Life in the Finger Lakes Winter 2002

∞ 4Covers.LIFL.Winter.02-03

11/7/02

2:19 PM

The Region’s Premier Magazine

Page 1

WINTER 2002 / 2003

LOCALLY MADE MENNONITE QUILTS PROVIDE WARMTH AND BEAUTY BEST DESSERT AND SPARKLING WINES FOR THE HOLIDAYS AREA VILLAGE LINKED TO CHRISTMAS MOVIE CLASSIC

PHOTO CONTEST WINNERS Announced $3.95 US/$4.95 CAN 2 4>

0

74470 56218 4 www.LifeintheFingerLakes.com

∞ 4Covers.LIFL.Winter.02-03

11/7/02

2:19 PM

Page 2

Circle Reader Service Number 128

01-13.LIFL.Winter.02-03

11/7/02

1:24 PM

Page 1

Volume 2, Number 4 • Winter 2002/2003

F E A T U R E S

14

WELCOME TO BEDFORD FALLS ...OR IS IT SENECA FALLS? Movie buffs who love “It’s a Wonderful Life” and small-town Bedford Falls should feel right at home in this Finger Lakes village

By James P. Hughes

20

DARRYL ABRAHAM Sculptor, teacher, landscape designer, and Finger Lakes original

By Leanna Landsmann

26

THE HOUSE THAT SMITH BUILT Geneva’s elegant Smith Opera House makes a comeback

By Kevin Schoonover

32

PHOTO CONTEST WINNERS Finger Lakes talent is proudly displayed

D E P A R T M E N T S

Winter Reflections.

Photograph by Dorothy Kennedy Cover Photograph: The west side of Canandaiuga Lake, looking northeast toward Bare Hill.

Photograph by Bill Banaszewski

2

MY OWN WORDS

3

LETTERS

4 7

NEWSBITS

11

BOOK LOOK

39

FRUIT OF THE VINE

46

DAY TRIP

48 50

INDEX OF ADVERTISERS

53 56

CALENDAR

40

SPECIAL: HOLIDAY RETAIL SHOWCASE

A Busy Season

MADE IN THE FINGER LAKES Quilting the Mennonite Way Fireside Reading Enjoy Finger Lakes Dessert and Sparkling Wines for the Holidays Ithaca’s Sciencenter

SPORT Head to High Ground to Find Snow

OFF THE EASEL Ann Carver, American Painter

WINTER 2002/ 2003 ~

1

01-13.LIFL.Winter.02-03

11/8/02

M Y

12:23 PM

O W N

Page 2

W O R D S EDITORIAL & PRODUCTION

A Busy Season

ART DIRECTOR/EDITOR. . . . . . . . . . . Mark Stash mark@lifeinthefingerlakes.com EDITORIAL ASSISTANCE . . . . . . . . Kari Anderson

N

othing portends winter so much as a southbound flock of Canada Geese, though some geese find a New York winter to be quite pleasant.

Nevertheless, the approach of winter prompts us to get some things done that we’ve been putting off all year. I desperately needed to get some outside painting done on my house, for example, and once the leaves start to turn, I’m out there with a renewed sense of urgency.

I’m sure that we all have our own projects that we need to accomplish before the dead of winter is upon us, such as repairing or replacing furnaces, fixing roofs, or preparing our flower beds for next spring. Once all of this is accomplished, we may have some extra time on our hands to while away during the long winter months.

I wonder why winter seems to be so arduous to us? There are a great variety of activities that we can enjoy in the wintertime, and we hope reading this magazine is at least toward the top of your priority list. What we are bringing to you in this issue should give you some idea of new, interesting things to see and do.

In this issue, we are presenting our first ever look at books that are Finger Lakes related – great for fireside reading. The quilting craze is here to stay.

Let us show you how a local Mennonite woman creates her quilts.

Cabin fever can be a problem during the winter, especially with young children. We have the perfect solution to spend a dreary day by visiting Ithaca’s Sciencenter, a hands-on museum that’s a big hit.

Some winter weekend, why not head to high country in the region’s southeast corner for cross-country skiing and snowshoeing? At the end of the day, you can use our guide to select that special dessert or sparkling wine you’ve been thinking about trying.

We are especially proud to bring you the winners of our first annual photography contest. We were amazed at the quality of fine photographs to choose from. We also bring you the original artwork of Darryl Abraham, and show you a gem within our area, the Smith Opera House. And did you know that Seneca Falls has a unique reputation as the inspiration for It’s A Wonderful Life’s Bedford Falls? At least, that’s how the legend goes.

After reading this issue, you’ll be equipped to enjoy this winter, and find it as pleasant as our Canada geese have found. And while you’re at it, please tell your friends where you learned all of this great information. Enjoy!

mark@lifeinthefingerlakes.com

Areas of interest in this magazine issue Seneca Falls Geneva

Naples Ithaca

NEW YORK S TAT E The Finger Lakes Region of New York State

2 ~ LIFE

IN THE

FINGER LAKES

J. Kevin Fahy Tina Manzer PRODUCTION ASSISTANCE . . . Bobbie Jo Trumbull

Kristin Grove CONTRIBUTORS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Nate Abbott

Sue Freeman James P. Hughes Leanna Landsmann Bill Moffett Kevin Schoonover Joy Underhill Laurel C. Wemett EDITORIAL OFFICE . . . . . . . . . . . . 315-789-0458 EDITORIAL FAX . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 315-781-6820 DIRECTOR

OF

ADVERTISING . . . . . . . Tim Braden tim@lifeinthefingerlakes.com

ADVERTISING EDITOR . . . . . . . . . . Tricia Burnett tburnett@fwpi.com

FOR ADVERTISING INQUIRIES (800) 344-0559 . . . . . . . . . . . . . Jason Hagerman jason@lifeinthefingerlakes.com

FOR SUBSCRIPTIONS (315) 789-0458 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Tricia King

tking@fwpi.com BUSINESS OFFICE . . . . . . . . . . . . 315-789-0458

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 800-344-0559 BUSINESS FAX . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 315-789-4263

Life in the Finger Lakes is published by Fahy-Williams Publishing, Inc. and owned by Eleven Lakes Publishing, Inc. Co-owners: Mark S. Stash; Timothy J. Braden. Copyright ©2002 by Eleven Lakes Publishing, Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reprinted or otherwise reproduced without written permission from the publisher. Uncredited photographs and illustrations are by Mark Stash.

TO SUBSCRIBE, RENEW OR CHANGE ADDRESS: write to Life in the Finger Lakes, P.O. Box 1080, Geneva, New York 14456, or call 315789-0458. Subscription rates: $12.95 for one year.

Outside U.S., add $10.00 per year. For renewal or change of address, include the address label from your most recent issue of Life in the Finger Lakes.

For gift subscriptions, include your own name and address as well as those of gift recipients.

Life in the Finger Lakes 171 Reed St. • P.O. Box 1080 Geneva, NY 14456 www.LifeintheFingerLakes.com

Serving the 14 counties of the Finger Lakes Region Printed by Wilcox Press, Ithaca, New York

01-13.LIFL.Winter.02-03

11/7/02

2:09 PM

L E T T E R S

Recently my girlfriend and I took a small vacation up to the Finger Lakes region in New York and we loved it!

Even though I have seen many places throughout the U.S., and the world, I have never found anywhere as quaint and beautiful as the Finger Lakes. The most amazing sight of the entire trip

Page 3

Wide Open

SPACE Marshall Scott Scott Contracting H e r k i m e r, N Y

315.866.7518 tpegcny@aol.com

Pe t e r O s b o r n e Berkshire Builders Naples, NY

585.374.2830

FIND OUT MORE ABOUT THE SOARING SPACE THAT CREATES SUCH WARMTH IN OUR UNIQUE TIMBER FRAME HOMES

posborne@frontiernet.net

Kevin McMahon KJM Contracting H o m e r, N Y

607.749.2550 kjm@clarityconnect.com

www.timberpeg.com

1.800.636.2424

DEPT.LFL5

Circle Reader Service Number 121

occured in a moment when, in the middle of a gloomy rainy day, the sun briefly poured down into Watkins Glen, creating one of the most beautiful sights I have even seen! I just wanted to share a photo of this amazing sight (wondering as well if you might be able to use it) and say that we love your magazine and your beautiful region as well!

It’s easy to relax when you can enjoy endless hot water and energy savings.

Matthew, Cleveland, Ohio

Get the latest technology in water heaters with Bosch AquaStar.

Finally, a water heater that delivers big energy savings without compromising performance. Bosch AquaStar’s tankless design heats water instantly, so it uses energy only when you’re actually using hot water. Plus, it delivers endless hot water, no matter how many showers you string together. And AquaStar packs all this into a compact unit that hangs on a wall in your utility room. To learn which AquaStar is right for you, call or visit our Web site today.

CONTROLLED ENERGY CORPORATION WAITSFIELD, VERMONT

ALFL

I enjoyed the magazine very much.

You can't do any better than the McCarthy and Reynolds photographs (I have books by both of them and have bought numerous ones for gifts).

And you have a great selection of ads I read every one of them! - and learned something! I recall an earlier Finger Lakes publication that was so Ithacacentered it was useless for the rest of us.

www.ControlledEnergy.com/fl | 800-642-3199

Gail, Seneca Lake Circle Reader Service Number 110

WINTER 2002/ 2003 ~

3

01-13.LIFL.Winter.02-03

11/7/02

Welcome the XV 90 Variable Speed Gas Furnace into your home.

2:10 PM

Page 4

A Heating And Air Conditioning System Impacts Your Comfort Every Day Of The Year.

• Are your heating and cooling bills too high?

• Is your indoor unit or your outdoor unit (or both) too noisy?

• Do you have a problem with humidity in the summer? Or, dry air in the winter?

• Is your system still covered by a warranty?

Regardless of the weather, or the part of the country you live in, your home's comfort can be handled quietly, efficiently and effectively.

Free 10-Year Extended Warranty call for details

POTTER Heating and Air Conditioning 585 • 393 • 9410 Circle Reader Service Number 118

Time and weather perfected chalets, cottages and log homes produced exclusively by Northern Design & Building Associates.

New England Colonials & Custom Designed Homes.

From lakeside to mountaintop, we utilize the latest in log and panelized building systems technology.

Our qualified staff is ready to assist you through the planning and building process.

Call us for a free consultation!

P.O. Box 47 • Dept FL-02 Hudson Falls, NY 12839 Circle Reader Service Number 117

4 ~ LIFE

IN THE

FINGER LAKES

N E W S B I T S

Ithaca Recognized Ben Kopke, a travel writer for Escapemaker.com features "IthacaWeekend Getaway" on Metro New York City's guide to local getaways and day trips in the Northeast.

Escapemaker.com has been in business since September 2000, and currently sees over 3,000 New York metro visitors per day to the site (over 750,000 per year). The site has recently been featured in an article in Business Week magazine, discussing trends in local travel. The company's marketing efforts include coverage on New York 1, the prominent television station in New York City, and promotion on RNN-TV which broadcasts to over 5.6 million homes in New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut.

Kopke states, "Ithaca is so diverse you'll need to bring your opera glasses AND your trail mix,” in his article which features highlights of his visit to the area in late August. The article also covers Tompkins County attractions, accommodations, outdoor recreation, and the cultural arts.

View the article at www.Escape maker.com or call the Ithaca/Tompkins County Convention & Visitors Bureau for more information at (607) 272-1313 or (800) 28-ITHACA.

Join the South Bristol Cultural Center Become a member of the South Bristol Cultural Center and receive fabulous benefits while supporting a great multi-arts center. SBCC brings to the Finger Lakes region a variety of art and craft workshops and classes for children and adults, as well as music and literary events. Annual special events include the Holiday Ball, the Bristol Hillith Faire, and the Silo Award Talent Show and Contest.

Their Gallery in the Barn houses the work of over 40 regional artists.

For further information about becoming a member of the South

01-13.LIFL.Winter.02-03

11/7/02

2:10 PM

Page 5

N E W S B I T S Bristol Cultural Center, or for information about our offerings, please call the SBCC at (585) 396-5950.

Proud printers of Life In The Finger Lakes

Finger Lakes Wine Guild Formed Seven of the most respected wineries in New York’s Finger Lakes viticultural area have joined to form the Finger Lakes Wine Guild. The Guild’s mission is to promote the production of food-oriented wines from the classic European grape varieties in the East’s largest wine district.

The Finger Lakes area has been producing wine for almost a century and a half, and yet it is just taking its place on the world wine stage, because a new generation of winemakers has revolutionized Finger Lakes wines. On the front lines of that revolution are the founding members of the Finger Lakes Wine Guild: Dr. Konstantin Frank Vinifera Wine Cellars; Herman J. Wiemer Vineyard; Standing Stone Vineyards; Shalestone Vineyards; Silver Thread Vineyards; Lamoreaux Wine Cellars; and Sheldrake Point Vineyard.

Guild winemakers focus their efforts on the European varieties best suited to this cool-climate district. Production is driven by estate vineyards, where these winegrowers explore the distinctive voice the glacial lakesides give to classic wine types. The seven foundingmember wineries are located on all three of the major grape-growing lakes: Seneca, Keuka and Cayuga.

For a brochure, interested folks should write to Mark Wagner, Finger Lakes Wine Guild, P. O. Box 162, Hector, NY 14841, (607) 582-6011 or contact a member winery. Or visit www.fingerlakeswineguild.com.

Printing gets things done • Since 1901 17 Hall Woods Road • Ithaca, NY 14850 • 877.9.WILCOX • www.wilcoxpress.com • Circle Reader Service Number 122

Here’s to the Good Years!

For some people, retirement means 18 holes of golf, bridge club, travel, exercise and socializing with old friends.

For others, it’s a time to sit back and enjoy the grandchildren, walk the dog, read a good book, surf the net and relax on the deck with a tall glass of ice tea.

Whether you are always on the go, or looking forward to going nowhere at all, at Ashton Place you’ll find it’s easy to live the retirement you’ve been dreaming of.

Ask About Our New Patio Homes!

Ashton Place An Independent and Assistive Living Community Associated with Clifton Springs Hospital & Clinic 190 Ashton Court, Clifton Springs, NY 14432 Call toll free: 1-800-819-5791 www.ashtonplaceny.com Circle Reader Service Number 108

WINTER 2002/ 2003 ~

5

01-13.LIFL.Winter.02-03 11/14/02 2:24 PM Page 6

Experience Our Sense of...

ENTERTAINMENT

SELECTION

FAMILY

FLAVOR

170 specialty shops and services; 20 that are unique to the area and 5 major department stores.

585-223-3693 • Located on Route 96 in Victor North of I-90 NYS Thruway at Exit 45 Circle Reader Service Number 111

N E W S B I T S

Sonnenberg’s “A Victorian Holiday” Sets Theme for Festival of Lights Sonnenberg Gardens will kick off the holiday season on Friday, November 22 with its annual Festival of Lights display on the estate located at 151 Charlotte Street in Canandaigua. This year’s “A Victorian Holiday” theme will include outdoor light displays of various floral themes along with many traditional holiday displays. Over one million lumens make Sonnenberg’s Festival of Lights a must-see event.

Visitors will be able to stroll through the naturally lit structures, trees and gardens of the 50-acre Sonnenberg estate, seeing everything from the beautiful fleur-de-lis pattern of the Italian Garden to the spectacular holiday displays in the Lord and Burnham greenhouse complex.

Admission for Friday through Sunday is $7.50 for adults; $6.50 for seniors/AAA; $5.00 for children (5-14). Discounted tickets will be

available at area Wegmans and branches of Canandaigua National Bank. Special Tuesday through Thursday admission rate is $5.00 per person (no other discounts apply).

Admission includes entrance to the greenhouse, grounds and mansion.

All proceeds of the event support the preservation and educational programs at Sonnenberg. Sonnenberg Gardens is located at 151 Charlotte Street, Canandaigua. For additional information call (585) 394-4922 or visit www.sonnenberg.org.

Circle Reader Service Number 113

6 ~ LIFE

IN THE

FINGER LAKES

01-13.LIFL.Winter.02-03

11/7/02

1:28 PM

M A D E

I N

Page 7

T H E

F I N G E R

L A K E S

Quilting the Mennonite Way

By Joy Underhill

Pauline’s shop occupies part of her large farmhouse. As you wind your way through a maze of doorways and closet-sized rooms packed with quilted and hand-stitched items, you can only marvel at the hours it took to create such beauty.

D

uring a weekend drive through Yates County, you’ll doubtless pass scores of black and yellow road signs depicting a horse and buggy.

You’ll probably encounter the real thing as dozens of Mennonite families ferry themselves to church in the onehorse buggies so often associated with the Amish.

Located between Seneca and Keuka Lakes, a community of 300 Mennonite families – religious cousins to the Amish – is growing and thriving. As with many small farms, the Mennonites struggle to make ends meet. Thus have Mennonite women stepped in to supplement family incomes with the product of their nimble, thimbled fingers.

Weaver-View Farms Driving uphill to Weaver-View Farms, you’ll be tempted to crane your neck back for a glorious view of Seneca Lake. But don’t look too long, or you might miss an unexpected pleasure: Pauline’s clothesline filled with Mennonite quilts, blowing in the breeze.

Pauline Weaver is a Mennonite quilter who runs a store from her house. She has been quilting since she was a child, as is common in Mennonite and Amish communities.

Right: Pauline at work inside her home on a sunny winter day.

Think you need to visit Pennsylvania Dutch Country to relish the beauty of handmade quilts? Think again.

Some of the finest quilts are stitched right here in the Finger Lakes.

Creating a Quilt: A Labor of Love One of the most important steps is right at the start – choosing the pattern and colors to be used. Traditional quilts often marry light and dark colors, but this is where experience comes in. Through the years, Mennonites have learned how to match colors so that the end result won’t be a disappointment. Simplicity is usually the best approach.

“We hand down patterns from mother to child. A girl learns to quilt from her mother, aunts, and sisters, and patterns are passed down informally.”

Pauline’s family has been using a few such patterns for more than 100 years.

Once a pattern and colors are selected, the cutting begins. A king-size quilt can have as many as a thousand pieces.

Then the quilt top is assembled.

Appliquéd and pieced quilts are assembled differently (see insert).

Next, the layers are added. A layer of batting and a bottom piece, usually a single piece of plain or printed pattern fabric, are placed under the quilt top and pinned together. The entire quilt is stretched to fit a frame and the

WINTER 2002/ 2003 ~

7

01-13.LIFL.Winter.02-03

11/7/02

1:28 PM

Page 8

A Little History Although many people think that the Mennonites split off from the Amish, just the opposite is true.

The Amish, Mennonites, and Hutterites all trace their roots to the Anabaptist movement in the early 1500s.

“Anabaptist” is a nickname that means “rebaptizer,” a tradition in which baptisms are performed during adulthood. The Anabaptists began in Switzerland and later spread to Austria, Germany, and the Netherlands.

The Anabaptists were tortured and persecuted for their belief in adult baptism as a confession of faith. As thousands of Anabaptist were put to death, believers fled to caves and mountains and adopted a rural lifestyle.

Menno Simon, a former Catholic priest, held the original group together and earned its nickname “Mennonites.” In 1533, Jacob Hutter became leader of the Hutterites, a community that placed all their worldly goods together and led a communal way of life. In the late 1600s, Jacob Amman broke away to form the Amish church after the Mennonites chose to abandon the practice of “shunning,” a tradition in which excommunicated members are avoided in all social contexts.

The Anabaptists migrated from Switzerland to what would become Pennsylvania in the early 1700s, fleeing religious persecution. A second migration occurred in the mid-1800s from Alsace to the Midwest.

The Mennonites began moving to the Finger Lakes in the early 1970s from Pennsylvania. They found that farmland was getting so expensive in the Lancaster area that it was hard to make a living solely by farming. In recent years, a small Amish community has also popped up between Seneca and Cayuga Lakes.

Amish and Mennonite: What’s the Difference?

Most Amish and Mennonites will agree that they differ not in their beliefs, but in the way they practice those beliefs.

The two groups are much more similar than different. Both groups believe in strong families and communities, the value of hard work, and devoting life to a Christian God. Both carefully examine – and often reject – modern advances unless they can support a simple and humble life. To maintain separateness – and as a symbol of their early persecution in Europe – both groups choose a distinct style of dress.

The difference between Amish and Mennonite quilts?

“Not much,” says Pauline. “Maybe ‘Amish’ just rolls off the tongue easier than ‘Mennonite.’”

8 ~ LIFE

IN THE

FINGER LAKES

quilter begins to stitch through all three layers, giving the quilt its three-dimensional beauty.

“For a large quilt, the quilt frame will take up most of a room,” explains Pauline. As the quilters complete a section of about a foot in length, they roll it, like a scroll, and continue stitching.

“The hard part about quilting is making sure you stitch through all three layers using straight, even stitches. Quilters will often remove sections where the stitches are too large or the lines don’t run straight. But we all walk a fine line between being too picky and deciding what is good enough,” adds Pauline. As a quilter works, she “feels” for the needle on the underside of the quilt to make sure she’s catching all three layers.

The edge of the quilt is finished by hand. “When a quilt is complete, you cannot see a single place where the machine was used. The only machine work is in the seams,” says Pauline.

Some women are better with a machine, others with their fingers. “Sometimes young mothers who are busy raising families do the machine work and hand over the quilting work to older women who have more time and patience.

This is what I do with many of my quilts.”

Although to most eyes a quilt is a piece of art, Mennonite women see quilting as no more important than homemaking, mothering, and helping out on the farm. In keeping with Mennonite beliefs that beauty is a part of function, Pauline insists that no woman would view herself as an artist.

From Mother to Daughter Pauline has been quilting since she was a girl and enjoys sewing together pieced quilts rather than doing appliqué.

Quilting is most often done in the winter months and in the evenings when the demands of the farm and garden are less.

Mothers teach daughters to quilt, and then female members of the family continue to quilt – and teach – throughout their lives. “We practice a very old tradition that when a woman marries, she will take seven quilts with her. In the old days, this was to ensure survival – a family needed at least that many quilts to keep from freezing to death. We also needed the quilts for the children yet to be born.”

A girl works on her own quilts with help from her mother, sisters, and aunts. “A girl may begin her first quilt at around age 10,” says Pauline. “They practice first on small pieces and most often sit by the quilting frame to learn.” Pauline felt, as many girls do, that although it was a valuable skill to learn, it could be tedious to sit for a long time as a child.

“Quilting is a very social activity. I have many fond memories of my relatives, sitting at a quilting bee or in small groups, socializing, talking on the phone, and doing about five other things at once. It’s easy to do when raising a fami-

01-13.LIFL.Winter.02-03

11/7/02

1:28 PM

Page 9

ly because you can tend to the needs of others as you work. Plus when you put it down, it’s easy to pick up again.

“Designing a quilt gives me a great deal of personal satisfaction,” she says.

“Plus I get to stay home with my family and provide for them. Since I’m at home doing routine chores all day, it gives me a creative outlet that I really enjoy – plus I’m being productive.”

The Quality of Quilts “Most people don’t know how to judge the quality of a quilt unless they quilt themselves,” adds Pauline. “Some people ask how I can sell these so cheaply when it takes hours, sometimes up to a year, to put together a quilt. Other people wonder why anyThe Amish Country Store is located at Weaver-View Farms, one-half mile west on Earls Hill Road off Route 14S (seven miles south of Geneva). Yearround store hours are 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Monday through Saturday, closed on Sunday. Call (315) 781-2571, or visit www.weaverviewfarms.com.

For more information about the “Plain People,” check out the following websites: www.800padutch.com/amish.shtml, www.hutterianbrethren.com. one would pay so much for a blanket.

But we prefer to look at the income we can gain from quilting rather than an hourly rate.”

In the old days, quilters used to try for 14 stitches per inch. “Nowadays, a good quilt has seven or eight stitches to the inch,” says Pauline. “And these quilts are durable. I have been using one on my bed for ten years and I wash that quilt nearly every week.”

Pauline pointed out that large chain stores now offer hand-quilted bedspreads for a fraction of the price of a Mennonite quilt. “But they begin to bunch up after only a few washings.

They use poor quality materials and it shows.”

Circle Reader Service Number 125

WINTER 2002/ 2003 ~

9

01-13.LIFL.Winter.02-03

11/14/02

3:07 PM

315-462-7184 • www.warfields.com 7 West Main St. • Clifton Springs, NY 14432

Page 10

Types of Quilts Quilts are made in two styles: pieced and appliquéd.

To create a pieced quilt, hundreds of fabric pieces are first cut and then sewn together by machine. From then on, everything is done by hand.

Common patterns for pieced quilts are the Nine Patch (often a beginner pattern for children), Log Cabin, and Lone Star.

Appliquéd quilts are more labor-intensive than pieced quilts. The reason is that each appliqué is cut and sewn by hand onto a white or off-white background. With appliquéd quilts, a machine is not used at all. Consequently, appliquéd quilts are more expensive. Typical appliqué patterns include Country Love and Country Grape.

The banquet room is ideal for rehearsal dinners, showers, cocktail parties, family gatherings and business seminars.

The rich decor is enhanced with a working fireplace to warm the spirits of your guests.

Relax with a drink at our authentic 1800’s London pub bar.

Have your wedding reception and receive 10% off your rehearsal dinner and/or bridal shower.

We can create special menus to accommodate your specific needs.

Pieced Quilt

Appliquéd Quilt

Circle Reader Service Number 106

Weaver-View Farms

Amish Country Store

❥ Baby Clothes & Gifts ❥ Handmade Amish Furniture ❥ Aprons, Sunbonnets ❥ Baked Goods ❥ Jams, Jellies, Honey

Open year-round -CLOSED SUNDAYS Located off Rte. 14, 6 mi. south of Geneva

(315) 781-2571

Bellona Station Rd.

to Geneva

Earls ★ Hill Rd.

Rte. 14

N

Seneca Lake

WEAVER-VIEW FARMS

Pre-emption Rd.

❥ Amish Quilts ❥ Quilting Fabrics ❥ Pillows, Wall Hangings ❥ Dolls & Toys ❥ Local Books & Prints ❥ Wrought Iron ❥ Kitchenware & Cookbooks

to Watkins Glen

Circle Reader Service Number 107

10 ~ L I F E

IN THE

FINGER LAKES

In most non-Mennonite homes, a handmade quilt would be hung as a wall decoration or used only on special occasions. “But we use them every day,” explains Pauline. “Sometimes we’ll use them decoratively in a guest room or in a baby’s crib that’s not being used. But most often, we use them as blankets. After all, that’s how they were intended to be used.”

Quilting Bees “Quilting bees really aren’t all that common,” says Pauline. “Sometimes a family will suffer a catastrophe – a serious illness, or a fire – and we’ll do a quilting bee to raise money.”

Occasionally, Mennonite relief organizations arrange a bee to help out with a national or international tragedy, such as a flood or hurricane.

“A quilting bee is a little like a barn raising,” explains Pauline.

“A quilt is completed in a single day.

It’s not so hard to do with a large group of women working at once.

But the quilters do end up working very quickly.”

Pauline’s Store Pauline’s Amish Country Store features quilts and handmade items, many made by Pauline and dozens of her female relatives and friends. The store also stocks unique country gifts, jams and jellies, cheeses, pottery, and children’s clothing.

“We also take on custom work,” Pauline adds. “As long as you give us enough time to do it. Large quilts can take a year to finish.” A surprising number of people also come in with partially completed quilts, looking for someone to finish them. “We do that too,” says Pauline.

Pauline claims that it’s an old wives tale that a mistake is made intentionally in a quilt to show humility before God. “I don’t know how that one got started,” says Pauline. “As for me, I make enough mistakes as it is.”

Joy Underhill is a freelance magazine and business writer who lives in Farmigton.

You can reach her at (585) 742-1388 or joyhill@rochester.rr.com.

01-13.LIFL.Winter.02-03

11/7/02

1:30 PM

Page 11

B O O K

L O O K

Fireside Reading

By Laurel C. Wemett

Wineries of the Finger Lakes Region: The Heart of New York State by Emerson Klees, 2000, paperback, 159 pages, $14.95, Publisher: Friends of the Finger Lakes Publishing www.fingerlakes.com/Friendsbooks.htm

H

ighlighting 60 wineries of the 14-county Finger Lakes region, Wineries of the Finger Lakes Region author Klees rightly points out that wineries have become a major tourist destination in one of America’s oldest grape regions. The growth of the winemaking industry in the Finger Lakes is impressive. Twenty-five years ago there were a dozen wineries; today, there are nearly three times that number.

Klees organizes the wineries under broad geographical groupings: those west and north of the Finger Lakes and those at Canandaigua, Keuka, Seneca and Cayuga Lakes. Information on individual wineries includes their locations, buildings, owners’ names, wine specialties, size, available tours, history, and length of years in operation. Maps locate all the wineries, and many of the descriptions are accompanied by photographs. There are references to three wine trails: Keuka, Seneca, and Cayuga, the earliest of which was formed in the 1980s. Since the book’s publication in 2000, the four-member Canandaigua Wine Trail has formed; these wineries are covered individually.

Klees also provides a brief history of winemaking in the region and a description of wine varieties. A glossary of grape and wine terms and biographical sketches of some of the region’s winemaking pioneers are included.

I

t’s not surprising that writers and researchers are attracted to the rich history and scenic beauty of the Finger Lakes region.

Whether the topic is wintertime recreation, local wineries, small town and urban views, a young girl’s coming of age, or the tragedies of wartime, there are numerous titles which have roots in this area. As the holidays approach, the following books, with subject matter linked to the Finger Lakes, are available at local booksellers. They are sure to offer hours of enjoyment to the readers on your gift list.

This is an excellent resource for tourists visiting Finger Lakes wineries and for those involved in the region’s restaurant and hospitality businesses. It will be of interest to grape growers here and in other wine-making regions. As the Finger Lakes wine industry expands, this title will no doubt see later editions.

Emerson Klees, an amateur winemaker for nearly 20 years, has written numerous books about the Finger Lakes region. His most recent title, The Crucible of Ferment: New York’s “Psychic Highway” highlights the religious fervor and social activism along a narrow band of New York from Buffalo to Albany.

Snow Trails - Cross-country Ski and Snowshoe in Central and Western New York, by Rich & Sue Freeman, 2001, paperback, 232 pages, $16.95, Publisher: Footprint Press www.footprintpress.com

W

hen the snow flies in western and central New York, a vast number of outdoor recreational trails are available to experienced and novice cross-country skiers and snowshoers alike. The Freemans’ thorough survey is bound to transform winter for those seeking a guide to enjoying the out-of-doors during the coldest months. Snow Trails includes 80 mapped locations organized conveniently by counties, from the Peak ’n Peak in western Chattauqua County, east to Green Lakes State Park near Syracuse and south to Otsiningo Park near Binghamton in Broome County.

Each trail location pairs a full-page map with a page of information. At a glance, readers can find directions from a major town or road, the number of miles of trails and unplowed roads available for winter use, their difficulty, (i.e., novice, intermediate and advanced), terrain or indication of the aerobic workout to expect, markings used to designate trails, the winter activities allowed on each trail, the available amenities such as groomed trails, shelters, warming huts, restrooms, or outWINTER 2002/ 2003 ~

11

01-13.LIFL.Winter.02-03

11/7/02

1:30 PM

houses, ski or snowshoe rental, and snack bars. They cover admission fees, if any, hours, and contact information for snow conditions.

A helpful index organizes locations from “novice” to “spend all day” (over 20 miles of trails). The authors also provide details on “Winter Trail Etiquette,” “Preparations and Safety,” “Nordic Ski Clubs,” and whether or not to take the family dog along for a “winter adventure.”

The Freemans have written 10 books on outdoor recreational activities from hiking and biking to birding in the Finger Lakes and central/western New York. Their newest book, 200 Waterfalls in Central & Western New York A Finders’ Guide, was published in 2002.

Around Lima, by Michael Leavy, 2002, paperback, 128 pages, $19.99, Publisher: Arcadia Publishing. www.arcadiapublishing.com/index.htm

A

round Lima is one of the “Images of America” series produced by Arcadia Publishing, a company that specializes in photographic histories of towns or cities. Images that would otherwise be seen only in private collections or the archives at the local historical society are organized with identifying captions.

Michael Leavy, the President of the Lima Historical Society, assembled 250 photographs for Around Lima, although, as the title implies, images from the nearby communities of West Bloomfield, East Bloomfield, Avon, and Honeoye Falls are also included.

Lima was once called the “Crossroads of Western New York.”

Perhaps as testimony to its location,

12 ~ L I F E

IN THE

FINGER LAKES

Page 12

today Lima has 50 structures listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Buildings, bridges, modes of transportation, and unadorned portraits of local residents from the mid-1880s to more recent times are featured. Disparate groups such as the Genesee Wesleyan Seminary’s football team of 1904, Harry Sanger in front of his store in the 1890s, and the Lima Fire Department in the 1920s, are gathered together in one volume.

Interior views offer new insight into a store’s inventory, a lawyer’s office, a kitchen, or the local post office.

Photos include local “heroes” of years past like Ken O’Dea who played for the Chicago Cubs in the 1938 World Series and U.S. Senator Kenneth Keating running for re-election in his hometown of Lima.

As a microcosm of small town America in the last century, Around Lima fills the bill. The most mundane of activities - people on front porches, in the workplace, crossing a street, driving a wagon, or just standing on the lawn - can rivet the reader’s attention.

For readers with an interest in Lima and vicinity, it may increase interest in genealogy and historical research.

Ithaca Then & Now, by Merrill Hesch and Richard Pieper, revised and updated by Harry Littell, 2002, paperback, 128 pages, $24.95, Publisher: McBooks Press, Inc. www.mcbooks.com

F

irst published in 1983 and now revised in a 21st century update, Ithaca Then & Now is a collection of historical views of Ithaca from the DeWitt Historical Society of Tompkins County which have been re-photographed today. The task fell to Harry Littell, a photographer and artist who has lived in Ithaca for 10 years. In 2000, Littell observed that many of the locations in the 1983 edition appear the same, while others show more subtle changes, and still others disappeared entirely.

Most of the original photographs

date from the beginning of the 1900s.

Pairing them on facing pages with the new photographs offers the opportunity to contrast the appearance of an intersection, local landmarks, and views of the city over the last century. More than 100 images are each accompanied by detailed and informative text. A

map at the front of the book is keyed to pages to show the locations. An index is an invaluable resource to locate names of individuals, as well as businesses, churches, and other structures.

The new edition also offers an Epilogue or “Spaces in Transition,” a few images from the late 1990s presented “with an eye towards future editions.” They show buildings undergoing rapid change, like the Woolworth store boarded up and closed like so many others across the country, before its transformation into a vibrant public library, and the Collegetown Motor Lodge demolished in the 1990s, its location ready to be filled with new apartment housing.

Ithaca Then & Now is a major contribution to the ongoing understanding of a city and its changing landscape over time.

Mrs. McGillacuddy’s Garden Party,

by Larry Dickens, 2002, paperback, 113 pages, $9.50, Publisher: 1st Books Library. www.1stbooks.com

M

rs. McGillacuddy’s Garden Party is a slight departure from the other books selected for this feature, both because it is a work of fiction, and because it is aimed primarily at young

01-13.LIFL.Winter.02-03

11/7/02

1:30 PM

adults. Author Larry Dickens has chosen the Finger Lakes region as the backdrop for a story of an 11-year-old girl who is diagnosed with leukemia. Erika Riesling lives in Canandaigua next to the very wealthy Mrs. McGillacuddy, a neighborhood curmudgeon with an acute hatred of children and dogs. The McGillacuddys reside in a palatial home which just happens to resemble Canandaigua’s Victorian garden estate, Sonnenberg Gardens.

But the villain, as it were, in this story is more than one mean-spirited neighbor; it is the disease which has stricken Erika. The story deals with the discomforts Erika experiences from her difficult cancer treatment. Dickens doesn’t shy away from the issue of death, but rather sends a hopeful message to which both children and adults can relate. The climax occurs at a garden party thrown by Mrs. McGillacuddy which is hilariously sabotaged by Erika and her friends because the nasty neighbor has had Erika’s loveable sheepdog dragged off to the pound.

One of the more poignant parts of the story is when Erika befriends Luc, a French boy who has a terminal brain tumor. The two meet at Camp Good Days and Special Times in Branchport on Keuka Lake.

Dickens says reading the story of Camp Good Days’ founder Gary Mervis in For the Love of Teddi, by Lou Buttino, fueled his interest in the subject.

Mervis’ daughter died of brain cancer in 1982 and he founded the camp in her honor. Mrs. McGillacuddy’s Garden Party doesn’t treat cancer in a morbid manner and could be used for discussions, especially among teens or perhaps in families waging a battle against childhood cancer.

(Continued on page 51)

Page 13

Circle Reader Service Number 105

Circle Reader Service Number 123

WINTER 2002/ 2003 ~

13

14-19.LIFL.Winter.SFALLS.02-03

11/7/02

12:12 PM

Page 14

Welcome to Bedford Falls… or is it Seneca Falls?

Movie buffs who love “It’s a Wonderful Life” and small-town Bedford Falls should feel right at home in this Finger Lakes village.

By James P. Hughes

14-19.LIFL.Winter.SFALLS.02-03

11/7/02

12:12 PM

Page 15

The walls of Bailey’s Ice Cream Shop are lined with framed photographs depicting scenes from the movie It’s a Wonderful Life. Photo ell, it’s the Christmas season again and time to settle down to watch my favorite holiday movie – the classic film that always promises a tug at the heart, brings a tear to the eye, and, best of all, never fails to provide a giant lift to the spirit. It wouldn’t seem like Christmas without a viewing of Frank Capra’s 1946 classic, “It’s a Wonderful Life.”

I can’t get through the holidays without watching George Bailey (Jimmy Stewart) discover that his life, despite a series of disappointments keeping him forever in small-town Bedford Falls, has not been a failure at all. At the peak of his desperation, George considers suicide, but thanks to Clarence the Angel (Henry Travers), finds out he has forever touched the lives of many people – and in the end they rally to him in his time of need. As Clarence tells George, “Strange isn’t it? Each man’s life touches so many other lives, and when he isn’t around, he leaves an awful hole, doesn’t he?” Solid American values of love, faith, friendship, honor, and the overall inspirational tone of the story make “It’s a Wonderful Life” the perfect Christmastime treat.

There is another reason “It’s a Wonderful Life” strikes so close to home – a geographic one! Within an hour’s drive from my home, through upstate New York’s scenic Finger Lakes region, lies a picturesque village that many residents think, and can argue pretty persuasively, is the Bedford Falls prototype – Seneca Falls, New York. Bedford Falls embodies smalltown America, and while Frank Capra never pinpointed an exact location for his fictitious town, a series of circumstances, similarities, and coincidences make Seneca Falls folks confident that their village fits the bill better than any other. Try jogging your “It’s a Wonderful Life” movie memory with these connections.

W

• Let’s start with the names: Bedford Falls…Seneca Falls. Interesting, but by itself not an uncommon coincidence.

There’s more.

courtesy Bailey’s Ice Cream Shop.

14-19.LIFL.Winter.SFALLS.02-03

11/7/02

12:49 PM

Page 16

Above: The Bridge Street Bridge reminiscent of the bridge in “It’s a Wonderful Life.”

Paul N. Luziani Right: Plaque on bridge linking Seneca Falls to “It’s a Wonderful Life.”

James P. Hughes • Geographically, Seneca Falls sits in a perfect position for references to nearby cities in the film. George’s brother, Harry Bailey, arrives in town to introduce his new wife, who is from Buffalo, while old pal Sam Wainwright offers George a position with his new plastics factory in Rochester. Both cities are less than a two-hour drive to the west of Seneca Falls. In addition, Mr. Carter, the irritable bank examiner, hurries George along with the audit of the Building and Loan, saying he wants “to spend Christmas in Elmira with my family.”

Elmira is just an hour south of Seneca Falls.

• In Seneca Falls, a truss bridge spans the Cayuga-Seneca Canal on Bridge Street. In 1917, local resident Antonio Varacalli

16 ~ L I F E

IN THE

FINGER LAKES

actually leaped into the river in an attempt to save a woman who had fallen into the icy water. Thanks to him, she survived although his life was lost. Could this event have been the inspiration for a pivotal scene in the film? While contemplating suicide on a similar bridge, George Bailey instead leaps in to save Clarence, George’s guardian angel. This eventually leads Clarence to proclaim, “You’ve been given a great gift, George. The chance to see what the world would be like without you.”

• The streets of Seneca Falls are lined with Victorian homes, much like “the old Granville place” where George and Mary Bailey (Donna Reed) settle down to raise their family. There must be a loose

14-19.LIFL.Winter.SFALLS.02-03

11/7/02

12:49 PM

Page 17

“It W ill Be Like Coming Home” arolyn Grimes–better known to audiences as Zuzu from “It’s a Wonderful Life” fame–is returning to fictional Bedford Falls via the real-life Seneca Falls in December.

Grimes will be signing autographs at Bailey’s Ice Cream Shop on Fall Street from 2-5 p.m.

December 6, and introducing a special airing of the classic Christmas film at 7 p.m. at the Seneca Falls Community Center. She will return the next day to ink photographs from 10 a.m.-noon and 2-5 p.m.

The event is being sponsored by the Seneca Falls Revitalization Committee. For more information, call 315-568-6894.

Here are a few questions we asked Karolyn concerning her role with the now famous movie.

1. Do people you meet want to share with you some thoughts about when they first saw the movie?

No, not really.....most people that I meet are already huge fans of the film because they grew up watching it. It has been in public domain for 30 years, so people watch it every year as part of family traditions and they keep passing this joy on through generations.

They watch it while they decorate the tree, as a part of the Thanksgiving celebration, to start the holiday season, at family get-togethers etc. The film gives them a feeling of togetherness, of unity, of memories that feel good. Some folks watch it year-around when they are down or just want to feel that comfort of the hope that it offers.

2. How has being in the movie affected your life?

In all my wildest dreams, I never would have imagined this movie would have become what it is today.

They remember that little girl who uttered those famous words at the end of the film, "Daddy, teacher says, every time a bell rings an angel gets his wings." And of course, Zuzu's petals are an integral part of the story.

Most of the cast has already gotten their wings. So, to fans all over the world they want to see Zuzu today. She was not a real character but I think that most people think of her as real. That is a responsibility that I feel very strongly about. I am so thankful that I am able to give them just a small piece of that wonderful film history. I want to be able to continue to spread the magic that comes from all the messages from this wonderful film.

I am two people, yet I am one. I have two initial pins that I wear. One is a Z and one is a K. Sometimes I am Zuzu and sometimes I am Karolyn but really they are both the same person. I was and I am Zuzu. My grandchildren call me Grandma Zuzu.

3. Have you been to Seneca Falls before? If yes, do you think it was the inspiration for Bedford Falls?

I have never been to Seneca Falls....I have been interviewed by radio stations in New York who certainly feel strongly that this was the inspiration for Bedford Falls. So I have been aware of the town for many years.

I will soon find out.

Photos courtesy Karolyn Grimes

WINTER 2002/ 2003 ~

17

14-19.LIFL.Winter.SFALLS.02-03

11/7/02

12:15 PM

Page 18

knob on a banister somewhere in one of those homes.

• George Bailey, a man of principle, always used his Building and Loan to help the little man. He provided affordable housing in Bailey Park for many of the immigrant families of Bedford Falls, people who would otherwise be trodden upon by heartless Henry Potter (Lionel Barrymore), “the richest and meanest man in the county.”

Meanwhile, Seneca Falls boasts of an important citizen in its own past. John Rumsey was a generous industrialist, who during the 1920s aided his workers in attaining low-cost housing on a local tract of land, a neighborhood which to this day is referred to as Rumseyville. Hmmm, Bailey Park…Rumseyville?

18 ~ L I F E

IN THE

FINGER LAKES

Above: House reminiscent of “the old Granville Place.”

James P. Hughes

14-19.LIFL.Winter.SFALLS.02-03

11/7/02

12:15 PM

Page 19

Below: View of the old railroad station–reminiscent of the station in the film–now the village hall. Courtesy Seneca Falls Heritage Area

Bottom: View of Fall Street, Seneca Falls, at dusk.

James P. Hughes

• While many of these aspects involve conjecture, not fact, proof does exist that Frank Capra knew about Seneca Falls.

Auburn, less than 20 miles to the east, was the home of Capra’s aunt. It has also been established that Capra was a customer in Tommy Bellissima’s Seneca Falls barbershop more than once over a period of several weeks in 1945 or 1946. “He introduced himself in the shop,” recalls Bellissima, now 80, “But I didn’t know who he was at the time. He fit right into the conversation easily, showing interest in people, the town, its factories, and the bridge.”

Tommy’s shop was a stone’s throw from the Bridge Street Bridge.

Well, convinced or not, a walk down Fall Street, the village’s main thoroughfare, could well be a stroll down the familiar main drag of Capra’s version of small-town America, Bedford Falls. Angel Christmas lights, period-style storefronts, and Yuletide decorations line the street. Many village shops and the local visitors’ center display still photographs from the famous film as if to help validate a claim that can never really be proven. “We think the facts are on our side,” says Village Planner Fran Caraccilo. “Anyway, that’s our story and we’re sticking to it!”

But it’s fun, and a little enchanting, to keep the connection alive. The spirit of the film rubs off on the residents and has become a source of civic pride. Crossing the bridge, you’ll see black lampposts unofficially adorned with signs christened Bedford Falls Boulevard, George Bailey Lane, Clarence Street, and Angel Avenue.

Not far from the end of the bridge you can stop for a treat at “Bailey’s – ‘It’s a Wonderful…’ Ice Cream Shop”. Combine it all, the local enthusiasm, history, architecture, geographic locale, and of course, the bridge, and Seneca Falls is surely…well, it’s a wonderful town!

Jim Hughes is a retired high school mathematics teacher living in Syracuse. He loves to travel around the Finger Lakes region and upstate New York and is avidly interested in the history of the area.

WINTER 2002/ 2003 ~

19

20-25.LIFL.Winter.ABRAHAM.02-03

11/8/02

9:30 AM

Page 20

Darryl Abraham: Abraham Darryl

sculptor, teacher, landscape designer, and Finger Lakes original sculptor, teacher, landscape designer, and Finger Lakes original

Naples native Darryl Abraham’s work is in big-city art galleries, major collections, and the Smithsonian. It’s also in a church, a bank, and on the walls of many homes in the Finger Lakes town he calls home.

by Leanna Landsmann

“H

is work is so funny. He’s like a rural Red Grooms.” I was eavesdropping. I admit it.

It was OPEN STUDIO Day this past October in Naples. People who relish the richness of the area’s art community were visiting the galleries of photographers, sculptors, weavers, painters, potters and glassblowers to get an upclose look at where and how they work and perhaps – in the process — discover art they’d want to take home.

People were streaming through Darryl Abraham’s studio, smiling, chuckling, and seeing something that reminded themselves of life in the Finger Lakes. The collector who compared his work to Grooms snatched up a drawing of two musicians and a fulsome dancer in a honky-tonk I’d had my eye on. No problem. Thrilled that she bought it! Like everyone in my family, I love it when people enjoy Darryl’s work. I’ve been lucky enough to enjoy it for nearly 50 years. He’s my brother, and I was there when he first put pen to paper.

At 54, Darryl gets that “do you really have to?” look on his face if the family talks about how, as a tyke, he created whimsical people that far surpassed the stick figures most kids drew. He wishes there were a statute

of limitations on crowing about his early years, but I’m going to do it anyway. He could draw. I couldn’t. It made me jealous then. Today, it just makes me so darn proud!

The first teacher to identify and nurture his talent was Juanita Morse, who acknowledged Darryl’s skill in first grade when she told me, “Honey, that’s fine work but the real artist in the family is Darryl.” Mrs. Morse taught art at Naples Central and she clearly saw in Darryl’s work what gallery owners and collectors – and best of all – people like you and me see today: an eye for the humorous and ironic and a gift for storytelling straight from the heart.

all photographs courtesy the artist

20 ~ L I F E

IN THE

FINGER LAKES

20-25.LIFL.Winter.ABRAHAM.02-03

11/7/02

11:46 AM

Page 21

An artist who honors the people he portrays “I’d take issue with those who say that Darryl’s work is like a rural Red Grooms,” says David Blasband, a New York intellectual property lawyer whose friends and clients have included artists such as Ken Nolan and Roy Lichtenstein. “Red Grooms knows his city landscapes, but you don’t have a sense he knows the people who populate them. When you look at Darryl’s rural scenes, you understand immediately he ‘knows’ the people too. He’s had conversations with the trucker pulled up at the loading dock, and he’s talked with the waitress at the diner. He’s heard the farmer who plays a guitar on the steps of his porch after a long day. He has a respect for them. He honors and appreciates their everyday lives. It’s what makes his work resonate instantly with viewers.”

Darryl does know his people and it’s by choice. In the mid- ’70s, after he graduated from the University of North Carolina, he settled there and began to teach.

His sculpture and illustration were becoming recognized: he was invited to show his work in “hot” galleries in New York, Washington, and Chicago.

Big name collectors such as Saul Steinberg and Allan Stone added his pieces to their collections. The nation’s foremost art supporter, Walter Hopps,

purchased sculpture for the National Collection of Fine Art at the Smithsonian and the United States Embassy in Japan. Some folks suggested that Darryl move to the Big Apple, the “art capital of the world” where Warhol was in vogue and the Bosquiats and Schnabels were starting their rise. Get a studio, be part of the scene...

But Darryl living in New York? That would be like Keith Richards strumming a few tunes for Muzak. You just can’t imagine it. His inspiration comes from the fields and streams, farms and towns of rural America.

He needs space, green, silence and neighbors he knows to create and feel at home. He needs to be able to dig in the dirt, pick up a stick he can whittle, look out the window and see the creek his likes to fish in.

A life choice that fuses myriad talents Darryl made a choice. He moved his young family from Chapel Hill, North Carolina, back to the Finger Lakes gem, Naples, the town he’d grown up in. He had a plan: he’d continue to teach, at the college level.

He’d start a landscape business to ensure a steady income, and he’d concentrate on his sculpture and drawing during the winter months. It’s a plan that has worked so well that today, he blends the skills of landscape architect, illustrator and sculptor in nearly all his creative efforts.

Residents and visitors to Naples see evidence throughout the town. A 3-D metal and living wood entrance mural that shows two hikers ascending a waterfall trail graces the entrance of the emerging Naples Community Park – a multipurpose facility being created on Route 245. Abraham plans to “encourage” the trees – the

Top Left: CIDER MILL - 14”W x 14”H x 7”D – wood, clay, paper, metal and oil paint Top Middle: MA’S DINER - 18”W x 13”H x 12”D – wood, tin, paper and oil paint

Top Right: HIGHWIRE MIKE 16”W x 14”H x 10”D – wood, paper, wire, clay and oil paint

Left: TANNERY CREEK - 14”W x 10”H x 16”D – wood, soil, clay, moss and resin

20-25.LIFL.Winter.ABRAHAM.02-03

11/7/02

11:47 AM

Page 22

living wood — to fuse as they grow so that the hikers appear to be crossing a ravine on a log.

Darryl’s lyrical murals in St. Januarius Church, Bath National Bank and Reservoir Creek Clubhouse honor the grape-growing agricultural heritage of the community. He created the Stations of the Cross and baptismal basin for the church’s interior. In recent years, he has integrated spiritual icons with humorous quotidian themes in several sculptures.

His specially crafted signs add whimsy and humor to numerous Naples businesses – from Dean’s Furniture to Monica’s Pies. “I don’t have just a sign for my business,” says Monica Schenk, “I have a work of art on the front of my store and my customers know it. They love the Monica’s Pies postcard Darryl designed for me too. They tell me going home with a Grape Pie and an Abraham card is part of the ‘visit to Naples’ experience!”

Every client gets a free drawing with the bill Canandaigua Lake master home builder John Perrin has involved Darryl in landscape projects because “not only is he good, I love to get his bills! How often can you say that about someone?” Every invoice Darryl sends to a client arrives in an envelope with an original illustration.

Perrin and others have collected them into collages over the years. “Darryl’s drawings make you pause and smile,” he says.

Perrin, also

22 ~ L I F E

IN THE

FINGER LAKES

a noted winemaker, has an Abraham-designed wine label that “delights friends almost as much as the wine in the bottle!”

John and Katie Brahm, owners of The Grapery in Bristol Springs, asked Darryl to create a wine label for one of their new Arbor Hill varietals, a Concord-blend called Rhine Street Red. “Darryl’s design is a lot of fun – not at all pretentious like some wine labels,” says Katie. “In the store, it draws people to it and gets them talking and tasting. It’s a wine label that doesn’t intimidate anyone!”

“Few fine artists have been able to so successfully create for different markets,” notes Marissa Rosoff, a Los Angeles children’s counselor and drawing collector who is a fan of the Finger Lakes region. She hung an illustration purchased some years ago called “Merry Go Round” in her office to get her young patients talking. “You can see his work in a fancy New York

20-25.LIFL.Winter.ABRAHAM.02-03

11/7/02

11:47 AM

Page 23

gallery, but it is also accessible every day to people who work and live in the Naples community. You can own an Abraham original for $5 or $5,000. You can’t say that about many artists whose work is in national collections.”

Local folks don’t hesitate to commission Darryl to create for special occasions: births, weddings, anniversaries, special birthday cards, and even illustrated retirement tributes. And because he knows so many people in the area, the work is often intensely personal and on target, capturing an honoree’s signature pose or stance. Childhood friend Michael Rectenwald, who grew up on the farm that is now Reservoir Creek golf course, says, “Darryl’s tribute to my parents, ‘Ed’s Barn’ would have pleased my Dad immensely. It is a reminder to people who enjoy the 18 holes and clubhouse that where they play was once a working farm with cattle, grapes, and acres of corn.”

Darryl has landscape design in his DNA. Our parents, Doc and Katy Abraham, known as The Green Thumb, have helped people design and grow gardens in the Naples area for nearly six decades. But both acknowledge that Darryl came by his love for sculpture and drawing on his own, doodling and drawing on every scrap of paper he could find, filling drawers, folders and notebook after notebook with cartoons, figures and scenes. He has passed his love for art on to sons Cullen, 32, and Christopher, 30, who live in Naples with their families, and team up on occasion to create large-scale sculpture and playground environments.

And there’s evidence on Darryl’s office bulletin board that the talent is passing to a third generation: granddaughter Madeline’s drawings are tacked up next to his.

“She’s got an eye for line and color,” notes Darryl with more than a hint of pride.

Right Top: RECTENWALD DAIRY FARM - 24”W x 15” H x 14”D – wood, clay, metal, plaster, paper and oil paint Right Middle: MEHLENBACHER FARM - 20”W x 14”H x 10”D – wood, clay, soil, paper and oil paint

Right Bottom: JACK’S PLACE - 16”W x 10”H x 14”D – wood, paper and oil paint

Left: HAYBARN - 14”W x 18”H x 12”D – wood, soil, grass and oil paint

WINTER 2002/ 2003 ~

23

20-25.LIFL.Winter.ABRAHAM.02-03

11/7/02

11:49 AM

What critics say about Darryl Abraham’s work...

“In ‘Garden,’ Darryl Abraham turns nature on its head. Jazzy, human-scaled metal renditions of trees and climbing vines are crowned with everything from a Blue Bird Inn to a pianist, with a wonderful witty jab at Chagall thrown in. Abraham’s expressive use of curling metal edges, fringes, and petals is matched by vivid, impressionistic dabs and swoops of paint…here the artist manages a nice balance between rococo exuberance, and formal restraint.”

- Art Critic, Lee Fleming, The Washington Post

“His miniature scenes, especially one of a man sitting on a swing, dare to provoke a human response. Call it nostalgia, in the case of a decaying hotel out of Erskine Caldwell. Or identification with the Earth, in the artist’s farm vignettes. But Abraham puts his materials – wood, metal, plastic, soil – at the service of something larger than the art object itself. Don’t be fooled by his primitive techniques, in their own way, the pieces are highly polished. ‘Scrupulous Realization,’ however, has not taken precedence over the transcendent quality of a past tradition.”

- Art Critic, Alan G. Artner, The Chicago Tribune

24 ~ L I F E

IN THE

FINGER LAKES

Page 24

Darryl’s wife Jan helps him organize a busy life that includes teaching on the faculty at Cazenovia, where he is resident artist at Stone Quarry Art Park and lecturer. Jan says she and sons Carl and David try not to get too attached to any particular piece of sculpture since chances are it will travel to an exhibition where odds are good that it will be purchased and find a new home. “Darryl has created a couple of pieces just for me and everyone knows they’re part of the ‘Jan Collection’ and off limits,” she laughs.

Jan is business manager for both the studio and Abraham Landscape & Design. Like all good business managers, she tries to keep a consistent policy on pricing the artist’s work. “Darryl is such a sweetie, he’d give you the drawing and the shirt off his back. He really wants people to enjoy his work and get emotional warmth from it so he is generous with his talent,” she adds. Darryl often donates sketches and sculpture for community fundraisers and worthy causes such as the local hospice, Naples Hospeace House.

Darryl is always modest about what he accomplishes and shies away from the kind of publicity that people in a city like New York pay good money to make happen. In fact, he really wasn’t sure whether my writing this article about him was a good idea. (Perhaps he was wondering whether I would tell about the time he took all my new colored pencils and wore them down to nubs? Or the time in college he introduced me as “a friend of a friend from New York,” because he didn’t want fellow students to think he had any family tie to Postcards 3”x5”; all watercolors

Top Left: Bristol Vineyards Top Middle: Naples Grape Farm Top Right: Monica’s Pies Right: RODNEY ON THE PORCH 12”W x 14”H x 10”D – wood, paper, soil, moss and oil paint

20-25.LIFL.Winter.ABRAHAM.02-03

11/7/02

11:49 AM

Page 25

Darryl Abraham Studio 13 Sprague Street Naples, NY 14512 585-374-2517 dabraham@frontiernet.net We are open by appointment and always welcome an opportunity to show you illustrations and sculpture in the artist’s studio.

In addition to gallery-quality fine art,

Darryl Abraham can bring his unique style, sensibility and humor to the creation of: • Custom art work for tributes and life’s celebrations (birthdays, anniversaries, graduations etc..)

• Camera-ready postcards, note cards and stationery • Business cards • Wine labels • Memory Book Covers

that awful urban jungle? Not to worry bro. We’ll save that stuff for family dinners or Oprah.)

No, he wasn’t worried about that. He just dislikes anything that smacks of hype. And he was worried that my lack of objectivity would make him sound like Picasso with a little Mother Theresa thrown in.

Not a chance. I may be subjective, but I do see him clearly. Darryl’s the guy I can call at the end of a grueling week and in two minutes we’ll both be laughing so hard about some odd little thing in life that our sides ache, just like when we were kids. He’s the guy whose weird and wicked humor can conceive of practical jokes still played on me, his sons, his colleagues, or any one else with a sense of humor that matches his. He is the guy who will stuff a name and number in an envelope (always illustrated) and send it off to me with a note: “She is the granddaughter of a friend, just out of college and moving to New York. Told her to call you. Thanks for helping her out. DA” Or the guy who has a supersized supply of patience and listening time for young people who are trying to figure life out.

He’s the guy who worries about the demise of family farms and frets about the increasing lack of optimism and confidence about the future in the college students he teaches. But then he turns that worry on its ear. He shows them how to build confidence, with self-expression and craftsmanship. “I get them to look at unsung heroes around them,” says Darryl. “To appreciate their everyday lives. I help them see humor and bring compassion to the struggles and joys of ordinary folk. That’s part of teaching – passing on what works for you.”

Leanna Landsmann is the proud sister of Darryl and is also the president of Time for Kids magazine.

WINTER 2002/ 2003 ~

25

26-31.LIFL.Winter.SOH.02-03 11/7/02 12:37 PM Page 26

The

House that

Smith

Built

By Kevin Schoonover

T

here is a moment when the tour guide squeezes thumb and index finger together — almost touching — to emphasize that in 1979, the building was this close to being torn down and turned into a parking lot. The gesture typically elicits a priceless response of horror and incredulity that hammers home the degree of hard work that has been poured into the Smith Opera House over the past 23 years. Today’s patrons find it hard to imagine the beauty and grandeur of the 108-year-old theater no longer existing.

As recently as 10 years ago, Geneva’s once glorious Smith Opera House had become a shadow of its former self. Gone were the days of standing room only for Hollywood’s latest all-star offering. The peeling

paint and dripping plaster in the auditorium, more duct tape on the seats than upholstery, and an unreliable heating system — forcing those few hardy souls who braved the winter elements to attend a show to wrap themselves in blankets — had all taken their toll and marked the decline of what had once been the largest theater in central New York and the “flagship theater” of Schine Enterprises.

With the bustling landmark seeing over 50,000 visitors last season — an increase of more

All photos courtesy The Smith Opera House, unless otherwise stated.

26 ~ L I F E

IN THE

FINGER LAKES

26-31.LIFL.Winter.SOH.02-03 11/7/02 12:38 PM Page 27

than 12,000 from the year before — it’s easy to forget how much effort has gone into restoring Geneva’s “Crown Jewel.”

Since the building’s centennial in 1994, the Finger Lakes Regional Arts Council, the theater’s owner, curator and benefactor, has raised nearly $3 million to renovate and restore the only yearround performing arts venue in the northern Finger Lakes.

Projects successfully undertaken include the repairing and re-covering of all 1,438 seats and

re-spacing of those in the main auditorium, the installation of new carpeting to match the original 1931 pattern and manufacture, the removal of the aging exterior marquee and the repair of the outdoor stone and terra cotta facade, the rebuilding of fire escapes, the renovation of second and third floor offices, and the restoration of the original historic store fronts. Heating, plumbing and electrical systems as well as the 70-yearold stage rigging, were upgraded to today’s specifications. Additionally, the concession stand was

Above: The interior has an eclectic combination of art deco, baroque and Victorian décor.

Photo courtesy Neil Sjoblom.

WINTER 2002/ 2003 ~

27

26-31.LIFL.Winter.SOH.02-03 11/7/02 12:40 PM Page 28

28 ~ L I F E

IN THE

at a cost of $39,000 by philanthropist and businessman William Smith, “Smith’s Opera House” presented a wide variety of performing arts including theater, opera, musicals, minstrel shows, burlesque, vaudeville, orchestras, bands, and singers, as well as church and memorial services, sporting events and lectures. It enjoyed over 30 years of prosperity and introduced some of the biggest show business names of the era to local audiences.

James O’Neill, father of future Pulitzer Prizewinning playwright Eugene O’Neill, starred in the opening night production of The Count of Monte Christo on October 29, 1894. Young Eugene, as the story goes, had a seat in the front row and

incorporated a combination of art deco, baroque, and Victorian influences. The sun set slowly on the bronze walls, spiraled gold and silver “rope” columns and ornate cartouches flanked the proscenium arch, busts of Beethoven and Moliere rested in backlit niches, a cloud machine cast floating images on the blue dome, and stars twinkled overhead, creating the illusion of a Moorish courtyard at twilight.

“Schine’s Geneva Theater” flourished until the advent of television and the exodus from downtown areas in the 1950s and ’60s. In 1978, with deteriorating box office business, a leaky roof, moisture in the building decaying the walls, a broken down heating system and extreme temperature

slept through the theater’s inaugural performance.

George M. Cohan, John Philip Sousa, Freida Hemple, Alma Gluck, and Walter Hampden are just some of the stars who performed on stage during the theater’s early years.

In 1906, Smith gave the theater to Hobart College to help endow its new women’s college.

Declining revenues saw it leased to an outside operator in 1919 when it was renamed “The Strand.” In 1921, Hobart and William Smith Colleges sold the theater to Benjamin Gutstadt who marketed it as the Smith Opera House.

Schine’s Amusement Co. purchased the building in 1927, and in 1931, completely renovated it into an “atmospheric” movie palace.

Architect Victor Rigaumount’s interior design

changes that caused damage, the theater closed.

When it reopened a few months later as a not-for-profit organization, The Smith began its 25-year restoration journey. It stands today — beautifully restored — as a 108-year-old symbol of the community’s commitment to the performing arts. The success of the recently launched endowment campaign will guarantee that The Smith will continue to entertain audiences of all ages for the next 108 years.

FINGER LAKES

Top: William Smith, the founder of the opera house that bears his name.

Above,left: Prior to the 1931 renovation, the theater seated over 1,800.

Above, right: The exterior of the opera house, as it appeared on an early 20th Century postcard.

26-31.LIFL.Winter.SOH.02-03 11/7/02 12:41 PM Page 29

redesigned and relocated to a less independent films along with obtrusive location in the lobby, the best studio blockbusters have lobby-level handicapped-accessibeen shown on The Smith’s silble rest rooms were built, a ver screen — the largest in the Steinway grand piano was region. And hundreds of comacquired (and later signed by munity events from high school Billy Joel when he played here in graduations to dance recitals to 1996), main and side glass entry weddings and receptions to cordoors to better reflect the origiporate Christmas parties have nal open air feeling of the box been hosted at the versatile office were installed, basement landmark. rest rooms were expanded, and a The Smith’s successful To contribute to The Smith’s endowment campaign or to become lower level community cabaret, restoration has been trumpeted a member, contact: Smith Opera serving wine courtesy of Prejean by regional leaders and area House, 82 Seneca St., Geneva, Winery and beer on tap was politicians and is viewed as a tri14456. (315) 781-Live or toll free (866) 355-LIVE. established. umphant partnership between In that time, Barenaked community and government Ladies, Bela Fleck, the Black Crowes, Tracy Byrd, (the close to $3 million it took to revitalize the Collin Raye, Ralph Nader, Elie Weisel, Natalie opera house was funded primarily by local dolMerchant, Paul Taylor Dance, Chuck Mangione, lars). But that success carries a responsibility. A Blues Traveler, Bob Marley’s Wailers, the David venue the size of the Opera House will always Grisman Quintet, and Dave Matthews, along need upgrades. Creating a funding source that with hundreds of other speakers, singers and musicians have appeared on stage at The Smith.

Above: The box office and foyer display exquisite More than 40,000 children and families have art deco detail through the design and the colors used. enjoyed the finest in curriculum-based, touring theatrical productions during the school day and Below: Two of the shields representing 37 counon weekends. Over 400 of the finest foreign and tries adorn the edge of the theater’s ceiling.

or a complete listing of all events happening at The Smith, check out their webpage at www.thesmith.org

F

November 30 Finger Lakes Bronze Handbell Ensemble presents “A Christmas Tapestry” 7pm, $7 adults, $4 students and seniors December 5 Stone-Tower Concerts presents Dark Star Orchestra 8pm, $15 general admission December 7 The Sebastiano Lucci Classic Italian Film Series presents “Il Postino” 7pm followed by Sebastiano Lucci, $5 all seats December 8 LIVE: Seneca Community Players presents “Merry Christmas, George Bailey” 2pm, All seats $6 December 14 New York Klezmer Orchestra 8pm, $10 adults, $5 students and seniors December 15 American Magic Lantern Theatre presents “A Victorian Christmas” 2pm, $7 adults, $4 students and seniors December 19, 21, 22 “A Christmas Story” 7pm (Thurs, Sat), 2pm (Sun), All seats $3

WINTER 2002/ 2003 ~

29

26-31.LIFL.Winter.SOH.02-03 11/7/02 12:44 PM Page 30

30 ~ L I F E

IN THE

FINGER LAKES

26-31.LIFL.Winter.SOH.02-03 11/7/02 12:45 PM Page 31

will prevent the need for a future $3-million restoration is vital.

To that end, the Finger Lakes Regional Arts Council’s volunteer board of directors is launching a $2 million endowment campaign to enable them to maintain the facility and supplement operations — ensuring future generations the unique opportunity to experience live performing arts in an historic setting. A 24-page, full-color endowment brochure was recently published and distributed to patrons of the organization’s annual fund-raiser dinner, the Starlight Ball. Copies are being circulated to attornies and estate planners throughout the region. To date, approximately $200,000 has

Left: The opera house, as it appears present-day.

Photo courtesy Neil Sjoblom.

Above: One of four busts, which was missing, has been recast and replaced.

been donated or pledged to the endowment.

With the restoration coming to an end, the organization can’t help but reflect on the past while also looking to the future — the future of the opera house, the future of Geneva, and the future of the performing arts in upstate New York.

For two years, an ad hoc coalition of public, private, and civic groups has been weighing the viability of a cultural center to augment or complement The Smith as part of an artistically revitalized downtown.

Recently organized as the Geneva Arts Development Corporation, its mission is to promote the arts in the city of Geneva, in order to improve the quality of life for its residents, revitalize downtown and enhance its appeal to commerce and tourism. To accomplish this goal, they will “make use of Geneva’s historical and architectural significance, rich cultural diversity, distinctive lakefront location, exceptional educational facilities, and the unique Smith Opera House.”

Below: An elegant two-room cabaret is dominated by the copper-covered bar, and complemented by the Geneva Elks Club’s former back bar.

Kevin Schoonover is the executive director of the Smith Opera House.

December 20 The Wild Women of the World Music Series presents Christine Lavin 8pm, $13 adults, $10 students and seniors January 2, 3, 4, 5 “Cinema Paradiso” 7pm (Thurs, Fri, Sat), 2pm (Sun), $5 adults, $3 students and seniors, $3 all seats on Thursday January 17 & 18 Seneca Community Players presents “Rhapsodies” 8pm, All seats $6 February 10 Omaha Theatre Company for Young People presents “The Mouse and the Motorcycle” 10am and 12pm, $4.50 all seats March 1 The Wild Women of the World Music Series presents Pharaoh’s Daughter 8pm, $10 adults, $7 students and seniors March 8 The Wild Women of the World Music Series presents Voices of Africa 8pm, $10 adults, $7 students and seniors March 23 Geneva Concerts presents Syracuse Symphony Orchestra 8:15pm, $20 adults, $10 students April 8 Stone-Tower Concerts presents Bela Fleck and the Flecktones 8pm

WINTER 2002/ 2003 ~

31

S

32-38.LIFL.Winter.Cntst.02-03 11/7/02 12:47 PM Page 32

Grand Prize

Overlooking Honeoye Lake from Harriet Hollister Spencer State Recreation Area

W

I

N

N

E

R

Bill Penn Bloomfield, New York

THE FIRST ANNUAL LIFE IN THE FINGER LAKES PHOTOGRAPHY CONTEST 32 ~ L I F E

IN THE

FINGER LAKES

32-38.LIFL.Winter.Cntst.02-03 11/7/02 12:47 PM Page 33

W

e received hundreds of entries to our First Annual Photography Contest, and the task of judging was incredibly difficult. With so many high-quality photos to choose from, we decided to let our panel of experts decide.

The criteria for judging the photos was made up of three parts. The first was what we called the “wow” factor, meaning how the photo initially struck the viewer. The second

factor addressed technique, clarity and composition of the photograph. The third (and arguably most important) element was how well the photograph represented the Finger Lakes region.

Although making a decision was tough, we finally came up with the following winners. We’re sure that you’ll agree that we have wonderful, talented photographers in the Finger Lakes, and we’re happy to present their work to you.

WINTER 2002/ 2003 ~

33

32-38.LIFL.Winter.Cntst.02-03 11/7/02 12:54 PM Page 34

Second Place Hay Bales – Tyrone Bryan Farr Elmira, New York

Third Place Boat Sunset Frank Warner Canandaigua, New York

34 ~ L I F E

IN THE

FINGER LAKES

32-38.LIFL.Winter.Cntst.02-03 11/7/02 12:55 PM Page 35

First Place Canandaigua Lake Boat Houses Shayne Cooke Canandaigua, New York

C

O

L

O

R WINTER 2002/ 2003 ~

35

32-38.LIFL.Winter.Cntst.02-03 11/7/02 12:55 PM Page 36

First Place Seneca Lake Vineyard Greg Aspinall Palmyra, New York

36 ~ L I F E

IN THE

FINGER LAKES

32-38.LIFL.Winter.Cntst.02-03 11/7/02 12:55 PM Page 37

B

L

A

C

K

&

W

H

I

T

E

Second Place The Bluffs Christopher Nutting Conesus, New York

Third Place Vigilance Bob Cassie Canandaigua, New York

WINTER 2002/ 2003 ~

37

32-38.LIFL.Winter.Cntst.02-03 11/7/02 12:55 PM Page 38

H O N O R A B L E

M E N T I O N

Sunset over Chapel at Watson Homestead Jeanne Davis Geneva, New York

Havin Fun – Mennonite Church, Baldwin Road Gene Fontana Geneva, New York

Cayuga Lake Gary Steele Victor, New York

Soft Hills Dave Folts Walworth, New York

38 ~ L I F E

IN THE

FINGER LAKES

39-45.LIFL.Winter.02-03

11/7/02

2:28 PM

Page 39

F R U I T

O F

T H E

V I N E

Enjoy Finger Lakes Dessert and Sparkling Wines for the Holidays A panel of experts gives us their choices.

By Bill Moffett

A

s the holidays near, sparkling wines are front and center for parties and gifts, and cold weather invites a reacquaintance with those higher-alcohol dessert wines that tend to go unnoticed during the warm summer months. Whether jammyfruity or food friendly, both types are holiday wines and great fun depending

on your mood, food or occasion.

Sparkling wines are great for brunch, lunch, dinner and quiet contemplation in front of the fire. It’s reflective to sit and watch those bubbles rise while you are warmed by the glow from the grate and within, and it’s cool to serve bubbly at a social gathering.

Ice wines (which really are a Northeast phenomenon), late harvests, and dessert wines with higher alcohol also set the stage for something special to happen. When you drink them they warm the tummy and lead you to feel contemplative. One ought to be contemplative at least once a day!

Dessert wines like port or sherry can be used before or after the meal, or just for sipping around a blazing fire. The dessert wines that have table-wine alcohol, which is to say under 14 percent, typically find their place at the table as dessert or as an accompaniment to it.

In this column, which looks at the wines of the Finger Lakes, the holiday wines hold our attention this issue.

First we take on the sparkling wines (note that we’re trying to resist saying Champagne so we don’t draw comparison to those from France – the only ones which claim legal entitlement to the term). After these, we’ll get our just desserts.

T

he Life in the Finger Lakes tasting panel for this issue consists of David Whiting, winemaker and partner of Red Newt Cellars & Restaurant in Hector; Jessica Signori, also from Hector and owner of the Stone Cat restaurant on Route 79; Joe Pierce, proprietor of Pierce’s 1894 Restaurant in Elmira Heights; and the author. All taste wines regularly as a part of their professional duties.

HERE’S HOW WE WORK: The wines are presented to us in coded glasses, having been poured by an associate.

We do not know whose wine is whose.

We taste, make notes on our findings and give each wine a score of one to five “stars.” (We make the scores into stars because it seems sexier than a cold number.) Then we discuss our impressions and reach agreement on the total stars to award. What’s worth drinking? Our rating anchor was this: 5 stars = the best you can remember drinking 4 stars = very, very good 3 stars = above average 2 stars definitely drinkable 1 star = maybe drinkable but we wouldn’t buy it.

With any wine, price is a motivating factor, so you might like a two-star wine for its price more than a fourstar. The more stars you can buy for the money the better, right?

(Continued on page 43) WINTER 2002/ 2003 ~

39

39-45.LIFL.Winter.02-03

11/8/02

11:29 AM

Page 40

MARKETPLACE YÉÜ g{x

[ÉÄ|wtçá

G

athered in this special section are a variety of products for this magical season. We offer this new format to help you get underway with your

gift-giving. Whether you are looking for a gift to be given, or a gift of time together, here is a collection of unique items and quality places. Happy Holidays!

Book Your Holiday Parties Now in our

BANQUET ROOM Special Menus Including Buffet Menu Don’t forget to order from our bakery for your Holiday parties.

Brunch - Sunday 10am-3pm Dinner Buffet - Thursday 4-8pm Breakfast Buffet - Saturday 8-11am Sunday 10am-3pm • Closed Mondays Tuesday-Thursday 8am-8pm Friday-Saturday 8am-9pm Gift Certifi ca Availa tes ble

g Caterin ble Availa

1300 Rt. 14A 2 miles North of Penn Yan

315-531-8260

U-Cut and Pre-Cuts Inside • Potted Trees Tree stands • Lights • Ornaments Wreaths • Garland • Evergreen Kissing Balls

• Vidal Ice Wine a double gold winner • Offering 22 wines • Open year ‘round

Pony Rides: 11am-2pm, December 1 Santa: 11am-2pm, December 7 & 15 Food by local youth groups on weekends beginning December 7.

Free wagon rides, shaking and baling of trees, candy canes and coloring books.

Open Nov. 29-Dec 23 9am- 6pm UPS Shipping available. Master Card and VISA accepted.

10 minutes North of Ithaca on Route 34 575 Auburn Rd • Lansing, NY 14882 www.mooretrees.com • (888) 597-TREE

Uni-Art Imagine a well-deserved winter getaway at this historic home. Five unique suites, private baths, whirlpools, fireplaces, fine local dining-even breakfast in bed or a massage! Perfect for yourself or as an unforgettable gift.

Frank Lloyd Wright® designs are charmingly reproduced in wonderful hand-painted glass ornaments. Historical information sheet with design origination and date included with each ornament.

Currently on sale at www.wrightstyle.com for $29.50 each

40 ~ L I F E

IN THE

FINGER LAKES

It’s A Wonderful Life in Seneca (Bedford) Falls, and It’s a Wonderful Stay at Barrister’s. Karolyn Grimes (Zuzu) will make her stay at this beautiful 1888 Colonial Revival during her visit in December.

Some rooms are still available during Zuzu’s visit - Call for availability.

Visit our website and have some of New York State’s finest wines delivered to your door, or visit us in person in the heart of the Finger Lakes wine country.

Also consider Barrister’s as an extra guest room. All the comforts of home in a gracious, historic setting.

NYStateWine.com

56 Cayuga Street • Seneca Falls (800) 914-0145 • www.sleepbarristers.com

29 North Franklin Street • Watkins Glen, NY Phone: (607) 535-2944 • info@nystatewine.com

Fine Wines & Gifts

39-45.LIFL.Winter.02-03

11/8/02

11:29 AM

WATKINS GLEN PRINTS

Page 41

ADIRONDACK CHAIRS

Shown: 3-position folding

Signed and numbered fine art prints by

ROBERT GILLESPIE depicting great moments in Watkins Glen racing history. On heavy stock, priced from $45.

Matting and framing available.

(315) 536-7185 Visit our website at www.glenspeed.com

Two Styles of Chairs, Love Seats and Tete-a-tetes, Folding or Non-folding. Available in Pine and Red Cedar. Instructions and Hardware Included.

JERRY ’S WOOD SHOP Box 116, Route 30 • Speculator, NY 12164 1-800-548-5041 Voice or Fax (518) 548-5177 www.adirondackwood.com/businesses/jerrys

Bent Bay , llc Michel St. Amand General Manager

8 Sibley Place, Suite #2, Rochester, N Y 14607 Tel# 585 461 0809 Fax# 585 271 5635 mstamand@rochester.rr.com

The First Rural Farm & Craft Market in New York State

OVER 250 VENDORS! • Farm Produce • Crafts • Collectibles • Pottery • Amish & Mennonite Goods • Tools • Baskets • Antiques • Food • Baked Goods • Chiropractic Service • ATM in office Free Admission • Free Parking “Often Imitated, Never Duplicated.”

Open Saturdays thru Dec 14 To Reach the Windmill Call: 315-536-3032 Rt. 14A, between Penn Yan & Dundee www.thewindmill.com

THE EXPRESS LUNCH BUFFET Wed-Fri $6.95 ALL YOU CAN EAT PASTA BUFFET Wed Evenings $9.95 All You Can Eat Prime Rib Buffet Thurs Evenings $12.95 SUNDAY BRUNCH 11a.m.-2p.m Combining our new elegant menu options with our fine dining atmosphere and impeccable service, we’ve created a restaurant sure to please everyone.

315-462-7184 • www.warfields.com 7 West Main St. • Clifton Springs, NY 14432

Family Room Miniatures A unique shop located in the heart of the Finger Lakes specializing in dollhouse miniatures and hobby building supplies. We have a large selection of: • Furniture • Scale Lumber • Accessories • Lighting • Dollhouse Kits • Finished Dollhouses • and most important, experience and friendly service Stop in and check us out! We’re easy to find!

7179 County House Road • Auburn, NY 13021 315-255-0469 www.familyroomminiatures.com miniature@baldcom.net

131 Genesee St. • Auburn • NY 315-253-8976

Last Minute Shoppers Only December 21, 22, 23 (Sat - Sun - Mon)

Everything in our store will be

1/2 off!

(Except custom framing)

Art for picture framing • Maps Antique Prints of the Finger Lakes Region

Mark Your Calendar!

WINTER 2002/ 2003 ~

41

39-45.LIFL.Winter.02-03

11/13/02

11:16 AM

Page 42

S.A. Gilbert Jeweler Give him the precious gift of time Flower & Gift Shop With a European Ambience Crabtree & Evelyn Toiletries Wooden Toys • Angels Gertrude Hawk Chocolates Gourmet Baskets • Fine Gifts Finger Lakes Largest Selection of Fresh Cut Flowers 40 Seneca Street, Downtown Geneva

315-789-2554 • 800-835-8011 www.donsownflowershop.com

• Stainless Steel 2 tone $180 • 3 year guarantee • Life-time free battery replacement Or visit us to select from our full line of special gift items.

510 Exchange St., Geneva, NY 315-789-7722 Mon.-Thurs. 9:30am-5:30pm Fri. 9:30am-7:00pm • Sat. 9:30am-4:00pm

ENJOY THE PRIVACY OF HAVING THE ENTIRE RESTAURANT FOR YOUR HOLIDAY PARTY Seating for 40 People Fun Tasting menus with Table-side Cooking - All in an intimate Bistro setting

CALL AND ASK FOR SUSAN AT

315-789-8498 315-719-0333 Experience our Unique Selection of Holiday Decorations

Dining...

Restaurants, reserve your ad space now for the Spring 2003 issue!

Circle Reader Service Number 114

New Ad Space!

Three Gift Subscriptions

for only $33

Bed & Breakfast • Real Estate • Website Special Event • Retail Business

Call 800-344-0559 to Give your Gift!

Call 800-344-0559

42 ~ L I F E

IN THE

FINGER LAKES

Call 800-344-0559

39-45.LIFL.Winter.02-03

11/7/02

2:30 PM

(“Fruit of the Vine” continued from page 39)

Finger Lakes Sparkling Wine Tasting New York sparkling wines come in two basic variations, those made from the traditional Labrusca grapes, mainly Catawba, Elvira, Niagara and Delaware, and those from traditional European grapes – Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier (both blue grapes pressed early before they develop much color), and Riesling. There are also some made from blends of French hybrids, but they are receding because of the cost to make a sparkling wine. The tastes of the Labrusca wines are grapey, while wines made from European grapes are more neutral. As a panel we did not address the political correctness of the varietal blend but, looking back, we note that we did not score as high the wines in the former category unless we found a real bell-ringer. In sparkling wines, as in still wines, there is the issue of degree of difficulty to keep in mind. It’s harder to make a four-star wine from grapes from a single vintage, and harder to make a wine taste sophisticated. The price of any sparkling wine reflects, first, the degree of difficulty and, next, what the market dictates. It’s rocket science, but then, again, it’s not.

Twenty-four wines were tasted; 12 wines were rated high enough to report. (See results on this page.)

Late Harvest & Ice Wines Next, we turned our attention to the late harvest, ice wine and other dessert wines. We tasted a handful of them, all sweet, made from grapes that spanned the range from Concord and Delaware to Vignoles and Riesling, with a Traminette, which is a New York hybrid from Geneva, thrown in. This is the group from which you might serve any one as a dessert by itself, or attempt to pair it with a sweet dessert to provide the

Page 43

S

P A R K L I N G

W

I N E S

Blanc de Blanc 1998 — $34.95 Chateau Lafayette Reneau, Hector

Very clean, fresh, delicate with notes of apple, pear and tropical aromas; tastes of peach and nectarine – star fruit, Jessica thought, and has a clean, well-balanced structure with just a hint of sweetness. Serve with cheese, creamed soup or sophisticated canapés. Tied for best of the flight with Goose Watch.

Blanc de Blanc 1997 — $24.95 Chateau Frank, Hammondsport

Yeasty, lemony, apple notes in the aroma followed by sophisticated melange of ripe fruits on the palate. Finish is crisp and on the lean side. Best with sautéed sea scallops or sautéed chicken and definitely a wedding toast!

Blanc de Blanc NV — $11.99 Swedish Hill, Fayette

Lots of canned fruit, pear, in the nose with fruit cocktail flavors. It was controversial. A great frothy mousse makes it festive. May not be a super food wine, but obviously we liked it. Save it for toasts.

Blanc de Noir — $24.00 Goose Watch, Romulus

Somewhat controversial. Dave loved it and gave it 4 stars. Complex delicate nose with sur lie character. Lean and crisp on the palate, it has a citrusy grapefruit, ginseng even cherryish flavor that gives way to a crisp, lean, slightly tart finish. Dave liked it with broiled sea bass. Maybe also cheese soufflé.

Pinot Noir Brut Rose — $15.50 Goose Watch, Romulus

Another favorite. Pretty pink color with cigar box aroma and tart cherry characters on the palate. “Pinot noir jumps right out,” said Joe Pierce. It has a creamy, frothy mousse and was nicely balanced. A country paté, or confit of duck, thought Jessica, would be great here.

Peach Spumante — $9.99 Glenora Wine Cellars, Dundee

A specialty, obviously. Aggressively peach in aroma and taste, it’s not the wine for food really or a reception, but it’s darn good. The ever-creative Joe Pierce suggested trying it with fresh berries and crème anglais.

Sparkling Riesling — $14.95 Swedish Hill, Fayette

Gobs of fruit in the nose make this wine very appealing. Flavors of pear and peaches, with a delicate moussey structure. Dave thought a peach or pear tart would be good with it.

Blanc de Blancs 1997 — 14.99 Casa Larga, Fairport

Yeasty, toasty nose with crisp lemony flavors tending toward the tart side on the finish. Would be a great pair with something soothing or creamy, or try it with oysters.

Brut 1997 — $19.95 Chateau Frank, Hammondsport

Blanc de Blancs NV — $14.99 Glenora Wine Cellars, Dundee

Brut — $10.45 Pleasant Valley, Hammondsport

Brut 1998 — $14.99 Glenora Wine Cellars, Dundee

Flinty, mineral and delicate apple aroma followed by a touch of honeyed oak and lemon scent on the palate; crisp structure with nice tight mousse.

Very sophisticated. Joe thought it would be great with a fish like grouper finished with lemon buerre sauce.

Toasty lemon apple nose with full, clean palate; notes of peach and apple; finished with a tight mousse that was refreshing. Suggested a creamy food or perhaps mussels with shallots and wine.

Apple and pears in the aroma with a hint of mushroom, earthy oxidation on the palate suggestive of an older Cuvee. Full and lingering on the palate, it suggested a duck mousse paté or poached pears with gouda cheese, said Joe.

Many people consider Glenora the sparkling wine benchmark in the Finger Lakes, with good reason. This wine was first in the tasting, which is not an enviable place to be. Had we tasted it later, it would have ranked higher. Appley, toasty aroma, full bodied with hints of caramel and softness on the palate due to a touch of sweetness; refreshing. Try with baked brie, pork chops or terrine of chicken.

WINTER 2002/ 2003 ~

43

39-45.LIFL.Winter.02-03

11/7/02

2:30 PM

Page 44

grand finale fireworks in a special meal. The challenge, restauranteur Joe Pierce pointed out, is to make the sweetness of the wine and dessert come together in a complementary way. Our panel was up to the task with suggestions. Here is what we found. (See results below.)

Tasting of Ports and Sherries Many New York ports and sherries are not, frankly, children of the modern world. They were born in a time when dessert wines outsold table wines

L

A T E

H

A R V E S T

Sweet Traminette “Ambrosia” — $14.95 Arbor Hill, Naples

44 ~ L I F E

IN THE

FINGER LAKES

&

I

C E

W

I N E S

Apricots, lychee, citrus – a complex fruit mixture on the nose with a honeyed mincemeat complexity on the palate with a crisp but some said cloying finish. Needs a complex dessert flavor. Try at Thanksgiving with mincemeat pie?

Late Harvest Vignoles — $12.99 Prejean, Penn Yan

Honey and apricots dominate the nose, with nectarines and mango flavors on the palate – even some apple raisin and cinnamon thrown in. Inspires a great dessert. Try bread pudding, raspberry Linzer Torte or maybe a mango sherbet that has the sweetness to carry through.

Vidal Icewine — $20.00 Hunt Country, Branchport

A honey floral aroma with cinnamon notes, honey, peach, clove on the palate with a finish that is on the sweet side makes this wine pair up with crème caramel, a sweet goat cheese cake or an exotic East Indian item with a touch of cardamom.

“Borealis” Late Harvest Concord — $12.99 Lakewood, Watkins Glen

Circle Reader Service Number 120

in America two to one. Now, after experiencing a deep decline in the market, they are creeping back. The chief stock for them in New York as a group is the Labrusca grape, so if you’ve cut your dessert wine teeth elsewhere, there is a likelihood you will rebel. But stop! Remove the prejudice that they need to taste like those from Portugal and Spain, or that California dessert wines are better because they are closer in a family resemblance. If you do, you will ultimately agree that the expertise that remains in

Aroma of Concord grape jam with Concord carrying through to the end with nice structure for the sweetness. One panel member thought it too grapey, but, then, it’s supposed to be. Try with a baked fruit dessert with lots of sweetness, or cheesecake with strawberries, Joe suggested.

Raspberry Royale — $20.00 Hosmer, Ovid

Having 18% alcohol, on the nose and palate this is a raspberry bomb!

Delicious, uncomplicated fresh fruit flavor with rich but sweet finish, very lingering. It will pair well with chocolate dessert. Try chocolate soufflé as long as the chocolate flavor is intense; or a chocolate truffle.

Vidal Icewine — $25.00 Casa Larga, Fairport

Somewhat controversial. Some found notes of honey and cinnamon while others thought it cidery, beery. The scores were high. The palate expressed rich apricot flavors with caramel and lots of complexity. The finish was sweet but balanced with crisp acid. Jessica said try with baklava and a honey-mint drizzle. Yum!

Late Harvest Vignoles — $17.99 Swedish Hill, Fayette

Tied for top in class, this wine was a veritable fruit stand of aromas with loads of honey and apple and spice and a finish that was not cloying due to its backbone of fruit acid. Great with baklava or Bananas Foster, Joe thought. “It is dessert,” Dave said.

Lake Harvest Riesling — $12.00 Hosmer, Ovid

I liked this wine more than our panel. I found crisp apples in the aroma and buttered apples in the taste; others found apricots and a hint of petroleum.

It has a pleasant crisp finish but others said lacks intensity. Fruit, cheese, perhaps a tart would be a nice accompaniment.

39-45.LIFL.Winter.02-03

11/7/02

2:30 PM

Hammondsport and Naples produces very agreeable wines, often rich with complex flavors that come from the fruitiness of labrusca grapes aged for many years in the presence of ancient wooden tanks, oak barrels and extra alcohol. Really, they are classics and there is some danger they might be lost, which would be a shame. Having

P

O R T S

&

Page 45

said that, we were surprised to note some very tasty newcomers to the field, notably Fox Run, Logan Ridge, Knapp, Glenora, Prejean and Hunt Country, making port or sherry-type wines from other than the Labrusca varieties. Where this very small trend at the moment leads will depend on you, the consumer! We tasted nine

S

H E R I E S

Port — 375ml $19.99 Fox Run Vineyards, Penn Yan

Chocolate, clove and lucious cherry, blackberry fruit and a long spicy black cherry finish dominate in this port newcomer for the Finger Lakes. It lacks the complexity found in some of the older Labrusca ports, so it seems a bit of an upstart. But maybe it heralds a new dawning. Great with all kinds of complex chocolate desserts, we thought.

Madeira — 750ml $7.99 1.5L $13.79 Pleasant Valley, Hammondsport

Many of the sherries combined the typical nuttiness that follows from age, perhaps from a solera system, and higher alcohol. Many we tasted had, we thought, aromas or tastes lurking in the background, not so they were a problem, they were just there and we had trouble agreeing they should be.

This wine stood out as being clean, complex, medium sweet with a crisp long finish – a great wine to sip by the fire after dinner, and with a great price, too!

sherry-type wines and seven ports, one of them a white port. Overall, we thought the wines were more than acceptable. Joe Pierce said he would gladly pour any of them in his restaurant. But the fact remained that our scores were mostly in the 2.5 star range because we often could not agree. Rather than provide you with the details of our indecision, here is the one wine in each group we agreed was top drawer.

Bill Moffett is co-publisher of Vineyard & Winery Management, a trade publication serving the wine and grape industry of North America, based in Watkins Glen, New York and Santa Rosa, California.

Sponsoring wine competitions, seminars and tradeshows, their activity is visible at their website www.vwm-online.com.

is sold at these fine businesses...

• Anthony Road Wine Co. 1225 Anthony Road Penn Yan, NY • Barnes & Noble 3349 Monroe Avenue Rochester, NY • Big M Supermarket 3 Clifton Plaza Clifton Springs, NY • Bombace Wine & Spirits 6081 State Rte. 96 Farmington, NY • Borders Books & Music 30 Square Drive Victor, NY • Borders Books & Music Pyramid Mall Ithaca, NY • Borders Books & Music Carousel Mall Syracuse, NY

• Canandaigua Chamber of Commerce 113 South Main St. Canandaigua, NY • Cayuga Ridge Estate Winery 6800 Rte. 89 Ovid, NY • Corning Info Center 1 Baron Steuben Place, 2nd Floor Corning, NY • Corning Museum of Glass One Museum Way Corning, NY • Coyote’s Den 100 South Main St. Canandaigua, NY • Five Seasons Gifts 1901 State Rte. 332 Canandaigua, NY

• Guards Cards 60 Seneca St. Geneva, NY • Hazlitt 1852 Vineyards 5712 Rte. 414 Hector, NY • Heron Hill Vineyards 9249 County Rte. 76 Hammondsport, NY • Hunt Country Vineyards 4021 Italy Hill Rd. Branchport, NY • JW Brace Books 211 N. Franklin St. Watkins Glen, NY • Lakeshore Winery 5132 Rte. 89 Romulus, NY

• Lamoreaux Landing Wine Cellars 9224 Rte. 414 Lodi, NY • Logan Ridge Estates 3800 Ball Diamond Rd. Hector, NY • Loomis Barn 4942 Loomis Rd. Rushville, NY • Long & Brace Books 508 Exchange Street Watkins Glen, NY • McGregor Vineyard Winery 5503 Dutch Street Dundee, NY • Memorial Art Gallery 500 University Ave. Rochester, NY

• Oak Hill Farm 3173 Rte. 14A Penn Yan, NY • Prejean Winery 2634 Rte. 14 Penn Yan, NY • Red Newt Cellars 3675 Tichenor Rd. Hector, NY • Sheldrake Point Vineyard 7448 County Rd. 153 Ovid, NY • Skyland Farms 4966 Rte. 414 Burdett, NY • Standing Stone Vineyards 9934 Rte. 414 Hector, NY • Weaver-View Farms 1190 Earls Hill Rd. Penn Yan, NY

If your business would like to sell Life in the Finger Lakes, call Tim at 800-344-0559 WINTER 2002/ 2003 ~

45

46-56.LIFL.Winter.02-03

11/7/02

2:49 PM

Page 46

D A Y

T R I P

Ithaca’s Sciencenter

THE CHRISTMAS HOUSE The charm of an Old Fashioned Christmas awaits you…

361 Maple Avenue • Elmira, NY 14904 www.christmas-house.com • (607) 734-9547

A wonderful winter activity for the entire family

By Nate Abbott VINEYARDS

O Tour and Taste at Casa Larga Vineyards!

Visit our two-story wine and gift shop and enjoy a sampling of our award-winning wines.

ne could be forgiven for walking into the Sciencenter for the first time and wondering if he or she had taken a wrong turn on the way to the museum. Signs urging “Quiet, Please” and “Hands Off” are nowhere to be found, and not a single exhibit hides behind a velvet rope.

“Kids who do science for themselves, know it for themselves. The

• Fine Wines • Tours & Tastings • Gifts and Baskets • Personalized Wine Labels • Wedding Receptions and Special Events Open Mon-Sat 10-6, Sun 12-6 Call ahead for tour hours and holiday and winter schedules

(585) 223-4210 2287 Turk Hill Rd. • Fairport, NY www.casalarga.com Circle Reader Service Number 102

“It’s fun for everyone,” said Mike Katz, the director of marketing and development at the Sciencenter. “Kids can have fun, there are things to play with, but adults have almost as much fun interacting with their kids. You don’t just drop your kids off and leave, and you also don’t let them run around while you just sit.”

What started almost 20 years ago with Debbie Levin and Ilma Levine on the road going from school to school with science experiments and educational hands-on activities has grown to become one of the few science museums in New York accredited by the American Association of Museums.

But don’t tell your kids that (not that you’ll get a chance to).

“My kids have come several times.

The first couple of times they were just playing, but by the third time I heard ‘Hey, Dad, look at this!’ It’s the same

Photo courtesy the Sciencenter

STICKS & STITCHES COUNTRY GIFT SHOP Filled with unique home and kitchen hand-made accents, appliqued pot holders, kitchen towels, table runners, country valances. Delicious and delightfully packaged country kitchen mixes–muffins, cakes, cookies, hot chocolates and one-of-a-kind gift baskets. Hand-crafted home decor accent pieces are also available.

3756 Oak Hill Road • Marietta, NY 13110-9731 www.sticksnstitches.com • (315) 696-5075 Please call for hours.

Sciencenter is at the forefront of a national movement to help kids do science,” says television’s Bill Nye, The Science Guy. Looking around the Ithaca museum, it would be hard to argue. Every time you turn around, another wide-eyed tot is running to the giant camera or the water flume.

And, unlike most other museums, parents are often not far behind, with very similar looks on their faces.

Photo courtesy the Sciencenter

46 ~ L I F E

IN THE

FINGER LAKES

46-56.LIFL.Winter.02-03

11/7/02

2:49 PM

Page 47

Travel in Luxury exhibit, but they’re saying ‘Wow, now I know how this works.’ They might not understand all the physics, but they’ve figured out that if they put their hand here something happens, or if they turn this, something else happens,” said Mike. “It’s that cause and effect, that excitement for learning that we want all ages to experience, but especially the younger kids.”

On the first floor of the museum, several children stand looking up at a beach ball suspended in midair by a

Photo by Nate Abbott

flow of air. A young girl holds her dad’s hand as she cautiously approaches the ant farms. A toddler gets a close-up look at his grandfather’s leather watchband on the electronic microscope.

Nearby, several children crowd around the watergates, a study in fluid mechanics, water flow, and hydraulics.

They place little yellow ducks in the top and watch as different obstacles and passages along the way slow or speed their duck’s progression.

The exhibit was built by a Cornell University class, whose campus sits nearby. Both Cornell and Ithaca College are active in the Sciencenter.

“We do a lot of programs where volunteers from both schools will come here and get experiments to take to the community centers or to take to local schools. Cornell Tradition (a university volunteer group) sends us 15 to 20 students a year who will take our experiments to organizations down-

town. It’s part of their outreach to the community through us,” said Mike.

Outside the doors of the building sits the outdoor science park, a giant playground where children can relax on the swings or talk to each other through the giant “whisper dishes,” where they harness sound energy through parabolic reflectors.

If you want to get the whole experience, begin your journey on the Ithaca Commons, where the Sagan Planet Walk begins. A memorial to renowned astronomer and Ithaca resident Carl Sagan, the Planet Walk begins with the Sun in the center of Ithaca, and ends with Pluto right outside the Sciencenter. Along the 3/4mile route, the planets are placed to scale to give an idea of the vastness of the solar system.

Two stories of mesmerizing science (yes, those two words can be used together) and a giant playground not enough for you? By Christmas, the Sciencenter will triple in size, as workers work to complete the giant addition being built on the museum.

Among the planned additions is an early childhood area, completely devoted to children under 5, with a whole new water table and other things just for toddlers. “We’ve had researchers travel the country looking at children’s museums, science museums, looking at what are the best things for the kids so when it opens it’ll be state-of-the-art early childhood education with hands-on science. We really spent a lot of time and effort trying to bring things in that they can play with and learn from,” said Mike proudly. “If you like this little museum now, wait until we’re 20,000 square feet in another six weeks or so!”

Also planned for the new space is a 100-seat amphitheater which will provide a place for demonstrations and presentations. A community room, open after hours to community groups, will serve as a lunchroom during the

Our 7-passenger luxury and minivans have the most luxurious interiors and state-of-the-art entertainment packages available, with plenty of cargo space to fill with your favorite vintage.

250 FREE Miles per day!

(Specify Code FL04 at time of reservation)

Call 315-455-1001 FOR RESERVATIONS 5400 South Bay Road North Syracuse, NY 13212 Americar does not discriminate on account of race, color, national origin, age or disability, or any other basis as prohibited by state or federal law.

Circle Reader Service Number 101

Folks from the beautiful Finger Lakes Region have enjoyed millions of cups of coffee from Finger Lakes Coffee Roasters for over seven years. Our travels and roasting experience allow us to locate the highest quality beans from all over the globe. Freshness is guaranteed. Please visit us at one of the following retail shops or purchase a bag of beans online! www.fingerlakescoffee.com Farmington Corner of Routes 96 & 332 (CVS Plaza) 585-742-6210

Bushnell’s Basin Route 96 (Next to Abbots) 585-249-9310

Ride Into History... and Beautiful Scenery...

CACV

The Cooperstown & Charlotte Valley Railroad gives visitors to our area the chance to experience what was once the primary form of transportation throughout the country - riding the rails.

Upcoming Railway Events: SANTA EXPRESS TRAINS ~ Nov 30, Dec 1, 7, 8, 14, 15 CHRISTMAS LIGHTS TRAINS ~ Nov 30, Dec 7, 14 Reservations Required • Call (607) 432-2429 • www.lrhs.com

WINTER 2002/ 2003 ~

47

46-56.LIFL.Winter.02-03

11/14/02

3:26 PM

Page 48

Holiday Traditions Dec. 8th • 12-5 pm Come enjoy FREE admission, quilt exhibits, refreshments and entertainment in Historic Auburn, NY

Toll Free: 877.343.0002 www.TourAuburnNY.com • • • • • • •

Cayuga Museum Harriet Tubman Home Schweinfurth Memorial Art Center Seward House Sts. Peter & John Church Ward O’Hara Agricultural Museum Willard Memorial Chapel

I N D E X

O F

A D V E R T I S E R S

FREE information by mail. Life in the Finger Lakes offers you the opportunity to request free brochures and information from our advertisers. Simply circle the numbers on the adjacent postage-paid card and mail. The advertisers will send information directly to you.

Pg 47

Americar Rental System ............…..Info #101

Bk Cover Keuka Lake Wine Trail ................…..Info #126

Pg 53

Anthony Road

Pg 42

Kyo Asian Bistro

Pg 41

Arlanrew Trails

Pg 53

Lake Country Real Estate

Pg 5

Ashton Place ..............................…..Info #108

Pg 51

Lamoreaux Landing Wine Cellars

Pg 53

Atwater Estate Vineyards

Pg 47

Leatherstocking Railway

Pg 40

Barrister’s B&B

Pg 41

Lincoln Gallery

Pg 42

Billsboro Winery

Pg 49

Loomis Barn ..............................…..Info #116

1-800-499-9615

Pg 46

Casa Larga..................................…..Info #102

Cover 3

Lyons National Bank....................….Info #127

315-255-1658

Pg 48

Cayuga County Tourism ..............….Info #103

Pg 40

Miller’s Essenhaus

Pg 53

Chemung Valley History

Pg 40

Moore’s Tree Farm

Pg 51

Clifton Springs Hospital..............…..Info #109

Pg 4

Northern Design ........................…..Info #117

Pg 52

Cobblestone Pasta Only’s ................Info #129

Pg 40

NYStatewine.com

Pg 55

Colonial Motel ............................…..Info #104

Pg 52

Pasta Only’s Cobblestone ................Info #129

Pg 40

Control Products

Pg 48

Phelps Cement Products

Pg 3

Controlled Energy Corp ..............…..Info #110

Pg 4

Potter Heating ............................…..Info #118

Pg 41

Cornell University

Pg 48

Prejean Winery

Pg 42

Don’s Own Flower Shop

Pg 42

S.A.Gilbert Jeweler

Pg 6

Eastview mall..............................…..Info #111

Pg 41

Sailrite

Pg 53

Fall Bright

Pg 55

Schuyler Hospital ......................…..Info #124

Pg 41

Family Room Miniatures

Pg 13

Seneca County Tourism..............…..Info #105

Pg 54

Finger Lakes Inn ........................…..Info #112

Pg 9

Seneca Lake Wine Assoc............…..Info #125

Pg 6

Finger Lakes Visitors Connection ....................…..Info #113

Pg 49

Spa Apartments..........................…..Info #119

Pg 53

Springside Inn

Pg 47

Finger Lakes Coffee Roasters

Pg 46

Sticks & Stitches

Pg 53

The Fire Shop

Pg 44

Syracuse China Factory ..............…..Info #120

Pg 40

Fulkerson Winery

Pg 46

The Christmas House

Pg 53

Giovanni’s Pumphouse

Pg 3

Timberpeg ..................................…..Info #121

Pg 41

Glenspeed.com

Cover 2

Tompkins County Trust Co ........…..Info #128

Pg 42

Guards Cards..............................…..Info #114

Pg 40

Uni-Art Marketing

Pg 13

Heat-Line Corp ..........................…..Info #123

Pg 10

Warfield’s....................................…..Info #106

Pg 54

Heron Hill Winery ......................…..Info #115

Pg 41

Warfield’s

Pg 51

Hunt Hollow Ski Club

Pg 10

Weaver-View Farms....................…..Info #107

Pg 41

Jerry’s Wood Shop

Pg 5

Wilcox Press ..............................…..Info #122

Pg 41

The Windmill

For additional information on Cayuga County events, attractions and accommodations call: Visit our web site at: www.tourcayuga.com

Circle Reader Service Number 103

PREMIUM ESTATE GROWN WINES Chardonnay • Riesling • Gewurztraminer Merlot • Cabernet Sauvignon

On the Seneca Lake Wine Trail • Open year ‘round for tastings

Winter Hours: 10-5; Sunday 11-5 2634 Route 14 • Penn Yan 315-536-7524

www.prejeanwinery.com

Phelps Cement Products Vermont CastingsMajestic Stove Fireplaces

If the readers’ service postcard is missing in your issue, please call the advertiser directly.

Masonry Supplier • Retaining Walls • Pavers Since 1946

Fireplace Center of the Finger Lakes

www.phelpscement.com 315-548-2221

48 ~ L I F E

IN THE

FINGER LAKES

If you would like to receive advertising rates for 2003, please call Jason Hagerman at 800-344-0559.

46-56.LIFL.Winter.02-03

11/13/02

12:55 PM

day. A classroom will allow more intensive learning, while a discovery room will let children work more quietly on different individual experiments, as well as create their own. A technology clubhouse will allow for supervised free access to computers and let children work with mentors on projects, homework, and websites.

New exhibits will include hot air balloons and a live animal room, where a boa constrictor will be making a

Page 49

Nestled in the quaint little village of Clifton Springs, NY, the Spa Apartments has put together a package of services and amenities most seniors are looking for.

Prices start at $408 a month with all utilities included.

• • • • • • • •

Meal Program Transportation Cable TV Nursing Service Activities Elevators Individual Heat Control Large Gracious Lobbies

• • • • • • • •

Front Door Intercom Laundry Room Laundry Service Arts & Crafts Emergency Call System Housekeeping Room Service Emergency Maintenance

• • • • • • • •

Fire Systems Library Trips Entertainment Large Porches Walk Areas Picnic Areas Full Kitchen and Bath

Clifton Springs Hospital & Clinic is connected to our building.

Downtown shopping is only steps away.

Call today for a tour and receive a gift certificate for downtown shopping.

315-462-3080 Circle Reader Service Number 119

Directions to Sciencenter From Route 13 in Ithaca, take Third Street south (look for the signs). Take an immediate left onto Franklin Street.

The Sciencenter is located at the corner of First and Franklin Streets.

return to the Sciencenter, along with other animals that families can see and touch.

So, if you’re looking for an educational trip that your kids won’t mind spending an entire day on, give the Sciencenter a try. You’ll find that all the money they saved on velvet ropes and stuffy signs has been put to good use.

For more information, call (607) 272-0600, or visit www.sciencenter.org.

Nate Abbott is a product of the Finger Lakes, born in Geneva and currently majoring in English at Cornell University in Ithaca.

ake it a day in the country. From fine furniture and gifts, fresh flowers and dried floral arrangements, to casually elegant luncheon dining, our shops offer a unique shopping experience. Take a walk...feed the ducks or relax and enjoy the country.

The Loomis Barn... A complete selection of high quality home furnishings featuring country, traditional and American Traditional.

Corn House Cafe.... Enjoy a lunch of seasonal homemade soups, specialty sandwiches and homebaked desserts.

Colonial Bouquets.. Featuring dried flowers and herbal arrangements, wreaths, garlands, fresh flowers and plants The Back Room....... A shop within a store filled with unique accessories, gifts, and accent items.

Fully handicap accessible Cafe Hours Tues. - Sat. 11:30 - 2:30 • Sun. 12:00 - 3:00 • Closed Mon. Jan., Feb., Mar., Cafe open Fri., Sat., and Sun. Store Hours Tues. - Sat. 10:00 - 5:30 • Sun. 12:00 - 4:00 • Closed Mon. 4942 Loomis Road • Rushville, NY 14544 800-716-2276 • (585) 554-3154 www.loomisbarn.com Please call for directions.

Circle Reader Service Number 116

WINTER 2002/ 2003 ~

49

46-56.LIFL.Winter.02-03

11/7/02

2:50 PM

Page 50

S P O R T

Head to High Ground to Find Snow

By Sue Freeman

W

inters in the Finger Lakes region can be unpredictable. Some years the snow comes on with a fury and seems to stay forever.

Other years we experience a feast-or-famine phenomenon where big storms sweep through, dumping snow which then melts, only to be followed by another dump. Then there are years like the winter of 2001 where snow was sparse, except if you lived near Buffalo.

Fortunately, we don’t have to give up winter outdoor fun or try to time it to the whims of Mother Nature. The Finger Lakes region is dotted with trail networks that sit at high elevation where the snow comes early, sticks around through winter, and even lingers late into spring. Pack up your crosscountry skis or snowshoes and head to one of these areas for a guaranteed day of fun in mounds of the white stuff.

Oakley Corners State Forest in Newark Valley and Owego, Tioga County offers 16 miles of trails that range from novice to advanced. Once farmland and pasture, this 1,042-acre forest was planted with pine, spruce, cedar, and larch in 1936. It is now managed by the New York State Department of Conservation for forest product harvesting and recreation.

Nearby is Jenksville State Forest with 12 miles of trails, including one with a scenic view of Jenksville and the valley to the south. As you ski, watch for a red oak tree that is 60 inches in diameter and approximately 200 years old.

50 ~ L I F E

IN THE

FINGER LAKES

A little farther north in Tompkins County is Hammond Hill State Forest with 11 miles of trails. It’s a busy place all winter long—heavily used by Cayuga Nordic Ski Club, Cornell Nordic Ski Team, and many others.

Hammond Hill was established as a state forest between 1935 and 1950 in an effort to reduce soil erosion, produce forest products, and provide recreational opportunities. Once depleted farmland, it was planted with thousands of pine, spruce, larch, maple, ash, cherry, and oak seedlings.

Today it is heavily forested.

Near the border of Schuyler and Tompkins Counties you can find Connecticut Hill Wildlife Management Area. It is part of the Appalachian Highlands, which is distinctive as a belt of high, rough land.

The unplowed seasonal roads become a winter highway for skiers. The terrain is always hilly, sometimes with steep sections as it winds on and off the plateau. Expect an aerobic workout.

In Cortland County, winter enthusiasts can have fun at Heiberg Memorial Forest. The land is owned by the State University of New York College of Environmental Science &

Forestry and is used as an outdoor classroom and experimental station. They graciously allow us “non-students” to ski their land. Their land is Truxton Hill, a high elevation, rolling hill area of unplowed roads, fire lanes and trails that total over 20 miles.

At Blodgett Mills in Cortland County is Tuller Hill State Forest. This is an area of variety with peaked hilltops, rounded knolls, deep ravines, and gentle slopes. The 9 miles of trails and unplowed dirt roads wander through hardwood forests and tight stands of evergreens. Follow the unplowed roads for intermediate-level skiing and the trails (such as Finger Lakes Trail) for an advanced adventure.

Also in Cortland County is the James B. Kennedy State Forest with 15 miles of trails and unplowed roads.

It includes Greek Peak (the backside of Greek Peak Ski Resort) and Virgil Mountain. Most of the hills are moderate steepness, but there are some steep sections.

Look out your window and enjoy the view, but don’t let the lack of snow keep you indoors. There are hills and high elevation lands out there dressed in robes of white, just waiting for you to come out and play.

Sue Freeman is the author of Snow Trails–Cross-Country Ski and Snowshoe in Central and Western New York which includes maps for these seven high-elevation ski areas as well as 71 others.

46-56.LIFL.Winter.02-03

11/7/02

3:51 PM

Page 51

(“Book Look” continued from page 13) Larry Dickens is a freelance writer who resides in South Bristol. His nonfiction work has appeared in several maritime publications.

Chainbreaker’s War: A Seneca Chief Remembers the American Revolution, edited by Jeanne Winston Adler, 2002, paperback, 224 pages, $16.95, Publisher: Black Dome Press Corp. www.blackdomepress.com

C

hainbreaker’s War is a remarkable first-person account by a Seneca Indian Chief of the events that changed the world 200 years ago during the Revolutionary War. Chainbreaker, or Tan Wr Nyrs in his native tongue, was interviewed toward the end of his life in 1845 by a fellow Seneca who wrote down his words in English.

Circle Reader Service Number 109

Lamoreaux Landing w i n e c e l l a r s

Hunt Hollow Ski Club Naples, NY www.hunthollow.com Call for information 585-374-5428

The editor skillfully presents Chainbreaker’s original narrative, occasionally replacing some archaic words with modern ones.

Chainbreaker was an eyewitness when American delegations tried to convince the Six Nations of the Iroquois to remain neutral during the war between Britain and the colonists, and when the Iroquois formed an alliance with Britain. The Seneca war chief and sachem speaks of some of the fiercest battles of the conflict and raids from the Mohawk Valley south

Lamoreaux Landing Wine Cellars offers an exciting range of international award-winning estate bottled wines.

607-582-6011

www.lamoreauxwine.com

Subscribe to the Region’s Premier Magazine!

Experience the FOUR seasons of the Finger Lakes.

3 Years (12 Issues) ....$32.85 2 Years (8 Issues) ......$23.90 1 Year (4 Issues) ........$12.95 Call 800-344-0559

All Foreign: Add $15.00 postage per year. U.S. Funds only.

WINTER 2002/ 2003 ~

51

46-56.LIFL.Winter.02-03

11/13/02

9:15 AM

fÑxÇw à{x [ÉÄ|wtç tà à{x VÉuuÄxáàÉÇx

The holidays are for families and friends. A time of joy and sharing. The Cobblestone is aglow with candles and fireplaces making the holidays festive and fun.

Make Your Holiday Reservations Serving Thanksgiving Grand Buffet - 12 noon -4:30 p.m.

Holiday Parties - From Pasta Buffets to Beef Wellington Dinners - or from our menu Served in one of our intimate fireplace dining rooms

Page 52

to Pennsylvania’s Susquehanna Valley.

At the close of the war, Chainbreaker was part of an Iroquois delegation that met George Washington for treaty negotiations.

The book provides readers with valuable primary source material relating to the Revolutionary War period from a Native American perspective.

Summaries of historical events introduce each chapter and quotes from early scholars, archaeologists, and some of Chainbreaker’s contemporaries are interspersed with the main text. These include Mary Jemison, a captive and later adopted member of the Seneca Nation. Along with engravings of Native American artifacts, maps and photographs, the writings offer further insight into Native American customs and historic events.

Jeanne Winston Adler is the author of Early Days in the Adirondacks: The Photographs of Seneca Ray Stoddard (Abrams, 1997), and the editor of In the Path of War: Children of the American Revolution Tell Their Stories (Cobblestone Publishing, 1998).

Syracuse and Its Surroundings A Victorian Photo Tour of New York’s Salt City, by H.P. Smith, edited by Robert Joki, 2002, paperback, 184 pages, $21.95, Publisher: Black Dome Press Corp. www.blackdomepress.com

O Christmas Eve Serving Lunch and Dinner Serving complimentary Hot Buttered Rum with all Parties Accepting New Year’s Reservations Hamilton Street at Pre-Emption Road Routes 5 & 20, Geneva, New York

Call 789-8498 • Ask for Susan Circle Reader Service Number 129

52 ~ L I F E

IN THE

FINGER LAKES

riginally published in a very limited edition in 1878 with real photographic stereo-card views of the “Salt City,” this reprint reproduces the original 103 photographs documenting Syracuse at the height of the Victorian era. Editor Robert Joki has included a photograph of the original edition, held together by two clasps, similar to a Victorian photo album. The 19th century volume also came with its own viewing device hinged to the front cover. It was composed of two small eyepiece lenses that allowed the reader to see the book’s double images in 3D.

The new edition opted to reproduce enlarged single images, with arched top borders reminiscent of the original stereo-card format.

Familiar landmarks are pictured, like the Syracuse Savings Bank on North Salina and James Street. A

number of views in the book were taken from the tower of this building.

“On a warm Summer day, we know of no spot where an hour can be passed more pleasantly than in the tower,” reads the caption from the 1878 edition. The photographs are accompanied by the original informative text written by a fictional narrator who guides two friends around the Salt City, providing entertaining anecdotes and historical background.

For newcomers to Syracuse and central New York, or long-time residents, this handsome book documents a prosperous era in the city’s history.

Those interested in Syracuse’s Victorian past will enjoy looking at the many high quality views of its municipal structures, cemeteries, residences, churches, Syracuse University, the salt works, and other businesses.

Robert Joki is a collector of 19th century photography and the author of Saratoga Lost: Images of Victorian America.

Laurel C. Wemett is a correspondent for the Messenger-Post newspapers in Canandaigua. She owns a gift shop named Cat’s in the Kitchen and lives in Canandaigua.

46-56.LIFL.Winter.02-03

11/8/02

12:33 PM

C A L E N D A R

F E S T I V A L S & E V E N T S

Page 53

Enjoy!

Meritage ◆

Chardonnay ◆

Riesling ◆

Gewürztraminer ◆

Life in the Finger Lakes recommends that you call ahead for complete details on the listings below or visit our Web site at www.lifeinthefin gerlakes.com and link to all 14 county chambers of commerce for complete listings.

Pinot Noir ◆

Ice Wines 5055 Rt. 414, Hector, NY 14841 607.546.VINE www.atwatervineyards.com

This homey, comfortable family-owned inn offers eight overnight guest rooms, private party rooms, ranging from a 15 to 250 person capacity, as well as a quiet dinner for two.

6141 W Lake Rd, Rt. 38 S • Auburn (315) 252-7247 • www.springsideinn.com

DECEMBER 2002 Nov 02 - Jan 05...Quilts=Art=Quilts Schwinfurth Memorial Art Center, Auburn 315-255-1553 01 - Jan 05...Lights on the Lake Onondaga Lake Park 315-451-7275 01 - Jan 05...West Side Story Syracuse Stage 315-443-3275 01 - 31...200 Years of American Art, 1746-1946 Everson Museum of Art 315-474-6064 01 - 31...Syracuse China/American Ceramics Everson Museum of Art 315-474-6064

"Wouldn't You Rather Dine in a Tavern Than Just Eat in a Restaurant?"

The Pumphouse is a 1930’s ArtDeco style restaurant. Our building is an historical treasure, and our name is derived from the former Rumsey Pump Co. Look for the Red Circa 1850 Rumsey Yard Pump in our dining room.

Check out our full menu online.

Giovanni’s Pumphouse 16 Rumsey Street ~ Seneca Falls (315)568-9109 www.pumphouseonline.com

How to make your own wine!

www.fallbright.com Grapes, Juices, Brewing & Winemaking Supplies Secure Online Shopping Fall Bright • Keuka Lake East Side 9750 Hyatt Hill, Dundee, NY 14837 607-292-3995 • fallbright@linkny.com

01 - Mar 31...Hay Rides & Sleigh Rides for Groups Highland Forest Park 315-683-5550 01 - April 15... Winter Special at Carriage House Inn Carriage House Inn, Sodus Point 315-483-2100 01-29...A Christmas Carol Geva Theatre 585-232-GEVA 01...Canandaigua Holiday Art Trail Downtown Canandaigua 877-FUN-INNY 01...Holiday Open House Wayne County Museums 315-946-5470

THE FIRE SHOP Gifts and supplies for Firefighters, EMS, Police Statues • Mugs Patches • Lights Decals • Clocks T-shirts • Pins See us in Lown’s House of Shoppes

131 Main St. Penn Yan At the Windmill, Rte. 14A Penn Yan every Saturday (315) 536-7901 or Email: PYFireShop@aol.com

Lake Country Real Estate 326 W. Genesee Street • Auburn, New York 13021

Specializing in Lakefront Properties Residential • Commercial Investment Properties • Vacation Homes Cayuga County and Greater Syracuse MLS

315.258.9147 • Fax: 315.258.3194 E-mail: lakcountry@aol.com www.Lakehomes-USA.com

01 - 18...Cut your Own Christmas Tree Alexanders Christmas Tree Farm, Ontario 315-524-9083 01 - 22...Choose and Cut Christmas Trees Frankes Nursery, Boynton Rd, Marion 315-926-5907 04 - 08...The Nutcracker—Syracuse Symphony Orchestra & North Carolina Dance Theatre Mulroy Civic Center at Oncenter 315-424-8200 or 800-724-3810 05 - 14...Holiday Festival of Trees Everson Museum of Art 315-474-6064 06 - 08...21st Annual Holiday Art & Craft Spectacular NYS Fairgrounds/Empire Expo Center-Verizon Center of Progress 607-432-3282 or 315-487-7711

Chemung County Historical Society 415 East Water St. • Elmira, NY 14901 (607) 734-4167 www.chemungvalleymuseum.org cchs@stny.rr.com • Explore the Past and the Present at the Chemung Valley History Museum • Visit Booth Library for all of your research needs!

• Borrow a “Hands on History” Loan Case for FREE • Study Regional History, Mark Twain, and Highlights of the Civil War • Enjoy our Spring and Fall Lecture Series • Contact us for more information about our Current Programs Galleries: Tues. - Sat. 10am-5pm, Sun. 1-5pm Booth Library: Mon. - Fri. Noon-5pm Business Offices: Mon. - Fri. 9am - 5pm

fine wines for the everyday celebration of life Overlooking Seneca Lake’s west side 10 miles south of Geneva, just off of Route 14 You are invited to our visitors’ center tasting room and gift shop: Mondays-Saturdays: 10am until 5pm Sundays: Noon until 5pm

1225 Anthony Road Penn Yan, New York 14527 Phone: 315-536-2182 Toll Free: 800-559-2182

WINTER 2002/ 2003 ~

53

46-56.LIFL.Winter.02-03

11/7/02

2:52 PM

Page 54

C A L E N D A R 05 - Feb 03...Interactive Mystery Dinner Theatre Spaghetti Warehouse 315-475-1807 01 - 22...A Dickens of a Christmas by Salt City Performing Arts Salt City Center Main Theatre 315-474-1122 06 - 27...Laser Show Center at High Falls 585-325-2030 06...StarShine Christmas in the Village Historic Main Street, Penn Yan 800-868-9283 Call Us 06 - 31...Holiday Show Cider Mill Regional Arts Council, Newark 315-331-4593 07...Storytelling at Chat-A-Wyle Coffeehouse Chat-A-Wyle Coffeehouse, Apalachin 607-625-2834 07...Victorian Christmas Faire First Presbyterian Church, Penn Yan 315-536-6658 07...OES - PTO Craft Fair Owego Elementary School, Owego 607-687-5154 Circle Reader Service Number 115

07...Wassail Bowl Geneva Historical Society at Prouty-Chew Museum, 315-789-5151 07...Holiday Open House at the Berry Patch The Berry Patch, Clyde 315-923-1000 07 - 08...Holiday Craft Show Cayuga Community College, Auburn 315-255-1743 07 - 22...Holiday Wagon Rides & Choose & Cut Christmas Trees Amans Nursery, Macedon 315-597-3562 or 315-524-8328 10...Handel's "Messiah" St. Mary's Church, Auburn 315-252-9545 14...Old Tyme Christmas Seneca St., Weedsport 315-834-8743 14...Dicken's Christmas Celebration Main St., Fair Haven 315-947-603 15...Gingerbread House Workshop Schweinfurth Memorial Art Center, Auburn 315-255-1553 21...Annual Children's Christmas Party Middlesex Fire House, Middlesex 585-393-0041 21...The Windmill Farm and Craft Market Midway between Penn Yan and Dundee, 3900 Route 14A, Penn Yan 315-536-3032

Circle Reader Service Number 112

54 ~ L I F E

IN THE

FINGER LAKES

46-56.LIFL.Winter.02-03

11/7/02

2:52 PM

Page 55

C A L E N D A R

JANUARY 2003 07 - Feb 09...Brighton Beach Memoirs Geva Theatre 585-232-4382 11 - 26...Seneca Lake Wine Trail: Bargain Bash Seneca Lake 877-536-2717 11 - 12...Great American Train Show Onondaga County Convention Center at Oncenter 315-435-2121 or 315-435-8000 17 - 19...Salt City Winter Antique Show NYS Fairgrounds/Empire Expo Center-Verizon Center of Progress Building 315-824-2462 26...Antique Racing Boats of America Swap Meet Pugsley's Marine, Ontario 716-265-1884 26...Walk on Ice Mendon Ponds Park, Mendon 585-271-7368 31 - Feb 02...Country Folk Art Show NYS Fairgrounds/Empire Expo Center-Cargill Exhibit Ctr. 248-634-4151

FEBRUARY 2003 01...Saturday Crafts at the Museum Wayne County Museum, Lyons 315-946-4943 02...Sled Dog Presentation Cumming Nature Center, Naples 585-374-6160 03 - 09....The Music Man Auditorium Center 585-222-5000 08...Starlight Dinner Dance Newark Country Club, Newark 315-946-4943 09...Ontario County Arts Council Antique Show and Sale “All Things Art” Building, Canadaigua 8 - 9, 15 - 16...Keuka Lake Wine Trail: Be Mine With Wine Keuka Lake Wine Trail 800-440-4898 13...Adult Crafts Wayne County Museum, Lyons 315-946-4943 14 - 22...Winter Fest Downtown Syracuse/Clinton, Hanover and Armory Squares 315-473-4330 or 315-466-9468 18 - April 23...36 Views Geva Theatre 585-232-4382

Circle Reader Service Number 124

• Family Owned & Operated • Overlooking Keuka Lake • Color Cable TV • Handicapped Accessible • Air-Conditioning • In-room Telephones • Modern Motel Units & Kitchenettes • Closest Motel to Keuka College

Colonial Motel Located in the Heart of the Finger Lakes

175 Lower West Lake Rd. Penn Yan, NY 14527

800-724-3008 315-536-3056

Circle Reader Service Number 104

WINTER 2002/ 2003 ~

55

46-56.LIFL.Winter.02-03

11/7/02

2:52 PM

Page 56

O F F

T H E

E A S E L

Winter Sunrise, watercolor on paper, 11˝W x 7˝H

Ann Carver, American Painter

T

he scenes from Canandaigua and the Finger Lakes area that Ann Carver is known for today are very different from the landmark picture she created in first grade, the one that signaled to her that she would be an artist for life.

“It was a picture of a mother standing at an ironing board with a small child playing in front of the ironing board,” said Ann in a recent story in the Ontario County Connection. “I remember that picture very vividly, and it was probably my first recollection of ‘being an artist.’”

Even though kids and a job took priority over painting for many years, Ann returned to art when she retired. By attending workshops held by wellknown artists, she not only received practical help, she developed her own style.

Since Ann and her husband moved to the Finger Lakes from western New York in 1989, she has developed a large following. For the past 11 years, her watercolors and oils have been displayed at Canandaigua’s Gallery on Main Street. She was the gallery’s best-seller.

Ann recently decided to move her paintings from Main Street to a gallery in her home in Canandaigua. Some of her most popular subjects

56 ~ L I F E

IN THE

FINGER LAKES

are scenes from that lakeside city: Sonnenberg Gardens, Squaw Island and The City Pier. There was a time when she would travel with her easel down a back country road and set up to paint whatever caught her eye. In this day and age however, she feels that the seclusion has become dangerous for a lone artist. Instead, she works from digital photos she takes of scenes she wants to paint. Winter Sunrise was created from just such a photo, taken by friends at a favorite spot on Canandaigua Lake.

Recent exhibits include the Artists’ Cooperative Gallery, the Ontario County Historical Society, the Batavia Art Society National Show and the Ontario County Women in the Arts show, where her painting was chosen for the exhibit’s poster and invitational note card.

In her spare time, she makes quilts and all her own clothes.

Ann’s paintings, cards and prints are on display and available at her gallery at 259 Crabapple Drive, Canandaigua, by appointment.

She may be reached at 585-394-7961. Commissions for house, pet portraits or paintings from your photos are welcome.

∞ 4Covers.LIFL.Winter.02-03

11/11/02

1:10 PM

Page 3

Circle Reader Service Number 127

∞ 4Covers.LIFL.Winter.02-03

11/11/02

1:11 PM

Page 4

Circle Reader Service Number 126