fish fry, ISO - fish fry, Karen Tashkovski

ISO Fish Fry – Bistro 1926

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Bistro 1926 has weekly specials. Yesterday was Fish Friday! I went to dinner with Mom and Kathy. We all had the broiled fish.

Presentation: The presentation was superb. This is the first fish dinner in all of the ISO fish fry locations that provided a dollop of ketchup on the side in its own cute dish on the plate! We all had identical dishes – I love the blue one, don’t you? Perfection!

Taste: We all were, like, we are not even hungry, why are we here? Then – OMG – the fish just melts in your mouth. Mom kept saying it was so tender. It was delicious! The fries were too salty. I should have said something before we ordered (like, maybe, hold off on the salt, IDK) so, my fault. The coleslaw was not particularly flavorful. Kathy loved it. But the fish was incredible. So good!

Restaurant Experience: We arrived at around 5:30 PM. There were a lot of cars in the parking lot. I dropped Mom and Kathy at the door and parked the car. I was hoping it wouldn’t be a long wait to get a table without a reservation. When I arrived inside, there were only two other dining groups. Lucky break!!! The rest of the people were gathered around the bar area. When we’d finished, all the dining tables had been occupied.

The waitress was lovely. She took our orders right away. We didn’t need to look at menus. She brought drinks then the food arrived in less than fifteen minutes. All three plates at the same time. It was just a perfect experience and a wonderful way to do an early Mother’s Day thingy. I mean, we were missing our fourth, but Sophie was busy last night.

Location: Bistro 1926 is the restaurant at Drumlins Country Club, 800 Nottingham Road, Syracuse, New York 13224. In the ’80s, Dad was the banquet chef at Drumlins, so this spot holds a special place in our hearts.

Hours of Operation

Monday4 p.m. – 9 p.m.
Tuesday – Friday11:30 a.m. – 10 p.m.
SaturdayBrunch 11 a.m. – 2 p.m. Dinner 4 p.m. – 10 p.m.
SundayBrunch 11 a.m. – 2 p.m.

Call (315) 446-4555 for more information.

Parking: There is a large parking lot at the country club where members can golf, swim, play tennis, hang out at the bistro or host events in the banquet hall. The restaurant is open to the public.

art gallery

Commercial Art Gallery

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It’s not glamorous by any stretch of the imagination, I mean, it is currently under construction and a bit messy, but it is a free space to exhibit artwork, especially if you are an emerging artist or you are thinking about testing the idea of venturing into the realm of professional artistry.

This is the upstairs loft space at Commercial Art Supply, also known as The Art Store, located at 935 Erie Blvd. East, Syracuse, New York, 13210.

Hours: 

SundayClosed
Monday9 AM–6 PM
Tuesday9 AM–6 PM
Wednesday9 AM–6 PM
Thursday9 AM–6 PM
Friday9 AM–6 PM
Saturday10 AM–5 PM

Call (315) 474-1000 for inquiries regarding the art exhibitions.

Karen Tashkovski

Onondaga Guilders

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Emmanuel Episcopal Church allows people to rent their hall for events. They are located at 400 West Yates Street, East Syracuse, NY 13057 but the entrance and parking lot are on East Avenue.

This weekend it plays host to the Onondaga Art Guild. They are a local group of professional artists, like-minded people who enjoy gathering for once-a-moth discussions and art activities. They plan several group exhibitions throughout the year at places like this, as well as libraries, coffee shops and other venues around Syracuse, New York.

If you are looking for something to do today, check out their fun show. They will be open from noon until 5:00 PM.

The following information is an excerpt from their web-site:

Meetings::
Our members normally meet the first Tuesday of each month at Emmanuel Episcopal Church, 400 W. Yates St., East Syracuse, NY, from 7:00 PM to 9:00 PM, from September to May except for Winter meetings via Zoom in January, February and March.

Meetings include the sharing of valuable information on local and regional shows, art events and other art-related opportunities. Following a brief meeting, OAG offers a presentation by a notable artist, who offers a demonstration or brings insight from an artistic perspective. Our December and June meetings are social events with at an alternate time, beginning at 5 PM.

Show Opportunities:
OAG routinely sponsors exhibits in local physicians offices and at various community venues. Each year, we hold a juried exhibit with awards and the Spring Art and Sale Show. All members in good standing are eligible to participate.

Membership:
Annual membership is $30.
In order to become a member, interested artists or art supporters attend 2 meetings and pay membership dues. After that, they are welcome to participate in all guild events and voting.

Karen Tashkovski

Shadow Work

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These Sofia Perez self-portraits dominate the walls of Art Rage Gallery (505 Hawley Avenue, Syracuse, New York 13203). Her current exhibition, titled “My Shadow is my Teacher”, will be on display through May 18, 2024.

They are oil paintings that combine family heritage and the resulting perceived versus manifested emotional and physical trauma with spiritual healing and its subsequent results. Although I am not certain if this process helped her heal from her brain tumor diagnosis, this artwork does offer the viewer a powerfully energetic vibe akin to a prayer circle.

She is a pretty girl, so the finished product radiates that beauty while elements of her darkness are portrayed through a series of slapped on disfigurements combined with latino imagery reminiscent of Day of the Dead celebrations, as well as the clear references to Frida Kahlo’s work.

It is an impressive body of work and I encourage you to experience it in this gallery, voted one of the best galleries in New York State by a website called Best in New York.

  • EXHIBITION HOURS
    • Wednesday – Friday 2–6pm
    • Saturday 12–4pm

Call (315) 218-5711 for more information.

fish fry, ISO - fish fry, Karen Tashkovski

ISO Fish Fry – Dave’s Diner at Common Grounds

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Today is Orthodox Good Friday. Mom and I went out to get haddock for lunch. We discovered the Haddock-Ma-Jig at Dave’s Diner. Wow! Or as Mom said, Wow-ie!!!

Presentation: The Haddock-Ma-Jig sandwich is fried haddock in a grilled cheese. The Italian bread is heavily buttered and toasted. It is served with a little mini fryer basket full of peppered french fries and a small bowl of mayonnaise-laden coleslaw all presented on an aluminum tray.

Taste: Yes – Wow-ie to the taste. It was incredible. That mix of gooey hot American cheese, the crunch of that toasted Italian bread and hot, juicy haddock, OMG, sooooo good. It was just magnificent!

The fries were salty but it was the perfect amount and the coleslaw was heavy on the mayo. You can tell by my after-eating shot that I ate everything on my plate. I gave Mom my pickle slice though.

Restaurant Experience: I LOVE this restaurant. The waitstaff and kitchen crew are all lovely people. They were helpful and considerate. We were seated by the hostess. The waitress came right over. Mom was a bit impatient with the wait for the food but I think it only took, like, maybe twenty minutes to fry the fish then grill it into the sandwich. I will definitely come back – I was here last month with my friend, Elaine, but we didn’t have the haddock because it is only served on Fridays.

Truth-be-told, I thought the Dave’s Diner in Manlius was the same restaurant so Mom and I went there first because it is closer to where we live, but they were out of fish at 1:00 PM AND we were told that they were not affiliated with this Dave’s Diner. Good to know. It all worked out in the end. (Thanks, universe).

Location: Dave’s Diner at Common Grounds is located at 35 Albany Street, Cazenovia, New York 13035. Call (315) 815-4300 for more information. I know they don’t accept reservations, they have some outdoor seating and everything on their menu is amazing. They serve breakfast all day until they close. I believe they are only open until 3:00 PM. Also, they just opened their ice cream stand today, so that is reason enough to head out there.

Parking: There is a small parking lot in front of the building. There were plenty of open spaces today when we arrived at 1:15 PM. This is the small shopping plaza housing Cazenovia Artisans, as well as a drug store/pharmacy.

Karen Tashkovski, museum

Beer

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Mom and I visited Heritage Hill Brewhouse yesterday (3149 Sweet Road, Pompey, NY 13138). They’d ended their Friday fish fry, so that was a disappointment. I guess they forgot about the Orthodox Christians. What they have instead are pub foods that pair well with beer.

They are, in fact, an award winning local brewery and, in addition to that and a petting zoo, and themed events throughout the season, they house a small beer museum.

At the end of the little tour is a gift shop with a selection of hoodies, Ts and other accessories.

Check out their website here for more information including future events and hours of operation.

art, art gallery, ceramics, Karen Tashkovski

Mugs & More Reasons to Love Gandee

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The Gandee Gallery is jam-packed with ceramics created by over thirty local, regional and national artists including the spectacular David McDonald. It is an incredible collection of work for sale, curated by owner Jen Gandee.

The Gandee Gallery is located at 7846 Main Street, Fabius, New York 13063. They are open 11:00 AM – 5:00 PM Thursday-Saturday and 11:00 AM – 4:00 PM on Sundays. Call (315) 416-6339 for more information.

art, art for sale, art gallery, fiberarts, Karen Tashkovski

Nature & Nurture

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Anne Clarke, The Heart of the Matter, needlepoint, oil pastel, colored pencil, graphite, 28″ x 23″, $1,500
Anne Clarke, Interior Landscape, 2023, 87″ x 81″, fulled knit wool, cotton, silk, metallic, $6,000

Into the Woods is Anne Clarke’s latest art exhibit. It is currently on display at the Gandee Gallery, 7845 Main Street, Fabius, New York 13063.

This collection reflects her artistic journey – from student to professor and beyond (she will retire next month from her job at Syracuse University). The line quality in her drawings is exquisite. It was her first art love before she ventured into textile territory. Fiber Arts is Clarke’s current jam, incorporating crochet, tatting, felting and needlepoint into delicate creations in wool, silk and cotton. She is also a milliner, having made thousands of hats over the decades.

Anne Clarke, Deer in the Garden, 2014, 44″ x 34″, pieced textiles, $3,000

The energy that travels through her decorative and functional work infuses it with an incandescent spirituality and seems to unite us all in its path. She breathes love into each piece and it’s this positive feeling that allows the viewer to really inhale her depth of character.

This show acts as a retrospective, allowing Clarke to reminisce and re-evaluate her trailblazing path in order to prepare for its next turn.

Into the Woods will be on display through June 23, 2024. Click here for more information.

Anne Clarke, Net Series: 90 Lunches, 2010, 20″ x 20″, fruit stickers, cotton thread, $400
Anne Clarke, Daily Drawings: Peaked Hill Trust Arts and Science Residency, 2019, 10″ x 10″, $100
Anne Clarke, Hats, mixed fibers, all handmade textiles, $90