Rochester: A Gem That Is Finally Sparkling...

The Glen Iris Inn is an historic restaurant and country inn that was the home of William Pryor Letchworth, the founder of New York's Letchworth State Park.

Since I've lived in this region my entire life, I've never stayed overnight at the Glen Iris Inn and I've never known anyone who's ever stayed here. So this review will focus on the restaurant: a very pleasant, attractive place with expensive, bland food that will delight your mother and grandmother.

The restaurant offers American fare such as steaks, chicken and fish that are traditionally prepared. In recent years, the restaurant has tried to keep pace with new cuisine styles, offering more grilled and broiled meats and fish with fresh, local produce. Still, don't anticipate any avant garde dishes. And don't expect a cheap price tag: entrees are generally $20 and up. Even lunches (including picnic lunches to go) are $12 and up. Service is leisurely, but not slow enough that you'd want to complain.

Still, you can't beat the setting or the pleasant surroundings and staff. Few places offer the view, or the knowledge that you are dining where the original owner once sat more than 150 years ago.

Simply Crepes is an unusual restaurant in that it offers a broad menu -- all featuring crepes.

I wouldn't have thought a restaurant like this could succeed, but it is usually full. I think the reason is that its menu is familiar, yet inventive. For example, entrees include Chicken Tarragon Crepe, Tukey & Smoked Gouda Crepe, and even a Chnese Chicken Salad Crepe served in a baked crepe bowl. Portions are surprisingly hearty, but you should save room for dessert. Like with the entrees, desserts are served in crepes. Here is a sample of the mouth-watering selections: Nutella Fruit Crepe featuring the Nutella hazelnut spread with bananas or strawberries rolled in a crepe and topped with chocolate sauce and powdered sugar!

The restaurant is located in the quaint Schoen Place plaza along the Erie Canal. The dining room is small, but cozy in a traditional colonial New England style with a fireplace and linen tablecloths.

This is a great place for lunch, especially for "ladies who lunch."

If Washington's Cherry Blossom Festival is too mobbed or Amsterdam's Tulip Festival too far away, then consider visiting Rochester's Lilac Festival.

This annual week-long festival celebrates Rochester's legendary lilac bushes, those hardy blossoms that bloom each May (weather permitting). Each year, thousands visit to see more than 500 different varieties of lilacs planted on 22 acres of Highland Park, the beautiful urban park designed by noted landscaper Frederick Law Olmstead. This year, even Martha Stewart herself visited the park and naturally, it turned out to be the most perfect day of the week.

The festival itself is not overly commercialized; in fact, admission is still free and local community groups still run many of the concession stands. Highlights include weekend arts and craft shows, daily concerts (most are free), and children's carnival rides. You also can purchase your own lilac bushes and trust me, there are varieties here that you won't find anywhere else. In addition to the outdoor attractions, be sure to visit the Lamberton Conservatory on the grounds. In addition to exotic plants, the building has some of the few indoor restrooms and water fountains in the park. But if you can't make it to those restrooms, be sure to look for the unique port-a-johns: where else will you find lilac purple bathrooms!

Given that weather in Rochester in May can be extreme, be sure to check out the official website at www.lilacfestival.com. The site will tell you the "state of the blooms" so you can arrive at the optimal time of the festival. And don't worry about finding it: just follow your nose and inhale!

So you're wandering through Rochester's beautiful Highland Park and...oh no! You need a bathroom break or a chance to just sit for a spell. Well, stroll into the Lamberton Conservatory, a lush indoor garden that is open year-round.

The conservatory is notable because it has clean, heated restrooms (the only indoor restrooms in the area). It also has a public telephone and a drinking fountain - all necessities if you're visiting the park when there's no festival going on.

The conservatory is small by national standards, but complete with a coy pond, seasonal flower display, orchids, tropical forest, and carnivorous plants. Balconies allow you to look at eye-view with some of the larger exotic, flowering plants.

Since Rochester is such a cloudy town with rain to rival Seattle, the conservatory is a wonderful place to visit during the off-season. I've even gone there with a book during the winter. Dress lightly, though, as the conservatory can get very hot and humid - even in the winter. Still, it's a wonderful way to restore your spirits without going to Florida! The park also allows wedding photos during the off-hours.

Admission is just $2 (yearly passes are available for $20) for adults and $1 for seniors and children. The conservatory is open 10am to 4pm daily, except Christmas. Call (585) 753-7275.

New York State bills Letchworth State Park as the "Grand Canyon of the East." Now that may be an exaggeration since the gorge is only 660 feet deep, but it's still a scenic, quiet, and beautiful park. Letchworth has several waterfalls, a dam, 66 miles of hiking trails, a museum, beautiful stone fences, and bridges and camping facilities. It's perfect for a day trip.

Letchworth is located about 30 miles south of Rochester in New York's rural farmland region. Last year, it celebrated its 100th anniversary as a state park. It began as a private estate of a Quaker businessman and social reformer, William Pryor Letchworth. Upon his death, his home became the Glen Iris Inn and the estate a park.

Letchworth has only one main two-lane road through the entire 16 miles of park, which hugs the west side of the Genesee River gorge. As you drive through it, there are several scenic overlooks and picnic areas, all with stone picnic tables and stone fences. The park was primarily built during the Depression, when the government's Civilian Conservation Corps brought hundreds of unemployed workers to Letchworth to build miles of fences and facilities out of local field stone. Because there has been little building before or after, the park remains fairly uniform in its appearance. Just ignore the ugly, modern restaurant that popped up along the dam.

The most scenic times to visit the park are in the early spring (which could be anywhere from March to May) and fall. The fall colors are truly spectacular, so book early if you plan to camp or have a meal at the park's Glen Iris Inn during October. Columbus Day Weekend is also when the park has its annual Arts and Crafts Festival, so plan to get there before 11am if you don't want to be in miles of traffic.

The park is great for hiking, with most trails along the gorge. The trails are somewhat strenuous, not so much because the terrain is that rugged, but because a lot of the trails consist of hundreds of stone steps or trails rutted with tree roots. Still, the overlooks and buildings are accessible, so even non-walkers will enjoy the experience.

If you want to do something spectacular, take a hot air balloon ride over the gorge or go white-water rafting. All the park guides offer information about the private operators who run those activities. In 2007, however, a severe drought in New York meant that the gorge was pretty dry. In my entire lifetime of going to Letchworth, I've never seen the river bed as dry as it was this year.

The Finger Lakes Trail, an extension of the Appalachian Trail, also runs through Letchworth and there are finally signs telling hikers where it is. New York State is finally getting serious about promoting and supporting its trail system (thank goodness). There's also a Genesee Greenway bike trail that runs from Rochester to Letchworth. So, if you're feeling hardy, bike on down!