Holiday Life 2023

HOLIDAY Life FALL | WINTER 2023

magazine

Artisans Abound at 354 Main Holiday Pop-Up

Shop the Holidays at Oneonta’s Artisans’ Guild

Holiday Cheers Complimentary Copy Courtesy of The Daily Star

Franklin Entrepreneur Specializes in Sweet Holiday Treats

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EDITOR’S CORNER Always, but especially this time of year, it is easy to fall into patterns of thought and action where you’re scrambling, convinced of your own inadequacies – material, physical, emotional. It’s easy to feel like you must chase an ideal. It’s a symptom of the culture, but more acutely, holiday culture.

I have found the (in-progress) antidote to that is layered. It involves some affirmative brain retraining (hard, but worthy), moving away from comparison (so easy to do, though) and practicing gratitude. This is something I’ve always known, in a loose way, but have recently worked harder to do on a deeper, truer level. And what better time to try than now, amid a barrage of door-busting deals and must-haves and insistent, tiny voices saying, in so many words, “Gimme, gimme, gimme!”

(For anyone who read the holiday editor’s corner last year, my toddler is still asking – pleading, really – for a pony.)

Thanksgiving is perfect for cultivating gratitude. We have a “thankful jar.” We fill it with paper slips naming things for which we’re grateful. Sometimes it’s silly stuff – a particular video game or YouTuber – but often it’s simple, revealingly meaningful things: coffee, freshly ground and brewed; the particular hues of a great sunset; kitchen dancing; a propulsive book.

As you sit around your laden holiday table, remember the families celebrating different holidays, perhaps without the luxury of a table, or food, or even a home or homeland. Keep in mind that we’re all trying to do our best, in a world that sometimes makes that tricky. I read recently a doozy of a poem entitled “Words Whispered to a Child Under Siege” (google it … and be ready). Try to hold space for those children whose holidays will look so very different this year, even as you rush to cross things off your own kids’ wish lists and wrap them, just so.

Writing this, I found a quote from American author Melody Beattie that I think bears repeating: “Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos to order, confusion to clarity. It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend. Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today and creates a vision for tomorrow.”

So, feast on whatever bounty you have; go home, whatever that means to you; find friendship, find fellowship, even among strangers. Be grateful.

Holiday Life Magazine is published by: The Daily Star, 102 Chestnut St., Oneonta, NY 13820 © 2023 - All rights reserved.

Publisher and Advertising Director Valerie Secor

Editor Allison Collins

Graphic Designer Tracy Bender

Interested in advertising in Holiday Life or Upstate Life Magazine?

Call toll-free, 1-800-721-1000, ext. 235

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HOLIDAY Life 2023

HOLIDAY Life magazine

CONTENTS 6

Shop the Holidays at Oneonta’s Artisans’ Guild

10

Franklin Entrepreneur Specializes in Sweet Holiday Treats

14

Garden of Weedin’ – Can You Dig It?

16

Artisans Abound at 354 Main Holiday Pop-up

22

Holiday Cheers

26

Bookmarked with Ash

29

No-sew Denim Dog Toys

On the cover Maeve Bender is pictured in this Oct. 29 photo.

JESSICA GUENTHER BLUE WATER STUDIO

HOLIDAY Life 2023

5

e h t p o Sh t a s y a Holid

s ’ a t n o e n O d l i u G ’ s n a s i t r A Forty Artists Under One Roof

By Monica Calzolari

E

llie Stromberg, a local potter, and Deborah Blake, a local jewelry maker, started The Artisans’ Guild in Oneonta in 1999. Their vision was “to give local artists a place to sell their work,” according to Stromberg, president of the cooperative.

What shoppers may not know is that The Artisans’ Guild is staffed and run by the artists themselves. Currently, 40 members showcase their creativity and sell their one-of-a-kind pieces to the public.

As members of this nonprofit cooperative, the artisans work four hours a month, except during the holidays, when they work eight hours. This means visitors are sure to meet the artists every time they shop. You can find profiles of each artist at theartisansguildoneonta.com.

Keeping it Local The Guild intentionally features only local and regional artists and craftspeople within commuting distance from the store.

The Guild is normally open six days per week, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, and 10 a.m. - 6 p.m. every Saturday.

The Guild opens seven days a week beginning the Friday after Thanksgiving, through Christmas, for holiday shoppers looking for the perfect gift. Sunday holiday hours are from noon to 4. They are also open Sundays during the summer and when special events are held on Main Street.

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HOLIDAY Life 2023

The Artisans’ Guild features one artist each month in its front window. Profiles of each artist are available at theartisansguildoneonta.com. Here, the glassware of Hartwick College professor Erik Halvorson is featured.

Artist Chris Monahan works with leather, crafting baby moccasins in multiple colors, belts and handbags.

Five potters display their creations at The Artisans’ Guild.

Many are oven-, microwave- and dishwasher-safe.

Artist Ward Davis creates durable and lead-free toys.

Artist Judy Baker paints miniatures using alcohol ink in vibrant colors.

Photos by Monica Calzolari

Cutting boards, made by Frank Hults, are shaped like guitars and made from locally sourced wood.

“The aim of The Guild is to provide high-quality gifts and everyday items at affordable prices, while adding a little beauty to the lives of all who shop there, and helping the local economy. My artist friends from New York City are amazed at how reasonably we price our merchandise.”

Artist Lilian Miccio calls her hand-painted silk scarves ‘one-of-a-kind pieces of wearable art.’

Among the members are five potters, three jewelers and three knitters, plus glassmakers, woodworkers, photographers, painters and a broom maker. A member of a monastery in Otego sells yarn and felted insoles from the monks’ flock of sheep, and shearling rugs.

Edible art options include hand-made chocolates and organically grown garlic. Wearable art includes jewelry, hand-painted silk scarves, knitwear, neck warmers, leather belts, purses and baby moccasins, plus up-cycled block-printed clothing.

Affordable Artistry Many of the items for sale reflect the beauty found in upstate New York. One artist said, “each piece tells a story.”

Artist Warren Ainslie creates brooms with broomcorn grown locally and sells organic, local garlic.

Another artist said he creates “objects inspired by nature.”

“The aim of The Guild is to provide high-quality gifts and everyday items at affordable prices, while adding a little beauty to the lives of all who shop there, and helping the local economy,” Stromberg said. “My artist friends from New York City are amazed at how reasonably we price our merchandise.” Visitors will find items in the $4 to $20 range, and others for $50 to $100.

Gift ideas include hand-poured candles, cards, holiday ornaments, miniature paintings, digital fine art prints, body butter, soaps, sugar scrubs, dried flower collages and oven-, microwave- and dishwasher-safe pottery, plus cutting boards and butcher blocks made with locally sourced materials.

Stromberg said the upstate quality of life is reflected in artists’ work.

“One reason there are so many talented artists in this region is that it is inexpensive to live here, and you can have a wonderful life,” she said. “I know a local woman who moved to Colorado and just came back. During the summer, we get to meet a lot of baseball families who are visiting Oneonta for the first time. In the fall, the leaf-peepers and alumni from the two colleges come to visit. We appeal to locals year-round.”

Whether looking for a souvenir unique to this region, an elegant wedding present or a holiday gift, you are sure to find something unique at The Artisan’s Guild, and the inventory is constantly changing.

The Guild is a member of the Otsego Chamber of Commerce and will be hosting a special holiday-shopping open house from 7 to 7 p.m., Friday, Dec. 8. The Artisans’ Guild welcomes new members. f

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Franklin Entrepreneur Specializes in Sweet

Holiday Treats

By Monica Calzolari Congerdesign by Pixabay

“I

t all started when I went to an adult education class for cake decorating taught by Wanda Roberts, who was famous in this area,” Laura Haney, owner of Laura’s Chocolates and Cakes in Franklin for the past 40 years, said.

Laura was born in Otego and grew up in Oneonta.

When she married Benjamin Haney, she moved to Franklin, where they raised four children on the three-generation family dairy farm that belonged to Ben’s grandparents, then his parents.

In her forties, when her oldest three children were teenagers and dairy farms were struggling, Laura evolved from homemaker and baker to teacher and professional wedding cake decorator. Today, she earns a living making chocolates by hand.

Work Worth Melting For Laura built her chocolate business exhibiting at outdoor fairs such as Old Franklin Day, Taste of the Catskills and farmers’ markets in Cooperstown and Delhi. It is not unusual for the Haneys to wake at 6 a.m., pack their van, set up their pop-up tent and multiple tables by 8 a.m., then stand under the hot sun all day and return at 6 or 7 p.m., just to do it all over again the next day.

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HOLIDAY Life 2023

Laura Haney is seen preparing chocolate-covered marshmallow clowns for packaging and labeling before the Catskill Mountain Fall Festival this October.

Unsurprisingly, Laura’s advice to other small business owners is: “Plan to put in a lot of hours.”

Laura has been an entrepreneur for 40 years, overcoming many obstacles. Now in her eighties, she is still going strong, selling her hand-made chocolates at indoor and outdoor craft fairs and festivals from fall through December. During the COVID-19 pandemic, when festivals were canceled, she got help building lauraschocolatesandcakes.com Along the way, Laura taught herself how to use the printer, make labels, get USDA licensed and how to use Facebook and Facebook Marketplace. Laura keeps her 1,100 Facebook followers informed about which festival she’ll be participating in next through the platform.

From Cakes to Confections Laura remembers her beginnings. The birthday cakes that her sisters-in-laws would make for family members gave her the inspiration to take that first cake-decorating class.

“Out of the 50 people who attended the decorating class with me, Wanda saw something in me that I did not yet see in myself,” she said. “She asked me if I would take over her customers and also teach her classes.”

Laura’s talent for cake decorating paid off, launching her into business.

“I spent the next 40 years planning my summers around weddings,” she said. “I baked and delivered four to six wedding cakes per weekend. I stopped making wedding cakes three to four years ago. It became too stressful.”

While Laura was teaching the Wilton method of cake decorating, Wilton introduced a method for chocolate making. Early in her career, Laura taught these classes for approximately 10 years at Bresee’s Department Store.

“Bresee’s was a beautiful three-story department store with a basement level, an escalator and a health bar that served food,” she said. “Main Street was bustling with activity before the Southside Mall existed.”

One weekend, Laura convinced her husband to take her to a national candy show in King of Prussia, Pennsylvania. The rest is history.

Milk chocolate is prepared inside the chocolate tempering machine at Laura’s Chocolates in Franklin before an October festival.

Photos By Monica Calzolari

Laura Haney sells her chocolates to Roberto Calzolari at Oneonta’s Grand and Glorious Yard Sale, Sept. 10.

High-quality & Handmade

Top left to right: A display of approximately 200 pounds of Laura’s Chocolates is seen for sale at Hunt Union’s annual Holiday Craft Fair at SUNY Oneonta. Halloween-themed, chocolate-covered marshmallows by Laura’s Chocolates.

Laura’s chocolate-covered marshmallow clowns are a favorite with children at festivals. A package of Laura’s chocolate-covered mints for sale at The Artisans’ Guild.

“Real chocolate contains cocoa butter and needs to be tempered. Making chocolate is both an art and a science. The chocolate has to be melted at just the right temperature for the right amount of time, under the right conditions.”

Today, Laura specializes in making chocolate treats by hand.

“I use real chocolate,” she said. “It is high-quality, premium chocolate. Wilton sells wafers made of imitation chocolate that you just melt. It is not the same as real chocolate, which needs to be tempered.”

Laura finds that free samples are the best way to allow customers to taste the difference.

“Real chocolate,” she said, “contains cocoa butter and needs to be tempered. Making chocolate is both an art and a science. The chocolate has to be melted at just the right temperature for the right amount of time, under the right conditions.”

It was the chocolate manufacturers at the candy show that convinced Laura to use real chocolate.

“When I started out, I had zero idea what was involved,” she said. “I asked a lot of questions and I give credit to the manufacturers for teaching me over the years. I also took classes at the candy shows and learned different recipes.

“I am glad I started when I did,” Laura continued. “Back then, the vendors and manufacturers at the candy shows would teach us tricks, like how to keep the cream filling moist inside the chocolate and how to temper the chocolate.”

Laura said the holidays are her heaviest time of year.

“I buy chocolate in 50-pound cases,” she said. “I go through 500 pounds of chocolate every Christmas and every Easter. When I first started making chocolate, I only intended to make it for Christmas and Easter. About 20 years ago, I joined The Artisans’ Guild.

Keeping the shelves stocked turned into a year-round business.” Almond bark, chocolate-covered bacon and pretzel rods, Laura noted, are some of her customers’ favorites.

Shoppers can also find Laura’s Chocolates at Sweet Meadows Garden in Davenport, Schenevus Market, Roasted Coffee Shop in Sidney, The Farmer’s Museum, the Fenimore Art Museum gift shop in Cooperstown and at the annual Hunt Union Holiday Craft Fair at SUNY Oneonta.

Learn more at lauraschocolatesandcakes.com. f

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Can You

Dig It?

O

nce upon a time, my husband and I purchased a bunch of tiny spruce trees to create a nice, future barrier between our property and a neighboring development. There were more trees than needed. Fred said, about the extras, “toss them.”

I don’t easily throw plants away. That’s why this year I had a secret garden where I jammed in all sorts of leftover plants and seeds. The tangled mess of dill, tomatoes, a couple of pumpkins, a watermelon, a few jalapeños and one corn stalk managed to thrive in a tight 5-by-15 patch of ground. It wasn’t pretty, but nothing was wasted, either.

But I digress. I temporarily planted those bonus tree sticks in a flower garden, thinking we’d find a better spot for them later. Then we moved.

As I emptied out the homestead, I took many things I should have left behind, including those poor little trees.

The move took place in December. When we arrived in Worcester, one of the first things we did, despite thinking it was a waste of effort, was shovel off some snow and dig a handful of random holes for the trees near the neighbor’s fence. Then we pretty much forgot about them.

Fast forward to this past summer. While getting a bit intense about improvements and landscaping, Fred bit on the Arbor Day Foundation’s annual offer of 10 free trees for $10. The trees, they said, would be sent when they are ready for planting here (Zone 5): mid-November-ish. Whaaaaat?

By Joanne Arbogast

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HOLIDAY Life 2023

I had no idea trees – or anything – could be planted outside this time of year. But they can. According to the foundation, the trees are shipped in a dormant state and don’t know how cold it is. Without complaint, they can go in the ground when they arrive.

To prepare, one planting guide says nothing hurts a new tree as much as crowding. The sides of the hole should be four inches away from the tips of the roots when the roots are spread out down there. Another manual recommends first making a “pyramid” of topsoil in the hole. Form an upside-down cone (pyramid) in the center then spread the roots over the cone making sure they are below the soil surface. Finally, tamp down a last layer of soil over the base of the tree so there are no air pockets.

Of course, the trickiest part might be digging the holes. It certainly was a problem with the tiny spruces. Not only was the ground winter-hard, but we also did not prepare the holes. No root attention, no cones. We just stuck them in the dirt, covered them and walked away.

This time is different. We’ve plotted out the best locations for them based on what they will look like in maturity.

There are no overhead wires, no walkways that may buckle from future roots, no view that will be compromised. The holes have been dug; dirt pyramids formed.

Whatever became of those poor little Christmas trees? At least four survived. We recently found them reaching for

the sun in a rough, overgrown area, fighting the fence for clearance. Weeding out the space around them has already made a big difference and they’re really starting to look pretty good. I just wish we had had more faith early on in their will to survive. They are not in an ideal location, and they are too close together, but there’s not much more we can do about it now, except maybe ... you know. Sacrifice one and dress it up for the holidays. f Joanne Arbogast lives in Worcester with her husband, Fred, where they experiment in the garden during warm months and plant trees when it snows.

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Each year, the Foundation distributes millions of trees, fosters tree-care education and works to help reforest thousands of fire-ravaged acres in our National Forests.

Visit arborday.org.

One of the free trees on its way is an Eastern Redbud, which hopefully will look like this someday. Photo courtesy of Arbor Day Foundation.

Top: Transplanted trees are looking pretty good these days. Above: The group of trees that has survived, despite being crowded together and fighting a fence. Photos by Joanne Arbogast.

Artisans Abound at

Holiday Pop-Up

“The shop is home to the Hudson Made Apothecary and also a gallery space. And we have holiday events here where other makers sell their products and it is also just a community gathering space.”

— Bill Hovard, proprietor

By Allison Collins

16

354 Main houses the Hudson Made Apothecary line and more.

HOLIDAY Life 2023

B

ill Hovard and partner Christopher Kraig will have all the festive fragrances, and more, this holiday season.

Hovard opened 354 Main, the brick-and-mortar iteration of Hudson Made Apothecary, in late 2022.

The business, he noted, began roughly 10 years prior, in the Hudson Valley.

“We’ve had the shop open for a year, and we purchased the building in 2020 and had been doing renovations,” Hovard said. “The shop is home to the Hudson Made Apothecary and also a gallery space. And we have holiday events here where other makers sell their products and it is also just a community gathering space.”

Hudson Made, Hovard noted, made its mark in soaps.

“On a daily basis, we have our shop, and most people come in to purchase the apothecary products, but we have an assortment of other products,” he said, naming handmade homegoods, antiques and artwork. “But the majority of people come in because they know it’s the location for Hudson Made Apothecary.

“We’re known for our soaps … and we have our Workers (scent) soap and our Morning Shift body wash, which are the top-selling products, but people stop in who are just driving through town and know nothing about the building, but see the open sign, and pop in, and they do tend to still buy the soaps,” Hovard continued. “We have our Grange collection, which includes a body oil and face oil, and that’s a very unique product, because we farm the botanicals for that with local farms and we grow the botanicals with Star Route Farms, out near Charlotteville, but it’s still Otsego County, and that’s something that you don’t really find elsewhere.”

Made Merry Signature scents will be highlighted in new ways for the holidays, Hovard said.

“We’re launching some scented candles for the holidays,” he said, “and those will be exclusive to the shop only until next year. We’re going to do our Workers soap (as a candle), and we’re also going to do a new scent – cardamom, clove and pepper – and we’re going to do our Apothecary Rose scent.”

Hovard said shoppers will find expanded offerings available at a Dec. 9 “holiday pop-up market.”

Such events, he noted, underscore the Hudson Made mission in Otego.

“I moved the business here because I needed a location for operations, but the building has two storefronts and to really kind of create a unique experience, we wanted to support the community, so these events are great opportunities for us to support other artists and makers, while also supporting and selling our own products,” he said. “It’s our way of bringing the community together.”

Above: Bill Hovard and Christopher Kraig, owners of Hudson Made Apothecary.

Left: The gallery-gathering side of 354 Main.

From left: Hand-poured candles are featured at 354 Main in Otego. Dried lavender, used in Hudson Made Apothecary products, is seen at 354 Main.

Hovard’s Morning Shift scent, he said, is a signature.

Left to right: Home goods, antiques and artisanal products are available at the Otego shop.

Handmade, luxury textiles are among the curated, locally produced offerings and grooming tools complement Hudson Made offerings at 354 Main.

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HOLIDAY Life 2023

Top left, clockwise: Cozy seasonal products, such as shearling-lined slippers and plush throws, will be featured at 354 Main this winter. Smudge sticks and other burnable home products are available. Products featuring the Workers scent, Hovard said, are best-sellers. Local art is displayed alongside regional stoneware at 354 Main.

Guests and patrons are seen at an Oct. 7 event.

Presents & Presence The Dec. 9 event, Hovard said, will offer something for everyone.

“For the event that we’re going to host on Saturday, December 9 from 4 to 7, there’s going to be another candle maker, Giffen Ott, and he has a company called Hands,” he said. “He makes these very unique handmade beeswax candles – unscented – and he will be selling his candles. We will also have Ben Suga, a potter and ceramic artist, selling his pottery. Brendan (Bernhardt Gaffney), an Otego resident and professor with Hartwick College, will be selling these incredibly beautiful handmade boxes – traditional boxes from Japan, (where) he studied and learned to make (them). I have a friend, (Lucinda Eden), from Balcom Court and she is in Oxford, New York and sells these low-sugar preserves, and these will be great gift items for the holidays, and she grows everything on her farm. We also have two friends of mine, (Shane and Gina Garner, @2heronspond) doing these herbal teas and mushroom tinctures … and another artist, Kamilla Talbot, is going to show her paintings. She lives in Delaware County and does watercolors based on local landscapes, so

they’re really beautiful paintings. And we’ll have gift sets and holiday items from Hudson Made and a range of holiday products in the shop, such as letterpress holiday cards and alpaca throws and wool slippers; lots of holiday gift items.

We’ll have holiday-inspired beverages and local charcuterie and local food. It’s open to the public, and it’ll be a nice evening.”

Hovard said such gatherings reinforce a sense of community while broadening the business’ reach.

“They honestly just keep getting better and better, and we get a great crowd,” he said. “We kind of bridge the local community with the weekender community, and we have a lot of creative people who come, so they’re just very positive experiences.”

For all 354 Main events, visit 354main.com. To learn more about or order products, visit hudsonmadeny.com. Also, find “354 Main” and “Hudson Made NY” on Facebook.

354 Main will be open from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., Wednesday through Sunday through the holiday season. Typically, the shop is closed Sundays. f

Photos by Allison Collins

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HOLIDAY Life 2023

(607) 286-4061 sybilsyarnshop.com 65 S. Main St. Tuesday- Friday 11AM-5PM 12pm-6pm Saturday 10am-5pm

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y a d i l Ho A Cocktail Collaboration with B Side Ballroom & Supper Club

“The magic thing about home is that it feels good to leave, and it feels even better to come back.”

s r e e h C

– Wendy Wunder, The Probability of Miracles Image by Freepik

By Allison Collins

F

or all the hustle and hubbub of the season, the holidays are also, for many, a homecoming.

For this edition, Jacob Zinkievich, bar manager at the B Side Ballroom & Supper Club in Oneonta, crafted “The Nepenthe,” a custom cocktail that balances the flavors of the season with family history, personal resonance and a broader sense of what it means to come home.

Zinkievich, 27, said the Nepenthe is a Negroni-adjacent cocktail rooted in memory. Or, if you believe the translation, a lack thereof. Most sources agree that the word “nepenthe” made its appearance in the fourth book of Homer’s Odyssey and means “the one that chases away sorrow.” It is also defined, according to a well-worn “word-of-the-day” calendar slip hanging in Zinkievich’s mother’s kitchen, as “a potion used by the ancients to induce forgetfulness of pain or sorrow.”

“My favorite drink is the Negroni, and that’s what really got me into cocktails,” Zinkievich said. “My family enjoys quality drinks, so always, at family events, there’s quality cocktails,

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HOLIDAY Life 2023

so that piqued my interested. When I moved to Oneonta, I started bouncing at The Jug and worked my way up to managing there and bartending, but it was never enough for me; it was a college crowd and, going from my family’s quality cocktail inspiration to making drinks for college kids was different. I loved it, but it wasn’t what I wanted to do.

“Then, a couple years back, my family did a Negroni competition to see who could make the best,” he continued.

“We did traditional (versions), and a variant. I made a white Negroni, and my family liked that one, so I’m always trying to build off that.”

The classic Italian Negroni (said to be named for a count in Florence) combines equal parts gin, sweet vermouth and Campari, Zinkievich noted, while the Boulevardier, a bourbon-based Negroni, swaps gin for bourbon. Zinkievich’s Nepenthe features dry vermouth, Cynar – a bitter herbal Italian aperitif with an artichoke-forward flavor, Campari and, instead of bourbon, rye, with the addition of allspice liqueur.

From left: Dry vermouth, pictured, replaces the sweet vermouth of a traditional Negroni. Zinkievich pours rye into his Nepenthe. Italian Cynar is made from 13 bitter herbs and plants.

“Rye tends to be more spicy, and that’s where it’s getting more into a winter cocktail,” he said. “Bourbon is more sweet, but everything in winter has a spice, so I made this with spice instead of sweetness. The allspice liqueur and a little bit of dry vermouth, (which is) dry and herbal, balance it out … and the allspice brings forth the spice in the drink.

The Cynar substitutes the sweet vermouth in a Negroni.”

The finished drink, Zinkievich said, feels festive, with a dash of nostalgia.

“When I think of the holidays, I think of something comforting, especially with family,” he said. “Glogg is a (Swedish) mulled, spiced wine and, around Christmas time in East Meredith, they do caroling; my mom, for as long as I can remember, has gone. There’s a guy who always makes glogg … and it’s supposed to keep you warm. It has a spice to it, and everyone loves it, so I wanted to make something like that, to bring forth that warmth. And in my family, there’s always some tension, too, so there’s that little bit of spice. I think it’s a great drink. It’s warming and … the flavors I get are very soothing and calming and definitely warm to the stomach. It’s a comforting feeling.

“My family moved up here in the ‘80s, and everybody knows the Iliad and the Odyssey and ‘nepenthe’ comes from (the latter); it’s a potion of forgetfulness,” Zinkievich con-

The calendar slip and partial inspiration for Zinkievich’s Nepenthe.

tinued. “When they moved up here, they bought this huge farmhouse in East Meredith … and named it ‘Nepenthe.’

They came up here and forgot all their worries. It was forgetfulness, but in a good way. That’s how I’m thinking of this.

It’s a drink where you don’t have to worry about anything; you’re just kind of there, enjoying it.”

Laughing, Zinkievich added, “But if you drink too many, you might forget everything.”

From left: A large piece of craft ice, Zinkievich said, is preferable. Here, the Nepenthe gets garnished with grapefruit peel, though Zinkievich noted that the bar will serve it with a dried, cinnamon-sugar-coated peel of grapefruit. Right: Zinkievich smiles while serving up his holiday-ready Nepenthe.

Photos by Allison Collins

“When I think of the holidays, I think of something comforting, especially with family...

Glogg is a (Swedish) mulled, spiced wine and it’s supposed to keep you warm. It has a spice to it, and everyone loves it, so I wanted to make something like that, to bring forth that warmth.”

The Nepenthe 1.5 ounces rye .5 ounce Cynar .5 ounce dry vermouth ¼ ounce Campari ¼ ounce allspice liqueur, though Zinkievich noted, “that’s where you could alter (proportions), if you want it a little bit more spicy.”

Combine all in a glass with some ice and stir – don’t shake – then pour over rocks.

“You can have it neat, or up, but I like to put it over rocks,” Zinkievich said, “because it doesn’t dilute it super quickly; it prolongs the drink, so you can enjoy it.”

Garnish with a grapefruit twist or, as it will be served at the B Side, a cinnamon-sugar dusted dried grapefruit peel. f

The Nepenthe, Zinkievich said, delivers a homey warmth he described as ‘soothing and calming.’

The Nepenthe will be available at B Side Ballroom & Supper Club, 1 Clinton Plaza Drive, Oneonta. B Side is open from 5:30 p.m. to 11, Wednesday and Thursday; 5:30 to midnight, Friday and Saturday; and closed Sunday, Monday and Tuesday.

For more information, find “B Side Ballroom & Supper Club” on Facebook or follow @bsideballroom on Instagram.

Zinkievich’s Nepenthe combines Cynar (pronounced chee-nahr), dry vermouth, Campari, allspice liqueur and rye.

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HOLIDAY Life 2023

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Bookmarked with Ash Snuggle up with a warm blanket, mug of hot cocoa and enjoy Ashley Weeden’s picks for reading this holiday season.

In a Holidaze

The Christmas Bookshop

By Christina Lauren

By Jenny Colgan

If you are looking for a festive and laugh-out-loud funny story that reads like a Hallmark movie this season, then “In a Holidaze” is the book for you.

Mae and her family have always spent their Christmas holiday in a cabin in Utah with two other families. The story starts after Christmas, with Mae regretting a drunken mistake and discovering that this season at the cabin may be their last. On her way to the airport, she makes a wish to show her what will make her happy.

Suddenly, there’s a crash and Mae is waking up on the plane on her way to the cabin, where she begins living the same holiday over and over.

The book takes readers on a hilarious journey while Mae attempts to save her family’s holiday traditions and fix her mistakes, including finally sharing her feelings with Andrew, her close family friend, with whom she has been in love for years. She also seeks to clear up the tension with Theo, another close family friend and Andrew’s younger brother. Mae is genuine and relatable with her lovable awkwardness and sense of humor.

The love story between Mae and Andrew has the right amount of sugar and spice to make every chapter more entertaining than the last. Lauren beautifully blends romance, comedy and fun Christmas traditions that represents the nostalgia and chaos of big holiday gatherings.

Fun author fact: Christina Lauren is the pen name of best friends and writing duo, Christina Hobbs and Lauren Billings.

“The Christmas Bookshop” is the perfect book to get you in the holiday spirit. In an enchanting Scottish setting, Colgan captures the essence of Christmas in this sweet story about family and second chances.

After losing her job, Carmen finds herself forced to temporarily move in with her older sister, Sofia, who she has spent her life resenting. Sofia has found Carmen a seasonal job at a failing bookstore owned by one of her clients, Mr. McCredie. Though completely disorganized and slightly neglected, Carmen can immediately see the charm and potential of the shop. Carmen’s job is to help Mr. McCredie organize and revive his bookstore to make a profit through the holiday season.

Though there is a romantic component to captivate the reader, the plot arc of Carmen connecting with Sofia, and Sofia’s children, gives “The Christmas Bookshop” a sentimental value that reminds us what the holiday season is all about. Mr. McCredie adds heart to the story as Carmen helps him transform his rundown family business into a thriving Christmas-themed wonderland.

Colgan brings the magic of Christmas to life with her depiction of the holiday season in the communities of Edinburgh. With the beautiful scenery and dynamic characters, any Grinch will find their heart grows three sizes while reading this book.

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HOLIDAY Life 2023

The Holiday Show & Sale!

WREATH FESTIVAL SATURDAY

NOVEMBER 25 10 - 4:30pm

find one-of-a-kind gifts by local & regional artists!

Jams, Jellies, Salsa & Hot Sauces Maple Syrup, Honey & Pancake Mix Crackers, Homemade Canned & Baked Goods, Local Pottery, Soaps, Lotions & Jewelry,

Monday-Sunday 10am-6pm

Shop Small!

Christmas Wreaths & Gift Baskets Delicious Homemade Cheesecake!

3941 NYS Hwy. 28, Milford

this holiday season!

607-282-2606 or 978-257-4635

Hours: Tuesdays - Saturdays 11-4pm

22 Main St. Cooperstown, NY | 607.547.9777

am insu o l f

SPRAY FOAM *15+ YEARS EXPERIENCE* KANE DIBENEDETTO DENVER, NY

ion at

hom e

22 Main St. Cooperstown, NY | 607-547-9777

Nov. 10 - Dec. 23, 2023

A Wide Variety of Cheese & Cheese Curds

Commercial & Residential Spray Foam

845-594-7413

FREE ESTIMATES FULLY INSURED

WWW.HOMEFOAMINSULATION.NET

HOMEFOAMINSULATION@YAHOO.COM

CONSTRUCTION SERVICES, INC. Driveways Septic Systems Trucking Sitework Foundations Ponds Concrete Slabs Excavation

COMMERCIAL & RESIDENTIAL 607-865-4916

Tweedie-Construction.com

The Confetti Collection

SCHENEVUS MARKETPLACE

Everyday Products:

Cheese, cheese curds, cheesecake, salsa, hot sauce, jams/jellies, crackers, pickles, maple syrup, honey and baked goods Local pottery, soaps, lotions, and jewelry.

Teleky Jewelers

A great place to put together gift baskets, too.

We have a Flea Market in the Store

Trusted for over 50 years.

Layaway available!

607-432-0770 | telekyjeweler.com

Open: Thursday-Monday 9 a.m.-5 p.m., Closed Tuesday & Wednesday 91 Main Street, Schenevus, NY Phone: 607-282-2606 | 607-286-4103

Windows & Doors Kitchens & Baths We have a full selection of energy efficient windows and doors in stock. Come see our solid wood kitchen cabinets & bathroom vanities.

MANY ITEMS IN STOCK CUSTOM ORDER TO FIT YOUR NEEDS 4189 STATE HWY. 28, MILFORD, NY ~ 607-286-7856

Hours: Tuesday • Friday 8:30-5; Saturday 8:30-4; Closed Sunday & Monday www.anjwindows.com

Linda Reeves

GIVEAWAYS! FUN & FITNESS!

Saturday, Jan. 20, 2024 10:30AM-1:30PM

ria

o

TICKETS $10

m Me

savEe TH ! e dat

4 2 02

l

hon

®

Laurens Central School MPR Room

To honor Linda’s memory and her love of Elvis, dress like the “King” or put on your blue suede shoes and come dance with us as we FIGHT CANCER!

ZUMBA Registration 10:30-11AM ZUMBA Fitness + Toning 11AM-1:30PM

ALL proceeds go to the American Cancer Society in Linda’s name in conjunction with Coaches vs. Cancer. Monetary donations also accepted.

For info: 607-432-7521 or 607-287-0891

By Tracy Bender I love anything DIY and repurposing everyday items into something creative and different. I was in search of toy ideas to make for my 10-month-old black lab, who is a power-chewer.

I’ve spent a small fortune on his toys, only to throw them in the garbage minutes – yes minutes – later. So when I came across the website, sewhistorically.com, I found what I was looking for.

The toys shown here are not my idea, but I like that the project uses old or unwanted jeans (T-shirts work, too) and turns them into play creations for our canine family members. Plus, being a no-sew project, it’s perfect for the kids to get involved. f As with any toy, supervise your pet to ensure his or her safety.

No-sew

Denim Dog Toys Y-Shaped Denim Dog Toy

Ring Denim Dog Toy

6 denim jean strips 2” wide by 26” Hair tie or fastener Needle-nose pliers Pins (optional) Sharp scissors

1 cut-off jeans leg 1-6 long denim strips 1” wide

Cut strips from jean legs and fasten the ends of four strips together with a hair tie (pin for more stability).

Tie a series of crown or square knots. Tighten after each knot.

When you reach the middle of the strips, add two more denim strips.

Start knotting in two directions – knotting together two ‘old’ strips and two ‘new’ strips.

When finished, grab the tails with needle-nose pliers then push and pull through the toy and trim the ends. *Optional: I folded raw edges and pinned the denim strips before I started my knots.

But, I pricked my fingers A LOT making the first one, but got better on my second try.

Bind the four ends together. Turn the ends toward you. Tie a crown knot and tighten.

Reverse direction, tie another crown knot and tighten. Keep repeating.

Roll the jeans leg into a donut shape like you would for a sock bun donut.

Wrap a long denim strip around the roll to secure the donut shape and tie the ends together with an overhand knot. *Note: I used a wide leg pair of jeans, cut at the knee, which created a larger ring toy. I used six strips to tie around the folded cuff to add stability.

Denim Stick Dog Toy Follow the same steps as the Y-Shaped toy, but tie your knots in a straight line. *Note: I finished this one by tying the two ends with a half-inch denim strip into a knot.

HOLIDAY Life 2023

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presents

presents

Home ys Holida for the

of Friday, Dec. 1 d 5-7PM Saturday, Dec. 2 d 11AM-1PM Foothills Performing Arts Center 24 Market St., Oneonta

Saturday, Dec. 2 d 10AM

Businesses: Sponsor or decorate a tree Community: You could win your favorite tree!

presents

Gingerbread Jubilee This Year’s Theme: SUPERHEROES

Saturday, Dec. 2 d 11AM

Foothills Performing Arts Center 24 Market St., Oneonta Gingerbread drop-off Fri., Dec. 1, 5-7PM

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HOLIDAY Life 2023

Main Street, Oneonta Line-up begins on Elm Street at 9AM

For more information, visit destinationoneonta.com

presents

Tree Lighting Ceremony Thursday, Dec. 7 d 5:30-7:30PM Main Street, Oneonta

The tree will be lit at 6:15PM Horse-drawn carriage rides, Nutcracker dancers in the windows, Mice on Main and more!

Local businesses are the heartbeat of our communities. Support them during this holiday season and throughout the year!

ADVERTISING & MEDIA

The Cooperstown Crier 102 Chestnut St., Oneonta, NY 607-432-1000

Construction & Building Services

Gilbert Plumbing & Heating

P.O. Box 96, Gilbertsville, NY 607-783-2289 • www.gilbertph.com

ENTERTAINMENT

PERSONAL SERVICES & CARE

SCHENEVUS MARKETPLACE

Everyday Products:

Diana Friedell

November 10-14

Glimmerglass Film Days

Exceptional films, filmmaker talks, Parties, Art, Walks, Restaurant Specials

glimmerglassfilmdays.org glimmerglassfilmdays.org

SHOPPING & RETAIL

Cheese, cheese curds, cheesecake, salsa, hot sauce,

Spiritual Counseling, Psychic Readings Schenevus Marketplace jams/jellies, crackers, pickles, maple syrup, honey and baked goods 607-433-2089 91 Main St., Schenevus, NY Local pottery, soaps, lotions, and jewelry. dianafriedell.com 607-282-2606 • 607-286-4103 A great place to put together gift baskets, too.

We have a Flea Market in the Store

Open: Thursday-Monday 9 a.m.-5 p.m., Closed Tuesday & Wednesday 91 Main Street, Schenevus, NY Phone: 607-282-2606 | 607-286-4103

The Daily Star 102 Chestnut St., Oneonta, NY 607-432-1000 thedailystar.com

Home Foam Insulation

Denver, NY • 845-594-7413 www.homefoaminsulation.net

Blenheim-Gilboa Visitors Center

RESTAURANTS & BARS Sybil’s Yarn Shop

1378 State Rt. 30, North Blenheim, NY 1-800-724-0309 nypa.gov/BGVisitorsCenter

65 South Main St., Milford, NY 607-286-4061 • sybilsyarnshop.com

ANTIQUES &

COLLECTIBLES Buying Old Military Items From Vietnam to Ancient Times

Drilling Corp.

Titan Drilling Corp.

264 Co. Hwy. 38, Arkville, NY 1-800-GO-TITAN • 1-845-586-4000 titanwelldrillingny.com Top Price paid for old military items, US or foreign:

Buying OldMuskets Military Items Guns Boots Medals

Binoculars

I buy collections.

Will come to you.

AUTO, MOTORCYCLE Email: buyoldwarstuff@gmail.com & CAMPERS Contact Vincent at 607-287-4022

5560 State Hwy. 7, Oneonta, NY 607-432-1782 • brooksbbq.com

Teleky Jeweler

Hometown 3Your Dietz St., Oneonta, NY Jewelry Store Since 1970!

607-432-0770 • telekyjeweler.com

bieritz insurance Bieritz Insurance

Uniforms Medals Coats Vincent 607-287-4022 Swords Patches Tools Knives Canteens Letters Email: buyoldwarstuff@gmail.com Bayonets

BROOKS’ House of BBQ

FINANCE & INSURANCE

Tweedie Construction Services, Inc.

Ben Novellano 209 Main St., Cooperstown, NY 607-547-2952 • 607-263-5170 (Morris) bieritzinsurance.com

Social Eats Café Project 607 546 Main St., Oneonta, NY www.socialeatsny.com

3 Dietz Street • Oneonta, NY

607-432-0770

Tues.- Fri. 10-5, Sat. 10-1

www.telekyjeweler.com

The Sheep’s Nest

45 Main St., Hobart, NY 607-434-6918 • www.thesheepsnest.com

90 Crystal Creek Rd., Walton, NY 607-865-4916 • 607-865-4913

HOME & GARDEN

SHOPPING & RETAIL

ENTERTAINMENT Oliver’s Campers Inc.

6460 State Hwy. 12, Norwich, NY 607-334-3400 •oliverscampers.com

Construction & Building Services

Windows & Doors Kitchens & Baths A&J’s Windows & Doors Kitchens & Baths

4189 State Hwy. 28, Milford, NY 607-286-7856 anjwindows.com

COOPERSTOWN ART ASSOCIATION GALLERIES

22 Main St., Cooperstown, NY 607-547-9777 • cooperstownart.com

Cody-Shane Acres

Cooperstown Cheese Company

90 Crystal Creek, Walton, NY 607-865-4913

3941 NYS Hwy 28, Milford, NY 978-257-4635 or 607-222-9875

Pure Catskills

Homestead Pet & Farm Supply

44 West Street, Walton, NY 607-865-7090 purecatskills.com

Clinton Plaza, Oneonta, NY wolfwilde.com

3 Railroad St., New Berlin, NY 607-847-6173 Like us on Facebook

HOLIDAY Life 2023

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