I'm here to see the law school show tonight. Unlike NYU (where I went to law school) and Wisconsin, they don't take a comedy sketch approach. It's a music talent show.
The flight out was fine (including the craziness of writing for a deadline and having repeatedly to shut down the laptop for take-offs and landings). It's so much nicer to travel when there aren't any delays. I'd forgotten!
Driving an unfamiliar car around a strange city after a long day is kind of not that fun, but we managed to get out and around and have some dinner at the Lost Dog Café and drinks and dessert at (I think the name was something like) Marguerite's.
Can anyone suggest a good scenic route around the Ithaca countryside?
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Ann, take a visit to the small city park at the end of Cayuga Lake. It's winter, so it won't be as pleasant as in spring or fall, but it's a lovely park nonetheless.
There are wineries on the shores of Cayuga and Seneca Lakes, many of them offer tours and tastings. I made a memorable journey one time hitting every winery in the area, and arrived in Ithaca very happy indeed, where I sat on a swing at the park.
On the ridge above the city is Ithaca College and Cornell, both lovely parts of the city; the auditorium at Ithaca College is a great place to watch sunsets.
Winter isn't really the best time for Ithaca, unfortunately, unless you like skiing or the like. The restaurants in the area are often superior, because the students from the Cornell hotel/restaurant colleges work there.
Take a walk in Buttermilk Falls State Park, or Taughannock Falls State Park. Also, why didn't you invite people to meet you in Ithaca? I can make it to Ithaca, and as a matter of fact I'll be in Ovid tomorrow.
A blog-reader meet-up in Ithaca? We only had 8 people in NYC!
I'm looking for a scenic drive, not a scenic get-out-and-walk-around-in-the-cold.
Would like to take some pictures though.
Can anyone suggest a good scenic route around the Ithaca countryside? You have to see Taughannock Falls. Prior to doing so, I didn't understand the considerably higher high suicide rate among Cornell students.
This old post shows I've seen the falls.
You took the lazy American way to see Taughannock falls. Get some exercise. Park by the lake and walk up the path to the falls (assuming it's open)--it's only maybe a mile or so. It's much more humbling to look up than to look down.
I wonder if they will sing this song in the show?
“ On the shore of Lake Cayuga, there was a horrible smell. Was a pack of sons of bitches, called themselves Cornell”.
Actually this is a song sung by Penn fans when Cornell teams come to Philly.
Definitely make your way to some of the wineries on Seneca Lake, especially Atwater. So good!
Poor AJD, the sun will not come out tomorrow!
There's lots of cool architecture to photograph on the Cornell Campus. On one visit I drove up to a rustic little restaurant on the west side of the lake for lunch. Nice drive. No more specific info on that though.
I live in Ithaca. Some of the best views are from Cornell campus itself and the campus itself is pretty beautiful, so I'd drive around campus a bit. There are a lot of windy roads as you get off onto North Campus, but that's part of the fun. You might get lost, but the houses are fun to check out and you can't get that lost in Ithaca... eventually you'll come to some main road.
Another nice view of Ithaca is coming into town from the south along Route 96B. Just go a few miles up 96B from the Commons. You can check out Ithaca College up on the hill, but its not that impressive, then turn around and drive back down the hill into town.
Stay away from any of the parks people have recommended. They're closed, cold, and dangerous even if you could sneak in.
Depending on how far you want to drive, Trumansburg is about ten miles north of Ithaca on Route 96. Its a pretty little one-road town with a remarkably popular (given its location) live-band dive bar called the Rongovian Embassy. The name itself makes it almost worth the trip.
There's not much to see if you drive out east on Route 79 or north on Route 13. I'd say the best way to head for a leisurely scenic drive is north on Route 96. That's where the wineries are too, but they you won't see signs for them for about 15 miles.
I think the name of the bar you went to last night was probably Madeline's, on the opposite end of the Commons from Lost Dog.
Good weekend NOT to be in Madison . . . .
http://www.620wtmj.com/_content/news/story_6952.asp
I took a walk around the neighborhood -- beautiful white new snow. And more for tonight. So you'll have to dig a path to your door when you get home.
Ruth Ann:
I heard it via some family lore - though my mother and older sister went to Penn, I learned the song from my father who did not. Your version may be correct.
Mine was gotten in an advanced course in barroom trivia.
I seriously think the best place to be in Ithaca during the winter is in class, or inside one of Cornell's many cozy libraries with pretty views. Save the excursions for summer.
As a stunted but committed, and generally fulfilled private practitioner (and aspiring blogger), I've just become introduced to Althouse. RE this particular post,I must say there have been times in my career I've fantasized about life as a law professor, and the unique brand of intellectual exchanging that goes on, and traveling to Ithica in February, with snow on the ground, and sharing observations and thoughts with others equally interested in doing the same. All best.
Find this place.
http://www.town.ithaca.ny.us/parks/sunsetpark.htm
It's driveable on your way to the heights cafe for dinner
BTW from the pix you're staying at the Statler which ain't a bad place to be in the winter
I'm in Kankakee, IL! I took a wrong turn leaving Chicago after the FedSoc conference, and having finally righted myself, the weather has closed in on me. I'm at a hotel, and to add insult to injury, the internet connection is very, very dicy.
Simon, if you were in Madison you'd be enjoying thundersnow and howling winds. We'll be snowbound tomorrow -- the kids are dearly wishing for a snowday on Monday. I doubt it, but the outlying school districts surely will close. I question whether the Professor will be able to fly back.
MadisonMan - I'm sanguine about it. I was pretty upset when I got here about not being able to make it home, but now I'm just kind of winding down, trying to work out how to leverage 26 pages of notes into a coherent blog post about the conference.
The chapel on campus is gorgeous. I love the starry plafond, or ceiling.
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