Finger Lakes - Corning Museum of Glass

I am a big fan of Corningware. I especially love their range of Corelle plates because they are so light, durable and does not chip easily. So, when a fellow bed and breakfast guest at Ithaca raved about their visit to the Corning Museum of Glass, we decided to make the slight detour south west from Watkins Glen and headed to the town of Corning, home of Corning Inc. and the world famous Corning Museum of Glass

The museum is housed in a futuristic looking building, with lots of glass (naturally) which lets in natural lighting, giving it a sense of spaciousness and airiness.

Once inside, you're greeted by a modern glass artpiece which resembles the Greek mythological figure Medussa's hair of hissing serpents
There is so much to see and do at the Corning Museum that you could easily spend a whole day there. Take a look at their scheduled shows and tours and plan your visit around these. There are many beautiful works of glass that literally takes your breath away, ranging from the classical to the whimsical, dresses to fruits, modern to historical. Take your time to wander around the different rooms and appreciate the versatility of glass art.







You must catch one of the Hot Glass Shows. It is awesome to learn how the glassblowers create beautiful vases and bowls.


And then, if your creative juices are flowing, sign up for one of the glass making classes (it's not just for kids)
Perhaps one of my favourite section of the museum is the Interactive Exhibition where we got to try out cool glass gadgets!




The Corning Museum of Glass is an absolute delight. My only regret is that I couldn't buy a beautiful set of Corelle plates from their gift shop to bring home with me!

A Tour of the Finger Lakes Region, New York - Wine and Much More...

"Finger Lakes" - I remember thinking to myself what a strange name! However, I soon found out that the Lakes (11 in total), which were carved by the glaciers in the last ice age got its name from its resemblance to the fingers of a human hand. How cool is that? The five major fingers (lakes) (from east to west) are Skaneateles, Cayuga, Seneca, Keuka and Canandaigua. If you're wondering why the names of the lakes are such tongue twisters, they're actually Native American (who were the original inhabitants in this region).


The Finger lakes is quiet and peaceful - a pleasant change from the hustle bustle of New York City. If you enjoy the cosy setting of a bed and breakfast, you will not be disappointed by the range of quality bed and breakfasts. Apart from its bountiful vineyards, numerous state parks and waterfalls dot the region. Because each lake is long and slender (like a human finger), and major towns are located at the north and south ends of the lakes, the best way to visit the region is to drive from east to west (or vice versa, covering the bottom (or top) of each lake and then heading up (or down) to cover the other end of the lake.

Our first stop was Cayuga Lake, where we discovered the delightful restaurant, Simply Red Bistro, located at Sheldrake Point Winery on the west bank of Cayuga Lake. We also took a short but pleasant hike at the Taughannock Falls State Park to the Taughnannock Falls which is higher than Niagara Falls at 215-feet. Despite its height, the volume of water flowing down the falls cannot match the mighty Niagara. Still, it is a beautiful attraction and well worth a visit.


We headed out westward to Seneca Lake next and stayed in the quaint town of Watkins Glen. I have to admit that the view of the Seneca Lake is my favourite of all the lakes we visited on this trip. It could be that we had beautiful weather on that day and witnessed a gorgeous sunset. We grabbed a bite at one of the restaurants by the lake and enjoyed the view. What a way to end the day.

Watkins Glen is also home to the Watkins Glen State Park, which is not-to-be missed. This 776 acre slate gorge, is the oldest and most famous of the Finger Lakes State Parks. The Park has 19 waterfalls and awesome walking trails. This was my favourite hike and you'll see why:


Upon recommendation of our host from the Reading House B&B, we stopped by the Hermann J. Wiemer Vineyard, a highly acclaimed German vineyard which was also recommended highly by Frommer's. Famous for its Riesling, we were not disappointed by the wine we tasted. However, we opted for a bottle of Gewürztraminer as it wasn't something we could get easily at home.


Our third stop was Keuka Lake, a small Y-shaped lake.


We stayed at the Village Tavern Inn, in the small quiet town of Hammondsport. The Village Tavern Restaurant serves good food. I thoroughly enjoyed the seafood paella. The next day, we visited Dr. Konstantin Frank's Vinifera Wine Cellars. Set on the slopes of Keuka Lake, we enjoyed wine tasting with a view. The gentleman who served us was very friendly and we had a great time chatting. We couldn't resist buying a bottle of Rkatsiteli and Gewurztraminer to take back with us. The wines are excellent, especially if you like sweet fruity flavours.
Stay tuned for more of our Finger Lakes tour.

Simply Red Bistro, Sheldrake Point, New York

New York City was exciting, but after a week, we were happy to leave the bustling city to explore the rest of New York State. We headed towards the lovely wine region of Finger Lakes. Our first stop - Ithaca, located on Lake Cayuga. Based on the glowing recommendation from our bed and breakfast hostess, we decided to drive to the Sheldrake Point, a winery in Ovid, about 20 minutes away from Ithaca to have our dinner at Simply Red Bistro. It was worth it. Apart from its great location by the lakeside, we had one of our best meals here during our New York trip.




We were there on a Monday night, which happens to be their Southern Night with live music. We were there early but the place was already packed. Fortunately, we managed to get a spot at the bar. Do make reservations if you plan to visit to avoid any disappointments.




J opted for the Country Style Pork Ribs whilst I had the Creole Seafood Jambalaya. The pork ribs were so flavourful and melts in your mouth. It was definitely better than the one we had in New York city! I've never tasted Jambalaya before and I was not disapppointed. The seafood- shrimps, scallops, mussels were so fresh. Cooked together with chorizo and wild rice in seafood stock, it was a meal to be had! The cornbread...Yummy!




We were really full after our main meals but we were told that the desserts were delicious and should not be missed. So, we ordered the Slow Ass Ginger Spice Apple Cake (which was highly recommended) and the Dark Chocolate Capuccino Mousse (I can't resist anything with dark chocolate). I'm glad we heeded the advice as the desserts were absolutely wonderful!



We really enjoyed our meal at the Simply Red. Not only did we meet talented Chef Sam Izzo (we were amazed at how young she was), we also enjoyed great conversation with the bartender and the gentleman we sat next to at the bar. Good food, great conversation - an unforgettable experience all round.

Simply Red Bistro
7448 Rte 153, Ovid, NY 14521
607 532 9401 ext 111