Provisions and Paparazzi in Essex, NY

Diane Purdy at Essex Provisions in Essex, NY

“Essex is alive with both new and well-established businesses, opening up, dusting off and getting ready for the season…” So opens Sue Cameron’s “Provisions and Papparazzi” post on LakePlacid.com on June 14. Essex is alive! It’s incredible how much is going on in Essex these last couple of weeks. Essex businesses have proven that even a record breaking flood can’t drown the Essex spirit. Residents, businesses and friends of both are pulling together for what is shaping up to be the best summer in decades.

Cameron headed over to Essex for visit to the newly opened Essex Provisions.

We located Essex Provisions next to the Essex Marina entrance. It’s a great location overlooking the piers and the old tin roofs of the marina complex! It made me feel like I was at Fisherman’s Wharf in Monterey! Upon entering the freshly painted and artfully decorated store, you’ll find a welcoming atmosphere with a beautiful display of provisions (of course) and more. Stephanie Wilber and Diane Purdy, proprietors, are well-known in the business, having owned Keene Valley Marketplace for a number of years prior to selling it a couple of years ago. A big ol’ soup kettle invites you to self serve, which we did. It was a good soup day. Phenomenal is the best word for the very hearty chicken and vegetable soup, so chock full it was almost like stew. We sat eating our soup on the back deck overlooking the lake, festooned with wind chimes made from old silver flatware and took in the view of the Green Mountains of Vermont far in the distance… (via LakePlacid.com)

Cameron’s must-read review of Essex Provisions will trigger your belly rumbling, so best not to read it at the library. She tours the delectables and the colossal farm fresh eggs from Libby and George Pataki’s South Farm even make a cameo which inevitably leads to the paparazzi… Read the full review!

Essex Shipyard and Rudder Club (www.essexonlakechamplain.com)
Old Dock Opening July 1 (www.essexonlakechamplain.com)
The Neighborhood Nest: A Gathering of Art, Nature and Antiques (www.essexonlakechamplain.com)
Essex Community Concerts (www.essexonlakechamplain.com)
Live Well in the Champlain Valley (www.essexonlakechamplain.com)
Three Perks of Life in Essex (rosslynredux.com)

About Geo Davis

Geo Davis (aka virtualDavis) is a writer, storyteller and unabashed flâneur. He taught and coached at Santa Fe Preparatory School and The American School of Paris, co-founded Maison Margaux: "Paris à la parisienne" in Faubourg Saint-Germain, and owns Adobe Oasis in Santa Fe, NM with his bride.

Geo chronicles adventures (and misadventures) of rehabilitating an historic Essex home at Rosslyn Redux: Reawakening a home, a dream and ourselves; blogs about doodling and other esoterica at virtualDavis.com; posts sometimes unnerving, occasionally euphoric, and always pollyanna "midlife mashups" at 40x41.com; waxes nautical at Sailing Errant; and delves into matters of parenting, babylandia, and childfreedom at Why No Kids? He meanders on Twitter, Facebook, Google+, Pinterest, YouTube and Flickr.