A weekend getaway in the Finger Lakes

This Inn and Spa is luxury upon luxury. The rooms are absolutely wonderful with handmade oak cabinets in the bathrooms, beautifully decorated rooms in a simple french country style, clawfoot tubs, comfy terrycloth robes, and roaring fireplaces in each room.

The staff here was equally wonderful as when I made the reservation I was asked ahead of time if there was anything in particular I would like in my room--extra pillows, spring water in the fridge, which newspaper do I enjoy reading, as well as what temperature do I prefer the thermostat at. As we entered this resort the first thought that entered both my husband and my mind was "Wow! What a magnificent inn!"

This winery was rather interesting as it was not like most of the other wineries in the Finger Lake region. This winery is in a rather small barn, and during the winter is very, very cold! Bring an extra coat if you intend to visit as the only heating available is a large fireplace that only gives off so much heat.

I must say though it is very quaint as you get the feeling you are being introduced to each wine during the wine tasting that this is an extremely small, family owned vineyard and winery. The wines offered were not the best, but the warmth of the family and staff that operate this vineyard and winery makes it very worthwile to visit.

This outlet mall is more or less what you would normally expect out of just about any other outlet mall. It does have many of the same stores -- such as Levis, Pfaltzgraff, Lenox, and Bose -- as many other malls that are located throughout the United States. If you are in the Finger Lakes area, however, you still may want to stop on in and take a look.

The mall is right off Interstate 76, which is a toll road, but if you feel a bit more adventurous and feel like exploring, you can get there by the small highways that run throughout the Finger Lakes region.

The best time to visit this outlet mall is definitely the summer or spring since the outlet mall is outdoors and winter in this region brings a lot of snow and colder temperatures. Also, do not plan to eat here unless you are just interested in a quick fast food meal. There is a small indoor food court that contains a McDonalds and a few other miscellaneous food stalls.

This mall is also very spread out, so be prepared to walk or drive from side to side; however, the parking lot is very well lit, so I would assume that it’s pretty safe to walk around at night. All in all, I would visit this mall only if I was looking for a certain item in particular and was in the area anyway. But whatever you do, don’t visit during the winter if you plan to walk from one area of the mall to the other, as the walk is cold and very slippery.

I have included the internet link of the store listing here. Happy shopping!

When my husband and I visited this winery, our first impression was, "Honey, we're home!" This winery is family-owned and still family-run, which is becoming a rarity. Even the tours are still run by the parents of the owners (who, by the way, used to be the owners and managers of the winery; however, the father advised us on the tour that he still manages everything, as his son and daughter-in-law are always on vacation :) ).

As you first drive up the sloped driveway, a large metal sculpted goose that appears to take flight from a small pond with a fountain greets you. The tasting room, which is in the shape of a large barn turned house, is done in stained oak that glimmers as the sunlight is let in by the large windows that overlook Lake Cayuga. If you arrive at a certain time (call for the times, as they are constantly changing for the season) you get a very personalized and educational tour. Upon greeting the owners, you hop onto a large open trailer behind a tractor, at which point their dog will most likely decide to join you and walk along to each guest and lick your hands in greeting. Don't worry, though - he's a lovely golden retriever who was very friendly (stayed by my side for almost the entire tour, as I must have talked and petted more affectionately than the other guests). This first and only stop on the trolley-type tour is where they make champagne. Our guide showed us not only how they make champagne today, but also how he used to make champagne when they first opened. After we had all asked questions and our guide had answered all of them, we then jumped back onto the trolley to tour the vineyards, chestnut groves, and fresh fish ponds. This vineyard is truly huge, and the tour took us approximately 1 hour or so. You then return to the tasting room, where you can taste up to 10 or 15 wines, depending on how crowded it is. All are pretty good, but I have come to the decision that a really good wine is all up to the taster after touring so many vineyards. I advise to visit this winery during either the heat of summer when a welcome breeze blows off the lake or during mid autumn when the fall colors are at their best. Most of all, though, I advise you to just enjoy!

For more info click on the following link:
http://www.goosewatch.com/gsw_ld.html