Let's Go Somewhere-9/30/2014 Wildwood/Naples, Nashville

Aleathia says:

For our third anniversary together we decided we would like to go to one of the Quiet Places since we missed our usual summer trip.  In the past we had spent some days at High Tor which is not far from Naples, NY.  It is a great little town full of nice people.  It wasn't available so we stayed at a new place called Wildwood.

This place is more beautiful than the pictures give it credit for on the website.  The common room is an airy open space with a peaked roof like a ski lodge.

The decor is modern woodsy if that makes any sense.  It has accents of being a cabin in the woods but doesn't scream back country.

The kitchen is modern and fully prepared for cooking.  The bed is fantastically comfortable though be prepared to be awakened by falling acorns if you go there in the fall!

The best part of the place is the view of Canandaigua Lake from the back porch.  We watched the sunrise and the sunset here and it gave such a sense of peace to the day.

The owners of the house are gracious to leave basic medications in the cabinet like Tylenol and Ibuprofen and Tums as well as clean toothbrushes and toothpaste in case you forget your own.  They also leave a snack basket and a gift certificate for a free wine tasting at a local winery.  They also make available a binder full of restaurant menus and local attractions so you can plan your day while you drink your morning coffee.

In Naples there are great places like Bob and Ruth's, Inspire Moore Winery, Luigi's Pizza, and Rennoldson's Grocery.  If you go down the street a bit you will find the Middletown Tavern (home to slamming wings on Wednesday nights) and Joseph's Wayside Market for fresh produce and baked goods.  There are other various restaurants, ice cream places, and quaint stores to shop at.  As always, stop by Monica's for a pie.  She makes the goods.



John Says:

The New York Times recently published an article on the surging population in Nashville and the subsequent boom in real estate that runs in tandem to these sort of things.  One aspect of the article touched on the fact that many of the buildings of the legendary Music Row were being torn down to be replaced by luxury condos.  Ah, America.  While you may not be imbued with a sense of history, artists as diverse as Ben Folds, Dolly Parton, Willie Nelson, Everly Brothers, Roy Orbison and The Monkees have recorded music in the studios on Music Row.  This Man recorded some 200 songs in the famous studio B.

Anyway the article got me thinking about the times that I had been in Nashville.  My wife and I went there for the first time in 2006 and then again while traveling the country in 2007. 

A must in Nashville is hanging out on Broadway. 

 The street is lined with honky tonks and juke joints galore.  While the strip has probably lost its authentic gleam as most places have lost their authentic gleam in 21^st century America, there’s still a lot to take in for someone looking to sit back, suck down a cheap Pabst, and get pleasantly buzzed to the sound of good music.  Key places along Broadway are: Bluegrass Inn, Legend’s Corner, Robert’s Western World (both a boot shop AND a kick ass honky tonk), The Stage, and the immortal Tootsie’s Orchid Lounge, which was once home to the likes of Kris Kristofferson, Willie Nelson, Patsy Cline, and Waylon Jennings. 

 Add a drunken trip to Jack’s Bar-B-Que for some brisket and then stumble around the corner of 5^th Street to the Ryman Auditorium, home to the original Grand Ole Opry, and you have the makings of a pretty good night.

For those of you on a non-musical historical bend, Nashville is also home to its very own Parthenon.  Located in Centennial Park, the Parthenon is a full-scale copy of the original in Athens.  It was built in 1897 as a part of the Tennessee Centennial Exposition.  In 1990 a re-creation of the Athena Parthenos statue was added to the structure.  The building is a pretty impressive place to wander around in….at least until the bars start to open.

Those of you who watch TV are probably familiar with the Blue Bird Café from the show Nashville.  I’m sure the place is overrun with tourists in the same way my blessed Spotted Cat in New Orleans became overrun with Treme fans a few years back.  But if you can squeeze in the Bluebird is a pretty good time.  They do this event there called In the Round which involves four local singers/songwriters playing and riffing on music while sitting in a circle.  It’s a pretty intimate experience for people.  One of the singers had his whiskey right on the edge of my table.  The Blue Bird, while a Nashville institution, is a touch removed from the city center, so you’d need a car/bus to get there.

Let's Go Somewhere-7/8/2014 High Tor

Aleathia says:

This summer I am definitely missing our trip to our getaway cabin in the woods.  A friend at work turned me on to a website called The Quiet Place.  It is a place where you can browse through 19 different cabins scattered throughout the Finger Lakes Region.  There are cozy two person cabins like the one Michael and I have been to called High Tor.

This cottage is very modernly renovated though it looks rustic on the outside.  It has an indoor fireplace, warm and inviting colors, and great views from anywhere in the house.

It is equipped with television and cable and a dvd player as well as options for music.  It comes fully furnished and the kitchen is equipped for cooking.  They also provide a gas grill if that is what you like to do. You just need to bring your own food.

We chose this cabin for one reason only....the insanely awesome bathroom.  I know we must seem like OCD clean freaks and maybe we are, but it is a dream come true experience.  Each time we stayed there we found excuses to take another shower.  This is a dual sided shower with all sorts of crazy jets, river stone tiles and it even has a bench!  Best shower ever.

The back of the house features a large deck that looks into the woods and from the hot tub you can watch the stars at night while the breeze keeps you cool.  

There is also a nice little secluded area in the yard where you can sit in front of the fire pit.  We cooked hot dogs over the fire one year and watched the fireflies and listened to the natural world around us.

We started going to this place as a getaway from bad memories.  Michael's mother passed on his birthday which is always depressing, so we started going there as something fun to try and replace those negative memories with something good.  We didn't go this year for several reasons.  We bought a house and the finances just don't allow the expenditure with everything we have had to buy to get this place going and last year my aunt died on my birthday while we were there.  We also quit drinking and lord knows we did one hell of a ton of that at High Tor.  So now we will have to find a new quiet place to make memories at.  If you get the opportunity you should really check this place out.  We have fond memories and lots of laughs. These cabins are a great way to rekindle love or to just get away from everyday stress.  Enjoy.