Wednesday, November 2, 2011

NEW YORK-General

(does not include Bronx, Brooklyn, Hudson Valley, Long Island, or New York City)

GENERAL
Sights & Sites
Route 28 (Central Adirondacks Trail) – state highway extending for 281.69 miles (in “C” shape) between Hudson Valley (Kingston) and southern Warren County; nyroute28.com; along way, intersects several major routes, including I-88, US Route 20, and New York State Thruway (twice); southern terminus is at NY 32 (in Kingston) and northern terminus is at US 9 (in Warrensburg); in Kingston, NY 28 is co-designated as I-587 from its southern terminus at NY 32 to roundabout linking it to Thruway (I-87); make sure to visit Cooperstown (Baseball Hall of Fame); can stay at Andes Hotel (in Andes).



ADIRONDACKS
Keene
Hotels
Dartbrook Lodge – 2835 Route 73 (at Route 9N, east of Lake Placid); 518-576-9080; dartbrooklodge.com; collection of 1940s cabins, renovated, in Adirondacks; hiking trail hub; stylish, comfy, with flat screen televisions; spa showers clad in slate; no room service.
Restaurants
Cedar Run Bakery & Café – 2835 Route 73 (at Route 9N, east of Lake Placid); 518-576-9080.

Lake George (includes Hague)
Hotels
Ruah Bed & Breakfast – 9221 Lake Shore Drive (Hague); 518-543-8816 or 800-224-7549; ruahbb.com.

Lake Placid (includes Chateaugay, Elizabethtown, Jay, Keeseville, Saranac Lake, Wadham &Willsboro)
Hotels
Lake Placid Lodge – 144 Lodge Way (Lake Placid); 518-523-2700 or 877-523-2700; lakeplacidlodge.com; Relais & Chateaux property.
The Point – 222 Beaverwood Road (Saranac Lake); 518-891-5674 or 800-255-3530; thepointresort.com; fabulous.
Restaurants
Caffe Rustica – 1936 Saranac Avenue (Lake Placid); 518-523-7511; wood-fired oven pizza.
Deers Head Inn Restaurant – 7552 Court Street (Elizabethtown); 518-873-6514; thedeershead.com; 200 years of history; try pan-seared duck with blackberries and Amaretto.
Eat ‘N Meet Grill – 139 Broadway (Saranac Lake); 518-891-3149; comfort food.
Lake Placid Lodge – 144 Lodge Way (Lake Placid); 518-523-2700; lakeplacidlodge.com; open to public.
Lisa G’s – 6125 Sentinel Road (Lake Placid); 518-523-2093; hamburgers.
Turtle Island Café – 3790 Main Street (Willsboro); 518-963-7417; turtleislandcafe.com; features local produce.
Services
Adirondack Mountain Club – 518-668-447 or 800-395-8080; adk.org; hiking, lectures, and paddling tours.
Nature Walks – Jane Desotelle (Keene Farmers’ Market) is foraging herbalist who will tour nature walks; find her at Adirondack Botanical Sanctuary (below).
Shopping
Clover Mead Farm – 938 Mace Chasm Road (Keeseville); 518-834-7306; cheese specialists.
Dogwood Bread Co. – between Essex Ferry and Exit 31 on Northway (Wadhams, at Old Feed Store); 518-962-2280; dogwoodbread.com; dozen bread varieties.
Goddess Natural Food – 183 Newman Road (Lake Placid); 518-523-4676; greengoddessfoods.com; vegetarian provisions.
Jay Craft Center – Route 9N (Jay); 518-946-7824; great potters.
Simply Gourmet – 1983 Saranac Avenue (Lake Placid); 518-523-3111; 46 different sandwiches; good for picnic supplies.
Sights & Sites
Adirondack Botanical Sanctuary – 172 Chase Road (Chateaugay); 518-425-3306; underwoodherbs.com.
Lake Placid Center for Arts – 17 Algonquin Drive (Lake Placid); 518-523-2512; lakeplacidarts.org; concerts.
Lake Placid Olympic Center – 2634 Main Street (Lake Placid); 518-523-1655; orda.org.

Raquette Lake
Hotels
Lake Kora – Sagamore Road; 315-354-5313 or 800-495-9961; lakekora.com; former Vanderbilt estate.


CATSKILLS (includes Boiceville & Mt. Tremper)
Sights & Sites
Esopus Scenic Train – 5408 State Route 28 (Mt. Tremper); 845-688-7400; catskillmtrailroad.com; foliage viewing in fall.
Thomas Cole National Historic Site – 218 Spring Street; 518-943-7465; thomascole.org; 19th Century Hudson School’s founder’s home; overs guided hikes.



DELAWARE COUNTY
Andes
Hotels
Andes Hotel – 110 Main Street; 845-676-4408; andeshotel.com; restored 1850 inn, with massive front porch; chef is Culinary Institute grad; simple decor, with reddish brown paneling and simple white tablecloths and drop ceilings; unpretentious but consistently well-prepared menu; friendly tavern next door, where there’s great beer selection and live music on Saturday night and serves bar comfort foods, like popcorn chicken and buffalo wings.



ERIE COUNTY
Buffalo
Bakeries, Coffee, Ice Cream, Juice & Tea
Five Points Bakery – 426 Rhode Island Street; 716-884-8888; fivepointsbakery.com.
Bars & Nightclubs
Founding Fathers Pub – 75 Edward Street; 716-855-8944; foundingfatherspub.com; President-themed bar with trivia quizzes.
Mike A’s – 391 Washington Street (at Hotel Lafayette); 716-253-6453; mikealafayette.com; stunning art deco cocktail and wine bar.
Hotels
Hotel Lafayette – 391 Washington Street; 716-853-1505; thehotellafayette.com; 57 renovated rooms & suites.
Restaurants
Liberty Hound – 1 Naval Park Cove; 716-845-9173; libertyhoundbuffalo.com; gastropub with lovely deck; excellent Bloody Mary's and cioppino.
Mike A’s – 391 Washington Street (at Hotel Lafayette); 716-253-6453; mikealafayette.com; steakhouse.
Shopping
Room 2 – 391 Washington Street (at Hotel Lafayette); 716-931-9362; room-buffalo.com; gift boutique featuring high-design products.
Sights & Sites
Audubon Niagara Birding Trail – Beaver Meadow Audubon Center, 1610 Welch Road (North Java, Buffalo Audubon Society); 585-457-3228 or 716-852-0511 (Buffalo Convention & Visitor’s Bureau); buffaloaudubon.org or audm.ag/BuffaloBirdingTrail; extends over 100 miles from Woodlawn Beach State Park (on Lake Erie), past Four Mile Creek State Park on Lake Ontario; trail follows Niagara River corridor & includes stop to observe birds at great waterfall itself; route includes 1 of prime, wintertime gull locales in North America.
Larkin Square – Exchange Street; 716-362-2665; larkinsquare.com; public space with market stalls and fountain-sculpture.
Martin House – 125 Jewett Parkway; 716-856-3858; darwinmartinhouse.org; Frank Lloyd Wright designed; call re tours.



FINGER LAKES (includes Geneva, Hammondsport, Ithaca, Skaneateles & Trumansburg)
Bakeries, Coffee, Ice Cream, Juice & Tea
Purity Ice Cream – 700 Cascadilla Street; 607-272-1545; purityicecream.com; main location; mocha chip.

Bars & Nightclubs
Glenwood Pines Restaurant (“The Pines”) – 1213 Taughannock Boulevard (Ithaca); 607-273-3709; glenwoodpines.com; charming, little roadside tavern about 3 miles north of Ithaca on Route 89 (also known as Taughannock Boulevard); burgers.
Rongovian Embassy – 1 West Main Street (Trumansburg); 607-387-3334; facebook.com/pages/The-Rongovian-Embassy/145679231147; legendary bar; smells like 1K years stale beer.

Hotels
Black Sheep Inn – 8329 Pleasant Valley Road (Hammondsport); 607-569-3767 or 877-274-6286; stayblacksheepinn.com.
Geneva on Lake – 1001 Lochland Road (Geneva, Route 14); 315-789-7190 or 800-343-6382; genevaonthelake.com; formally manicured grounds & Italian Renaissance architecture on Lake Seneca; white manor house built in 1914 has imported marble fireplaces & rich upholstery & tapestries; rooms furnished with Stickley furniture; 10 suites have 2 bedrooms; studios have living rooms & Murphy beds.
Mirbeau Inn & Spa – 851 West Genesee Street (Skaneateles); 315-685-5006 or 877-647-2328; mirbeau.com/skaneateles; on 12 acres; 34-room French country inn.

Restaurants
Dining Room at Mirbeau Inn – 851 West Genesee Street (Skaneateles, at Mirbeau Inn & Spa); 315-685-5006; mirbeau.com/skaneateles; nationally acclaimed fine dining.
Moosewood – 215 North Cayuga Street (Ithaca); 607-273-9610; moosewoodcooks.com; among America’s original, food movement, vegetarian restaurants.

Services
Mirbeau Inn & Spa – 851 West Genesee Street (Skaneateles, at Mirbeau Inn & Spa); 315-685-5006; mirbeau.com/skaneateles.



JEFFERSON COUNTY (includes Alexandria, Alexandria Bay, Hammond & Redwood)
Alexandria Bay
Bars & Nightclubs
Dockside Pub – 17 Market Street; 315-482-9849.

Dives
Islander – wooden side-wheel steamer; up to 50' visibility.
Keystorm – 256' steel freighter; up to 50' visibility.

Hotels
Boardwalk Motel – 41 Walton Street; 315-482-9371; boardwalk1000islands.com.
Ship Motel – 6 Market Street; 315-482-4503; theshipmotel.com.

Restaurants
Chez Paris Restaurant – 24 Church Street; 315-482-9825.
Dockside Pub – 17 Market Street; 315-482-9849.

Sights & Sites
Boldt Castle – 1 Tennis Island Road; 315-482-9724; boldtcastle.com; imposing stone castle on 5-acre island.
Crooked Creek Preserve (Macsherry Trail) – Indian Point Drive (Hammond); 315-686-5345; tilandtrust.org; hike Macsherry Trail; Crooked Creek Preserve lies on both sides of Crooked Creek in both Alexandria & Hammond; for access to Macsherry Trail: take State Route 12 to border between Jefferson & St. Lawrence Counties (6.1 miles east of Alexandria Bay); turn north toward Kring Point State Park, then turn immediately right onto Indian Point Road (dirt road marked private); & travel approximately 3/4 mile to parking area on right; Crooked Creek Preserve consists of 1.5K acres wetlands, uplands & forest; Macsherry Trail is roughly 3 miles, beginning at trail-head off Indian Point Road; passes beaver ponds & meanders through woods, leading to Creek & wonderful view of Chippewa Bay, before circling back to the trail-head.
Kring Point State Park – 25950 Kring Point Road (Redwood); 315-482-2444; nysparks.com/parks/14/details.aspx; narrow peninsula, with south shore facing Goose Bay & north shore facing St. Lawrence River; can see many of 1.7K islands for which Thousand Islands region named.



MONTGOMERY COUNTY
St. Johnsville
Sights & Sites
Crystal Grove Diamond Mine – 161 County Road 114; 518-568-2914; crystalgrove.com; fee digging in spacious, wooded park; “Herkimer diamonds” — doubly terminated, 18-sided quartz crystals that come out of pockets in dolomite as perfectly formed & polished as if they had been to jeweler; often flawless, found in number of places in central Mohawk Valley and — for quantity, quality and accessibility — in few other places, unless one considers Afghanistan & Tibet accessible.



NIAGARA COUNTY
Niagara Falls
Hotels
Giacomo – 222 1st Street; 716-299-0200; thegiacomo.com; in renovated Art Deco office building near Niagara Falls State Park.
Restaurants
Top of Falls – Niagara Falls State Park (Goat Island); 716-278-0340; niagaraparks.com; burgers, salads, spicy wings, and wraps.
Sights & Sites
Niagara Falls State Park – 1410 Buffalo Avenue; 716-285-3892; niagaraparks.com; designed by Frederick Olmstead Law and championed by Frederic Church; paths take you close to river’s edge; pedestrian bridges out to 3 Sisters Islands above thunderous Horseshoe.



OTSEGO COUNTY
Cooperstown
Sights & Sites
Baseball Hall of Fame – 25 Main Street; 607-547-7200 or 888-425-5633; baseballhall.org; 35K exhibited items; covers Negro Leagues and sport’s integration (check out Jackie Robinson’s hate mail); Diamond Dreams exhibit tells story of women in baseball; whole room devoted to Babe Ruth, complete with his bat and locker; artifacts from game’s greatest moments: 1903 baseball from 1st World Series, Roberto Clemente’s bat from his 3Kth hit, and Curt Schilling’s bloody sock from 2004 World Series.



SARATOGA COUNTY (includes Saratoga Springs)
Bars & Nightclubs
Tin & Lint – 2 Caroline Street (Saratoga Springs); 518-587-5897; where Don McLean allegedly composed some of American Pie.

Hotels
Adelphi Hotel – 365 Broadway (Saratoga Springs); 518-587-4688; adelphihotel.com; rare High Victorian architecture from 19th Century’s end; constructed in 1877 during national rage for “taking waters” at Saratoga; Italianate Facade rises 4 stories with slender columns capped with Victorian fretwork; 90' piazza on 2nd floor overlooks Saratoga’s historic Broadway.

Restaurants
Caffe Lena – 47 Phila Street (Saratoga Springs); 518-583-0022; caffelena.org; America’s oldest continuously operating folk coffeehouse; where Don McLean allegedly composed some of American Pie.
Tin & Lint – 2 Caroline Street (Saratoga Springs); 518-587-5897; where Don McLean allegedly composed some of American Pie.

Shopping
Feneex Boutique – 30 Beekman Street (Saratoga Springs); 518-698-3711; francelisedawkins.com; community-themed fabric art.
Girard Stoneware – 30 Beekman Street (Saratoga Springs); 518-584-8813; girardstoneware.com; hand-trimmed bowls, durable cocktail glasses, and custom dinnerware.
Milliner’s Crown – 73 Beekman Street (Saratoga Springs); 518-290-0428; ryanwilde.com; hat boutique.
Ooh La La Recycled – 80 West Circular Street (Saratoga Springs); 518-226-0363; upscale consignment shop.



STEUBEN COUNTY
Corning
Sights & Sites
Corning Museum of Glass – 1 Museum Way; 607-937-5371; cmog.org.



SULLIVAN COUNTY
Barryville
Hotels
Ecce Bed & Breakfast – 19 Silverfish Road; 845-557-8562 or 888-557-8562; eccebedandbreakfast.com; tremendous Delaware River views.



ULSTER COUNTY
New Paltz
Hotels
Mohonk Mountain House – 1000 Mountain Rest Road; 845-256-2056 or 800-772-6646; mohonk.com; 251-room Victorian castle; every December 24th guests compete in annual Yule Log Hunt venture into woods to find red-ribboned timber; hiking in surrounding Shawangunk Ridge (aka Gunks, famous rock climbing locale); beautiful lake for swimming.

Rochester (includes Pittsford)
Bars & Nightclubs
Sontes – 4 3rd Street, SE; 507-292-1628; sontes.com; wine bar and tapas.
Hotels
International Hotel – 20 2nd Avenue, SW (top 2 floors); 507-280-6200 or 800-940-6811; internationalhotelmn.com; larger suites.
Kahler Grand Hotel – 20 2nd Avenue, SW; 507-280-6200 or 800-940-6811; thekahlerhotel.com; connected to Mayo Clinic; historic, 80-year reign; 660 rooms and suites.
Restaurants
Sontes – 4 3rd Street, SE; 507-292-1628; sontes.com; fine dining and tapas.
Zzest Market & Cafe – 1190 16th Street, SW #600; 507-424-0080; zzestmarket.com; market by day; wine restaurant by night.
Shopping
Zzest Market & Cafe – 1190 16th Street, SW #600; 507-424-0080; zzestmarket.com; market by day; wine restaurant by night.
Sights & Sites
Mushroom House – 142 Park Road (Pittsford); mushroomhouse.com; not open to public but can be seen from road; Architect James H. Johnson actually patterned after aQueen Anne’s Lace stem; built in 1970.

Saugerties
Sights & Sites
Opus 40 – 50 Fite Road; 845-246-3400; opus40.org; large environmental sculpture installation, created by quarryman & sculptor Harvey Fite (1903-1976); comprises sprawling series of dry-stone ramps, pedestals & platforms covering 6.5 acres of bluestone quarry.



WESTCHESTER COUNTY
Bedford
Hotels
Bedford Post Inn – 954 Old Post Road; 914-234-7800; campagna-bedford.com; 8-room Relais & Chateaux property; owned by Richard Gere.
Restaurants
Bedford Post Inn – 954 Old Post Road; 914-234-7800; campagna-bedford.com; Italian; housemade pastas, fish & fowl, and olive-oil poached swordfish.

Katonah
Sights & Sites
Rosen House at Caramoor – 149 Girdle Ridge Road; 914-232-5035; caramoor.org; founders, Lucie and Walter Rosen, maintained passionate commitment to music throughout their lives; Caramoor today is vibrant performing arts center with more than 70 public concerts, arts-in-education programs for schoolchildren, and acclaimed young artist mentoring programs; estate sprawls over 90 lovely acres, designed to be jewel-like setting for musical events held there, as well as a place for pleasurable strolling and picnicking; Caramoor’s gardens planned to enhance site’s Renaissance sensibility.

Mahopac
Sights & Sites
Massaro House – Petra Island (Lake Mahopac); en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Massaro_House; in 1949, Ahmed K. Chahroudi commissioned Frank Lloyd Wright to build house on his 10-acre island; Wright designed 1.2K' square cottage; then Wright died and further construction ceased; in 1996, Joseph Massaro (sheet metal worker) purchased island & (between 2003-2007) constructed house Wright envisioned 2003, working with Thomas A. Heinz, architect & Wright historian; provided updated cooling & heating solutions, as well as chimney caps; house features cantilevered deck that stretches 25' over lake; 26 triangular skylights; Massaro was continually in conflict with Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation; to date, Foundation refuses to recognize as official Frank Lloyd Wright creation.

Pound Ridge
Restaurants
Inn at Pound Ridge – 258 Westchester Avenue; 914-764-1400; theinnatpoundridge.com; upscale locavore American fare from Chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten in restored, rustic-chic 1833 home.

No comments:

Post a Comment