Kim's Thoughts
Just a few thoughts I feel worthy of jotting down!
Canal Cruise Adventure
I have lived in close proximity to the Erie Barge Canal all my life (well, with the exception of the time I lived in NC, but I still considered “home” to be here by the canal). It is really difficult to get anywhere around here without crossing the canal at least once – usually multiple times because of the way it snakes through the county! I enjoy watching boats on the canal and taking photos of it. I also wrote a final paper on the canal’s history for my Geography course when I was working on my Bachelor’s degree at North Carolina Wesleyan College that earned me an A+ for the paper and maintained my 4.0 for the class! So, it may surprise you to read that I have never taken a cruise on the canal – I have ridden in a boat on the canal when my parents had one when I was a little girl, but I barely remember it – and I’ve never seen the locks up close, let alone been on a boat going through them!
Well, I remedied that this week……a friend and I went to Lockport and took a narrated cruise on the canal and through the locks! What a THRILL!!! I was absolutely fascinated by it all – especially the locks – it was an amazing experience for me! Here are some photos and some tidbits of information that I learned along the way —- some of the info may be vague and other tidbits I had to look up to be sure I had my facts straight because I was so fascinated with what I was looking at and excited about being on the cruise boat that I wasn’t paying that much attention to the guy that was telling us all about it! hehehe But, I’ll do my best, here!
First – for those who don’t live around here and are not familiar with the Erie Canal, here is a little history lesson for you…courtesy of Wikipedia and the official Erie Canal web site!
As America grew westward, it was determined that an easier way to get goods from the east coast of NY to the Great Lakes was desperately needed – it typically took pack animals and wagons 2.5 weeks to get from NYC to Cleveland, Ohio and could take up to 4 weeks to get to Detroit – all across rugged terrain and mountains. So, then New York Governor Dewitt Clinton proposed a canal be dug from the Hudson River to the Great Lakes. He was met with much resistance and ridicule, but finally was able to garner enough support to break ground on July 4, 1817. The canal was hand dug by immigrants – largely Irish immigrants, and took eight years to complete. On October 26, 1825, the canal was officially opened for use with a state wide celebration, including the first boat – the Seneca Chief – to travel the canal carrying Governor Clinton from Buffalo to NYC. When the ten day trip ended at the Atlantic Ocean, Gov. Clinton ceremoniously dumped a bucket of water from Lake Erie into the Atlantic Ocean to “Wed the waters”. A return trip carried a keg of Atlantic Ocean water to be poured into Lake Erie to complete the ceremony. The canal project took 8 years and cost $7 million (an unthinkable amount of money in the early 1800s)! The original canal was 4 feet deep, 40 feet wide, and could carry boats hauling 30 tons of freight. It was considered an engineering marvel of its time, consisting of 18 aqueducts to maneuver the canal over ravines and rivers and 83 locks to adjust the elevation along the way to account for a rise of 568 feet from the Hudson River to Lake Erie. After two projects to enlarge the canal, it now measures 12-14 feet deep and 120-200 feet wide with 57 locks capable of handling barges carrying 3000 tons of freight over lifts of 6-40 feet high. Today’s canal is mostly used for recreation vehicles, but in its heyday, provided major economic benefits to the commercial industry and was responsible for establishing booming canal towns all along the waterway throughout the state – including Albion!!!
So, what did I learn listening to the cruise narrator that I didn’t know before?
- Lockport, NY has the only double lock system anywhere along the canal. Locks are located throughout the state to account for elevation changes, but Lockport has the only double set – two locks that raise (or lower, depending on which direction you are traveling) boats 25 feet each for a total elevation change of 50 feet!
- The second highest paid job in the construction of the canal paid 50 cents a day and was usually performed by young boys of about 11 years of age – it was to crawl into the rocks to set gun powder left over from the War of 1812, light it, and get out before the blast broke up the rock!
- Governor Clinton started construction in the middle – at about Rome, NY – and worked in both directions, figuring that if another Governor came into office before it was completed that didn’t support the project, he’d have to do “something” whether he liked it or not!
- I knew that before tugs and other powered vessels came around, barges were pulled by oxen, mules, and horses. What I didn’t know was that one of the jobs on the canal was a “driver”, also known as a “Hoggee” (pronounced HO-gee) – this person would control the tow line to keep the animals going in the right direction and from falling in the water – he also controlled the tow line when two barges were passing in opposite directions so that they would not become entangled in each other’s lines.
- One such “Hoggee” later became President of the United States – James A. Garfield!
- Lockport, NY also has the distinction of having one of the widest (not longest – widest) single span bridges in the world – it goes over the canal near the double lock system.
And, now, here are some photos of our adventure:
Our cruise boat – of course, we sat on the upper deck!
Leaving the dock
The upside down bridge
This bridge, built in 1902, appears to have been built upside down. Rumor has it that the railroad built it that way so that it would be difficult for larger vessels to pass under it in an attempt to put the canal out of business in favor of the newer modes of railway transportation.
Coming up on the first of two locks
Entering the first lock
The lock system is fascinating!!! The vessel pulls into a chamber, the massive water-tight doors close behind it, and water is allowed to flow into the chamber to raise the boat up to the level of the water on the other side of the chamber doors. Once the water is equalized, the doors open and the vessel is allowed to move out of the chamber. In the case of the Lockport locks, the vessel moves directly into a second chamber and goes through the same process. Both locks in Lockport are 25 feet for a total elevation change of 50 feet over the two locks. When traveling in the opposite direction, the same process happens, except that the vessel is lowered rather than raised.
This was very exciting to go through — I felt really strange – eerie, in fact – as we entered the chamber and the doors closed behind us……and then my heart really started to pump when the water began to enter the chamber – brought to mind scenes from movies where the adventurers are trapped in a chamber and water rushes in to drown them…..it was a HUGE relief to feel the boat start to rise and watch the space between the boat that the top of the chamber wall decrease as we rose to the new water level! 🙂
The following photos show the progression of the lock process – notice the wall height decrease as we rose up:
The chamber doors closing behind us
The doors opening for us to move to the second lock
Entering the second lock
The massive doors opened flush against the lock wall
Water entering the second lock
Doors opening to allow us out of the second lock chamber
And, we’re out…..
Sign indicates these are locks # 34 and 35
This photo is coming back through the locks on the return trip
We just entered the first lock chamber to begin our first 25 foot descent!
You can see across the next lock to the canal 50 feet lower than our elevation at the location of the photo!
Doors opening to let us out after the two lock, 50 foot, decent back to our original elevation
Going under one of the widest single span bridge in the world
Called “The Big Bridge”, it spans 399 feet wide and 129 feet long. Multiple streets cross the bridge and a large section of it is used as a parking lot for the Lockport City Hall. Because of its size and location, it is also often used as a helipad for medevac services.
Under the bridge, you can see the original rock canal wall with the original markings from the star tipped cutting tools used to break away the stone
Photos of other sights along the cruise:
Part of the original retaining wall – built by German stone masons who built the wall with no mortar – the stones were smoothed and shaped so that they fit together perfectly and the weight of the stones has kept the wall from breaking or leaking for close to 200 years…..so far!
We went under a few bridges – stationary ones……
More stationary ones……
And, lift bridges….
There are 17 lift bridges along the canal, with 7 of them right here in Orleans County!!!
This one, of course, is in Lockport, not Orleans County, but I had to make that plug!!! 🙂
And, we passed a couple of other boaters along the way – this little fishing boat….
And, this bigger boat….
There were a number of interesting buildings….like this colorful row…..
And this pretty church steeple near the locks
This building and two signs interested me as we went through the locks:
The “Tom’s Diner” sign in the upper window
And the sign that says “No Smoking in the Lock Chamber”
I think I’d like to try this place out
a winery and food shop and a place boasting “artisan crafted gelato”
The company that does the canal cruises has a museum in this old building
This stone house with double red doors was the summer home of an engineer who built bridges, including (I believe they said) the George Washington Bridge that connects NYC with New Jersey and something about a bridge in Niagara Falls…..one of those tidbits of info that I wasn’t paying very close attention to because of the excitement! 🙂
The gentleman who built and lived in this stone house was planning to get married, but there wasn’t an appropriate church close enough to have his wedding, so he built the church next door just so he could marry his sweetheart! How romantic is that?
The church in the background, just left of center, looks like it is missing something – like someone stole its steeple! In fact, they told us that the church never did have one! Sure looks funny to me!
Back at the boat dock, we found this lovely rock garden and little pond with the remains of an old building in the background – it was so pretty (I wish the photo showed the beauty of it better than it does)!!! It was off an outdoor area that appeared to be used for parties – very nice setting!
The happy cruisers……that’s me on the right with my dear friend, Cathy, on the left!
So, that’s my latest adventure…….and history lesson!!! 🙂 I had such a good time! I see there is another company that does canal cruises out of Fairport, NY – I’ll have to be sure to try that one out next season to compare them!
Albion Music Festival – 2014
The Albion Lions and Elks Clubs joined forces to host the inaugural Albion Music Festival to benefit the “Rebuild Bullard Park” project. The festival consisted of a full day of music performed by nine local bands, food, drinks, and fun! The event was a huge success! I already wrote all the details in a blog post on the Albion High School Alumni Foundation Blog, so I won’t go into it all here…..simply click the link below to read the details and see more photos:
ALUMNI ROCK THE PARK
I wasn’t going to post on both blogs, but did want to put something on here for those readers who visit this blog, but may not know I also write for the Alumni blog – so go there for the whole story, but here are a few photos to wet your appetite:
Just three of the members of local favorites, The Who Dats – the guy on the right is John Borello, a friend and fellow classmate! The others are Aaron Robinson and Lonnie Froman!
The Who Dats performing……..I’m a little biased here!!! hehehe
This is Rock of Love – a Poison tribute band
For those who may not know, Poison was a classic 80s rock band with front man, Bret Michaels. I’m not really a Poison fan, but these guys were pretty cool!
The young man on the left in the blonde wig is Dylan DeSmit, local musician with a very promising future in music!!!
Dylan’s band is called Delano Steele, which played earlier in the day, and he has played in other local bands, as well – he and his bands are very good!!! Here, he is playing with Rock of Love and doing a great job of channeling the 1980s hair band look!!! 🙂
Probably as close as we’ll ever get to seeing Bret Michaels play at an outdoor festival here in little ole Albion!
The festival was a total blast!!! Be sure to click on the link to check out the details and additional photos on the AHS Alumni Foundation Blog!
Movie Review – The Other Woman
Friday nights are absolute DUDS for TV……there is NOTHING on – I can not wait until the fall season brings Blue Bloods (and yummy Donnie Wahlberg) back to give me something to look forward to watching on Friday nights!!! But, that is still a few weeks away, so last night found me sitting there flipping channels trying to find something that caught my interest and that I haven’t already seen…….I found nothing. So, I tried to read a little, but my mind wasn’t in that mode – I read about 10 pages and realized I had no clue what any one of them said, so I found the last words I remembered reading and put the book down. I watched an episode of “Chopped” I had on the DVR and then there were no recordings left. I was bored and nothing seemed to relieve that – UGH!
But, then I thought, “I wonder what movies are on pay-per-view”. So, I turned to channel 500 and started to read the list…..I couldn’t believe it…….nothing on that list was grabbing me, either! What was wrong with me???? Then, I got down the list a ways and found “The Other Woman” starring Cameron Diaz – I remembered seeing that advertised when it came out in theaters (I considered seeing it then, but never got around to it) – not that long ago. So, I watched the trailer and laughed out loud and I knew that was what I was going to watch.
WHAT A HOOT!!! It was so funny and entertaining – an all around feel good type of movie!
Cameron Diaz plays Carly Whitten, a successful lawyer who has mostly superficial relationships with guys she rarely calls by their names – she gives them nicknames to identify them – until she starts seeing Mark King (Nikolaj Coster-Waldau) and begins a real boyfriend/girlfriend relationship – she even plans to introduce him to her father. On the evening she arranges for them to meet her father for dinner, Mark tells her that his housekeeper called and said that some pipes burst in his house and the basement is flooded, so he has to cancel their date. She suggests they meet her father the next night and he tells her that won’t work for him, either. Thinking he is just trying to avoid meeting her father, she blows up at him and storms off. Later, her father (Frank – played by Don Johnson of Miami Vice fame) convinces her to give him a break and go see if she can smooth the fight over. So, she dresses up as a sexy plumber and rings his doorbell – when a woman comes to the door, she introduces herself and says “you must be Mark’s housekeeper”, to which the woman replies, “no, I’m his wife”!!! Mortified, Carly leaves in a not so graceful exit. The wife, Kate – played hysterically by Leslie Mann – finds Carly and goes to the law offices she works at and causes hilarious ruckus when Carly confirms she has been sleeping with her husband. Kate persists in trying to make a connection with Carly, who attempts to avoid her and put her off, but keeps getting sucked into her drama. Eventually, they become friends and discover that there is at least one other girlfriend out there! Together, they find the girlfriend that Mark is “cheating on both of us” with – Amber, played by Kate Upton. The three form a bond and set out to get even with the unsuspecting Mark. And one hilarious scene after another ensues!
If you’re thinking Mark must have a “type”, you couldn’t be further from the truth……the three women couldn’t be more different! Kate, the wife, is a ditzy chatterbox who flits around from one subject to the next without a parachute! She has ZERO inhibitions or filters, is overly emotional and, in her own words, “needs to go to brain camp”. Carly is a mature, successful lawyer who, other than her love life, has it all together. She is sophisticated and independent. Amber, on the other hand, is much younger than the other two, naïve, and extremely voluptuous. She has a sweet, child-like quality to her. And, when the three discover yet another lover, she appears to be another type all together with dark hair. Leslie Mann (Kate), Cameron Diaz (Carly), and Kate Upton (Amber) couldn’t be more perfect in the roles – the casting team deserves kudos for their selection! I especially liked Kate – she was a RIOT…..and much smarter than she acts and gives herself credit for – the things she comes up with to do to Mark to make him suffer are brilliant and priceless!
The rest of the cast was quite noteworthy, as well. Don Johnson is refreshing as Frank, Carly’s father – you don’t see much of him, but he fits well in the cast. Nicki Minaj does a surprisingly good job as Carly’s outrageous assistant, Lydia, in her office. David Thorton played Mark’s boss, Nick – Thorton also played Allie’s father in The Notebook. But, the supporting character that I enjoyed the most was Kate’s brother, Phil, played by Taylor Kinney – also seen as heartthrob Kelly Severide on TVs Chicago Fire —- OMG, I melted watching every scene he was in and his character was such a nice guy – a real sweetie! I didn’t like the actor that played Mark – Nikolaj Coster-Waldau – he seemed to phony in the role, but, then again, maybe he was just doing a really good job because you aren’t supposed to like his character!
I really enjoyed this movie and am so very glad I thought about pay-per-view and didn’t just go to bed early because there was nothing on TV that was worth staying awake for! As for my movie criteria – I laughed (A LOT), I did NOT cry at all (but, it wasn’t that kind of a movie, so I won’t deduct points for that), I fell in love with the characters, and I felt good when it was over — BINGO! If you get a chance to see this movie – take advantage of it – you won’t regret it! I recommend it for those who just want to be entertained and laugh – it will fit the bill, for sure! I rate this one a solid A – I had a real good time watching it!
Here’s the trailer:
Movie Review – The Hundred Foot Journey
Aahh…..I went to the movies, yesterday! A friend and I visited our favorite theater – Tinseltown – and saw The Hundred Foot Journey! Of course, we made a day of it – lunch at Pixley’s right near the theater, the movie, and then ice cream at Watt’s when we returned to Albion. And, then there was the talking……I really have no idea how we come up with so much to talk about – we see each other all the time – you’d think we’d run out of things to say after a while, but we always seem to jabber endlessly when we’re together!
So, on to the movie! We made up our minds to see this as soon as it came out, but we were both busy with other things, so didn’t see it right away. I can honestly say it was worth the wait, but after seeing it, I’m so disappointed I didn’t see it sooner…….I could have enjoyed it sooner! 🙂
The bulk of the movie is set in France, so the scenery is incredible! (side note, I really do need to think seriously about traveling to Europe!) There is romance, some tragedy, conflict among the characters, and humor! The cast is stellar! The incomparable Helen Mirren is impeccable as French restaurateur, Madame Mallory. The person she views as her antagonist, Papa, is brilliantly portrayed by Indian actor, Om Puri. There are two other main characters that the audience can’t help but fall in love with. First, Sous Chef, Marguerite, who is played by the lovely Charlotte Le Bon. Then, we have the gifted chef-in-training (and son to Papa), Hassan, played by Manish Dayal……..frankly, I had a hard time focusing on his dialogue because I couldn’t stop melting when I looked at his gorgeous eyes!!!
I mentioned that the movie is mostly set in France, but it starts out with flashback scenes of the Kadam family’s final days in their home city of Mumbai, India. The family, as explained by Hassan to a French Immigration agent who was questioning why they were moving to France, owned a successful restaurant there, but political unrest resulted in a riot that burned their restaurant and home and killed the mother. So, the Kadam’s fled India to start fresh in Europe. They first tried to settle in London, but they were not happy there. So, they decided to move on to France, where they thought that Hassan’s cooking talents may be better cultivated as he continues his training to become a great chef. With no definite destination in mind, the family – Papa, Hassan, a grown brother and sister, and a much younger brother and sister – travels across the French countryside in a beat up old van. The brakes give out on a mountainous road and the family barely escapes a tragic accident. As they are stranded on the roadside, along comes Marguerite – a sweet French girl who helps tow them to her village, connects them with a mechanic, and offers them food and a warm place to stay while they wait to hear when their van will be fixed. It ends up being an overnight stay in the village and Papa discovers an abandoned old restaurant that is for sale. Against very adamant protests from his family, Papa purchases the restaurant – he said that Mama spoke to him and told him that “brakes break for a reason”! As they begin to clean up and renovate the old restaurant, they are faced with the very hostile Madam Mallory – the owner of an elite Michelin-starred classic French restaurant located directly across the street. Of course, Madam Mallory does everything she can to make the opening and continued operation of their new restaurant extremely difficult. To add a twist, Hassan soon finds out that the lovely French girl he has become smitten with – Marguerite – is the sous chef at Madam’s restaurant, but that doesn’t stop their attraction from blossoming. The build up to the story comes to a head when Madame’s head chef takes the rivalry too seriously and goes too far in his misguided quest to rid their village of the new restaurant and residents. Mortified by his actions, Madame reaches out to help the family and the rest is for you to go see for yourself…….no spoilers, here!!!
The story is warm and rewarding to watch. The characters are lovable (yes, even Madame) and complex. It provides an interesting look into two very different cultures and traditions and how, through their differences, they can compromise and compliment each other without sacrificing either. It wasn’t a “sob your eyes out” kind of movie, but I was still very glad I had extra napkins with me. It is funny, heartwarming, romantic, and thoroughly enjoyable. Needless to say, I loved it and highly recommend it to all you hopeless romantics out there that just love a good romantic comedy! It met all my criteria for a movie eligible for high honors in my mind — I laughed, I cried, I fell in love with the characters, and I left feeling good!!! Can’t ask for more than that!
So — I do recommend it and I rate it a solid A+ — I can’t think of anything that would cause me to deduct any points!
Watch the trailer and see for yourself!
Evening at Point Breeze – 08-20-14
I spent a couple hours sitting, relaxing, and enjoying a gorgeous evening at Point Breeze last night! Funny how you could go to the Point every night and take the same exact photo at the same exact time and location and get a totally different looking photo every single time! The sky was overcast and hazy last night, so there was no dramatic sunset, but it was quiet, still, and absolutely beautiful, none-the-less! There were lots of boats coming and going and people out enjoying the lake! One man walked by me while I was sitting on a bench and said, “people just don’t know what they’re missing by not coming down here!” — yes, sir, I agree!!!
Here are some of the photos I took:
My favorite photo of the night!
I had to zoom in, so the quality is poor, but the content is amazing!
The Black North Inn all lit up!
The George Pullman Chair
From time to time I have been known to pick up some really amazing “finds” at various silent auctions I’ve come across. Usually, I know exactly what I am bidding on and what I’m willing to pay for it…..then, I stalk the bid sheet to be sure I make the winning bid – unless, of course, the bidding war puts the bids way above what I am willing to pay. I’ve gotten some lovely things via silent auctions – I rarely pay much, but go for things that will bring me some joy or sentimental attachments! But, in all the times I’ve bid in silent auctions and been successful (or not, as the case may be), I’ve never been surprised or caught off guard by my purchase……until now!
This past weekend, I had a very different experience with a silent auction. During the Sip and Stroll – Albion Wine Walk event on Saturday, the Pullman Memorial Church had a silent auction in the room where the wine tasting was taking place – I believe it was to benefit their new roof fundraising efforts. I was waiting for some of the crowd to thin out at the wine table, so I wandered around looking at photos and displays. I spotted a really cute two seater chair – a love seat / settee type of piece that folded up, like a folding chair and noticed it had a bid sheet on a table beside it. I looked at it and walked away……then, I went back and looked at it, again. I really thought it was cute and something I’d enjoy having – despite that, I didn’t have any intention of bidding on it, but after I walked away a second time, “something” told me to go back for another look. This time I gave in – I just plain liked it and decided to put a bid down. It was early in the event and my first stop on the “stroll”, so I actually assumed there would be more bidders after me and I figured I most likely wouldn’t go back and check. I even forgot that I did it! Then, Sunday afternoon, I got a call from the church letting me know I had the winning bid…….well, I’ll be darned!!! I was a little shocked and my first reaction was “oh, dear, now where will I put it?”!!! I was happy to get it because I remembered the feeling I had when I saw it, but really didn’t think I had many choices of what to do with it if I did have the winning bid! I gave it some thought and pretty much decided that I would put it in one of the bedrooms for extra seating to put on shoes or read or watch TV – you know, it is always nice to have chairs in bedrooms!
So, today I went to pick it up. When I saw it, I felt that warm feeling, again – I really did like this piece and it was actually cuter than I remembered it was! Bill Lattin, our County Historian, helped me put it in my car. As he did that, he told me a little about the chair. It turns out, it is one of the ORIGINAL pieces of furniture for the church when George Pullman, of Pullman sleeper-railroad car fame, built and furnished the Pullman Memorial Universalist Church in 1894 in Albion in honor of his parents and the community where he lived as a boy. WOW!!!! My heart swelled and I got a few tears in my eyes! I couldn’t believe it! It actually took me a few minutes after I got in the car and drove away for it all to sink in! My love for the chair grew exponentially — I felt a sense of pride I don’t usually feel for inanimate objects – with the exception of my grandmother’s china closet and my grandfather’s mantle clock – both of which are among my very most prized possessions! Now, I can add what I have decided to call “my George Pullman chair” to that list! It suddenly seemed totally inappropriate to put it in a bedroom where most people coming into my home would never see it! It belonged out where it can be an interesting conversation piece and something I can show off and brag about! I decided that my dining room – along side my other sentimental treasures – was the perfect location for it!
According to Bill Lattin, this was one of about 60 chairs purchased by Pullman for the church to be used in the large Lecture Room – a room used for lectures, community meetings, large Sunday School classes, etc. Double folding chairs were common during this period for use wherever folding chairs were most practical, but not usually as ornate as this one is – one with this type of detail were typical of a church or organization of substantial wealth.
Pullman Memorial Universalist Church – built in 1894 (dedicated in 1895) by George M. Pullman in honor of his parents
My “George Pullman” chair – one of about sixty that were purchased in 1894 by George Pullman for use in the church
Located in its new home – my dining room!
On the other end of the library table is the purple chair I obtained in another silent auction – the Swan Library chair auction at the 2013 Strawberry Festival – we used this at the Class of 1974 Memorial Tree Dedication due to the purple color. Two unique chairs with special “sentimental” significance for me!
I am so happy and proud of my new acquisition!!! I can not believe how lucky I was to find it and give in to the impulse to bid on it! I will cherish it and enjoy it for years to come!
Chocolate Heaven
I’ve never been one of those “OMG, chocolate is my LIFE” kinda girls! Oh, I’d get a chocolate craving every now and then and I did like chocolate – it just wasn’t usually my first choice or my “go to” treat. But, as I grow older, I find myself understanding the excitement that most females get when they see really good chocolate! While I still don’t generally seek out chocolate, I do get wide-eyed and feel a little like a teenager when a tray of perfect chocolate truffles or a stunning slice of chocolate cake passes by!
I guess I should get on with my point…….I went to Batavia, yesterday. I had a tooth that had been bothering me for a while and it finally got to the point where I knew I had to have it looked at – I was sure it was an abscess! I was correct — the dentist gave me some antibiotics and told me to consider my next step options: root canal or extraction! I left the dentist and stopped by Arby’s to get some lunch. Beckoning me from across the street was Oliver’s Candy and Gift Store! I see this store every time I go to Batavia — it has been there FOREVER and can’t be missed (huge ornate store right on the corner of Rt 98 and Main St)! I’ve considered stopping in many times – I’ve had Oliver’s chocolate in the past and found it to be extremely good – but, I always resist and I’ve actually never been in the store! Until now! It kept taunting me and calling my name – I tried – really, I did – but, I kept hearing the Borg mantra repeating over and over in my head……..”Resistance is Futile”! And, just as a matter of fact, isn’t the first thing you think about when you find out you have a bad tooth is sweets???? LOL
So, I gave in……I visited the mother ship of chocolate……the home of some of the most amazing homemade chocolate known to woman! I purchased an assorted gift box for myself and one for Mom and a couple other items (I’m a sucker for truffles)! I look at it as a way of pampering myself and consoling myself after hearing some bad news and in preparation for an upcoming unpleasant decision and experience! I owed it to myself…..don’t you think?
Here are some photos I took while I was there!
You know I can’t resist photographing a painted horse or cow!!!
So, I came home and started the antibiotics and made the decision to have the tooth pulled once the infection is gone……and I do believe I would have just agonized over it had I not given in to the guilty pleasure of enjoying a piece (or two) of that creamy, delicious, amazing chocolate!!!
Sip and Stroll
Today – August 9, 2014 – was a BLAST! The Albion Merchants Association hosted their first Wine Walk. They called the event “Sip and Stroll Through History”……love the name – it perfectly described the event and the feel of the day! I’ve participated in wine walks before and usually enjoy them, but I loved the way Albion did it up — it just seemed more casual and fun than others I’ve been to. I am already looking forward to next year and years that follow and hope it grows into a larger event with even more fun stuff to do and more shops participating! It was a great day and there was a really nice turnout! Bravo to the Albion Merchants Association – good job!!!
So, the event started out at the Hoag Library where participants registered and received a stamp on their hand and their complimentary wine glass – a lovely glass with an image of the courthouse etched on it with Albion, NY written under the image. I understand they plan to use a different image of a historic building around town each year – it will be fun to collect them all! I love the glass!
While the main event ran from 3:00-7:00, VIP ticket holders (which I was one, of course) could begin at 2:00 and were treated to appetizers served up by The Crooked Door at the Hoag Library before they headed out for wine tastings and other treats. Pictured below is owner Sue Holmes watching her chef prepare one of several appetizers available for the VIP guests. They offered up meatballs, their amazing warm spinach and artichoke dip, and bruschetta. Everything was delicious!
Guests were given a map showing what shops featured wine tastings and where other activities were taking place throughout the downtown area. First stop was the Pullman Universalist Church. Now, I have never gone to church specifically for the purpose of drinking wine and I certainly never purchased wine inside a church before, but today I can say “there’s a first time for everything”! I not only headed in with the intent to taste the wine they had to offer, I actually tasted four different wines and walked out with two bottles of wine I purchased to take home with me!
The Pullman church also had the distinction of being the “most entertaining” stop of the day. Right from the get-go, it was interesting, to say the least! The greeter outside was dressed in a toga and was offering himself up for selfies with him! I opted to just take one of him and leave myself out of it! hahaha But, he was cute and friendly and definitely made you want to stop and check it out!
Downtown Albion is packed with wonderful, historic buildings and the theme of the event was focused on that history. Each stop had a write up that told the history of the specific building you were in – all provided by our amazing County Historian, Bill Lattin. The Pullman church also had a couple other displays that fit into the history theme – one of stained glass fragments and one of different images of Christ.
The winery featured at the Pullman church is one of my favorite local wineries – The Winery at Marjim Manor, located on Route 18 almost to Olcott Beach! It also was the second reason why I thought this stop was the most entertaining of the day. Dave Licata was the pourer representing Marjim Manor and he was a HOOT! He gave an overview of the winery and described each of the four wines he brought with him to share……along with several funny quips and entertaining bits of local trivia. He had a long line waiting for their turn to taste the wines and hear his clever banter! When one lady said, “you probably can’t sell us a whole bottle, can you?”, he replied with, “watch me!” HA! Of course, his job was to make the wines appealing enough to entice some to purchase bottles……and I was one of several who did just that! I bought a bottle of my favorite Marjim Manor wine – “100 Windows”, a light white wine, and a new one I tried today and fell in love with – “Katapalooza” – a red wine made from plums, cherries, and cranberries – it didn’t sound like one I’d like, but it was REALLY good!!!
The stop that got my vote for “most original” was Krantz Furniture! When I got my map at the library, I opened it right up to read what was in store for me when I ventured out on the stroll. I immediately smiled when I read that Krantz Furniture had “Becker Brewing beer tasting” instead of a wine offering – I thought “Go, Linda!”! Becker Farms is a brewery and winery located in Gasport. Krantz Furniture owner, Linda Smith, not only had beer instead of wine, she had pizza and wings as her refreshments and had the most festive exterior decoration to attract participants – a long hot pink boa across the front of the store and a large bottle with a tag that read “Drink Me” (like Alice In Wonderland)! I’ll add that Linda and I went to school together, but that in no way influenced my choosing her as the most original stop of the day — she won that distinction honestly! 🙂 And the beer was a nice alternative — and VERY good!!! I only tried the Watermelon Wheat beer – there were two others to choose from – but, in hindsight, I do wish I had tried the others.
I didn’t get a photo, by my “best taste” of the day went to the offering at Fischer’s News Stand! They had samples from Lake Effect Artisan Ice Cream from Lyndonville. I actually passed it up thinking I could go back to it later – wasn’t sure how a taste of ice cream would go with the wine and beer tastings! 🙂 But, I was told that Gary had wine freeze pops, instead of actual ice cream! Now, that intrigued me! So, I headed over there……and was so glad I did! It was amazing!!! It was creamy, like ice cream, fruity – likely a mixture of berries because I couldn’t really pick out a specific berry – and a hint of alcohol taste all in a sleeve like those freezer pops you get in the store come in! OMG – it was good!!!
Schwenk Winery – located in Kent – was in the Hazy Jade Gift Shop. They had a Reisling that I really liked – I usually don’t care much for Reisling (I don’t mind it, but it isn’t a wine I typically choose), but I tasted two today that were really quite good and Schwenk’s was one of them! I’m not sure, but I think the other one was from Leonard Oakes Winery located on Ridge Road near Medina. Leonard Oakes wines were at several stops – very good wines.
The winery that was represented today that I hadn’t heard of before was Victorianbourg located in Wilson, NY – just west of Olcott Beach. They were set up in the Uptown Browsery and Xpress Fitness. I tried two of their wines – Pechette and Chocolate Obsession! Pechette is a white wine with a distinct peach flavor and a slight effervescence to it! Delicious – I bought a bottle! Chocolate Obsession was amazing, too – it was like taking a big bite of a chocolate covered strawberry! I considered purchasing a bottle, but it was a little too sweet and dessert-y for my taste – a little was incredible, but I wasn’t sure about having a glass or two to finish off an evening – might be a little much, but I really enjoyed the tasting!
Looking at the map, again just now, I notice that I missed stopping at Arnold’s Auto Parts and Dance Reflections, so I’m not sure what wines they had there! Hhhmmm – that’s disappointing! Oh well, I’ll try harder next year to not miss any! 🙂
The other activities and features I enjoyed today included:
I saw the newest of the downtown benches (see my other post about the benches) – painted by Kim Martillotta Muscarella, it is located in front of her son’s shop – Knight’s Pride – and the Pratt Opera House.
I popped in for some photo fun at the Come On Get Snappy Photobooth – I put on a tiara, a pink feather boa, some funky glasses, and grabbed a giant flower and got silly:
My favorite two of the four photos are the first and the last ones:
In summary — here are the wines I purchased, today! This isn’t a slight in any way to the other wonderful wines I tasted — I just couldn’t buy them all (well, that’s what I told myself, anyway)!
Katapalooza from Marjim Manor – a red wine made from plums, cherries, and cranberries – YUM!
One Hundred Windows from Marjim Manor – a light white wine – one I have enjoyed in the past!
Pechette from Victorianbourg Winery – a peachy effervescent wine that was a wonderful surprise!
One thing I love about local wineries are their labels — I am usually really intrigued by the labels they design to distinguish their wines and their wineries!
Katapalooza (far right) has cats on it! 🙂
One Hundred Windows (center) has a photo of the Marjim Manor mansion with, you guessed it, 100 windows!
And, my favorite label of today’s purchases – Pechette has a lovely impressionist painting on it!
And the back label has the following description of the wine on it – makes it sound even better than it actually tastes:
“This delightfully soft, sweet white wine explodes on your tongue with the flavor of natural peach essence. This wine makes a perfect cocktail or a refresher on a warm afternoon – serve it well chilled or over ice.”
Other shops that participated either with tastings in their locations or as additional activities that I didn’t specifically mention above were: Morrison Realty, Downtown Browsery, Digital Ink Arts, Vintage Apple Garden Farm Market Stand, and Vendetti Farm Market Stand. I don’t think I missed mentioning anyone! Thank you to ALL who participated – it was a GREAT event!!!
And, finally……the “highlight of the day” for me…….the Kit Lyman book signing at Bindings Bookstore! Kit Lyman is an Albion HS graduate who recently published her first novel – Satan’s Garden – click here to read an interview I did with her for the Albion HS Alumni Foundation Blog. I read the book and it is AMAZING!!! I was excited to meet her in person and have her sign my copy of the book. I highly recommend this book — it is a really good read! It was an honor to meet her and I look forward to her next book!
For more photos and commentary of today’s downtown event, check out Tom Rivers’ article on The Orleans Hub!
Genesee Country Museum Adventure
It was a great day for an adventure! I woke up a little earlier than normal and, as usual, checked the weather for the day – mid-70s and mostly sunny! I thought to myself, hhhmmm – maybe I’ll pick something local from my summer bucket list and be spontaneous – make an impromptu day trip! But, then I remembered that I wanted (read: needed) to get some housework done! BUMMER! So, I resigned myself to spending the day catching up on things around the house. But, the more I thought about it, the more I wanted to take off on an adventure! So, I made a mental “to do” list and promised myself that if I could get everything on the list done by mid-morning, I would treat myself to an adventure! I got right on it — fed the girls and let them outside to play while I got to work……cleaned up the kitchen (I was on a cooking kick last night, so there were LOTS of dirty dishes to do up), ran the vacuum, cleaned the bathrooms, changed the sheets on the bed, ran a couple errands, and took some stuff out to Mom’s! Done!!! So, where did I want to go? I thought about the Kazoo factory/museum in Eden, but it doesn’t necessarily have to be a nice day to do that and I didn’t want to waste a pretty day! I didn’t get an early enough start for some of the other things. So, Genesee Country Museum was the chosen destination — about a 40 minute drive away and mostly outside touring — easy 1/2 day adventure!
I was there a couple times maybe 35-40 years ago – I knew it was between Brockport and Leroy off of route 19 somewhere, but I wasn’t exactly sure where! The website said to take 19 toward Leroy and follow the green signs when you get to Mumford. To be sure I wouldn’t get lost (I get lost everywhere I go), I plugged in Gabby – my trusted GPS! I intended to pick up 19 south in Brockport, but Gabby had other plans for me. Usually, when I know basically how to get somewhere, I ignore her instructions until I’m in the general vicinity, but this time I decided to let her guide me the whole way. She really wanted me to take the scenic route!!! She directed me south through Clarendon to Byron and then zig zagged me around back country roads through Bergen and places I’m sure I’ve never been before – there were a couple points when I started to wonder if I made a mistake, but it turned out to be a really nice drive with lots of pretty scenery to look at along the way! And……she got me there – I’m sure it took longer than it would have if I had ignored her until after I got to Brockport, but that’s OK!
I arrived and went inside to get my ticket! It was GREAT! What a cool place! I’ve been to other 1800 – early 1900 villages like this before, but this one is set up really well and bigger than most I’ve seen in the past! Like most villages of this kind, all the buildings (with a couple of exceptions) were actually built during the 19th century and were moved from locations across the state to make up what a typical 19th century village would look like. Each building is set up as it was when it was in use and most have people dressed in period costumes performing the tasks associated with the building and going about the business of the residents of a village during that time in history. All the people were more than willing to explain what they were doing and give a glimpse into what it would be like to do it in the 19th century!
So, beyond the physical description in the last paragraph, what is Genesee Country Museum? Well, it is a step back in time to the 19th century. The brochure has two tag lines: “Touch, feel, smell, & taste the 19th century!” and “Spend a day, experience a century.” There are a lot of features on the grounds — the village, itself is broken up into three sections: “Pioneer Settlement (1780s – 1830s)”, “Antebellum Village (1830s – 1860s)”, and “Turn of the Century (1870s – 1920s)” and they also have the John L. Wehle Gallery, the Exhibition Barn, and the Carriage Museum. They have special exhibits and events throughout the year – I was given a “day sheet” of what was going on today – and they also have classes on various tasks from the 1800s, including cooking, gardening, crafts, and textile work. But, what really interested me was the summer camps they do for kids! Youth from 4 years old and up attend each day for a week, dress in period costumes, and live life as a pioneer, doing everything that a child living in the 19th century would do each day! I had the opportunity while I was there to watch a group of campers being taught a lesson on flower propagation in the school house, other children playing games in the meadow, and even more children dressed in civil war uniforms marching through the streets and in “battle”. It was so very cool! I wish there had been something like this when my son, Robby, was little – he would have really enjoyed it and I think it would have been a very valuable lesson for him!!!
I did not get to see everything – I thought it would be an easy 1/2 day adventure, but I discovered I was very wrong about that — you really need the whole day to do it justice and see it all! I gave up trying to squeeze it all in about 2:30 when I realized it was not going to be possible – I slowed down and took my time with what I could see and vowed to leave it on my list so that I remember to go back again to do the rest of it! I also would really enjoy doing some of the classes at some point, too! This is definitely a repeatable adventure – not something I can just say “been there, done that, cross it off the list”!!!
So, here is a sampling of the more than 50 photos I took – I used some restraint and didn’t snap a photo of everything I saw, but wish I had! hehehe
Before I get into the photos from the museum, itself, I want to include two I took on my back roads drive to get there! This thing caught my eye on one of the country roads just before turning onto the road the museum entrance was on. It is a rusted out piece of equipment that looks wild — sort of a railroad car with bulldozer belts for wheels and a back hoe scoop on the front (or is that the back?)!!! I saw it as I drove by and had to turn around and go back for a closer look and to take a few photos of it!
Just look at that pulley system!!! This was some piece of equipment in its time!
And, now on to the Genesee Country Museum:
I LOVE animals that are painted with scenes!!! This horse is no exception!
This is part of the “Horses on Parade” project
It is titled “Livingston” and the artist is Terryl Butwid
I love that he has a bluebird on his top hat!!! 🙂
Gazebo out in the middle of the yard where some of the camping children dressed in period clothing were playing old-time games! They were gone by the time I got close enough to get a photo! 😦
I love stone fences – this one was in front of Thompson’s Tavern & Store, c. 1807 from Riga in Monroe County
Boot and Shoe Maker’s Shop, c. 1820 from East Avon, Livingston County
Romulus Female Seminary, 1855 from Romulus, Seneca County – set up as a school house
The first time I visited this school house, there were visiting children being told what it would be like to attend school in the 19th century
The teacher was telling the children about one-room school houses
Showing a boy how he would have been taught to write the first letter of his name – “H” for Henry
She explained that penmanship was an important subject back then – one I am so sad to learn is no longer taught in our schools, today!
I went back later when I saw children in costume entering the schoolhouse – these are this week’s campers who were actually attending a class as part of their typical 19th century day – the teacher was giving them a lesson on flower propagation!
Some of the campers dressed as Union soldiers just before some Confederate soldiers came upon them!
And, here are the campers as Confederate soldiers – they had just finished doing battle with the Union soldiers
I believe this is the Humphrey House, 1818 from Lima in Livingston County – the lady was watching the civil war confrontation that happened in front of her home!
Drug Store, Dressmaker’s Shop, and Cooper Shop
Post Office and Tailor Shop
Village Merchantile, c. 1830 from Rush in Monroe County
This was an unfortunate sign of the times – the sign says “Quarantined: Scarlet Fever, Do Not Enter”
MacArthur House, built 1831 from York in Livingston County
Printing Office, c. 1820 from Caledonia in Livingston County
This gentleman was showing some children how to set print letter by letter
This Octagon House was in the “Turn of the Century” section – built 1827-1838 from Rochester in Monroe County
This massive Italianate House is the Hamilton House, built in 1870 from Campbell in Steuben County
On my way out, I had a late lunch at the Depot Restaurant
There was also a Civil War camp with a large civil war gas balloon called the Intrepid – I saw it from a distance, but didn’t get a chance to make it over to see it in person – hope it is still there next time I go. The brochure says they offer rides – not that I’d ever get up in one, but it would be super cool to see one up close!
After I left, I wasn’t real sure I could find my way back out, so I plugged Gabby back in and told her to “take me home”! The odd thing was that while she took me on the scenic route to get there, she wanted to put me on the thruway to go home! I wasn’t about to get on the thruway – I wanted to take route 19! But, it was really confusing right at that point – the thruway entrance, route 19, and 490 are all right there together! I got mixed up and didn’t turn onto 19 North — for some stupid reason, my directionally challenged brain thought I needed 19 South (duh, I was already south of where I needed to go), but I didn’t see a turn off for 19 South and ended up on 490 before I realized that is where I was headed and after it was too late to turn back! Luckily, Gabby recalculated and told me to get off on the exit for Bergen and I was back on track in no time! Thank you, Gabby, for always watching out for me!
As I made my way through downtown Bergen, I was stopped by a train! I sat there remembering how I used to love it when we had to stop for a train when I was a little girl – my brother and I would count the cars! Good thing I’m not still a little girl who likes to count the cars cause this was a VERY long train — all black tanker cars! I couldn’t wait for the caboose – another thing I used to really love to see when we had to stop for trains – there was always a guy on the back ready to wave back at us when we would wave frantically at him!!! 🙂 But, I was disappointed to find there wasn’t a caboose! I recently read an article that cabooses are becoming extinct and rarely seen anymore – guess it is true!!! A fond memory of mine was when a friend of Mom’s took us on a ride in the caboose he was in charge of one evening (I think I remember it was late and dark by the time we returned to where we started) – it was great fun and something I still remember to this day — I don’t remember who the friend was, but remember that ride!!!
What a boring, long train with LOTS of these black tanker cars — one after the other that went on FOREVER!!!
And instead of the highly anticipated caboose, there was just this ordinary railroad car!!! 😦
And, so, another adventure tucked away in my memory……and a start at whittling away at my summer bucket list – even though it won’t be taken off the list because I fully intend to return to see the parts I didn’t get to see today and maybe take in a class or two or three! It was a lovely day —- so glad I decided to get my work done early and head out and so glad I chose THIS adventure to do!!!
Old Musicals = Pure Joy!
I am a sucker for old musicals! There are way too many that are on my “most favorite” list to name…..suffice it to say, if it is a musical and stars any of the great song and dance stars, I’m in heaven! Sunday was a rainy day, so I spent a large part of it on the couch watching TV. I flipped around until I settled on Turner Classic Movies and pretty much stayed there all day. It was Walter Pigeon day, so they were showing many of his great films.
The highlight of the day was “Funny Girl” (1968), starring the incomparable Barbra Streisand as Ziegfeld Follies star Fanny Brice, Omar Sharif as the love of her life Nick Arnstein, and Walter Pigeon as Flo Ziegfeld. What an incredible film! I grew up loving Barbra Streisand and singing her songs over and over in my room in front of the mirror with a brush as a microphone! As I watched “Funny Girl”……for probably the 1000th time…….I sang every song right along with the movie – word for word! It made my day!!!
Here are some clips from Barbra Streisand’s “Funny Girl” – sorry some you have to click to view on YouTube – well worth it:
A very powerful rendition of “My Man”
My very favorite Barbra Streisand song to sing – “Second Hand Rose”
And, the GREAT “Don’t Rain On My Parade”
Then, this evening, I turned on the TV and it was still tuned to Turner Classic Movies and I was delighted to find “Summer Stock” (1950), starring the wonderful Judy Garland and the incredibly talented Gene Kelly! WOW! What a treat to watch Gene Kelly dance — he is such an amazing dancer, actor, singer! And…..what incredible talent did Judy Garland have — she could do it all, but to hear her sing just melts my heart! I could not believe how lucky I was to watch two fantastic classic musicals within two short days!
Here are clips from “Summer Stock” – again, you will need to click to view these on YouTube – it is worth it:
First up – Judy Garland in her classic tuxedo dress doing “Get Happy”
And, now – Gene Kelly in a dance solo – only Gene can turn a squeaky floor and a newspaper into a dance routine!
Watching these has really wet my appetite for classic musicals — wonder what others I can find on Amazon Prime to watch throughout the rest of the week!!!???
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