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Things to do in Greater Cooperstown
Dreams Thursday, Aug. 12, 2021
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►C RAFT BEVERAGE sales SOAR in OTSEGO COUNTY
InsiDE: ReSTAURANT REVIEWS for the PERFECT VACATION, Page B4 Home
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AllOTSEGO.com
21 Railroad Avenue, Cooperstown, NY 13326 • 607-547-6103 • info@allotsego.com
B-2 Summer Dreams
Thursday, August 12, 2021
what’s fun
in Otsego County
BEST BETS Summer Music Festival returns, Hartwick to host tractor pull
16 BeeRS on Tap! 4 miles from Cooperstown 20 minutes from Oneonta! 607-286-9330
110 River Street | Milford
www.cooperstownbrewing.com
The Cooperstown Summer Music starting at 1 p.m., for a meet and greet Festival is back with the Grammy with him and the animals. Summer -nominated wind quintet “Imani reading award will also be presented. Winds.” They are known for dynamic At the Huntington Memorial Library, playing, adventurous programming 62 Chestnut St. in Oneonta at 5:30 p.m. and outreach programs, which have Friday, Aug. 13. Call 607-432-1980 or inspired audiences of all ages and visit facebook.com/hmloneonta/. backgrounds. The cost is $30/person. • At The Otesaga in Cooperstown at 7 Spend an evening on the grass with p.m., Sunday, Aug. 15. Call 877-666- The Three Bonz performing “Acoustic 7421 or visit cooperstownmusicfest. Americana.” The concert will include org for information. original as well as traditional blue• grass, country blues, and rural rock. Come support the Hartwick Fire Admission is $10. At the Dutch Department, Co. #1. There will be Windfall Barn, 2009-2019 county a tractor pull, food, a bake sale, and Route 80, near East Springfield, at local vendors. Held at the end of Wells 7:30 p.m., Saturday, Aug. 14. Call Ave. in Hartwick, beginning at 9 a.m. 518-774-0134 or visit windfalldutchSunday, Aug. 15. Call 607-293-7741 or barn.com. visit facebook.com/hartwickfireco1/. • • Join photographer Kevin Take an evening stroll things Gray for a photography walk/ around the Sixth Ward with to do! lesson around Otsego Lake. historian and Oneontan Dr. Bring your camera and be John Nader. prepared to learn a thing or Nader will be speaking two about how to capture the about the diverse people in sunrise on Otsego Lake. The the ward in the 20th century, cost is $17/person. Presented how they lived and the places by Fenimore Art Museum, and institutions they created. near Cooperstown, from 6 By donation, no reservato 7 a.m., Monday, Aug. 16. tions required. Meet off Call 607-547-1400 or visit River Streeet in Oneonta at Larissa Ryan fenimoreartmuseum.org. 3 p.m., Saturday, Aug. 14. • Call 607-432-0960 or visit This week at the golf course, oneontahistory.org/event/sixth-ward- enjoy a performance by The Last Horn walking-tour/ for more information. Jazz Trio. Stay in the car, wander the • trails or bring a picnic blanket to enjoy a Bring the kids and their teddy bears relaxing evening out. At Meadowlinks for a fun concert “Teddy Goes on a Golf Course, 476 county Route 27, in Trip” with the Oneonta Community Richfield at 7 p.m., Monday, Aug. 16. Concert Band. Presented in memory Call 607-432-4026 or visit facebook. of Marilyn Roper, principle flutist com/Oneonta-Musicians-Associationand president until October 2020. At AFM-443-281548775389405/. the pavilion in Wilber Park, Oneonta at 3 p.m., Sunday, Aug. 15. Call 607-376-7485 or visit facebook. ►ON THE COVER com/oneontacommunityconcertband/. Rustic Ridge Winery and • High Burl Brewery in the town Bring the kids together to celebrate of Burlington. the end of the library’s summer reading program with Dan the Snake Man. Photo by Greg Klein Dan will be available before the show,
Thursday, August 12, 2021
Summer Dreams B-3
Kevin Limiti/The Freeman’s Journal
Holly Bennett, bartender at Rustic Ridge Winery, holds one of their bottles of sweet white wine.
Craft beverages enjoy business boom in Otsego New places are popping up along the Beverage Trail with interesting takes on classic locally sourced fare By KEVIN LIMITI Otsego County is famous for its Baseball Hall of Fame, art museums, hiking trails and more but there is also another thing that draws people to the region, its craft beverages. Otsego County has its own beverage trail and is home to the internationally known Ommegang Brewery. But new places are popping, each with their own unique history, many of which source their ingredients locally. Two of these places is Rustic Ridge Winery and the High Burl Brewery, which are on state Route 80, nestled between adjacent farms. The brewery and winery dogs, Ruger and Jake, greet the patrons as they beg for animal crackers and popcorn. Inside is a homey place filled with wine and good vibes, and bartended by Holly Bennett, no relation to the Bennett family who owns the winery. “It’s a big family get-together here,” Bennett said and the winery/brewery pairing is the only one in the area with both that she knows about. The brewery is new and opened by Ryan and Jess Bennett, both of whom
are occupational therapists. The beer is handcrafted on site and contains all local products. Prior to this, Rick Bennett, who owns the winery was “always kind of playing with wine” and had grapes growing in the back of the winery when he finally decided to give it a try. The Wild Cat wine tastes like apples even though, surprisingly, there are no apples in it. It is very sweet but not overwhelming. The Sweet Little Blonde is also very sweet and has a very unique taste to it that is perfect over ice for a warm summer day. Meanwhile, south of Cooperstown, a new winery with a history in Upstate opened recently. The Montezuma Winery, which apart from wine also sells mead and honey-based vodka, opened in June and is renovating SPCA’s old thrift shop building on Route 28. It will be having a ribbon cutting ceremony Saturday, Sept. 25, with the hopes of getting the Chamber of Commerce involved in some way. Its sister restaurant in Seneca Falls is extremely popular, but tasting room manager Anne Tandle said a lot of See CRAFT, Page B5
B-4 Summer Dreams
Thursday, August 12, 2021
Staff Picks
Our best bets for local dining
Diners, good Chinese food top picks Tara Barnwell Publisher Roma’s Ristorante and Pizzeria A friend invited me for lunch a little further south than I usually go, but I’m so glad I did! Roma’s Ristorante and Pizzeria was well worth the drive to Sidney. The staff, as well as the owner, Mike Barone, are genuine and so is the food. It’s a relaxed atmosphere, very Italian motif, and all of the ingredients are fresh. I had an antipasto salad that was so loaded with meats and cheeses, I came away with a doggy bag, and the garlic knots were to die for. A lot of people were ordering the calzones and the pizza that was going to other tables looked delicious. That’s what I’m having next! Hint: call ahead when you go to see if Tommy Joy is performing…what a treat! Roma’s Ristorante and Pizzeria 25 Union Street, Sidney 607-563-8888 Greg Klein Publisher Plaza Diner We had one of our first committee meetings for Film COOP at the Plaza Diner and it has a special place in my heart ever since. When I was working in Oneonta, I used to order lunch or dinner from Plaza at least once a week and the diner was my go-to place for a burger. The staff always seemed happy to see me and appreciated my support, which is a nice thing for customers to think about a restaurant staff. One of my board members had a Monte Cristo that looked amazing and I keep forgetting to try. He said it was his go-to order there. The price is right for a diner, too.
The food is always good and the favorites keep my board members and I coming back. Plaza Diner 122 Main Street, Oneonta 607-441-3933 Kevin Limiti Reporter China 19 It’s very difficult to find a good Chinese place, especially after you’ve been forced to move. This has happened to me several times, so I was lucky to find China 19 in Oneonta. It has exceptional Beef Lo Mein for a good price and with relatively speedy delivery. I’ve also had General Tso’s Chicken and Sesame Chicken from there, which were both good. I would highly recommend checking this place out if you haven’t before. I know I am glad I discovered it. China 19 100 Main Street, Oneonta 607-433-8888 Kathleen Peters Graphic Designer Round Top Bar-n-Grill Just opened in Richfield Springs, Round Top is a beer and burger kind of place. I am not sure what it was previously, but the new owners have transformed an old beauty into a new, classy joint with painted brick walls, tin ceiling and a large brass chandelier in the center. The Husband had the Classic American burger with American cheese, lettuce, tomato and onion and a Blue Moon. I had the Dirty Harry burger with onion rings, candied jalapeños, pepper Jack cheese and barbecue sauce, and a glass of the house Cabernet. They both came with fries and a pickle.
All good! Round Top Bar-n-Grill 43 Lake Street Richfield Springs 315-858-6329
Thursday, August 12, 2021 Summer Dreams B-5
Hops has been an Otsego staple CRAFT/from Page B3 people were looking to the new location as a quicker way to get the Montezuma experience. George Allen, president of Northern Eagle Distributors and an owner of the Cooperstown Brewery, said breweries in the area use a combination of grains and hops, some of which are locally sourced. He said
crafting beer has always been a tradition in the area of Otsego County. “This has always been a large hop growing area,” Allen said. “If you drive around the county, you’ll see hops that have been growing like weeds for 100 years,” Allen said. Go to www.cooperstownbeveragetrail.com for more information.
COLOR ODYSSEY
Emma Amos (American, 1937–2020), Equals, detail, 1992, acrylic on linen canvas with African fabric borders, 76 x 82 in., private collection
310 Genesee Street, Utica, New York • 315-797-0000 • mwpai.org Monday through Saturday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Sunday noon to 5 p.m.
P R O F E S S I O N A L T H E AT E R O F T H E G R E AT W E S T E R N C AT S K I L L S
Many Thanks to our Exhibition Sponsors Lead sponsor: Gilroy, Kernan & Gilroy Insurance
JULY 23-AUGUST 15
A Doll’sLucas House, Hnath Part 2 BY AN FSC PRODUC TION
A provocative and surprisingly funny debate about love, marriage, and the price we pay to be who we are. OUTDOOR STAGE
•
ADMISSION FREE
For times and reservations: FranklinStageCompany.org
Associate sponsors: Elizabeth R. Lemieux, Ph.D., Alan and Linda Vincent, and M&T Bank/Partners Trust Bank Charitable Fund, a donor-advised fund of The Community Foundation of Herkimer and Oneida Counties Emma Amos: Color Odyssey is organized by the Georgia Museum of Art, University of Georgia, and is supported in part by the National Endowment for the Arts and the Willson Center for the Humanities and the Arts, University of Georgia.
Summer
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Dreams
6/29/21 10:06 AM
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B-6 Summer Dreams
Thursday, August 12, 2021
what’s fun in OtsegO COunty
►ThurS., Aug. 12
PHOTOGRAPHY SHOW – 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Come appreciate the photographs and flowers of the Lake & Valley Garden Club photography show. The theme this year is “Sunrise, Sunset.” Free, open to public through Aug. 13. At Templeton Hall, 63 Pioneer Street in Cooperstown. MAKE & TAKE – 11 a.m. to noon. Bring the kids for a make-and-take craft to celebrate the exhibit, “Is This Heaven” about the baseball movie, “Field of Dreams.” At the Baseball Hall of Fame, Main Street, Cooperstown. WORD THURSDAY – At 7 p.m. Opens with open mic, followed by presentation by “Seeing Things” chapbook poets Vicki Whicker and David Bachner. Online only. Suggested donation is $3. Presented by Bright Hill Press & Literary Center. Call 607-829-5055.
►Friday, August 13 BLOOD DRIVE – 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Donate blood, help save lives. At Community Bible Chapel, 577 Greenough Rd. near Cooperstown. Call 800-733-2767. PHOTOGRAPHY SHOW – 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. See Thursday listing. FIRE PIT FRIDAYS – 7 to 10 p.m. Enjoy a fun night around the fire with friends, drinks and music. This week features funk rock performed by Gridline. At Brewery Ommegang, 656 County Route 33 in Middlefield. Call 607-280-2900.
►Sat., August 14 SALE DAY – 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Join the West End and West Oneonta communities for a fun sale day. Presented by Destination Oneonta. Call 607-432-2941.
LAKE ASSOCIATION – At 9 a.m. Hop on Zoom and learn about Otsego Lake, from invasive species to the research buoy. Includes historical talk with Cindy Falk, “When Natty Bumpo and the Mohican traversed Otsego Lake.’” Annual gathering by The Otsego Lake Association. Visit www.otsegolakeassociation.org. BAKE SALE – 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Stop by for delicious homemade pies and more. All proceeds support the Otego EMS and Otego Food Pantry. In front of Rubera’s Restaurant, at 360 Main St. in Otego. Call 607-988-6661. IROQUOIS MUSEUM – 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The Allegany River Indian Dancers often encourage audience participation and feature intertribal “Pow Wow” style dances. Included with museum admission. At the Iroquois Indian Museum, 324 Caverns Rd., in Howes Cave. Call 518-296-8949. TERRARIUM – At 3 p.m. Join the Oneonta Federated Garden Club and make a take-home terrarium. $20 includes soil, substrate, terrarium, decoration and plants. Registration is required by Aug. 13. At Southside Wesleyan Church, 5308 State Route 23, Oneonta. Visit facebook.com/Oneonta FederatedGardenClub. ART OPENING – 4 to 6 p.m. Third entry in the ongoing art series “High Alert, Artists Speak Out on Social Justice.” Enjoy a preview of a 2021 inprogress documentary on the creation of a 9,000sq-ft mural in New Jersey. At The Art Garage at 689 Beaver Meadow Rd., near Cooperstown. Call 607-547-5327. LIFESKILLS – From 4 to 6 p.m. Teens are invited to learn to cook with Lynn. Menu posted to Facebook. Seating limited, reserva-
tions required. Presented by The Oneonta Teen Center. At 50 Dietz St. in Oneonta. Call 607 441 3999.
►Sun., August 15 FRANKLIN MARKET – 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Find delicious local produce, everything from bread to beef to plant seedlings and more. Also, enjoy music in the market from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. featuring Mike Herman performing country blues. At the Franklin Farmers Market in front of Chapel Hall at 15 Institute St. in Franklin. Visit franklinlocal.org. SUMMER SUNDAYS – 1 to 3 p.m. Learn how to dowse for water with dowser Susan MurrayMiller in a hands-on class. Masks required. Bring your lawn chair. On the front lawn of the Swart Wilcox House Museum in Oneonta. Visit swartwilcoxhouse.wordpress.com/ 2021-summer-sundayseries/. STRING QUARTET – 3 p.m. The Friends of Music of Stamford present multistring quartet Invoke. Known for a genre-bending mix of classical music, bluegrass, fiddle tunes, jazz, more. The performance features original works. Admission by donation at Churchill Historic Park District, 158-170 W. Main St., in Stamford.
►Mon., August 16 BLOOD DRIVE – 9 a.m. 2 p.m. Donate blood, save lives. Briggs Hall, Main Street Baptist Church, 333 Main St., Oneonta. 800733-2767 or visit https:// www.redcrossblood.org/ RABIES CLINIC – 2 - 5 p.m. Free rabies vaccination for cats, dogs, ferrets. Scheduling to follow social distancing. First come, first serve. Susquehanna SPCA, State Rt. 28, Cooperstown. 607-547-4230.
Thursday, August 12, 2021
Summer Dreams B-7
Central New York’s Best Gastropub! 5418 State Highway • 28 Cooperstown 607-282-4525
Authentic Italian Food!
5438 State Hwy 28 • Cooperstown 607-282-4031• boccaosteria.com
Serving you for over 70 years! Online Restaurant Curbside Delivery Catering Gift Shop Sauce Production
Thank you for your patronage!
new york pizzeria
Brick Oven Pizza! 75 Chestnut Street Cooperstown 607-547-2930 126 Main Street Richfield Springs 315-858-0405
www.brooksbbq.com 607-432-1782 5560 NY Rte 7 Oneonta
B-8 Summer Dreams
Thursday, August 12, 2021