Genesee Brew House: Enjoy the Sparkling Waters of the Genesee
High above the “sparkling” waters of the Genesee River in Rochester NY, is the Genesee Brew House, once a century-old packaging center, the Brew House has transformed the 9,200 square-foot space into a beer destination, featuring interactive exhibits, multimedia content, gift shop, pilot brewery and pub-style restaurant.
The Brew Pub offers all the classic Genesee Beers plus a changing array of delicious microbrews, I loved the Expresso Porter. The bar upstairs was built from old beer barrel boards. It was opened in September of 2012, after a LONG restoration process which is well documented.
The retail store sells irresistible “Beer Gear,” the great selection of vintage t-shirts, with the full “Brew-story”. We were not wowed by the food, but the beer on the terrace with this fabulous view was well worth the price.
Hours: Mon-Wed 11am – 9pm Thurs-Sat 11am – 10pm Sunday Noon – 9pm 25 Cataract St. Rochester, NY, 14605 Get Directions 585-263-9200 Check out their reviews on Yelp.
The Corning Glass Works Museum: Hot Glass
The Museum has hot glass and the coolest collection of glass art
What kind of Finger Lakes adventures can be enjoyed any time of year — even when it’s yucky outside?
Visit the Corning Museum of Glass CMOG. The Museum provides many fascinating facets that I never knew about glass. There is the art sand crafts side of glass as well as the science and technology side.
The Glass Museum features ancient glass artifacts as well as modern art
The museum has an incredible collection with sophisticated glasswork on display spanning thousands of years, with beads crafted by the Egyptians, through today, where we see glasswork by famous artists like Dale Chihuly.
One of the most interesting aspects of glass is how it reacts with light. In the Innovation Center you can learn (and see) how glass changes our world.
There are Hot Glass demonstrations that take place several times a day. This is the BEST part of the museum, because the glassmakers or “Gaffers” are tremendously talented craftsmen and they do a great job of teaching you as they create.
There is a new 275 seat hot glass studio under construction, that will be ready in 1014. The intent of the new glassmaking space is to create the ultimate venue for glassmaking demonstrations.
Make sure you make time to see it for yourself. Check out their blog.
Information on the museum:
Open Every Day
9:00 am – 5:00 pm
September 4 through May 24
9:00 am – 8:00 pm
May 25 through September 3
Closed only 4 days per year: January 1, Thanksgiving Day, December 24, December 25.
The Corning Museum of Glass – One Museum Way – Corning, NY 14830 800.732.6845
Hike + History = Mt Hope Cemetery
Rolling hills make for dramatic views
One sunny, warm Sunday afternoon, we took a long walk through Mt Hope Cemetary. This cemetery is famous for the grave sites of Stephen Douglas, Henry Lomb, Hiram Sibley, Nathaniel Rochester, Margaret Woodbury Strong, and Susan B Anthony.
Bronze Mausoleum Doors
Mount Hope Cemetery is one of the most remarkable Victorian cemeteries in America. Its 196 acres of lofty hills and picturesque valleys created by glaciers were transformed into a beautiful historic cemetery. A mature, diversified forest forms an arboretum shading thousands of marble, bronze, and granite monuments. The cemetery is a verdant museum of funerary sculpture and mausoleums spanning more than a century and a half.
Monument to the soldiers of the Civil War
The Friends of Mount Hope offer guided walking tours each weekend, May through October.
Close-up view of the Civil War Monument reveals beautiful patina
Dedicated in 1838 in Rochester NY, Mount Hope is America’s first municipal Victorian cemetery.
The cemetery features 82 mausoleums, soaring Egyptian obelisks, winged angels of mercy, a Florentine cast-iron fountain, two stone chapels in Gothic Revival style, a Moorish gazebo, and infinitely varied tombstones marking 350,000 graves.
Great names. And he had 2 wives
Get lost in the sea of green
You can hike over many well trod roads as well as less travelled pathways as you view 2 centuries of memorials in every form and fashion. The winding hills and variety of trees make this a top pick when visiting Rochester.
Goodbye Railroad Bridge over the Genesee River in Letchworth State Park
According to an article by Irene Szabo in the Finger Lakes Trail News, the days of the iconic railroad bridge over the Genesee River in Letchworth State Park are numbered. The current steel and iron trestle was built in 1875 to replace an all wooden structure that serviced the original Erie Railroad since the 1850's. Now Norfolk Southern needs an updated bridge that doesn't require frequent repairs, a 10 mph speed limit, and lightly loaded rail cars.
Canandaigua (Vacation Assignment)
I learned more about my hometown by doing this assignment than I have the 2o years I've lived here. Holding a camera seriously opens your eyes to what everything really looks like. Out of all of these, my favorite is the one where I'm standing in the middle of Main Street. The perspective lines really make this picture look cool.
The Bank Street Café in Geneseo: Where Breakfast Bears Notice
The view down main street from the cafe
Geneseo is a charming upstate town that enjoys preserving it’s history along with it’s sense of humor. Legend has it that Seneca Indians called it jo-nis-hi-yuh, meaning the pleasant or beautiful valley. This evolved into Genesee, the river which carved out the beautiful valley containing the town of Geneseo.
The bear holds a working lantern
In the center of Geneseo, right in the middle of the street is a large round fountain, with a bronze statue of a sitting bear, holding a lantern. This is the Wadsworth Fountain. It was built for Emmeline Wadsworth, an animal lover, and the fountain was intended as a watering trough for horses.
The Wadsworth brothers built their homes at either end of Main Street, then recruited others to move to the town and assisted them in building their homes.
The bear which remains remains the iconic symbol of the town, holding it’s $15,000 lantern — a working replica of the original — has inspired an annual teddy bear parade.
While visiting Geneseo stop for breakfast at the Bank Street Café and Grill.The Café is easy to locate — right across from the famous fountain bearing the Bear.
Most wonderful Blueberry Pancakes
The Bank Street Cafe & Grill is no ordinary eatery. Nothing at Bank Street has been pre-processed. Everything is home-made from scratch. Breakfast is served all day long, and I enjoyed the best (and biggest) blueberry pancakes ever. They are also known for their angus beef burgers.
The village is making a proposal to widen the sidewalks at the three sides of the Bear Fountain and create a small outdoor cafe spot with tables and chairs opposite his restaurant. That would give the town even more character.
The Bank Street Café is open 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesdays through Sundays
