to pick up a couple of calendars. We also drove down County Road 39 towards South Worcester, but we did not have time to go all the way, since we needed to be back at the museum at 12:30. County Road 39 is a very well maintained (smooth) dirt road.

The museum was great! We spent about a half hour there, looking at all the displays. Our "guide" told me that if we continue a bit further on Route 39, we will come to an old school house owned by the historical society. I particularly liked the old signs from former businesses and the old safe from the old post office. Here are pictures:


A picture of the old fire hall (seen in the museum) led us to go find the old building which was very close by. Here are those pictures.


It was a great afternoon. I am not sure why it tired me out so, but I skipped picking up groceries when we got back to Oneonta.

Into the Woods and MORE Adventure: December 30, 2010

It turned out to be a sunny and fairly warm late December day and Carol K. and I decided to go "out" for several hours to enjoy the sun. We met up in Morris and headed for SCOUT IT OUT a geocache hidden on the state lands. We found the parking area pretty easily and bundled up and headed "into the woods". I think it was a little less than a half a mile when we came to the cache site. I am pretty sure I found the hiding spot, but the geocache may be buried under ice, and I could not find it.

Our feet were really cold from walking in the snow, so I suggested we stop in Morris and have a piece of pizza and maybe warm up a bit in Nina's. We had Sicilian pizza and got warmed up. Just before leaving, I noticed this clock on the wall above our table.
The next geocache was PITTSFIELD STEEL ANGEL, hidden in a retired snowplow at the town garage in Pittsfield. I was not very hopeful since I have not had much success with this type of geocache in the past, so I was really happy when we found it. Here is a picture of the plow.


I showed Carol the book LANDMARKS OF OTSEGO COUNTY and we started to look for a couple of historic buildings that were in Pittsfield, but we got sidetracked when she mentioned that a friend had told her about several Amish families who are now living in the Parker Road area. We located Parker Road. We saw a bunch of Amish children ice skating on Parker Road. We also saw another Amish property, which was distinguished by the Amish clothing on the clothesline in their yard. I did not take pictures, but hope to return sometime soon.

We were able to locate one historical building in HOBOKEN CORNERS..........a curremt residence that may at one time have been used as the factory store for the Arkwright Cotton Mills which stood nearby. Here is a picture of the house and the sign.



We were both a bit tired by this time so we decided to call it a day. We decided that we MUST do it again and soon, but next time we will get an earlier start.