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ateolfJust got back in from our big trip yesterday evening. Let's see how well I'm able to reconstruct this week-plus. I left off last Thursday (or technically the Thursday before last as it's Sunday now and all) and that night I went to see the Blueshift Ensemble perform at Crosstown Brewery. It was good, they were doing the music from Iceberg again. At the end everyone in the audience got to play balloons. Then back home to try and sleep for a little bit before waking up at an ungodly hour.
So I woke up at that ungodly hour of like 3:15 am. Mary Beth didn't even bother going to sleep at all. Our taxi came like an hour later and we were off. Our gate was right by the Interstate barbecue but it was sadly too early for them to be open. The first leg went very smoothly. And we got a pretty spectacular sunrise as the plane was taking off with bands of red glow saturating the horizon. And while we were flying, I kept seeing a bunch of rivers or valleys filled with fog and it was some nice imagery. Our layover was in Philadelphia and I seized the opportunity to get a cheesesteak from the Geno's in the airport. It was alright but, you know, I couldn't pass it up. There was a little delay before our next flight got there. Oh yeah, and we saw Daniel (of Crockett Hall) on the first plane, after we landed I asked where he was headed to and he said Rochester. His girlfriend is from there and they were going to a wedding. So of course he was there on the next flight as well. Don't often have that happen. But we got in and Mary Beth's parents picked us up. The rest of that day was pretty sedate. I think I took a nap for a bit. We had dinner and all that. They made some Rochester hots. This time Mary Beth and I stayed outside of their home and rented an air b&b. The place was pretty nice. It was in this enclave as the land drops down to the bay with all these small twisty roads. There was one road off the side that had what seemed like a near-vertical drop. It's not one we drove down and probably not one we COULD drive down in our car. But we had a nice little house all to ourselves and there were two cats living there. Two maine coons named Missy and Sissy. They were very floofy and very friendly. One was more openly friendly than the other but the other one would go crazy for pets if you came and found her on her perch. The one cuddled with us in bed too. She'd jump on top of us and start kneading and Mary Beth said that one night she was headbutting my face while I was asleep. They were the most gracious of hosts.
The next day was Saturday and Mary Beth and I got up and went to the Rochester market. It was nice and we had empanadas from Juan and Maria's and also a white hot from Zimmerman's. The weather was lovely. Well actually this day it rained just a little but only right after we left the market. We drove around a bit and made a surprise stop at House of Guitars and I picked up a few cds: Yoko Ono: Fly, Inner Circle & The Fatman Riddim Section: Heavyweight Dub / Killer Dub, Philip Glass: 50 Years of the Philip Glass Ensemble, Excepter: Debt Dept., and The Velvet Underground: Live at the Boston Tea Party '68 & '69. Then it was over back to her parents' to hang out a while. I mostly just remember a low key day and maybe I'm forgetting something, but that feels like just about it.
Sunday was another low key day. I think there a shopping run or two. The night was the big family dinner. Mary Beth's aunts and uncles came over: Aunt Laurie, Uncle Denny, Aunt Cathy, and Uncle Rick. It was good seeing and talking to all of them, but some awkwardness did eventually erupt with her dad shouting at Rick. But the food was good! And everything else was nice. Her dad barbecued a pork butt (I think) with au jus.
Monday is the day Mary Beth and I went on our first big excursion. We drove down to Seneca Falls to see some museums and Finger Lakes along the way. We stopped off at Canandaigua Lake to have a look. We stopped at a little park and enjoyed the view. Then we did the same at Seneca Lake. Another nice view. We walked out on this pier. Walking out we heard this bird shrieking somewhere in the rocks. Then as we were walking back in the shrieking had stopped and we see what I think was a weasel running away down the rocks on the side of the pier. Next we make it to Seneca Falls and go to the Women's Rights National Historical Park (which is a museum right next to the Wesleyan church where the First Women’s Rights Convention was held in 1848). It was good and a nice bit of history. Next we went down to the street to the National Women's Hall of Fame. It's in a pretty small space that they've outgrown but they're talking about how they're moving in six months to this old Seneca Knitting Mill building right across the river/canal from the Women's Right National Park. So that should be pretty interesting! I was even admiring the mill building before we went over there. Laurie Spiegel is being inducted into the hall of fame this year which I'm excited about, but I guess since that ceremony hasn't happened yet the 2019 inductees didn't have their plaques displayed yet. Even though it was closed that day, we went and drove by Elizabeth Cady Stanton's house and looked at it from the outside. There was also a little park right there by the canal and we sat and enjoyed that view and even got to see a boat go into a lock. Next we took another little jaunt to another closed-for-the-day house: Harriet Tubman's. There was a gate so we didn't get as close a look, and it was a bit of a drive away, not in Seneca Falls but Auburn. All in all it was a really nice day with perfect weather for our park jaunting. Oh and coming back in we grabbed a garbage plate and ate it down at the park by the beach at Charlotte. Then we took a nice walk down the long, long pier. The water's high so it was spraying on us a bit as we walked out, but it was an adventure avoiding the streams of water. Then we spent the night hanging out with her parents again. Oh, I missed that the night before we grabbed Pontillo's pizza and ate some of it that night and the rest on the drive down to Seneca Falls.
Tuesday was another day of sight seeing, but this time within the city of Rochester. We took a little look at the Frederick Douglass monument and then over to Mount Hope Cemetery. Took a good walk around, looking at Susan B. Anthony's and Frederick Douglass's graves. It's a nice place to walk around on and the hills (they're not kidding about the "mount" part) made it very scenic and wanderable. We took a stop at Nick Tahou's for a REAL garbage plate. That's such an awesome place. Then to the Susan B. Anthony House. That was a guided tour, quite good, and it's pretty cool to see that house. It was pretty awesome and powerful those two days being at such a ground zero for women's suffrage and rights. After that it was a nature-within-the-city vibe. We went to the Genesee Brewery and sat out on the roof with a magnificent view over the High Falls, a waterfall right in the middle of the city (history lesson: it was the center and basis for the flour mills that were the backbone of Rochester's early days). Next we went over to Maplewood Park. We were right by Kelsey's Landing (last stop on the underground railroad) and then took the trail down to see Lower Falls (another huge waterfall!). We also walked up to Middle Falls, which aren't as big but you get to go on a bridge right over them. So much waterfalls! It was really cool. Then another evening back with the parents and I guess our last night in the city.
We got up early on Wednesday and said goodbye to Mary Beth's parents before heading out on the road, taking their old car which I guess is now my new car. It's a 2010 Kia Forte. So we start our trip back home with a few detours. First we were going to stop in Buffalo for lunch. At the last minute, since I'd been enjoying the waterfalls so much the day before and we were making good time and early (we had time to kill in Buffalo before the place we were going to eat lunch opened up anyway), Mary Beth decided we should stop by Niagara Falls. So we did! Now uh that's a big waterfall. I know you get the better view from the Canadian side, but it's amazing how right next to it you are on our side. And it's still pretty impressive, Horseshoe Falls. There's also American Falls and Bridal Veil Falls which aren't the huge main attraction of Horseshoe, but are pretty impressive and you get to go right over them pretty much. If we ever go back it'd be nice to take a boat right into it or go down to the paths on the bottom (which you need a poncho for and all). But it was a nice impromptu diversion! Then we went into Buffalo and had wings at Anchor Bar (the place that invented Buffalo wings). They were really good. Much, much etter than any "Buffalo wings" I'd had before. Now I see the appeal (when you get them done right)! So yeah, nice then it was back on the road to continue our journey!
So I woke up at that ungodly hour of like 3:15 am. Mary Beth didn't even bother going to sleep at all. Our taxi came like an hour later and we were off. Our gate was right by the Interstate barbecue but it was sadly too early for them to be open. The first leg went very smoothly. And we got a pretty spectacular sunrise as the plane was taking off with bands of red glow saturating the horizon. And while we were flying, I kept seeing a bunch of rivers or valleys filled with fog and it was some nice imagery. Our layover was in Philadelphia and I seized the opportunity to get a cheesesteak from the Geno's in the airport. It was alright but, you know, I couldn't pass it up. There was a little delay before our next flight got there. Oh yeah, and we saw Daniel (of Crockett Hall) on the first plane, after we landed I asked where he was headed to and he said Rochester. His girlfriend is from there and they were going to a wedding. So of course he was there on the next flight as well. Don't often have that happen. But we got in and Mary Beth's parents picked us up. The rest of that day was pretty sedate. I think I took a nap for a bit. We had dinner and all that. They made some Rochester hots. This time Mary Beth and I stayed outside of their home and rented an air b&b. The place was pretty nice. It was in this enclave as the land drops down to the bay with all these small twisty roads. There was one road off the side that had what seemed like a near-vertical drop. It's not one we drove down and probably not one we COULD drive down in our car. But we had a nice little house all to ourselves and there were two cats living there. Two maine coons named Missy and Sissy. They were very floofy and very friendly. One was more openly friendly than the other but the other one would go crazy for pets if you came and found her on her perch. The one cuddled with us in bed too. She'd jump on top of us and start kneading and Mary Beth said that one night she was headbutting my face while I was asleep. They were the most gracious of hosts.
The next day was Saturday and Mary Beth and I got up and went to the Rochester market. It was nice and we had empanadas from Juan and Maria's and also a white hot from Zimmerman's. The weather was lovely. Well actually this day it rained just a little but only right after we left the market. We drove around a bit and made a surprise stop at House of Guitars and I picked up a few cds: Yoko Ono: Fly, Inner Circle & The Fatman Riddim Section: Heavyweight Dub / Killer Dub, Philip Glass: 50 Years of the Philip Glass Ensemble, Excepter: Debt Dept., and The Velvet Underground: Live at the Boston Tea Party '68 & '69. Then it was over back to her parents' to hang out a while. I mostly just remember a low key day and maybe I'm forgetting something, but that feels like just about it.
Sunday was another low key day. I think there a shopping run or two. The night was the big family dinner. Mary Beth's aunts and uncles came over: Aunt Laurie, Uncle Denny, Aunt Cathy, and Uncle Rick. It was good seeing and talking to all of them, but some awkwardness did eventually erupt with her dad shouting at Rick. But the food was good! And everything else was nice. Her dad barbecued a pork butt (I think) with au jus.
Monday is the day Mary Beth and I went on our first big excursion. We drove down to Seneca Falls to see some museums and Finger Lakes along the way. We stopped off at Canandaigua Lake to have a look. We stopped at a little park and enjoyed the view. Then we did the same at Seneca Lake. Another nice view. We walked out on this pier. Walking out we heard this bird shrieking somewhere in the rocks. Then as we were walking back in the shrieking had stopped and we see what I think was a weasel running away down the rocks on the side of the pier. Next we make it to Seneca Falls and go to the Women's Rights National Historical Park (which is a museum right next to the Wesleyan church where the First Women’s Rights Convention was held in 1848). It was good and a nice bit of history. Next we went down to the street to the National Women's Hall of Fame. It's in a pretty small space that they've outgrown but they're talking about how they're moving in six months to this old Seneca Knitting Mill building right across the river/canal from the Women's Right National Park. So that should be pretty interesting! I was even admiring the mill building before we went over there. Laurie Spiegel is being inducted into the hall of fame this year which I'm excited about, but I guess since that ceremony hasn't happened yet the 2019 inductees didn't have their plaques displayed yet. Even though it was closed that day, we went and drove by Elizabeth Cady Stanton's house and looked at it from the outside. There was also a little park right there by the canal and we sat and enjoyed that view and even got to see a boat go into a lock. Next we took another little jaunt to another closed-for-the-day house: Harriet Tubman's. There was a gate so we didn't get as close a look, and it was a bit of a drive away, not in Seneca Falls but Auburn. All in all it was a really nice day with perfect weather for our park jaunting. Oh and coming back in we grabbed a garbage plate and ate it down at the park by the beach at Charlotte. Then we took a nice walk down the long, long pier. The water's high so it was spraying on us a bit as we walked out, but it was an adventure avoiding the streams of water. Then we spent the night hanging out with her parents again. Oh, I missed that the night before we grabbed Pontillo's pizza and ate some of it that night and the rest on the drive down to Seneca Falls.
Tuesday was another day of sight seeing, but this time within the city of Rochester. We took a little look at the Frederick Douglass monument and then over to Mount Hope Cemetery. Took a good walk around, looking at Susan B. Anthony's and Frederick Douglass's graves. It's a nice place to walk around on and the hills (they're not kidding about the "mount" part) made it very scenic and wanderable. We took a stop at Nick Tahou's for a REAL garbage plate. That's such an awesome place. Then to the Susan B. Anthony House. That was a guided tour, quite good, and it's pretty cool to see that house. It was pretty awesome and powerful those two days being at such a ground zero for women's suffrage and rights. After that it was a nature-within-the-city vibe. We went to the Genesee Brewery and sat out on the roof with a magnificent view over the High Falls, a waterfall right in the middle of the city (history lesson: it was the center and basis for the flour mills that were the backbone of Rochester's early days). Next we went over to Maplewood Park. We were right by Kelsey's Landing (last stop on the underground railroad) and then took the trail down to see Lower Falls (another huge waterfall!). We also walked up to Middle Falls, which aren't as big but you get to go on a bridge right over them. So much waterfalls! It was really cool. Then another evening back with the parents and I guess our last night in the city.
We got up early on Wednesday and said goodbye to Mary Beth's parents before heading out on the road, taking their old car which I guess is now my new car. It's a 2010 Kia Forte. So we start our trip back home with a few detours. First we were going to stop in Buffalo for lunch. At the last minute, since I'd been enjoying the waterfalls so much the day before and we were making good time and early (we had time to kill in Buffalo before the place we were going to eat lunch opened up anyway), Mary Beth decided we should stop by Niagara Falls. So we did! Now uh that's a big waterfall. I know you get the better view from the Canadian side, but it's amazing how right next to it you are on our side. And it's still pretty impressive, Horseshoe Falls. There's also American Falls and Bridal Veil Falls which aren't the huge main attraction of Horseshoe, but are pretty impressive and you get to go right over them pretty much. If we ever go back it'd be nice to take a boat right into it or go down to the paths on the bottom (which you need a poncho for and all). But it was a nice impromptu diversion! Then we went into Buffalo and had wings at Anchor Bar (the place that invented Buffalo wings). They were really good. Much, much etter than any "Buffalo wings" I'd had before. Now I see the appeal (when you get them done right)! So yeah, nice then it was back on the road to continue our journey!
