Posts filed under ‘Seneca Lake’
1922 Starkey House: A Mission-Revival Style Bed & Breakfast
Starkey House is located in the heart of Finger Lakes wine country along Seneca Lake. It is a genuine Mission-Revival-style home, built in 1922. The current owner, Cathy Moskal, has been lovingly restoring the home for the last 14 years.
Upon entering the house I noticed the beautiful hardwood trim (original America Chestnut, now extinct) and vintage stained glass windows in the dining room and living room. Cathy provided us a quick history of the area, and the Starkey House. What immediately impressed us was that this looked like a Roycroft-inspired home, reminiscent of the Arts and Crafts Period.
Catherine Valley Trail: Bike from Watkins Glen to Horseheads
If you are riding a bike in the Watkins Glen region you can expect hills — lots of hills — unless you ride the Catherine Valley Trail.
The CVT is a converted canal towpath and railroad bed spanning from the edge of Seneca Lake in downtown Watkins Glen, heading south, to Millport. The plan is to eventually continue on through Mark Twain State Park, all the way to Horseheads (15 miles). A new section will open in May of 2012 connecting Millport through Pine Valley to the State Park.
Forever Wild: Finger Lakes National Forest
At the highest spot between Seneca and Cayuga Lakes is a patchwork of 16,212 acres, known as the Finger Lakes National Forest. This area was all farm land 100 years ago and was then bought back by the government early in the 20th century, who returned it into forests and pasture land.
Dano’s on Seneca Lake
Appetizers = Vorspeisen = spreads
Dano’s Heuriger along the east side of Seneca Lake, is America’s first heuriger (pronounced hoy-rig-er). Dano’s is a traditional Viennese winery restaurant featuring Finger Lakes award-winning wines paired with the superb Viennese-inspired cooking of chef/co-owner Dano Hutnik and pastry chef/co-owner Karen Gilman.
Ever-changing menu on a giant chalk board
View inside of Danos
As you ride along Rt 414, on the east side of Seneca Lake, Dano’s does not grab you with a stunning roadside facade. Other than the sign you don’t see much, just a large shingled roof and a big gravel parking lot.
Ceiling shot
Architect Andrea Simitch designed the building to with the same voluminous space as a barn, and the spacious interior brings to mind the traditional volumes of a farm building, but with much more warmth and light. The west wall is glass, floor to ceiling, placing you right into the surrounding fields.
View from the deck
Beyond the glass wall that faces the lake, there is an outdoor terrace with seating for up to 60.
Horseradish Beet Salad, House Pate, Bratwurst
Dano, the chef, makes make his own sausage, and cheese, and recently added a vegetable garden and fruit orchard. He makes a mean chutney.
The menu is completely a la carte. You can order all at once or in dribs and drabs — which we did. Sharing is encouraged. Arriving at 4pm on a Saturday worked out perfectly, as we beat the dinner rush, and could take our time ordering and savoring. Dano’s seats continuously from noon until closing.
We started with three spreads for $9. The Liptauer is their house special and was our favorite A “spread” is pretty much a base of cream cheese with tasty items like feta paprika, onion, garlic, caraway seed, or capers, mixed in producing yummy things to spread on sliced bread (or gluten-free crackers). We also tried the Pumpkin Seed Oil and the Hotel Sacher spreads.
Our helpful waiter guided us to try some white wine: A Berger Gruner Veltliner, and a Standing Stone Vineyard Vidal Blanc.
Sacher Torte — rich chocolate with orange
We moved on to the the House Paté, a Horseradish Beet Salad, Smoked Hungarian Sausage, and a Bratwurst. Any chinks left in our tummies were solidly filled with the rich Sacher Torte and a Red Newt Port.
Dano’s has been named a regional semi-finalist in 2012 James Beard Foundation Awards. The awards annually honor the top professionals in the food and beverage industries, and are considered the Oscars of the food world. This year, there were a record 57,000 online entries.
Location of Danos
Dano’s Heuriger is located at 9564 Route 414 just south of Lodi, NY.
Geneva’s Friendliest Pub — The Red Dove
Geneva is a charming college town located at the north end of Seneca Lake. While researching some Finger Lakes history at the Prouty Chew House, we stopped at the Red Dove Tavern a “gastropub” on Castle Street, in downtown Geneva.
Inside the Red Dove I was instantly reminded of the friendly tapas bars we frequented while in Barcelona’s Barre Gotic neighborhood. However unlike the limited fare at traditional tapas bars, The Red Dove’s mission is to “expand palettes” and the variety of offerings on the blackboard menu above the bar was tempting proof.
Ports Cafe Geneva: DeVine Dining
The kitchen of Ports Cafe
It’s the time of the year to make one last trip to close the cottage. Not much to look forward to on the drive east from Rochester, on a frosty Friday night, so we made reservations to stop for dinner while en route, at Ports Cafe, just south of Geneva on Seneca Lake.
Listening to the specials
Interior of Ports
Ports specializes in specials. They had almost as many specials as regular menu items, which we never even sampled. Our waitress was helpful and attentive. We start with appetizers and wine flights.
Wine flights allowed us to each sample 3 whites (local) and 3 reds. Some of the local wineries are Billsboro, Dr Frank, Glenora, and William Hill.
Mussels in a delicious broth
Appetizers: Mussels in a garlic white wine sauce. AWESOME.
Best swordfish I have ever had
Main Course: Seafood kabobs: shrimps scallops, swordfish, pineapple, red bell pepper, scallion with garlic and parsley butter and a New York Strip with smashed potatoes. Both very good.
Doesn't this look great?
Dessert was a pecan bourbon creme brulee, which though very pretty, did not wow us. But, the ice wine was delicious.
Reviews in Trip Advisor. Listed as the number 1 restaurant in Geneva, according to Trip Advisor.
This is a very nice affordable cafe with lots of variety. It is not on par with Moro’s Table in Auburn or Hazelnut Kitchen in Trumansburg, but it is charming friendly and we spent less than $100. with all the trimmings.
Ports is located at 4432 West Lake Road, Route 14, Geneva, NY 14456, 315-789-2020.
Cayuga-Seneca Canal Kayak
View from Cayuga-Seneca Canal looking towards Seneca Falls
Late in the afternoon on a hot and lazy Saturday I drop my kayak into the Cayuga-Seneca Canal right outside of Waterloo. The water is surprisingly clear and there is little current making it ideal for self-propelled paddlers.
There are lots of river dwellers to observe — heron, kingfishers, sunfish, ducks, and painted turtles. They are used to the boat traffic, but not used to me when I tried to sneak up close for a picture.
Great Blue Heron posing
The Cayuga-Seneca Canal is a 16 mile section of the Seneca River, which flows 61.6 miles from west to east, starting at Seneca Lake flowing east through the Montezuma Marsh, at the north end of Cayuga Lake to Three-Rivers (Onondaga County) where it combines with the Oneida and Oswego Rivers, with the Oswego River then emptying into Lake Ontario.
Between Seneca Lake and Seneca Falls, the canal flows parallel to routes 5 and 20, making it much easier to drop in a kayak. This section of the river gets a lot of motorboat traffic (Limit 6 mph) many of whom are fisherman.
Turtles are camera shy
Pretty detour off of the canal
Chasing Kingfishers
Where can you drop your kayak into the water? Here is a list of marinas:
Cayuga Marina, 6721 River Road Route 90, Cayuga, NY 13034, (315) 252-5754
Seneca Falls Harbor, 60 State Street, Seneca Falls, NY 13148, (315) 568-2703
Waterloo Harbor & Campground, 1278 Waterloo-Geneva Rd., Waterloo, NY 13165, (315) 539-8848
Hidden Harbor Marina, 1076 Waterloo-Geneva Rd., Waterloo, NY 13165, (315) 539-8034
A & B Marinem, 634 Waterloo-Geneva Rd., Waterloo, NY 13165, (315) 781-1755
Inland Harbor Marina, 608 Waterloo-Geneva Rd., Waterloo, NY 13165, (315) 789-7255
Barrett Marine Inc., 485 W. River Rd., Waterloo, NY 13165, (315) 789-6605
Montour Falls Marina, Marina Drive, Montour Falls, NY 14865, (607) 535-9397
Stiver’s Seneca Marine, 401 Boody’s Hill Road, Waterloo, NY 13165, (315) 789-5520
Cayuga-Seneca Canal
Showing the entire path of the Seneca River
Other places to launch a kayak along the Seneca River :
Cayuga Co. In the Town of Aurelius along Lock Rd. just off Rt. 90 in the Hamlet of Mud Lock. Concrete ramp. Parking for 10 vehicle. Restrooms.
Cayuga Co. At the bridge on Bonta Bridge Rd. 2 mi./3.2 km. east of the Village of Weedsport. Hand launching. Parking for 10 vehicles.
Cayuga Co. Mosquito Point. On Rt. 38, 3 mi./4.8 km. north of the Village of Port Byron just north of a large trestle bridge. Hard surface launching ramp. Non-motorized boats only. Parking for 15 vehicles and trailers.
Cayuga Co. Howland Island. Off Rt. 38 3.5 mi./5.6 km. north of the Village of Port Byron. Hard surface launching ramp. Parking for 23 vehicles.
Town of Tyre. At the Barge Canal in the Montzuma Wildlife Refuge, off Rt. 20. Hard surface launching ramp. Parking for 25 vehicles.
Wayne Co. Town of Savannah. Where Railroad Rd. meets the river. Car-top launch. Parking for 3 vehicles.
Wayne Co. Howland Island. At the end of Carncross Rd. Car-top launch. Parking for 5 vehicles.
Finger Lakes Antiques: Amazing Treasures to be Found
My Finger Lakes Treasure from the Teller House: a painting of their summer home.
The Finger Lakes area is loaded with antique stores and antiquing events. Should you vacation here, you may find yourself sucked in to a nearby town to hunt for a military trunk that can double as a coffee table, as I was recently, with my niece from Brooklyn. She said the prices were much lower than anything she had seen in the New York City area. We did not find a winner, but I think I might have about 6 different options for her in my attic.
I have six different military trunks in my attic
All were purchased by my Dad after WW2, and sent us all off to camp and college
I confess, I am NOT an “Antiquer.” I grew up in a house and cottage FILLED with antiques that I assumed were hand-me-downs from our many Finger Lakes relations. It did not occur to me that these were valuable or collectable.
My Grandpa had inherited the contents of 2 large estates in Auburn, New York in the early 1950s and most of us grand kids have furnished our homes with the furniture that came out of the summer and winter homes of Judge Teller and his spinster sister.
My oldest brother is the only one who can remember the process of having to empty the contents of the two homes. There was a horse drawn sleigh in the barn, civil war uniforms in trunks, and fruit preserves, in the basement, over 50 years old! Much of the furniture from these homes has made its way into the homes of my 4 siblings and me.
I remember the antiques in my Grandma’s house on East Lake Road in Skaneateles. Her house was where I spent my youthful Sundays with my big brother, both of us bored to death while the grown-ups were visiting, so we would explore, discovering the 50-year old Life Magazines in her attic, or climbing the long-since productive fruit trees in the orchard leading from her house to the lake.
This was one of the trucks we played with
My brother and I found metal toy trucks big enough for us to ride down her pitched driveway. He remembered this coca-cola truck.
Sunday afternoons at Grandmas House included these tiny classics
We also found “Big Little Books”upstairs in her guest bedroom that we devoured.
Here is a partial listing of some of the Finger Lakes antique stores:
Bloomfield Antique Mile — You’ll find plenty of antique shops representing more than 175 dealers! Beautiful Bloomfield, NY, is flourishing as an antique mecca: we’re home to a generous country mile of quality shops dotting the old Seneca Trail (now known as Routes 5 & 20)
The Carriage Factory Antiques contains 3 floors of old “stuff” Located o between Canandaigua and Geneva, on 2348 State Route 5 and 20 in Stanley, NY 14561-9540, (585) 526-6076, Open Daily 10am-5pm
Country Reflections Antiques and Gifts — Located on 83 Cayuga St. in Seneca Falls at the Northern end of Cayuga Lake.
FOUND in Ithaca is a multi-dealer antique and vintage marketplace. Located in the Cherry Street Industrial park just two blocks from Wegmans. FOUND’s 7000 square foot space has room for over 40 dealers. The website shows images of many items. 227 Cherry St, Ithaca, NY 14850, Open 10-6 every day, EXCEPT TUESDAY, Phone: 607.319.5078.
The Ithaca Antique Center - This “mall” is a lot more than a shop, but it has a more than 75 dealers under one roof. Located at 1607 Trumansburg Road, Ithaca NY 14850. Hours Mon-Sat 11-6 and Sun 12-5. P: 607-272-3611.
Ontario Mall Antiques — Largest antique mall in upstate New York. Located on Rt 332 in Farmington (North of Canandaigua).
The Paris Flea — Located in downtown Skaneateles, on 23 Jordan St.
The Skaneateles Antique Center — 2 East Genesee Street, In the Village of Skaneateles, NY 13152, 315-685-0752. Hours: Monday-Saturday 10 to 5:00, Sundays 11 to 5:00
Some good links:
Also a listing of antique shows
If you like antique wooden boats, there is an Antique and Classic Boat Show every July in Clift Park, downtown Skaneateles. This year’s show is July 29, 30, & 31, 2011.
Travel Back in Finger Lakes Time to The Hayward House
The Hayward House is a Bed and Breakfast in Ovid New York. The house is actually in the middle of nowhere, but not too far from everywhere you might want to go, whether it’s wineries, the lake shore, Ithaca, Seneca Falls, or Watkins Glen. But when you stay at The Hayward House know that you will get peace and quiet, and big sky and stars galore.
Happy Cows at the Muranda Cheese Company
This blog post is a continuation from the previous. While traveling the Finger Lakes Cheese Trail we met Tom Murray of the Muranda Cheese Company. Miranda makes 13 different kinds of raw milk cheese. Raw milk cheese is made from unpasteurized milk. Unpasteurized milk has bacteria in it, which contributes to greater flavor.
