Just completed a legit full week of work with outfits of the day to show for it. I am all about silk, silk-velvet, leather and embellishments, and have taken to wearing the bracelets I created over the summer.
There are over five hundred bracelets in stock with more on the way. I’m obsessed with this new venture! I’m waiting for the arrival of tags and some other supplies. Will be launching the collection soon! <3
I drank a lot of iced coffee yesterday, well after 5:00 pm then I devoured free and salty buttered popcorn in the VIP lounge at the Mary J. Blige concert last night, which caused a totally weird all-night awake fest (thank God for old episodes of Million Dollar Listing on Bravo on-demand). I fell asleep somewhere around 6 am and woke up around noon, thus missing my weekly Sunday trek to the flea market.
Yes, Tuesday’s return to work after eight weeks of summer bliss will be a rude awakening for me. I will need to start getting up at 5:30 am and if I can do that, it will be by some sort of divine miracle.
This afternoon, in order to satisfy my craving for old stuff/junk/treasure, I decided to wander into Syracuse Antiques Exchange (1629 North Salina Street, Syracuse, New York 13208).
The building itself is an antique. Here are some pictures from yesteryear courtesy of their Instagram account/Facebook page.
The place is chock full of antiques. Four floors of vendor vignettes – clothing, jewelry, furniture, sports memorabilia, knick-knacks, collectibles even Tiffany stained-glass windows! Very cool! Purchases are made at the desk – on the first floor by the entrance.
Prices are as marked but there is a little bit of wiggle-room for haggling, like maybe 10% off. If the vendor is available via a text message, you are golden.
They are open every day 10:30 am – 5:30 pm, although they are planning to be closed tomorrow due to the Labor Day holiday. Call (315) 471-1841 for more information. <3
The former Johnny Appleseed’s furniture store (3402 Old State Road, Erieville, New York, 13061) is now The Shoppes at Johnny Appleseeds. The brainchild of Erica Gilmore and her husband Patrick, it is an over fifty vendor facility, with artisans setting up individual shopping experiences creating little vignettes throughout this amazing space.
It is a still-life lover’s dream. Charming folkloric visual merchandising at every turn. The vendors are not there hawking their wares. You are left to enjoy the process of discovery. Vintage clothing, handbags, jewelry, greeting cards, home decor including furniture and housewares, candles, art (Wendy Harris is there!) and even bird houses.
***from the web-site
The Shoppes at Johnny Appleseed reopened in the spring of 2017 as a retail space for crafters and artisans alike. We are excited to offer such a unique venue and are always looking for talented people to continue to grow with us as we build a future at this historic Central New York location.
There is a restaurant as well, the Apple Kitchen, and they serve apple crisp! <3
They have various sales and events – pet adoptions on weekends via a liaison with Wanderer’s Rest and more! You can stay informed by linking to their Facebook page. <3
Current list of vendors –
The Apple Kitchen • Alexandra’s Attic • The Heckled Hen Antiques • Decorative Edge • 13 South Metal Signs • Wendy Harris Fine Art
• Hidden Hearts Honey • The Nook • Kaylie Beth’s Boutique
Patrick Gilmore Furniture Designs • The Crazy Chair Lady
Bayside Wood Products • Mary Gosden Studio
Carter’s Pond Jewelry • The Wire Chick Jewelry • Hop Scotch Farms
Bird on A Wire • Gideon’s Gallery • Final Harvest Woodturning
Kate’s Place Polish Pottery • West Hill Woodworks
Beyond The Twig Fence • Clay In Motion Pottery
Iron Art Glass Works • Balsam Rose Soap Company • Russel’s Books Johanna Wall Jewelry • Mames Place, Vintage Jewelry
Primitive Beginnings • Branchwood Cottage Antiques • Glassy Crafts
Elfriede Dietrich Designs • The Nantucket Cat • Past Times Treasures
Flowers off Main • Wrapped Up Beads • A&K Furniture Designs
Songbird Sewing Company • Classy Glass • The Lucky Lab
Marcia’s Country Cupboard • Richard Stricker Birdhouses
Amondale Farms • Dappled Blue • Old and Everlasting Greeting Cards Rustic Willow Furnishings • Random Acts of Craft, Mirrors
Blooms and Blossoms • The Tulip and the Toad • Brenda’s She Shed
Orchard Ridge Wines • Jenna Paulsen Fine Artist • Mila Group Prints
There is rental space available! Contact johnnyshoppes@yahoo.com for the deets.
We all trudged through an unbelievable (unreal/unimaginable, etc., lol) thunderstorm to flood the Edgewood Gallery (216 Tecumseh Road, Syracuse, New York 13224) tonight for the opening reception of a new exhibition called Worlds Real and Imagined.
Cheryl Chappell has gathered three etching artists – James Skvarch, John Fitzsimmons and Grant Silverstein and paired them with “architectural and organic” jewelry designer Sylvia Hayes-McKean, and “sculptural and functional” ceramist David MacDonald to create this incredible show, which will be up through September 27, 2019.
Grant Silverstein‘s smaller pieces are perfect for the beginner art collector. They are diminutive, yet intricately detailed and framed so beautifully. Some are as low as $75! <3
I did not know that John Fitzsimmons was into etchings. He is known for his award winning oil paintings – mainly portraits and landscapes. So cool! His response – “I’ve been busy!” (working in his studio at the Delavan Center, 501 West Fayette Street, Syracuse, New York 13204). <3
James Skvarch is sporting a sling because of a left shoulder injury. Good to know he is on the mend and that he is right handed! He is such an incredibly proficient artist. The depth and detail in his landscapes is really out of this world! Love! <3
Sylvia Hayes-McKean is at it again, after a brief hiatus, a sculptor turned silversmith with modernly feminine earrings and necklaces that she creates at her studio in the Delavan Center. Her grandson was a wonderful supporter/salesperson/helper tonight! So adorable. <3
David MacDonald – he is the best! I can’t say enough about how much I love his ceramics. He told me that when he was in college, he was a painter and someone suggested he switch majors to art education, which instigated the left hand turn into taking necessary ceramics classes! And the rest is history, lol. Such an amazing person! His positivity is infused in every single one of his pieces, whether decorative or functional. <3
The Madison-Bouckville Antique Festival is well underway. It is not a weekend event, oh noooooooo – it’s a full week of “junk” hunting! Located on both sides of Route 20 in Bouckville, New York 13310, there are thousands of vendors under tents. Everything you could possibly want to find, collect or what have you, including several kitchen sinks.
On the way there today, I set an intention for what I wanted to see/find (mainly stuff to use in my mixed-media artwork) and yes, I stumbled into ALL of it. Some were at price points I was fine with and others not so much. It was an exercise in the zen of serendipity.
There is a nostalgic element to the flow – pictured above is the Campus Queen lunch box I carried in elementary school.
I walked around for four hours and, basically, I just scratched the surface. I think I saw about a fifth of what was there. It was such a gorgeous day – I would have continued until dusk, but the majority of vendors closed up shop at 5 pm. I may return tomorrow. I really cannot get enough of the thrill of the hunt.
Madison-Bouckville Antique Week continues through August 18, 2019. They are open 8 am – 5 pm. There are plenty of food vendors and restaurants, as well as lots of shopping. So fun! <3
When I met Jason Alexander, I did that goofy Cinderella’s step-sister thing and asked him how he liked our Syracuse, New York weather.
He replied, “It sucks!” This was after a performance of the play he’d directed at Syracuse Stage. My friend and I looked at each other in an are-you-kidding-me glance because we both love it here, both love to hike whether in rain, snow, sleet or hail. And our weather had been particularly great in June.
So funny – and that is why I don’t have a selfie with the Seinfeld alum.
Today’s weather is sheer perfection – a magnificent sunny and breezy day to explore the offerings at City Market. Sponsored by the Everson Museum of Art (401 Harrison Street, Syracuse, NY 13202), the market is housed on the museum grounds around the fountains.
It takes place on the second Sunday of the month from 10 am – 4 pm. There are two dates left before the season ends – Sunday, September 8, 2019 and Sunday, October 13, 2019.
There is a lot to peruse – jewelry, trinkets, clothing, food, furniture and flea market-y miscellaneousness. And art, of course.
Ken Nichols is there selling the mugs and rice bowls created in his studio at Clayscapes Pottery.
Tyler Cagwin created Nostalgia Chocolate. He manufactures the product here in Syracuse with international cocoa beans. The flavors are rich and satisfying! Gourmet chocolate with health benefits! (That’s a win-win).
I loved these ceramic pins and magnets created by Beckie Bortel of Beckie’s Pottery. They have a substantial feel to them and they look like ginger snap cookies. Great patina!
Terry Lynn Cameron is selling originals and prints of her colorful paintings. The prints are done on canvas, which is very cool. I am really impressed with how she markets her product! Some of the art has been adhered to sketchbooks and daily planners. Love!
Lori Lizzio‘s work can be found as originals, prints and notecards. They are ink and wash pieces of animals and figures.
Syracuse does have beautiful weather, Jason Alexander, and beautiful people – and art. It is satisfying and fun. Really fun. It doesn’t suck. <3
Mello Velo Bicycle Shop & Cafe is where all the cool people hang out.
Formerly part of the Westcott Nation, it is now located at 790 Canal Street, Syracuse, New York 13210, right off Erie Blvd. Proprietors Steve and Sara Morris are exuberant business professionals with a strong vision to create a friendly and honest bike repair shoppe in the area and to create a community of kindness within the bike-riding sub-culture. This idea grew to include a café where customers can enjoy great food and a “mellow” atmosphere infused with love.
**** excerpt from their web-site
Ultimately, we want to build a Syracuse bicycle culture, and will strive to educate and inspire our customers. Whether it’s advocating for more bike lanes, going for a fun ride, cleaning up the trails, or organizing one of our many educational efforts and repair clinics, our goal is to share our sales, service, and general bicycle expertise and passion.
I had been hearing the buzz about this place – posts on Facebook kept popping up. You can see the colorful façade of the building from the bridge while driving on Rt. 690E. It just seemed like the kind of creative vibe I wanted to experience, and it really delivered.
I had lunch there today. Kim and I met there around 1:00pm and street parking was a bit tight because it was clearly the place to be. The entrance is on Canal across from Tobin’s Refinishing. There is a ramp that can take you to the outdoor seating area or you can get to the restaurant through the bicycle shop.
We decided to eat first then shop the bi-level store.
Everyone was amazing. Service, the food – so good. I had breakfast for lunch. They do breakfast foods all day, which is awesome!
We met owner Steve Morris and he chatted with us for a bit. It was such an uplifting experience – a lot of positive energy in this place! It’s one of those lovely success stories where good people share their talents and help to make our city come alive. Syracuse, you are in good hands. 🙂
Monday – Thursday: 10ish – 6:30pm
Friday: 10ish – 6pm
Saturday: 10ish – 5pm
Sunday: CLOSED
Monday – Saturday: 10am – 10pm
Sunday: 10am – 3pm
*Kitchen Closes 1/2 hour before bar
Mello Velo is CLOSED on the following holidays: New Year’s Day, Easter, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas. Check our Social Media for any other closures.
Mello Velo Bicycle Shop
790 Canal St. Syracuse, NY 13210
315-307-3104
info@mellovelobicycles.com
Pam and I ventured into Camillus, New York territory tonight to attend a Michelle DaRin Jewelry trunk show at Synple (70 Main Street, Camillus, New York 13031). Michelle’s new pieces are vibrantly bold yet feminine talismans. Each piece is uniquely handmade. I loved everything!!!
This quaint village shoppe is the brainchild of fine artist, art therapist, stationery designer, mother and retailer Kelly Landau. The merchandising is picture perfect.
Synple is a comfortable nook in the heart of the village where you will find friendly people who are passionate about their merchandise – housewares, clothing (Free People is a mainstay), jewelry (including a selection of Michelle DaRin pieces), candles, soaps and all sorts of amazing gifts, treats and stationery.
The Made in the Deep South items are currently 50% off until they are gone. I want that beige cowhide bracelet with the crystal jewel!
Hours of operation are Wednesday – Saturday 10:00 am – 4:00 pm. Kelly is currently working on updating the store’s website. For more information on merchandise and future events such as this one with Michelle, give their Facebook page a LIKE. Here is the link.
Next up for Michelle – a show at The Finger Lakes Academy of Decorative Arts this Friday and Saturday. Information is on their Facebook LIKE page here. <3
