If you’ve been hearing the buzz about the Earlville Opera House’s Auction for the Arts, you’ll know that there are five different categories of amazing items available for bid. Auction item categories include: {EDIBLES} – {EXPERIENCES} -{ENTERTAINMENT} – {ESSENTIALS} – {EMBELLISHMENTS} – so read on for the latest list of fun offerings!
{EXPERIENCES}
• Airplane Ride – Go up, up in the air on a breathtaking aerial survey of Hamilton and environs. Climb aboard a private plane with a guest for a quarter of an hour in the wild blue yonder. Forget the pre-boarding security pat-down but remember to bring your camera!
• Kayak Expedition – Traverse the picturesque waterway known as “Nine Mile Swamp” with expert kayaker and naturalist Fred von Mechow. Long associated with the notorious Loomis Gang, the creek is now home to beavers, great blue herons and a variety of flora and fauna. All gear provided for up to 6 people.
• Sri Lankan Cooking Class & Dinner for Two – Redolent with aromatic herbs and healing spices, Sri Lankan-style cooking (like South Indian) is hearty and healthy. Bring your apron and an appetite because Sami Martinez will give step-by-step instruction for creating exotic dishes that you can make at home. Complete the evening with a delicious dinner!
• Family Day at Rosamond Gifford Zoo – Take your crew to the zoo with a one-day pass for four. Ranked by TripAdvisor as Syracuse’s 2nd most popular attraction. Lions and tigers and monkeys, oh my! Be sure to count heads before you leave so you don’t bring any extra monkeys home!
• Fruit of the Fungi – Delve into propagating your own ‘shrooms with a home visit from fun guy KC Mangine of Fruit of the Fungi. Three mushroom logs will be provided along with instructions for growing. Don’t just sit there, get growing!
• Lake Moraine Boat Excursion – Cruise our very own Lake Moraine on a pontoon party boat with seven of your best friends. You can choose from a lazy afternoon float or a daybreak fishing trip. The ship’s captain Dave Folta might even be talked into bringing his mandolin for a serenade!
• Cooperstown Museums – Make a day of it and visit the Fenimore Art Museum AND the Farmers’ Museum – two of Cooperstown’s most renowned attractions. Tickets for two to both museums valued at $75; experiencing art and agriculture – priceless.
Seven Oaks Golf Course – one of the best public courses in NYS according to GOLF Magazine and Golfweek
• Seven Oaks Golf – Treat yourself and three buddies to a round of golf at the gorgeous Robert Trent Jones-designed course right here in our backyard. Remember: the best golf partner is one who is always a little bit worse than you are!
• Colgate Athletics Basket – Root for the Raiders at one of their home games with this basket worth $120 – tickets, t-shirts and sweatshirts included for a great game day with our hometown team. Go Raiders!
• Recording Studio Time – Spend a couple hours recording your own original tune with Jim McDowell at his Bradley Brook Recording Studio. Your Big Break is waiting for you! Recording time is valued at $50. Big Break not included.
• Voice Lessons – Spruce up that singing voice with two 45-minute voice lessons with professional singer Meena Nair Conant. With degrees in Music Theater and Voice, Meena has the chops to help you discover your potential. Do-re-mi-fa-so-la-ti-do! Now bid!
• Math Tutoring – Get five hours of high school or college math tutoring from Colgate professor Evelyn Hart for your potentially stellar student. Regardless of how good you were at math when you were in school, the new stuff will make your eyes cross – leave it to the professionals, please.
{ENTERTAINMENT}
Make your own theater experience for 64 of your best friends!
Private Theater Showing – Bring 64 of your besties to a private screening of your favorite flick. Whether it’s Star Wars or Psycho, you can experience every thrilling detail on the silver screen. Insider tip: Ask for layered butter on your popcorn!
Evening of Babysitting – Experienced parent and skillful grandmother Patti von Mechow will not only care for your little ones while you go out for date night or running errands, she will get down on the floor and keep them entertained. Four hours of child care is valued at $80. Knowing they’re in good hands – absolutely priceless.
Blue Parsley Boys Concert – Imagine the glorious voices of the Blue Parsley Boys at your next house party or fundraiser. These a capella songsters will hit all the right notes to make any occasion festive. Valued at $200, even a penny less would be a bargain!
‘Laissez les bon temps rouler’ (Cajun for: let the good times roll)
Tumbleweed Gumbo Band – get ready to ‘laissez les bon temps rouler’ (Cajun for: let the good times roll) when you bring the zydeco, Celtic and Americana-tinged foot stompin’ melodies of Steve Blais, Liz Friedel, Werner Koegst and Larry Jordan to your party or outdoor event. Prepare to have your argyle socks rocked!
And speaking of ENTERTAINMENT… the incomparable DIANE ADAMS McDOWELL, fresh from her work on the Tony-award-winning Broadway musical “A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder” will be performing at the event. That alone is worth the price of admission!
Here more exciting selections from the Earlville Opera House’s Auction for the Arts event to take place this Friday. These {ESSENTIALS} may be just what you’ve been needing, and provide some solutions to life’s complications. Read, buy tickets, mark calendar. Go!
{ESSENTIALS}
* Legal Beagle – Hire Attorney Chris Kendall to help with your legal concerns. Want to set up a trust for your pet parakeet? OK, maybe not that one. What about completing an iron clad last will, power of attorney, or health care proxy? You name it, Chris will wrangle all the legal details. Valued at $500, but taking away the worry, you will sleep like a baby.
* Massage Therapy – With several licensed massage therapists and a variety of session packages, there’s bound to be one that’s right for you. Wendy Chapura specializes in CranioSacral Therapy and Visceral Manipulation. Holly York is not only trained in human massage, she is also equine massage certified – ideal for the horse enthusiast. Darcie Loveless of Hamilton Massage Therapy provides personalized service for health and wellness right in downtown Hamilton. Monique Dembrow whose practice is in Utica is a development, rehabilitative and restorative service practitioner.
* A Sign of Welcome – Nothing says “Welcome!” better than your very own Welcome Sign! Use it for your home, business, or outdoor entertainment space. Donated by Robin and Ethel Diehl for your special entrance.
* Vermont Bowl Mill Salad Set – Make any meal spectacular with a hand-crafted bowl from this renown maker of heirloom quality goods. This lovely set includes a large salad bowl and a set of six individual serving bowls. Set your table with the finest and elevate even a simple salad supper to the sublime. Valued at $175; sure to last for generations.
* Picture This – Enjoy your very own family photo session with acclaimed photographer Alice Virden-Speer! Receive all the care and attention of a professional photo shoot and choose from four complimentary 8×10 fine art prints. Make memories that are priceless!
* Steph – Make a fashion statement with carefully selected designs for every occasion at Steph. Shop for that perfect outfit using a gift certificate for $50 at the quintessentially glamorous boutique that has what it takes to make you look mah-velous!
* Card Me – Get your DIY project started with $20 from Curtis Lumber or use $25 to browse the densely-populated aisles at Parry’s. Try for one or snag them both for holiday stocking stuffers. Only 12 weeks until Christmas!
* Bookstore Bonanza – surprise that special kid in your life with a selection of children’s books from the Colgate Bookstore. Reading is a lifetime passion so start your youngsters out with a cherished gift.
* House Beautiful – Take your home remodeling project to the next level with professional architectural consulting by Bruce Ward, AIA. With a design to fit your exclusive needs, enjoy a 4-hour consultation and concept drawings. Valued at $300 and sure to make your design dreams come true.
* Get Fit, Be Fabulous – Check out the newest and most exciting fitness sensation to hit Hamilton at the FITT Stop. Employing the principles of Frequency, Intensity, Time and Type, shake your groove thang with a personal training program that zeroes in on your goals. This one month fitness pass will get you moving and grooving while you get strong and healthy!
* Artist Supplies – Choose from three different fine art paints collections in water colors, oils or acrylics from Golden Artist Colors.
Capture some of Central New York’s seasonal beauty in paint as you utilize some of the most luxurious materials from a company that’s been in the fine art business since the 1930s.
* Saxby’s Coffee – Get your caffeine fix in the bag with a basket of goodies from Saxby’s at the Barge. Choose from hot or cold coffees, breakfast or lunch, smoothies or frozen yogurt at the newest coffee hangout in town.
{EDIBLES}
• Common Thread CSA – What better investment in your future than a mini-share in community supported agriculture? Enjoy a summer allotment of organically-raised produce valued at $180 and choose from a seasonal assortment of farm-fresh delights. Dividends paid in health and well-being!
• La Iguana – Savor the flavor South of the Border and all your Mexican flavor enticements with a generous gift certificate valued at $60. More than just a dining place, La Iguana is known for its icy margaritas and warm welcomes.
• Maple Avenue Farms – Beef, it’s what’s for dinner. Look no further than this three-generation farm if you are looking for locally raised, high-quality, grain finished beef, valued at $50. Our mouths are watering already!
• Good Nature Brewing – Enjoy a scintillating half growler of any one of GNB’s “Farm to Glass” beers – offering handcrafted, all-natural ales brewed right here in Hamilton with local ingredients. Sure to please any beer connoisseur!
• Ingallside Meadows – A generous assortment of red meat, white meat, and the “other” white meat, this hearty selection offers salad bar beef, free-range chicken and fresh air pork, valued at $180. You’ll know exactly where your food is coming from.
• Poplar Hedge Farm – We’re not ‘kid’-ding – this is the best goat cheese you’ll ever taste: 24 ounces of chevre and feta cheese produced by the content and pasture-fed goats of West Winfield, NY.
• Jakes Cheese – You’ve tasted these goodies at the Hamilton Farmers’ Market, now treat yourself to an assortment of cheese, jellies, jams and cookies made with a passion for well-crafted food by the Soltzfus Family. You know it’s gonna be Gouda!
• Lost Biker’s BBQ – You don’t have to be lost or a biker to enjoy this delicious BBQ! Mosey on over to this hot new place in Sherburne for a taste of their slow-smoked perfection, valued at $25. Bring your appetite!
• Basket of Maple Goodness – donated by Lyle and Nan Warren, this hand-made basket includes sweet local maple products.
• Heirloom Meadows Farm – You’ll think you’re in Paris (the one in France, not New York) when you partake in the pastry sensations that include croissants and other French treats. Mai oui, s’il vous plait!
• G&M Farms – Prepare your taste buds for pure heat when you tantalize them with a variety of mild-to-fiery salsas, all made from fresh natural ingredients. With a last name like Scovill, Mike and Ginger may know a thing or two about spice!
• Seven Oaks Club House Restaurant – Whether you’re a golfer or not, you’ll love a $65 gift certificate to the Club House, which includes a bottle of wine. With a delectable menu of signature dishes and a serene view to die for, all you have to do is call to reserve a table!
• Pie of the Month Club – The winner of this item will be our new best friend for life – or at least 12 months! What could be more delightful to share than a delectable, fresh-baked pie of seasonal goodies from the kitchen of RuthAnn Loveless? We’ll bring the coffee!
• Jewett’s Cheese House – Half the fun of Jewett’s is tasting all the aged cheeses. The other half is bringing some home with you. Enjoy a nice gift certificate that can be used for any of their fine cheeses or array of other local products.
• Poolville Country Store – Just a short drive to the hamlet of Poolville to find a culinary gem featuring regional and seasonal products and genteel service. Enjoy the countrified elegance of a dining experience at this chef-owned and -operated restaurant.
• Date Night: Cooking In – Just add the wholesome ingredients because you’ll be receiving a bottle of wine donated by Jeff Clarke, and a copy of A Taste of Julie Jordan – 100 Top Vegetarian Classics with recipes from the much-loved Cabbagetown Cafe in Ithaca.
{EMBELLISHMENTS}
> Antique Child’s Chair – If you’ve got a little one in your household or a brand new grandchild, then this exquisite chair is for you. Mostly a decorative item, this chair is still functional for small people. Valued at $60, this could be a family heirloom in the making.
> It’s Nutting, Honey – The atmospheric photographs of Wallace Nutting are prized as fine collectibles in the Colonial Revival style. Nutting photographed the world around him, often during long bicycle rides in the countryside.
> Inlaid Letter Opener – whether you use it for personal correspondence or the usual barrage of bills, a stylish letter opener is an excellent addition to a fine desk or side table. Hand crafted by artisan Duane Martinez out of Central New York spalted maple and inlaid with semi-precious lapis lazuli, this enduring and ergonomic piece makes a fine gift or a personal indulgence.
> Nantucket Basket – Lovingly hand made by Jean Chapin, this Nantucket market or fruit basket is ideal for Saturday Farmers’ Market or a variety of home decoration or display options. Imagine it piled high with freshly-harvested apples or heaped with veggies from the garden. Now imagine yourself owning it! Score!
> Ede Walker Bowl – Well known in the region for stunning timeless ceramics, this Ede Walker large pottery bowl will bring a touch of earthy elegance to any table. Rich in colors and kiln-baked textures, and a must-have for any serious host or hostess.
From Mountain View Gardens!
> Succulent Garden – Cactus displays are all the rage these days, and this potted garden of succulents arranged artfully in a designer container is sure to make any sunny spot in your home look sharp. Donated by Mountain View Gardens and valued at $50.
> Caricature Portraits – Have a personality that feels hemmed in by mere photographs? Try a custom caricature portrait by artist Jonathan Vaughn! You and a fellow “character” can enjoy a rare pleasure reserved for royalty and heads of state. Go ahead, you deserve it!
> Quilted to Perfection – Hand made from teeny tiny pieces of fabric, quilting practically defies practicality, and yet it is a most practical possession. Norma Lamb creates art quilts that will decorate a wall or top your bed with equal ease. Valued at $125, make sure you snag this artful embellishment early.
> Village Crossing Clothing – Skip the impersonal department stores and don’t get mauled by the mall! Start your bidding early for this $25 gift certificate along with a purse valued at $26 from the Village Crossing in Clinton. With stylish and affordable clothing for women of all ages, this store is one that strives to stock its racks with items that are “Made in America.”
> Miniatures by Hestia – Add the charm of miniature historic buildings to your Colonial decor with a selection of Hestia VillageScapes from Evergreen Gallery. Valued at more than $130, these tiny architectural icons make fantastic mementos of a bygone era – or a visit to the historic town of Hamilton!
With more than 90 auction item in the categories of Edibles, Experiences, Entertainment, Essentials and Embellishments, there’s sure to be something for everyone!
For a complete list of auction items, please see the full program listing by table http://www.earlvilleoperahouse.com/PubData/EOH.001/PDFs/EOH%20Auction%20program%20(2014).pdf.
Get your tickets tickets now for the Auction for the Arts to benefit the Earlville Opera House on Friday, September 26 from 5-7:30 PM at the Colgate Inn. An evening of complimentary beer, wine and hors d’oeuvres while you peruse the auction items and prepare your bids. Remember it is a silent auction, but that doesn’t mean you have to be quiet about it! Tell a friend or bring a neighbor!
To Buy your Tickets to the Auction – here’s the link to our donation page. Please put Auction in the message box. Tickets are just $15 each. Any unsold tickets will be at the door on Friday night at the Colgate Inn.
Earlville Opera House 