what's in a word?: Finger Lakes Micro-mini Vacation 3/31-4/1/2012: Day 1

I seem to always be a couple of weeks behind getting these things posted. If I wasn't working full-time as an executive recruiter, if I didn't have other things I like to do, if I didn't need to sleep, maybe, just maybe, they'd be posted in a more timely manner.

That said, I eventually get around to it.

The weekend of March 31-April 1 was overcast and then rainy. On Saturday morning, we stopped at the Montezuma Winery and Hidden Marsh Distillery. They are known for their honey and fruit based wines; mead in particular. A few years ago they began distilling liqueurs, brandy and vodka - the vodka is made from honey, and is very good, and on March 31, the day we visited, they released their white dog, a.k.a. corn whiskey, Judd's Wrecking Ball. I tasted the dry mead, the vodka and the white dog. I liked the mead but I couldn't imagine when I'd be drinking it. At the cash register, the cashier told me it was the first bottle she sold. I said "today?" She said "ever!" so I asked her to get the whiskey maker to sign a bottle for me. He came out, we posed together for them and I got a picture of him holding up that first sale. That's the sort of thing that doesn't happen too often.

We drove west along US 20, through Waterloo, NY to Geneva. I don't know Waterloo. It's an exit off the NY State Thruway and their's an outlet mall not too far from that exit. The village is about half-way between Seneca Falls and Geneva, and therefore about halfway between the northern ends of Cayuga and Seneca Lakes. I don't know much about the place, but there are signs stating it's the "Birthplace of Memorial Day." It is a typical looking northern Finger Lakes village.

Being the birthplace of a holiday that for most people in the USA nowadays signals the first weekend of the summer, instead of a moment of reflection and remembering the lives lost in all the wars the US fought, is an achievement, I guess. I admit it's not so significant that I'd go out of my way for it.

In Geneva, drove through the eastern side of the city, where we never went before. Then we wandered around downtown just a little, stopping in the Geneva Antique Co-op. There were six sisters shopping for the wedding of one of their daughters, which was to be on Long Island. I wasn't clear exactly what brought them to Geneva, since they were from all over the Northeast. I'll add some of the downtown photos in my next post.

At last, we parked the car about 1/2 mile west, on Castle Street and walked up and down through the neighborhood. It is a neighborhood noted for it's single family homes in various styles dating back to the 1850s, set back from the streets behind broad, tree-shaded lawns. I took a bunch of photos of the homes along Castle Street, which you see here. It is a very pleasant district, indeed. It's inhabitants describe it as being "walkable," and certainly there are sidewalks and the cars don't speed through. That said, there were only a few people out that morning, mostly jogging. But still, I liked the look and feel of the area.

Notice, too, that though it was only the end of March, many trees are already in flower, the lawns green. It was a notably warm winter in Geneva, NY this year, too.

As always, click on the photos to enlarge them.