Earlier this year, I wrote on this blog about my short springtime getaway Aurora, in New York’s Finger Lakes. I returned there in November because I had some family business to take care of nearby. I took the opportunity to visit the newly opened Spa at the Inns of Aurora.
The small village of Aurora is home to both Wells College and the headquarters of the home decor company Mackenzie-Childs. The village is situated on the east side of Cayuga Lake, about a half hour’s drive north of Ithaca and an hour southwest of Syracuse. It makes a nice base for exploring the wineries of the Finger Lakes, as well as the upstate New York landmarks associated with both the suffragist and the abolitionist movements.
If you’re looking for a blessing of the animals service, traditionally held in October, on the Feast of St. Francis, there may be no better place than the New Skete Monastery, perched on a mountainside in Cambridge, NY. An Orthodox Christian community, New Skete has both monks and nuns in residence, as well as a community of lay companions.
One of the wonderful things about hosting a blog is that you have the potential to connect online with people who share your interests. Among my “blogger friends,” as I call them, is Janet Simmonds, an Oxford-educated geographer and art historian, travel consultant and writer who publishes an intelligent and well-researched blog called The Educated Traveler. She offers fascinating insight on places and experiences in Italy, throughout the Mediterranean and England. Here’s the link to her blog: www.educated-traveller.com. I urge you to check out her site. It is a joy to read and I always learn something new! Plus, her photography is stunning.
Janet splits her time between England and Italy, largely Venice. She hosts small bespoke tours in Italy, and leads writing workshops. Here’s the link to her tour site: https://www.grand-tourist.com. I’m dreaming of the possibility of participating in one of her trips.
Earlier this year, Janet reached out to me and asked whether I would contribute a piece to her blog concerning how the pandemic has affected my family in northern New York State. She graciously published my piece on The Educated Traveler and I am grateful to her for her kind comments. While admittedly, some things have improved in my neck of the woods since I wrote the piece last spring, there is still great concern about ongoing infections and the long-lasting impact of the pandemic. Please click on the link below, and comment on either my blog or Janet’s with your own perspectives, from wherever in the world you are!
As seen on HGTV’s Cheap Old Houses, hosts Ethan and Elizabeth at a historic home in Gasport, NY.
Elizabeth Finkelstein says that “even as a two-year-old I understood the magic of old houses.”
Her parents, Dr. Joel and Gail Solomon, raised their family in one of the most historic homes in Queensbury, New York, on Chestnut Ridge Road. Called the Nehemiah Wing house, it was named after one of the 19th century owners, a descendant of Abraham Wing, a founder of nearby Glens Falls. The original clapboard part of the home is believed to date to the 18th century. The brick addition was constructed in 1852.
Ms. Finkelstein’s appreciation of old homes has turned into a lifelong passion for her and her husband Ethan; an Instagram account with 1.6-million followers; and now a TV show Cheap Old Houses that will debut on Monday, Aug. 9, on HGTV and Discovery Plus.
In New York State’s bucolic Washington County, on the edge of the hamlet of Salem, is a beehive of artistic activity known as “SAW,” for Salem Art Works. Founder Anthony Cafritz, writes “In a time when a lot of artwork is created in a reductive, ‘hands-off’ approach, SAW’s mission is to blend and create an atmosphere where all methodologies, approaches and concepts are equal. This fluid, investigative curiosity is a timeless pursuit which underpins a large part of the human experience.”
During the last week of May, I headed out to New York State’s Finger Lakes region with one of my oldest friends. Destination: the charming village of Aurora, on the east side of Cayuga Lake. After we arrived, we were joined by another friend of mine. We spent several laughter-filled days visiting wineries, shopping at the newly opened outlet store at the headquarters of MacKenzie-Childs, and staying at a beautiful property owned by the Inns of Aurora.
Zabriskie House, part of the Inns of Aurora collection. Continue reading →
After my husband and I were fully vaccinated against COVID-19 in March, we were thrilled to celebrate our new status by having a weekend away, in the sleepy picture book village of Grafton, Vermont. My husband wrote a piece about our escape for our newspaper, The Chronicle. I have reproduced it below, accompanied by my photos.
—Sandra Hutchinson
The 19th century Tuttle House we rented in Grafton, Vt. for a spring weekend
Sandra's Town & Country 