I have to admit something, this time of year isn’t my favorite. Spring in Central New York rarely arrives dreamily, but rather it creeps in slowly. One day we’ll have sunshine, the next, a dusting of frost, or maybe rain tapping on your windows. Even still, you can smell the change in the air while the days stretch longer. This month, I’ve been determined to find beauty in these in-between moments while we await the street sweepers and spring to fully bloom.
My mindset shifted one day, as I took the longer route to one of my destinations, completely on accident after having missed my turn, proving you really don’t have to go far to find the beauty or fun in a drive. After spending the day working in Herkimer, I realized I wasn’t too far from Little Falls, where a new bookstore and cafe recently opened that has been on my list, Athenix Books & Brews! Taking the back roads there, even without seasonal colors, turned out to be a beautiful ride. I crossed over so many streams and creeks on my winding drive up and over, and with the recent melting snow, they were rushing and full of life.
I dropped into the middle of Little Falls, where the bookstore stands right on Main Street. Vintage books adorn the entire doorway of the store, and when you walk inside, you’re instantly transported to a mystical land. Books are everywhere: the walls, shelves, tables, and even the ceiling! After picking out a few, I treated myself to a Savannah’s Smile iced latte to fuel my ride home. My only disappointment was that it barely lasted me ten minutes it was so good.
Because my drive there turned out to be better than expected, I chose the long way home instead of the thruway and was not disappointed. Sometimes, stepping out of your normal routine can be so refreshing.
While I didn’t have too far of a journey for my next stops, I still enjoyed the excitement of checking out a few new places that I haven’t been yet. Like most people, I do a lot of online shopping, but have been getting tired of not being able to just try something on and not dealing with returns.
Cue two gorgeous boutiques: j.liam in New Hartford and Closet Boss in
Clinton. Closet Boss has everything you need from every day clothes to prom and wedding attire, perfect for this time of the year. j.liam completely transformed the former Twin Orchards building. I got to shop while Project Runway played on the big screen tv, and you can even buy the candle that scents the store, which smells amazing.
Even though the week was winding down, our weekend was just starting! Friday night out with my husband included dinner at Ocean Blue, and a visit to Silk Cocktail & Dessert Bar.
Silk had a great menu, and I highly recommend the Chocolate Martini, it was like drinking a spiked chocolate mousse! Honorable mention goes to a place still on our list for after dinner drinks: No One’s Rival in Clinton!
Winding down the weekend with the kids, was an afternoon spent at Munson’s Art Odyssey Kid’s Gallery. We got to color and draw, and they actually loved looking at some of the exhibits while we were there. A great spot for this in between weather.
What I learned this month was to find beauty in the journey, no matter how big or small. Sometimes the best parts of a drive happen when you take a wrong turn and it ends up turning your whole frame of mind around!
