View from my room at the Glenora Inn

Watkins Glen is located at the southern tip of Seneca Lake, the deepest of the 11 Finger Lakes in New York State. This charming village is well-known as the home of both the Watkins Glen International Speedway and Watkins Glen State Park.

As I explored downtown Watkins Glen, I browsed through the small boutiques, stores and antique shops. Later I relaxed at the Seneca Lake HarborPark, which embraces the lake. If you can’t get enough of Seneca Lake, you can take a tour on one of Captain Bill’s Cruises. They offer hour-long tours, lunch or dinner cruises, and for the landlubber, miniature golf.

North of Watkins Glen, two wineries face each other across Seneca Lake. Glenora Wine Cellars, located in Dundee, is about ten miles from Watkins Glen on the west side of the lake. You’ll find much more than just wine here, though. At their restaurant, Veraisons, I enjoyed an excellent prime rib dinner, and their Signature Cabernet French Onion Soup Gratinée was heavenly.

At the Inn at Glenora, the thirty rooms all have Stickley furniture, excellent views of Seneca Lake, and a complimentary bottle of wine. Some rooms feature fireplaces and Jacuzzis. A wonderful perk is the glass of wine guests receive when checking in.

Across the lake, Logan Ridge Wine Cellars also has a restaurant, Petioles. The view here is spectacular anytime, but especially during sunsets. Both wineries offer wine tastings.

Also north of Watkins Glen, on the east side of the lake, I found a unique shopping experience at Skyland Farm Craft Gallery and Café. Here I found a beautiful garden, a two-story high indoor tree staircase and wonderful one-of-a-kind gifts from local artists.

I wasn’t ready to leave Watkins Glen when the time came. Before I left, I visited the state park to marvel at the natural gorge. I didn’t have time to take the bus to the top, or to climb the 832 steps, but that’s okay. Watkins Glen has so much to offer that it was impossible to see it all in one trip. I knew I’d be back.

For More Info

The Watkins Glen Chamber of Commerce is located at 100 North Franklin Street. Their phone number is 800-607-4552.

The Inn at Glenora Wine Cellars can be found at 5435 Route 14, Dundee, NY. For reservations, call 607-243-9500 ext. 302.

Skyland Farm is about ten minutes north of Watkins Glen on Route 414, on the east side of the lake. Open seasonally, call 607-546-5050 for summer and fall hours.

Update: Unfortunately, Logan Ridge Wine Cellars has closed.

The New York State Fair Midway lights up the night. Photo: ©Brenda Potter Reynolds

The first time I went to the New York State Fair, I was a teenager. I went with my friend and her family.

What a shock! The biggest event we had been to before was our local county fair. Of course this fair was much, much bigger than that.

We covered every inch of the fairgrounds, located in Syracuse. We picked up free stuff, walked through the buildings, and deliberated over where to eat. It was a great time.

The last time I visited the State Fair, it was another shock. Everything seemed a lot bigger, brighter, and busier. The first thing I did was walk around, checking out the grounds.

The midway was just beautiful against the setting sun.

I made a point to visit the Dairy Building for glass of milk. You buy a ticket,  then take it to a server for a cold cup of white or chocolate milk. Yum!

Also in the Dairy Building, I got a sample of sharp cheddar cheese. There were plenty of treats available in the Dairy Building – fudge, cookies, brownies and muffins – all kinds of foods that go well with milk!

I walked through the Cattle Barn, watched a Horse Show, and listened to a Bluegrass band at the Grange Building.

I was surprised to see that the New York State Department of Conservation had a building there, with tourism and state park pamphlets and brochures. Of course, I loaded up!

The fair is held annually during the last week of August through the first few days of September in Syracuse. To find the exact dates, schedules and more information, visit here.

Rose Hill Mansion in Geneva has 26 rooms and 11,634 square feet of living space. Our guide Bob Saunderson told us this fact as he led us through the 21 rooms open to the public. You could see by the look on his face and the twinkle in his eye that he truly enjoyed sharing this Finger Lake attraction with visitors.

This architectural gem has an excellent view of Seneca Lake and is considered a fine example of Greek revival architecture.

The Rooms

One of my favorite rooms is the Music Room. This lovely room features one of first Grand Pianos made in the US. Built of solid mahogany, it is covered with crotch grain veneer. There’s also an American Empire harp, made by Brown and Buckwell of New York City, and a black marble fireplace mantel. An 18th Century solid bronze chandelier hangs in the center of the room.

The beautiful Music Room at Rose Hill Mansion. Photo: @Brenda Potter Reynolds.

There’s a Formal Parlor that was used for entertaining visitors like President Martin Van Buren. In this room, hand-carved pieces of rosewood furniture by Alexander Roux of New York City are featured, circa 1845. This fireplace mantel is of white marble, and over it hangs a signed painting by 17th century artist Gillis Neyts, dated 1653.

Next we visited the Family Parlor, which is separated from the Formal Parlor with packet doors. A tall clock dating from 1819 stands in the corner, still ticking. It keeps good time, Bob said, and is wound every five days.

The guest room, known as the Parlor Bedroom, displays an Oriental Sewing Box from 1840. On the walls, a wide French border gives the illusion of lower ceilings. A canopy bed shares space with a Chippendale side chair and a tilt-top table that once belonged to the Swan family.

In the Office, painted shades caught my eye. These were typical of the 1800′s, Bob explained. There’s Robert Swan’s desk, a mahogany front-fall design. A portrait of former owner William Kerley Strong hangs over the black fireplace mantel.

The Banquet Room has been called the most impressive room in the house, and I certainly agree. With dimensions of 29 feet, eight inches by 21 feet, four inches, it is also the largest.

An American Sheraton table of mahogany, set for dessert, dominates the room. The wallpaper is of French influence, resembling draped fabric – and it’s beautiful. An impressive mahogany Montgomery sideboard – also beautiful – boasts hidden drawers, intricate carvings, and claw feet. This 1830 piece draws many people from other museums, Bob said.

Our delightful Rose Hill Mansion guide, Bob Saunderson. Photo: ©Brenda Potter Reynolds.

As the tour ended, we lingered outside, enjoying the view. People come from all over the world to see this Finger Lake attraction, Bob told us, from as far away as France, Belgium and Israel. It’s easy to see why the mansion draws so many visitors, and why Bob, who has worked here for eight years, holds Rose Hill in such high esteem.

For more information on Rose Hill Mansion, call the Geneva Historical Society at 315.789.5151 or visit the website.

Note: I am sorry to report that Bob has retired from working at Rose Hill Mansion, but all the guides are friendly and knowledgeable.

I would describe the Finger Lakes Wine Festival as wine, food, and fun. Whether you drink or not, there’s a lot to do and taste at this Finger Lakes event!

The last time I visited Wine Fest, there were lots of vendors offering a variety of products, from wineglass necklaces to reusable wine corks to sun catchers.

There was also music. Under a large tent, festival-goers grooved to the music of several bands.

There was no shortage of foods to choose from, either. The most popular item seemed to be a huge serving of homemade potato chips called potato twisters.

Tator Twisters at the Finger Lakes Wine Festival. Photo: ©Brenda Potter Reynolds

The Wine

The “main course” of the event, the wineries, were housed under large tents and in a building. It was the ultimate wine tour, with some 70 wineries, mostly from the Finger Lakes area, all in one place. Each offered samples of their finest wines and also had bottles of wine for sale. One of the neatest things was that a customer could purchase a bottle or two of wine, fill out a claim ticket, and after 30 minutes or so, their purchase would be delivered to the front office for easy pickup on the way out.

A selection of wines at the Wine Fest. Photo: ©Brenda Potter Reynolds.

I also discovered that designated drivers are eligible for complimentary non-alcoholic juices and soda from certain vendors, which was cool, because I was there by myself and couldn’t drink.

Although I wasn’t sampling wine that weekend, I enjoyed chatting with the winery owners and employees. While visiting with the winery reps, I got the impression that they enjoy the fest as much as the attendees.

The Food

And I did get to taste samples of another kind. There were vendors offering samples of cheese, olive oil dips, beef jerky and salsa.

The Finger Lakes Wine Festival is held annually during July at the Watkins Glen International Speedway, and goes on rain or shine. Buy tickets here or for more information,  visit the festival website.

The view from my room at the Inn at Glenora Wine Cellars. Photo: ©Brenda Potter Reynolds

One of my favorite Finger Lakes hotels is The Inn at Glenora Wine Cellars. One neat feature is that they present you with a glass of wine at check-in. I took mine back to my room and relaxed.

My room had an electric fireplace and Whirlpool bath. It also had a million-dollar view, looking out to Seneca Lake over acres of vineyards. Actually, every one of their 30 rooms has a similar view.

If you do stay at the Glenora, you have to eat at Veraisons Restaurant, and if you like French Onion soup, try their Glenora’s Signature Cabernet French Onion Soup Gratinée. It is the best!

There’s also a winery, a gift shop, and they often feature special events, like musical acts. Glenora is located in Dundee, on the western side of Seneca Lake. The winery was named the 2009 Winery of The Year by Tasters Guild International.

Find out more about the Inn at Glenora Wine Cellars here or call them at 800.243.5513.   

Once you’ve explored the Corning Museum of Glass, you’ll never look at glass the same way again.

My husband, son and I traveled to Corning to visit the CMOG. I had heard so many good things about the museum, yet we were all surprised at just how much there was to do and see there.

Maestrale, Toots Zynsky (American, b. 1951). United States, Providence, Rhode Island, 2005. Filets de verre (fused and thermo-formed glass threads). H. 33.7 cm, W. 82 cm, D. 41.8 cm. 2007.4.205, gift of the Ben W. Heineman Sr. Family. Image Courtesy of the CMOG.

The Glass Collection Galleries are billed as the world’s most comprehensive collection of glass. There was a 2,000 lb. table, a 5 x 7 ft. micro mosaic of the Basilica of San Marco, and one of my (many) favorites – Cityscape by Jay Musler, a city skyline fashioned on the edge of half of a Pyrex glass sphere.

While we stood talking to Frank Starr, Gallery Educator, a young girl – maybe four or five years old – stood by impatiently. Finally, she blurted out, “Can you show me the glass slipper?” Intrigued, I tagged along as Frank led the youngster and her mom to the display.

The display was of a glass slipper made for a Cinderella movie that was never produced. It was just beautiful – the stuff of little girls’ dreams.

The Glass Innovations Center shows and tells how glass has changed our world. The center has an actual periscope from a nuclear submarine that allows viewers to get a bird’s eye view of Corning. This is a popular display, Frank told me. The periscope we saw is the second one to be installed here – the first one wore out from being used so much!

The Make Your Own Glass experience allows visitors to make a project by glassblowing, flame working, fusing, or sandblasting.

At the Hot Glass Show, we watched master glass makers create glass artwork right before our eyes. There’s also a gift shop and a cafe.

I’ve learned that since my visit, the CMOG has added some new demos – including one in glass breaking! Cool!

Two-and-a half to four hours is recommended for browsing the Glass Collection Galleries alone, but Frank has often overheard visitors plotting to revise their schedule so that they could stay longer, or return the next day.  I suggest that you allow an entire day to have time to enjoy all that the Corning Museum of Glass has to offer.

Wanna go? Check out their website for more info.

I’ve visited this beautiful lake many times – from Geneva at the Northern end to Watkins Glen, located at the Southern end. You can enjoy the lake’s beauty from the Watkins Glen Waterfront, where Captain Bill’s Boat Tours is located. You’ll also find Seneca Harbor, a restored train station that is now a great restaurant, at the waterfront. The view from the restaurant is awesome.

A drive around the lake is a great way to spend a day.

The lake is home to five state parks, including Seneca Lake State Park, Sampson State Park, Bonavista State Park, Lodi Point, and Watkins Glen State Park.

I’m not a fisherman, but I hear that fishing is excellent on this Finger Lake.

The restaurant has been family-owned and operated since 1947 – and that’s just how you feel at Trombino’s – like part of the family. The servers were all friendly and seemed to enjoy what they were doing. Our waitress, Barb, was very sociable, and took good care of us. Mike came over to check on us during our meal, and I even saw Paul helping a waitress serve a large party.

And the Food is Good Too!

I ordered French Onion Soup and it was sooo good. I also ordered their New York Strip Steak and it was excellent. It was grilled exactly the way I requested – medium – and was served with vegetables and choice of potato. (I had a baked potato.)

My husband had steak as well, but he had a salad with his meal. He pronounced it delicious.

The place was jumping on that Friday night. I got a sense that Trombino’s is popular place for locals to gather, although I’ve heard that many people come from out of the immediate area to dine there. I know that my husband and I are going back!

Photo(c)Brenda Potter Reynolds. Fair Haven State Park.

At Taughannock Falls State Park, Taughannock Falls plunges 215 feet. Pinnacle State Park has both awesome views and a golf course. And Robert H. Treman State Park features a trails that passes by 12 waterfalls, including 115-foot Lucifer Falls.

Here’s a listing of Finger Lakes State Parks.

Allan H. Treman State Park
c/o Robert H. Treman State Park
105 Enfield Falls Rd.
Ithaca, NY 14850
Phone: (607) 273-3440
Phone: (607) 272-1460 (marina office, summer)

Bonavista State Park Golf Course
7194 County Road 132
Ovid, NY 14521
Phone: (607) 869-5482

Buttermilk Falls State Park
c/o Robert H. Treman State Park
105 Enfield Falls Rd.
Ithaca, NY 14850
Phone: (607) 273-5761 (summer)
Phone: (607) 273-3440
Reservations: (800) 456-2267

Cayuga Lake State Park
2678 Lower Lake Road
Seneca Falls, NY 13148
Phone: (315) 568-5163
Reservations: (800) 456-2267

Chimney Bluffs State Park
7700 Garner Road
Wolcott, NY 14590
(315) 947-5205

Dean’s Cove Boat Launch
2678 Lower Lake Road
Seneca Falls, NY 13148
Phone: (315) 568-5163

Fair Haven State Park
Route 104A, P.O. Box 16
Fair Haven, NY 13064
Phone: (315) 947-5205
Reservations: (800) 456-2267

Fillmore Glen State Park
1686 St. Rte. 38
Moravia, NY 13118
Phone: (315) 497-0130
Fax: (315) 497-0128
Reservations: (800) 456-2267

Harriet Hollister Spencer Recreation Area
1082 Route 36 South
Dansville, NY 14437
Phone: (585) 335-8111

Honeoye Lake Boat Launch State Park
6150 East Lake Rd.
Honeoye, NY 14471
Phone: (585) 335-8111

Lodi Point State Park
c/o Sampson State Park – 6096 Rte. 96A
Romulus, NY 14541
Phone: (315) 585-6392

Long Point State Park
451 Oneida Road
Elmira, NY 14901
Phone: (607)732-6067
Reservations: (800) 456-2267

Mark Twain State Park and Soaring Eagles Golf Course
201 Middle Road
Horseheads, NY 14845
Phone: (607) 739-0034
Phone: (607) 739-0551

Newtown Battlefield State Park
451 Oneida Road
Elmira, NY 14901
Phone: (607)732-6067
Reservations: (800) 456-2267

Pinnacle State Park & Golf Course
1904 Pinnacle Road
Addison, NY 14801
Phone: (607) 359-2767

Robert H. Treman State Park
105 Enfield Falls Rd.
Ithaca, NY 14850
Phone: (607) 273-3440
Reservations: (800) 456-2267

Sonnenberg Gardens & Mansion State Historic Park
151 Charlotte Street
Canandaigua, NY 14424
(585) 394-4922

Stony Brook State Park
10820 Route 36 South
Dansville, NY 14437
Phone: (585) 335-8111
Reservations: (800) 456-2267

Watkins Glen State Park
P.O. Box 304
Watkins Glen, NY 14891
Phone: (607) 535-4511
Reservations: (800) 456-2267