Back in the Burg

I haven't written about Trumansburg since we moved away from it, but if you love the Burg like I do, you know that it's hard to stay away. Every so often, PTB and I leave our children in the care of my parents and indulge in a walk around the Burg. It really is a sweet little town, boasting of... well, not a whole lot. That's what makes it little. Although limited in size and franchise, most every space is wielded useful and crisply appealing.

This is my favorite shop, not just in this small village, but of every equivalent shop in every place I've been. It's called Sundrees. Its smallness mimics its hometown, but it is likewise packed with beauty and color. In it, they sell things useful, whimsical, plain, ornate, for children and adults of both male and female variety. The best part? Sundrees largely draws on the community for its wares. In an age of outsourcing and Chinese products, what ordinary American doesn't appreciate the words handmade and local in the same sentence?

You can find Sundrees downtown on Main Street, next door to NY Pizza and across from NAPA Autoparts.

Around the Burg

It snowed last night here in the Burg.  Now at 2 in the afternoon, there are still some white reminders in the back yard, so I thought I'd make this an opportunity to write one more wintery spotlight of my village.

Introducing:

It says "most likely" because I didn't do my research for this post (sorry), but let me tell you:
This hill is lonnnnnnnnnng.  It's also steep.  It also appears from the top that you will dump right into Cayuga Lake at the bottom, but this is not the case.

Rice Hill is owned by the NY State Parks system.  Like the picture says, it is a sledding hill.  There is a lodge at the top, a look-out tower, and an outdoor skating pond (which you may or may not need to shovel off  yourself).  All of this coupled with great adventure and (just a little) danger you can have for FREE!  Located on Rice Road in Trumansburg and open all winter long, this activity is worth trying once.  And one time down Rice Hill is usually sufficient because the walk back up it is physically exhausting (in fact, as a little girl, my mom used to drop my brother and me off at the top and drive to the bottom to pick us up --I recommend this strategy to the young or feeble).

Around the Burg

(This image is a reminder that Spring will come.  It WILL come.  It will.)

In honor of the snowstorm heaven sent us last night, I'd like to introduce you to one snowy feature of the Burg.  I call it: Lessinger Sculpting Inc. 

The Lessingers live down the road toward town.  I don't know them personally, but I am personally acquainted with their artwork --not that the Lessingers are artists by profession.  They are both physicians who practice their medicine right here in the Burg.  If I didn't already know this about them, you could easily convince me that the Mr. spent years in a school for artists.  Because he can create.  Boy, can he create.  I don't know what the inside of their home looks like, but every winter the outside is graced by large, intricate, professional looking snow sculptures.  These sculptures are amazing, beautiful, smart, sometimes hilarious --the image always lasting.  Except, they don't last.  They melt.  Then, when it snows again, he builds a new sculpture.  And never the same one.  They are all so varied.

A fun game to play during the Burg's (oh so very, very long) Winter is: What sculpture will the Lessingers build next?

Here's the most recent:
(taken with the phone, please excuse me)

Around the Burg

The Burg took the back seat, or the non-existent seat, the past two months --and not for a lack of good weather. The bike mobile is dangerously in need of some repairs and I made the executive decision to hold those repairs until my funds recover from Christmas and the pre and post birthday activities (Mom, PTB, Pook, and Livy all sandwiched around the holidays... that's a lot of birthday cake).  So we've been spending a lot of (read: way too much) time trapped at home.  We only ventured out into Trumansburg once since Halloween and (because the blog also ranked low on the priority list) I never got around to recording the venture.  So here you go: Around the (almost forgotten) Burg.

The date:  November 29, 2009  The temperature:  55 degrees 

The place:  The Gorge at Taughannock

Let me just say now that a November trip up the gorge sans snowshoes is not typically recommended.  A waterfall with free-flowing water following the 1st of said month is almost unheard of.  Winter was trying to be humble this year, or maybe just feeling burnt out from its October 16th debut.  Instead of complaining or worrying about the possibility of a brown Christmas, we took advantage.  We packed up our kids, a sister, some fleece, and our stroller and headed to the base of the trail where we found a parking lot bursting with the cars of hikers who had the same bright idea:

Taughannock Falls.  

I know I've mentioned this place at least a few times before and you might as well expect to hear about it again in the future, because it is one of my favorite places.  On Earth.  I know that's a bold statement and I'm really not that well traveled, but I love it anyway.  Standing at the base of Taughannock is truly an extraordinary experience.  The kind that one of my petty descriptions would never do justice.  So I won't describe it.  I'll just give the facts followed by an invitation to come try it yourself and call that sufficient.

The flat trail is only 3/4 of a mile.  It's not physically demanding.  It could even be enjoyed on a bike or in a wheelchair.  I'm telling you, this is a place for everyone! The trail is marked with unobtrusive benches for the weary and signs supplying more information than I could ever offer on my blog.

It runs the length of a post-glacial valley which was carved over a long period of time by a meandering stream.  The stream is still present.  In the summer months, visitors can hike the length of the valley in water shoes.  The stream offers plenty of its own entertainments: slippery rock, crayfish, snakes, minnows, small waterfalls, skipping stones, other stones, a slight current, beauty.

Near the trail's beginning is a lower (nameless??) waterfall, good for jumping off of or taking pictures in front of.  The pool at the bottom is frequently used for fishing and smelting.

  (this is the only evidence I have of it, taken June 2009)

The trail is, as I mentioned before, in its own special little valley, surrounded on both sides by 400 foot cliffs.   Trees reach their roots across the vertical face of these rocky cliffs and miraculously grow thick, tall trunks while tenaciously hanging on to whatever they can.  This stoic plant life provides habitation for some pretty amazing birds -owls, falcons, hawks, etc.

And then you meet Taughannock.  One of the tallest single-drop waterfalls east of the Rocky Mountains,  it stands 215 feet tall (33 feet taller than Niagra).  It is beautiful and powerful.  The experience of standing at its base is almost magical.  You can stand right there and feel its wind and mist and listen to its roar and be absolutely enchanted.  Well, I am, at least.  Come try it.  You may never want to leave.

Around the Burg

This addition:

The elementary school in your town probably has one, too, but in the burg it's a little different. At events like this, in small villages like this, you're likely to know half the crowd. And you'll recognize the other half. It's a real community sort of a feel.

There's something especially welcoming about a bundled-up community, gathering in crisp autumn air, with plenty of exuberant children (in fact, all of the children for miles). With some creativity, some laughter and joking, and a ghoulish utterance or two, such an event can liven even the darkest of spirits.

Here's to you, an invitation to come next year. Bring a thermos of warm cider. Wear your own costume. It's sure to be a real Halloween treat.

Around the Burg

Who ever thought that getting lost in the Finger Lakes could be so much fun?

All my thanks goes out to T-burg Mini Golf for being so much more than just a well kept miniature golf destination (which it is, I might add.) As the season for golfing is just beginning, those ingenious entrepreneurs have already devised a plan and begun planting. Those plantings sit in the background, (on the other side of a hedge, actually) and unfold slowly throughout the summer months. When the weather for golfing is a thing of the past, that inconspicuous field suddenly becomes the main attraction. And what an attraction! A map of the Finger Lakes etched right into a 10 acre landscape of corn is really quite amazing, if you ask me.

Successful explorers enter the maze at the bottom of the "S" in Finger Lakes, journey through all eleven Finger Lakes, learn a little bit about each lake on the way, find their way through a race car, a hot air balloon, a bunch of grapes, and a wine bottle, and exit at "Stewart Park" in Ithaca. There are checkpoints throughout the maze (eleven of them). At each checkpoint, you get information which helps you to correctly answer eleven questions about the Finger Lakes. If you answer all correctly, your name is entered into a drawing. The Grand Prize? An aerial trip for two over the maze and surrounding area (The Burg)! Sweet, huh?

You can make your way through this maze during any day of your choice, but if you wait for Friday or Saturday evenings, you can experience the wonder of this brilliant piece of work with a flashlight. If you wait for the flashlight experience Friday, October 3oth, the maze will be haunted! That's not really my thing, but I thought I'd put it out there.

PTB and I chose the flashlight experience. And it really was an experience. We were given the map all folded up and encouraged not to use it. We didn't use it (though at one point it was really tempting) and somehow made it out before closing time, but after we got back to home base, we opened our folded paper and just shook our heads in amazement --that we even made it out before the following morning. The opportunities to get lost are plenty. Read: 3 miles of paths! Therefore, if you plan on taking me up on this, allow for an hour. Our time: 45 minutes. But we were really lucky. And we ran through some of it. Yes, ran with our flashlight.

Trumansburg Mini Golf

1966 Trumansburg Road (Route 96) Trumansburg, NY 14886

That's on Rte 96 on your way to Jacksonville

Around the Burg

October 16, 2009

The Burg, NY

We woke up to this:

It's not at all unusual to have snow of this quantity long before Winter's official commencement. We T-burgundians have come to expect and accept our fate. But the first snowfall still feels a little surreal every year. Not everywhere in the world can you annually experience heavy snow on colorful Maples. It's really quite mesmerizing.

Around the Burg

Over the summer, Trumansburg took a momentous step toward joining the modern world as it welcomed a 24-hour business (the first and only). Now residents of our beloved burg can pick up some forgotten necessaries or fill their empty tanks -- after dark... and before dawn! The idea breathes freedom to a lady who has gone most of her life with the notion that if it's past 9:30 when you realize you've run clean out of milk or eggs, you might as well forget it.

Now, all you city folk are probably thinking, No big deal, we've had convenience stores, 24-hr groceries, and Wal Mart since 1910. I agree, it's fairly ridiculous to me that such an idea wasn't proposed fifty years ago. I'm sure that even my great-grandparents made their share of late night runs to Ithaca for something as silly as a loaf of bread. But I'm not taking you on a tour of the Burg each week so that we can all laugh at my parochial village. I'm here to tell you that this 24-hour business is more than the average. Allow me to list for you a few wonderful peculiarities of T-burg's latest:

• new and modern, but still fits a small village (i.e. it's almost charming)
• a convenience store, but not the 7-11
• clean and simple, but spacious dining inside
• an ice cream window
• non-hormoned dairy
• milk in glass bottles
• cheese from local cows
• a bazillion flavors of ice cream

Introducing:

(T-burg Style)

Come check it out. Located on Main Street in The Burg (just like everything else).

Around the Burg

A Glimpse of the Finger Lakes

One thing I absolutely love about the Burg are the views. There are all kinds of beauties here, but today I would like to briefly touch on just two --Seneca and Cayuga.

The Finger Lakes are a chain of more than 7 north-south running, fresh-water bodies lined up neatly across much of Upstate NY. Seneca and Cayuga proudly sit together in the middle, the longest and deepest of the bunch. Situated along the hills between the two are a string of small villages. And when the inhabitants of these villages travel from place to place or within the limits of their own towns, they are constantly catching glimpses of these two lakes from high up on the hills. Oh my, those glimpses are like a piece of heaven, or at least a good reminder of what heaven might be like. Sometimes when I see even a small patch of lake from between thick rows of trees, I think perhaps this is why my ancestors settled here and never left.

Around the Burg

The Pocket Park

This is one of our favorite destinations on the bike mobile. Now you may be wondering what in the world a pocket park is. Don't be discouraged, dear reader, I'm about to tell you all about it. Perhaps after learning about this little gem, you'll make your way over to the Burg to try it out yourself. Our opinion is this: the pocket park is well worth any amount of travel or expense. We simply love this place.

Why we love it:

imagination.

pretend play.

relaxation.

friend making.

fine dining.

sunshine (about three times a year).

shade.

foliage.

running water.

Don't you love it already? Are you still wondering what a pocket park is?

Okay, okay. It's this little "pocket" tucked in the heart of Trumansburg where kids can find three mini buildings: a firehouse, a library, and a log cabin. These fine structures surround a mini courtyard containing a unique dining arrangement and various trees, perennials, and tiny patch of grass. All of this nestled right next to the village creek. It's right on Main Street, but has a stone half-wall built around it, to keep the noise of the almost-busy village out and your adventurous children in.

The main attraction, of course, is the mini structures. Each is a work of art. They are all built using impeccable design and very fine workmanship --roof lines, windows, ladders, closets, and lofts, to name a few. The firehouse has a loft and fire pole inside and a hose on the outside. The library is full of books --real ones and lots of them. The log cabin boasts a front porch and homemade (wooden)appliances in the kitchen.

Have I mentioned that we enjoy this place? Not everywhere can you experience the nearly life-like thrill of fighting library fires. Nor are there many places in this world for your children to relax with a banjo on a homey front porch just like they do in Tennessee (supposedly). Is it any wonder we've spent a good chunk of the season in this near-paradise? Should I tell you the number of emergency diaper changes I've carried out behind these buildings?

Around the Burg

Every Wednesday evening (4-7pm), June thru October

Located at the "Village Park" (you know, that patch of grass on the corner of Main St. and 227)

Like everything in T-burg, the Farmers' Market is not too huge, but brimming full of goodness. An opportunity to meet local growers, buy fresh food, listen to live (and local) music, browse handmade goods, grab something for dinner, and mingle with your neighbors. Also, a chance for your children to roll down a grassy knoll. Really, the Farmers' Market is an all around good time.

Each vendor is required to sell items that he has grown, produced, or crafted himself. It's amazing to walk by each booth and admire the work and the worker all at once. These are not indolent people. With the fruits of their labors displayed proudly before them, the admirer can plainly see that these fruits are the product of much toil. And are they ever worth it! It is all sooooo much better than anything in the grocery store. The melons are the most juicy, sweet things on the planet. There is an amazing assortment of vegetables and fruits. Some vendors deal in dairy, while others have homegrown meats. You can even find plenty of honey, jams, breads, and pure maple syrup.

The market smells good, has a great beat, looks welcoming. What's not to love?

Around the Burg

Introducing: Life's So Sweet Chocolates

Trumansburg is not very big, yet somehow big enough to boast its own candy shop. And this isn't a shop that sells the overpriced chocolates of a faraway factory. No sir. Life's So Sweet Chocolates specializes in "classic and unique handmade chocolates". You heard me: handmade. They sell their very own, made-in-the-back, truffles, fudge, chocolate mint frogs, and dipped passion fruit. That list is not exhaustive. They always seem to have something new and mouth watering. Of the chocolate variety, of course. On my most recent visit, I tried their lavender white chocolate. It actually tasted a bit like the smell of lavender! Quite the experience. Another adventure I once had in this quaint shop was a sample of their aztec truffle -a snappy little chocolate featuring hot peppers. Don't worry, it isn't all "unique". This sweet shop offers something for everyone. Normal kinds of chocolate, cute shapes, organic made kinds, frozen treats, fancy jelly beans, wild adventurous chocolates and gummy candies. They also have a lollipop tree which is a main attraction for Gerret. All this contained in a tiny (but beautiful) store on T-burg's main drag. One of our favorite destinations on the bike mobile.