Author: Fieldstone Farm Resort

As a weekend first instituted as a worker holiday, Labor Day marks the wrapping up of the summer travel season.  In many places (particularly the northeast US), it is the last weekend for vacations or trips before children return to school.  Summer homes are closed up and winterized in preparation for the colder months ahead, boats are pulled out of the water and put in storage until next year, and our area prepares for our busy Fall Foliage season.  It’s one of our favorite weekends for stepping back to celebrate the end of another wonderful summer while looking forward to a beautiful fall.  

One of our favorite area events each Labor Day weekend is Fine Arts on the Lawn, an outdoor exhibit put together each year by the Cooperstown Art Association.  The “lawn” is located at 22 Main Street in Cooperstown, a historic building that houses the Cooperstown Art Association, Cooperstown Public Library and Cooperstown Village Offices.  The event runs Saturday and Sunday of Labor Day Weekend from 10am-5pm and features art, music and activities that feature the work of local artists.  It’s a great way to support art in our community and to celebrate the amazing talent that we have in our region.  The event is free and open to the public.  For full details, view the prospectus!

Mid-August already – really?  It seems we were just at the beginning of our busy season and now the summer is winding down.  We will be moving into fall (one of our favorite seasons here in the Cooperstown area) and enjoy the changing of the season to cooler weather and brilliant foliage – about a month away.

Summers in our area are wonderful, with days never really getting too hot (with the exception of maybe a week in late July or early August) and evenings that are perfectly cool and comfortable. The season is always busy as all of our local attractions are in full swing, taking best advantage of the weather and the summer audience.  From barbecues and picnics and fresh blueberries, to operas and induction ceremonies, water fun, fishing and nights out with friends, it is a season that is fully enjoyed by all.

As much as we love the summers, we also have a special appreciation for our fall season.  The cooler weather with kids back in school brings a more relaxed schedule full of fall fairs and festivals that focus on the harvest and allow us to appreciate the full bounty of what our area has to offer.  If you are planning for a fall trip, we would love to count you among our guests!  Give us a call today, toll free, at 888-353-3276.

Antiquing is not just a pastime for some, but a lifestyle choice.  Along with being an earth-friendly alternative to buying new things, it’s a great way to find the perfect gift – something you know will be unique and not easily replaced.  Although not always a budget-friendly activity – as some antiques can be pretty expensive – typically you can find great values by looking through the rooms in area shops and happening upon things that just work.

There is a difference in production quality when you look at items created in the pre-Walmart era.  Part of the beauty of upstate life are the older homes – colonials from the 1700’s, victorian farmhouses from the 1800’s – all with nooks and crannies and a charm that is not found in much of today’s modern design for the masses.   So, when you are looking for a light fixture, you might be better off looking in the antique shop for a suitable replacement than in the Home Depot if you want to find something consistent with the style and feel of your home.

In our region there are some special antique shops, including the following:

Wood Bull Antiques

3920 NY-28
Milford, NY
(607) 286-9021

Mancave Antiques

6393 NY-28
Fly Creek, NY
(607) 322-4052

Old Gristmill Antiques & Collectibles

2838 NY-28
Portlandville, NY
(607) 441-3152

Brooklyn Bridge

3975 NY-28
Milford, NY
(607) 286-9288

Au Fil De L’Eau Antiques

957 County Rd 13
New Berlin, NY
(607) 847-8549

Ralston Furniture Reproductions Antique Furniture Repair Furniture …

4711 NY-28
Cooperstown, NY
(607) 547-2675

Blue Farm Antiques

322 Main St
Franklin, NY
(718) 781-5487

No discussion on antiques in New York is complete without mention of the Madison-Bouckville annual event.  It is touted as the largest antique fair in New York State and has been held in Madison-Bouckville for the last 44 years.  The fair – known as Antique Week – runs this year from Aug 10-16 and features over 2000 antique dealers and vendors.   You can find more information about this event at their website, here.

The Cooperstown Area has been successfully expanding opportunities for your palate! There are a number of new restaurants on Main Street open this summer that offer a wonderful selection of food options year round.

Some of the new ones include:

Mt. Fuji (Japanese) – This one is brand new, so information is hard to find about their Cooperstown location, but their base location in Oneonta provides great sushi and hibachi.  We are looking forward to checking out the restaurant in Cooperstown soon.

Cantina de Salsa (Mexican) – The old favorite, Alex and Ika’s, closed this May as the owners decided to reconfigure the business and bring Mexican to Main Street.  The reviews locally so far have been outstanding!

Mel’s at 22 (American) – This new American fare restaurant has had a great crowd right from the start with their opening this past Spring.  It appears pretty fancy from the outside, but the atmosphere is casual, the food is wonderful and the price point is perfect.

Food Truck Cooperstown (Eclectic) – Now open on Main Street, the Food Truck Cooperstown gives take out food a whole new meaning.  “Featuring many of the eclectic and tempting treats you would expect to find on food truck menus across the country.  Food Truck is all about trying new things.”  Their menu changes weekly and they offer online ordering for pick up through their website.

Cooperstown is a village that is obviously known for baseball, and while there are a number of specialty baseball stores that line the downtown Main Street area, there are also some wonderful unique retailers that provide boutique style shopping for those one-of-a-kind purchases and gifts.  Some of these gems are in the village, others just a short drive away.

For beautiful and fun gifts for families and kids of all ages, Riverwood Gifts is  located on Cooperstown’s Main Street:  They also offer a beautiful line of Brighton products including jewelry, handbags, and accessories.

Tin Bin Alley is another shop right on Main Street where you can explore Americana style merchandise along with a full custom candy shop.  If you get a chance to stop in here, definitely try the fudge!

Boutique clothing is available at Ellworth and Sill, a Main Street store for women. They carry everything from swimwear to pajamas along with beautiful and fun accessories.

Not far from Main Street, the New York State Historical Association offers beautiful gift shops at both it’s Farmers’ Museum and Fenimore Art Museum locations, just out of town on the west side of Otsego Lake.  The Farmers’ Museum Shop features  merchandise based on the history and culture of New York State and rural America. Handcrafted items produced by their highly skilled staff and local artisans are featured.   The Fenimore Art Museum Shop includes special merchandise and elegant jewelry from regional artists, Native American works of art, books and gifts related to fine art, folk art and the history of New York State.

Heading out of the Village into Fly Creek, no visit is complete without a stop at the Fly Creek Cider Mill – the sampling capital of the Cooperstown area.  “The Mill Store Marketplace is the heart of activity with sampling of over 40 specialty food products, many made right at the Mill. Daily tastings include apple salsa, zesty salad dressings, hot sauces, preserves, aged cheddar cheese and Mill-made fudge. From the Farm Winery you can taste Hard Ciders and Apple Wines, another feature of the New York cider making tradition.

Finally, just a short drive out on Route 80 in West Burlington you will find the Owl and Moon Gift Shop – an eclectic little shop located in a rural setting, carrying an array of delightful gifts for your home, garden – and you!

Enjoy shopping in the region and don’t forget the antique shops!  (But that’s an entirely different post…)