Upstate Vintage Living

Finding a Connection to the Past

July 10, 2019

Last July, we went to the Brimfield Antique Show in Brimfield, MA. The Antique show occurs for a week in May, a week in July, and a week in September. We try to attend the show once or twice a year. For those of you that have not been to the Show, there’s no real way to prepare for the experience! The Brimfield Antique Show spans a mile down the main road and includes 5000+ dealers from all over the world.

While looking at the countless antiques and collectibles at the Antique Show we found a business that sold vintage postcards from around the world. Unlike many dealers that sell postcards, this one was neatly organized with the postcards separated by state and then by city if applicable. Since Elisabeth collects vintage postcards of places she has been or hopes to go, she spent a decent amount of time going through the postcards of New England and New York. In her search, she found a handful of vintage miniature postcards of Albany, a few of New York City, various ones of Vermont, and a handful of postcards from the 1920s of the Island Pond 4th of July parade (Elisabeth’s hometown). Pictured below are the postcards that we bought:

Finally, after a year of not doing anything with the postcards, Elisabeth began to frame some of her favorite ones to hang in her room. Since she attends college in Albany, she chose some of the miniature Albany postcards to frame first. She also framed a vintage Twin Tower postcard to hang by her New York pennant. In her journey framing the various postcards, she came across one that was connected to our past.

Talk about a small world. In Elisabeth’s endeavors to frame the postcards, she discovered that one of the postcards of New York City was addressed to Florence McLaughlin of Island Pond, Vermont timestamped April 1954. Florence McLaughlin happened to be the owner of our first home in Island Pond, Vermont and after her death we bought the house fully furnished. Florence and her husband were only the 3rd owners of our 1880 Victorian home in Island Pond and lived there for over 40 years. It was a great surprise finding this piece of home in the most unexpected place!

Traveling the Maine Coast

August 29, 2019

When people talk about true beauty, they often talk about the golden temples in India, colorful cities in Italy, or bustling life in Singapore. Yet, one does not need to travel halfway around the world to experience true beauty and tranquility – just visit your backyard or even the Maine Coast!

Last week, after years of anticipation, we finished our trek up the Maine Coast and spent a week exploring Acadia National Park. There are not enough words to describe the natural beauty that the Maine Coast and Acadia portrayed. From countless hikes (yes, hikes) to exploring the various antique stores across the island the trip was truly unforgettable.

Many of the mornings we spent hiking the various trails that are part of Acadia. The hikes were spectacular, despite the countless mosquito bites I got. Since we stayed in Southwest Harbor, out of the hustle and bustle of Bar Harbor we had access to many of quieter hiking trials. As such, we explored the Seawall and hiked both the Wonderland and Ship Harbor trails in Southwest Harbor. We even adventured up Cadillac Mountain, but due to the fog was unable to hike or get many pictures. One of our longer hikes was the Jordan Pond loop at 3.5 miles – which accounted for some of the most breathtaking pictures of the trip. All in all, we hiked 30+ miles during our week in Acadia. Below are pictures from our hikes, but none of the pictures begin do the scenery justice:

Besides our hikes, we also spent some parts of the days exploring the small Maine seacoast towns and the various antique shops the area had to offer. Although we loved driving town to town in search of the next antique store, we quickly found that the prices were extremely high. Therefore, these adventures were more for the fun of it, not necessarily buying. The benefit of going town to town is we got to try various restaurants and have countless lobster rolls! Here are some of our pictures from exploring the various towns and shops on Mount Desert Island:

If you ever want to see true beauty, without having to travel around the world or spend a lot of money consider a trip up the Maine Coast and time in Acadia. It will be a trip you will never forget (I know I will not)!

Antiquing Amid COVID-19

July 27, 2020

One thing we really enjoy is antiquing during the summer. We missed the Country Living Fair, Brimfield, and Arundel among a few this year due to Covid 19. The auction has recently resumed but we have not yet attended it. Our friend bid on this for us and what a steal. Yes, it is a huge piece but amazing storage. We do miss our adventures looking for great and unusual finds.

Day at the Brimfield Antique & Flea Market

September 13, 2019

Last week we attended the Brimfield Antique & Flea Market with thousands of other prospective buyers and as usual had a blast. Both of us, along with our friend Eilleen left at 7 am and after about 2 hours of driving arrived at Brimfield. Due to the sheer magnitude of dealers and quantity of antiques and collectibles to see we usually go in with the notion that we will stick to certain areas of the show. (Check out an earlier post to learn more about Brimfield and other antique shows).

Last Thursday was no different as we began at our usual spot by the New England Motel in the center of Brimfield. Within a few minutes of strolling through the various vendors, we came upon a vintage chair that reminded us of my great grandmother, Peggy. It was a wing back chair upholstered in spring colors with bunnies and flowers on it (pictured below). Something in the chair drew our interest and to our shock, the dealer said the chair was only $95. So needless to say, it was SOLD, and we had made our first buy of the day.

Although that was the best buy of the day, we had much success in buying various collectibles and Christmas gifts. Some of the other purchases we made included Mary Hadley (the pottery each generation of my mother’s family collects), a ceramic Spode Christmas tree, vintage buoys, a reproduction of a Main St. sign (thanks Shauna) and various other small pieces. I would have to say that this year’s trip to Brimfield was by far the most successful!

Needless to say, after a long day of traveling, walking, and shopping we were excited to pack up the car (which was very tight) and head home. As usual, we are already looking forward to our next visit to Brimfield (now only to get through a long winter)!

Air Fryer Zucchini and Beet Green Tacos

Best tacos you'll ever have and you won't even realize there isn't any meat!

Ingredients:

1 Large Zucchini

3 Cloves of Garlic

1 Can of Black Beans

1 Cup of Beet Greens

1/2 Cup of Kale

1 Cup of Mayo

1 Cup of Spicy Panko

Spices (Chili Powder, Turmeric, Black Pepper)

1 Package of Soft or Hard Tortilla

Sour Cream

Optional: Salsa

Instructions:

Slice the zucchini. Coat each zucchini slice in mayo and panko.
Add a layer of zucchini to the air fryer and air fry at 390 degrees for 8 minutes. After 8 minutes check and flip.
While preparing the food, chop the garlic and saute in a frying pan.
Add the beet greens, kale, and spices to the frying pan.
Add the can of black beans (drained) to the mixture in the frying pan.
Once cooked, lay out the tortilla shells. Add the beet green mixture and top with fried zucchini slices.
Add sour cream and salsa to the tacos and Enjoy!

Creamy Gnocchi with Spinach

Easy parmesan spinach gnocchi with an easy, creamy sauce!

Ingredients :

2 Packages of Potato Gnocchi

1 Tbsp of Olive Oil

1/2 Cup of Milk

3/4 a Container of Sour Cream

2 Cloves of Garlic

2-3 Cups of Fresh Spinach, Chopped

1/2 of Parmesan Cheese

Instructions:

Cook the gnocchi according to the package directions. Drain, set aside, and return the empty pan to the stove.
Saute the garlic in heated oil over medium heat for about a minute.
Add the spinach, sour cream, milk, and cheese to the pot and stir. Let sit for 3-4 minutes.
Return the cooked gnocchi to the mixture and stir to combine. Serve immediately.

*Although the dish is excellent day one, it is not the best reheated.

Shrimp Bake

Heavenly and delightfully easy dish to kick off a summer weekend in style. This one pan dish makes you feel like you are at the coast, especially due to canceled plans during COVID-19!

Ingredients :

1 1/2 Pound of Baby Yukon Potatoes, Cut into Small Cubes

1 Tbsp of Olive Oil

1/4 Cup of Unsalted Butter

6 Ears of Corn, Cut in Half

1 Pd of Uncooked Shrimp, Peeled

Spices (Italian Seasoning, Parsley, Old Bay Seasoning, Salt, Pepper)

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place the potatoes, shrimp, and corn in a large bowl and stir in the butter, olive oil, and spices.
Place the mixture on a greased baking sheet and bake for 30 minutes or until cooked.
Serve and Enjoy!

Asian Pork Salad

A satisfying dish made with fresh greens from the garden!

Ingredients :

1 Pound of Cooked Pork Tenderloin, Thinly Sliced (We Had Leftover Pork for the Night Before)

3-5 Cups of Fresh Greens (We Mixed Arugula, Spinach, Buttercrunch, and Romance)

2 Clementines, Peeled (Or 1 Can of Mandarins)

4 Packages of Ramen Noodles (Just the Noodles)

3 Fresh Radishes, Chopped

1/4 Cup of Soy Sauce

1/4 Cup of Peanut Butter

3 Tbsp of Rice Vinegar

Instructions:

Cook the ramen noodles as directed on the package and drain. Mix the peanut butter, soy sauce, and ramen together in a bowl and set aside.
Place a heap of fresh greens on each plate and top with some of the ramen mixture. Distribute the pork, clementines, and radishes on top of the noodles and greens.
Drizzle with rice vinegar and Enjoy!

Southwest Chicken Wraps

These Southwest Chicken Wraps are easy to make and packed with nutrition!

Ingredients :

1 Tbsp of Olive Oil

8oz of Cooked Chicken, Shredded

1/2 Can of Corn Kernels (Drained)

1 Can of Black Beans (Drained and Rinsed)

3 Cups of Greens (This can be lettuce, spinach, arugula, or a mix)

1 Package of Soft Flour Tortillas

1 Ripe Avocado

1/2 Cup of Monterey Jack Cheese, Shredded

Fresh Cilantro and Parsley

Spices (Cumin, Italian Seasoning, Chili Powder, Garlic Powder)

For the Dressing:

1/2 Cup of Plain Greek Yogurt

1/4 Cup of Fresh Cilantro with Stems

2 Tbsp of Lime Juice

Instructions:

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the cooked chicken and spices, stirring to make sure the chicken is coated with flavor. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes until the chicken warms up.
Add the corn, black beans, cilantro, parsley and stir. Cook for an additional 2 minutes until everything warms.
In a small bowl whisk together the greek yogurt, cilantro, and lime juice for the dressing.
Begin preparing the wraps. Start by spreading a good portion of the dressing on each tortilla and then add a hearty handful of greens. Next, evenly spread avocado on the inside of the wrap add 1/4 cup of the chicken mixture (or your desired amount) over the top. Sprinkle the wraps with Monterey Jack cheese and roll the tortillas to form a wrap.
Cut in half and ENJOY!

Easy Breakfast Casserole

A delicious and easy way to start the day! Great to make ahead of time and throw in the oven on a Sunday morning.

Ingredients:

1 Package of Shredded Hash Browns (We use Simply Potatoes)

Cooked Breakfast Sausage (We Use Some from the German Butcher)

1 Package of Shredded Cheddar Cheese

1/2 – 3/4 Cup of Sour Cream

Bread Crumbs (We Use Spicy Bread Crumbs)

Spices (Paprika, Italian Seasoning, Pepper)

Fresh Parsley (Optional)

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 350 F.
Grease a 9 x 13 baking dish and set aside.
Saute the sausage in a frying pan over medium-high heat until thoroughly cooked.
Once cooked, cut the sausage into small chunks and set aside.
In a large bowl, mix the shredded hash browns, 1/3 of the cheese, sour cream, and spices.
Add the sausage to the hash brown mixture and mix well.
Pour the contents of the bowl into the baking dish and smooth out.
Top the mixture with the remainder of the cheese and bread crumbs.
Bake the casserole for 35-45 minutes until the cheese is bubbly.
Serve and enjoy!