NY Veterinary Conference: Animal Medicine, and Treatment, and Feed, Oh My!

In 1894, Cornell University became a pioneer in the world of animal medicine by opening their veterinary school, which has since become known as being the best in the nation.  Each year, the veterinary faculty and staff host outreach programs for students and professionals alike on topics such as disease prevention, animal nutrition, animal well-being, and more.  It is for this reason that the New York State Veterinary Medical Society (NYSVMS) has chosen Cornell University as the site of its annual New York State Veterinary Conference.  As an animal lover myself (you will meet my pets when you visit), I would like to personally welcome all attendees, researchers and speakers as Gothic Eves guests during this conference in nearby Ithaca, NY.

2012 Conference Date:  September 27, 28, 29, 30
Where: Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine at 1 Caldwell Road

Co-hosted by Cornell's College of Veterinary Medicine and NYSVMS, this program is for everyone interested in, researching, and practicing veterinary medicine.  The conference features over 125 session options on topics related to companion animals, equine interests, and topics relating to bovines and other smaller farm animals.  While you can choose to follow a single specialty schedule, you can also opt to attend whatever discussions and labs interest you.

The general Conference schedule includes:

• Thursday, September 27, 2012:  Evening arrivals, registration (if needed), reception, and a variety of optional tours.
• Friday, September 28, 2012:  Sessions.  Lunch not provided.
• Saturday, September 29, 2012 - daytime:  Sessions and labs.  Lunch not provided.
• Saturday, September 29, 2012 - evening:  Purple Party and Silent Auction.  In reference to the partnership between the NYSVMS and the Veterinary College (mix Cornell's red logo with NYSVMS' blue logo - purple), this special gathering offers food, drinks, music, and silent auction of great items to benefit the NYSVMS scholarship program to assist NY resident veterinary students, and the veterinary Political Education Committee.  (While purple attire is not required, many show all-around support by wearing some sort of purple item or article.)
• Sunday, September 30, 2012 - Sessions and labs.  Sunday brunch IS provided.

Registration is currently open - the sooner you register, the more likely you'll be able to attend some of the smaller labs.  Anyone registering before September 15 will receive the early discounted price, and event coordinators recommend pre-registration to save both money, and time once you arrive!

Please note that if you plan to attend Friday activities, a parking pass is required for on-campus parking (weekend parking is free).  This is an option to purchase when you register.  Parking passes will also be available for purchase at the Conference.

Additional event information and a complete list of labs and programs/classes can be found at Cornell University's website.  While the site lists the typical hotels in the area, I (of course) recommend the short drive to my bed and breakfast in Trumansburg, just a 13.5 mile drive away for ideal accommodations. Take in the latest in veterinary interests during the day, and return to your home-away-from-home in Trumansburg for a relaxing evening and a great night's rest.  Why not extend your stay and enjoy New York's wine country?  Either way, you'll be treated like family.  Come discover why people love my Trumansburg inn!


Innkeeper Rose Hilbert
POB 95, 112 E. Main St.
Trumansburg, NY, 14886
info@gothiceves.com

1-800-387-7712 | 607-387-6033

Finger Lakes Winery Tours by Boat is a Hit with Wine Lovers

If you love wines and wine tasting, you've probably heard about the Cayuga Lake Wine Trail, featuring 16 amazing area wineries.  But what if I told you there's a new way to taste regional vintages?  Six wineries provide boat access, and one area tour group has taken advantage of this fact by offering Water to Wine Tours: wine tasting by boat!  This is another great Upstate New York activity you can enjoy during your getaway at the Inn at Gothic Eves.

This seasonal tour is a new option for experiencing both the beauty of the lake, and some of the area's best wineries, and has been a hit with visitors and locals alike.  For locals, it's a chance to combine two of their favorite pastimes in a responsible manner.  For visitors, it's a delightful way to enjoy the area and discover our wines.  On the tours, you will board the Isle of Skye, a 26-foot harbor launch that seats up to 15 passengers.  Expect to see beautiful Victorian homes, lakefront gardens, the charismatic town of Aurora with the iconic buildings of Wells College, and beautiful natural scenery!

Two different scheduled tours are offered.  The first is a 5-hour tour with 3 winery stops, a picnic lunch with soft drinks at Long Beach State Park, and coupons for wine purchase offered Monday through Saturday ($85 for adults only).  The second is a 2-hour trip with optional 2-3 winery stops on Sundays only ($35 for Adults, $25 for Children 12 and under).  Tours leave from either Interlaken or Aurora, NY.  When stopping at the wineries, ample time is given to peruse the selections, taste the wines, and do a bit of shopping before you head off to the next destination.

The tour service also offers private charters on either the Isle of Skye or their smaller boat II Special (which seats up to 6).  Both charter options have a 2-hour minimum cruise time.  If you choose this option, you can plan your own winery tour, visiting any or all of the six Cayuga lakeside wineries you wish!  Prices can be found on their website.  You can either book online, or I can help you with reservations once you arrive at the inn.

As your innkeeper, and someone who regularly suggests activities to my guests, I took the Water to Wine Tour myself to see what it's all about.  And because I thoroughly enjoyed it myself, I can wholeheartedly recommend this unique tour option to anyone who asks!  So choose Gothic Eves as your Ithaca area inn accommodations, and plan to spend a few hours on the Cayuga, meeting new friends, enjoying the sights, and sipping the wines!


Innkeeper Rose Hilbert
POB 95, 112 E. Main St.
Trumansburg, NY, 14886
info@gothiceves.com

1-800-387-7712 | 607-387-6033

August Events in the Finger Lakes Region

 July will be over before we know it, summer will soon start to wind down, and children will be headed back to school.  But why not plan one last Upstate New York getaway to a charming bed and breakfast?  Besides the 'usual' activities such as area dinner cruises, and events going on at area colleges, there are still fun Finger Lakes events happening in August.

Open Days Garden Tour
August 4, 2012.  See some amazing gardens by residents in Ithaca and Dryden.  Four gardens are highlighted including a perennial garden around a historic farm house, a garden featuring a lotus pond, a classic 'small lot' garden, and a garden featuring ponds and an aquaponic greenhouse.  $5 per person per garden.

August Events at Swedish Hill Winery
Just 20 miles from the inn, Swedish Winery is known for weekend activities.

• August 4, 2012:  Swedish Hill Winery's "Jack Ass Day":  In honor of the family's pet donkey, a fun event has been planned with live music, BBQ, games, and a wine sale.
• August 11, 2012:  Wine, Paws and Claws with live music, BBQ, and wine as a benefit for Beverly's Animal Shelter.
• August 18, 2012:  Limited Release Wine Tasting.  The winery introduces two experimental wines to the public for tasting and feedback.

Groton Olde Home Days
August 17-18, 2012.  This local summer festival happens just in time for families bringing their freshmen students to Cornell!  The annual event has traditionally featured live music, carnival rides, games, tons of food, crafts, kids' activities, ans so much more at this annual festival in a small-town setting culminating in the Annual Grand Parade on Saturday evening.

Trumansburg Fair
August 21-26, 2012.  Our town's six-day event including everything you'd expect to find at a fair:  food, rides, entertainment, animals, lots of children's activities, a demolition derby, firemen's parade, fireworks, and more!

Finger Lakes Cheese Trail Open House
August 25, 2012:  The Finger Lakes Region has a large number of small-production cheese-makers who throw open their doors four times a year to welcome the public during a cooperative open house event.  Five of the 13 total members are within 30 miles of the inn, including our very own Finger Lakes Farmstead Cheese here in Trumansburg.

Whether you're planning a late-summer vacation, or bringing students back to school, there is plenty to do in the Finger Lakes region during August.  Enjoy Bed and Breakfast accommodations, and have fun exploring the area through these great events!


Innkeeper Rose Hilbert
POB 95, 112 E. Main St.
Trumansburg, NY, 14886
info@gothiceves.com
1-800-387-7712 | 607-387-6033

Ithaca Artists Market: an Annual Visual Arts Event

Upstate New York cares deeply about the environment, our residents, and the arts. In May, we told you about the Ithaca Festival as a source for a wide variety of visual arts from area artisan, however, this was not the only chance for you to peruse works by these talented individuals.  Ithaca also hosts the annual Ithaca Artists Market: a visual artist showcase and sale for the general public.  This year, the event takes place on Friday July 27, 2012 from 2pm to 8pm, and is a perfect Finger Lakes area activity to start your NY Wine Region getaway!

Once a year, the Ithaca Farmer's Market location, at 598 3rd Street in Ithaca, makes room for this free, juried art event (meaning that pieces entered by artists are judged and awards are given in any number of categories).  Featuring more than 65 visual artists of all types, attendees will find paintings, woodwork, photography, sculpture, glass, fiber art, and more available for viewing and purchase to the general public.  Now in its 22nd year, the Market is a great way to find some of the best art in the area, and offers the chance to talk directly with the artists about their work.

Besides art, the Market features booths hosted by a number of other area arts groups and their events, food/treat vendors, and live music in a total of 88 booths and a general open space.  Two-hour tour cruises are also available through Tiohero Tours: the first is an Eco-Cruise at 4pm, and the second a sunset tour cruise at 7pm.

The event is sponsored by the Community Arts Partnership (CAP), a group founded in 1990 with the goal of providing support to artists of New York's Tompkins County, to encourage cooperation between area businesses and the arts, and to help make the arts a daily part of our residents' lives.  The Market is just one way the CAP brings their goals to reality.

So stop in at the Artists Market on Cayuga Lake on your way to my bed and breakfast.  Or plan an extended weekend in New York's Trumansburg/Ithaca area and make this event just one of several activities you'll enjoy during your bed and breakfast vacation.

Innkeeper Rose Hilbert
POB 95, 112 E. Main St.
Trumansburg, NY, 14886
info@gothiceves.com
1-800-387-7712 | 607-387-6033

Enjoy a Finger Lakes NY Dinner Cruise During Your Visit

The Finger Lakes are a popular upstate New York leisure destination for my bed and breakfast guests.  With their natural beauty, lakeside parks, public beaches IN these parks, and boating potential, these area attractions are a huge draw for locals and visitors alike.  But what if you want to experience the lakes without the crowds, and you aren't traveling with a boat?  Maybe you'd like to try a dinner cruise on NY's deepest waters!  There are on-lake dining options for both of the lakes closest to The Inn at Gothic Eves:  Cayuga Lake and Seneca Lake, and any are a perfect choice for an unforgettable sunset dinner experience.

Cayuga Lake
At almost 40 miles long, 3.5 miles at the widest point, and 382 feet deep, Cayuga Lake is the second-largest of the Finger Lakes, and is the closest to Gothic Eve's inn lodging near Ithaca.  It is also arguably the most beautiful of the lakes with it's pretty hills, amazing gorges. and gorgeous waterfalls.

• Cayuga Lake Cruises has two vessels to offer:  the historic Motor Vessel (M/V) Manhattan, and the newer (but still historic) M/V Columbia.  The three-hour seasonal dinner cruises feature five types of main dishes, including a vegetarian/Vegan option, with salad, sides, dessert, and after-dinner coffee or tea.  Cost is currently $44 for adults, and $32 for children 12 and under.  Please note that a 17% gratuity and 8% sales tax are added to each price, which makes total cost approximately $55 for adults and $40 for children - however, the experience is well worth it!
  
  CLC also offers Lunch, Brunch, Cocktail, and Happy Hour cruises for a variety of prices.  See their website for details.
  
  Cruises are offered 7 days a week during cruise season, and depart daily from their Columbia Pier at 708 West Buffalo Street in Ithaca.

Seneca Lake
It's 38-mile length, 1.9 mile max width, and maximum depth of 838 feet makes Seneca the largest and deepest of the Finger Lakes (and of any lake in the state), and is the next-closest lake to my inn.  A popular destination for trout-fishers, the lake also has a mysterious phenomenon known as Mistpouffers: cannon-like booms and percussion that are heard and felt through the area!  Seneca also boasts some very pretty waterfalls and the Painted Rocks at the south end of the lake.

• Seneca harbor Station and Captain Bill's is a restored train station that now offers both land-side and on-lake dinners.  Captain Bill's is responsible for the dinner options, and offers a variety of different choices throughout the week: 
  
  Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday nights are the traditional dinner cruises.  Five dinner options (including a vegetarian option) are joined by soup and salad, sides, and New York Cheesecake for dessert.  Cost is currently $47.95 for adults, $23.00 for the Kids' size of the regular menu, and $19.00 for a Kids' Menu option.
  
  Wednesday brings a a laid-back Burgers and Blues Cruise is offered with burgers (of course), pulled pork, cold summer salads, beer, and live blues music.  Cost is $36.95 for adults and $16.00 for children 12 years and younger.
  
  Saturday's offering is a Margaritaville Dinner Cocktail Cruise, joining the above dinner cruise with a cocktail-cruise.  The cost is $49.95 for adults, $23.00 for the Kids' size of the regular menu, and $19.00 for a Kids' Menu option.
  
  Sunday's dinner is a Vintage Rock & Roll and Blues Cruise.  The traditional Dinner Cruise menu above is offered with the addition of live music.  The cost is $49.95 for adults, $23.00 for the Kids' size of the regular menu, and $19.00 for a Kids' Menu option.
  
  While Mondays aren't exactly a 'dinner cruise' per-se, teens are welcomed aboard for an alcohol-free good time featuring pizza, soft drinks, a DJ, and dancing for just $17.00.
  
  Captain Bill's also offers Wednesday and Saturday Lunch Cruises on the M/V Seneca Legacy, and daily sightseeing cruises on their second boat, the M/V Stroller IV.

Why not consider a Finger Lakes dinner cruise during your Trumansburg bed and breakfast stay?  I will be glad to help you make any dinner cruise arrangements, give directions to the docks, and answer any questions you might have about this great upstate New York adventure.


Innkeeper Rose Hilbert
POB 95, 112 E. Main St.
Trumansburg, NY, 14886
info@gothiceves.com
1-800-387-7712 | 607-387-6033