Skaneateles in winter

Psst: Wanna know a secret? Visit the StoryBook Village in the winter!

Everyone that knows about us seems to want to visit us on Friday & Saturday Night in the summer. Trouble is; you can't find a place to park or a seat at a restaurant.

The solution is easy: travel in the OFF season. Like right now.

Skaneateles Suites
even has "Last Minute Specials"

Secret Places in Skaneateles

Secret Places!

Skaneateles Suites has a teriffic, FREE, new program called Secret Places. Any registered Guest need only ask any Staff Suiter and voila, you get a personalised, custom walking tour of the toryBook Village.

Want a preview? Visit the Creamery and see a Teasel and why we hate Eli Whiney. Further, did you know that the Loghtening Class sailboat was designed and built right here in Skaneateles?

But there is more; restaurants that will give you special attention and very hip women's clothing shops and very cool bookstores and even a place you can paint your own pottery.

All this on top of a three diamond room at the Boutique Hotel or a Bungaow at the Skaneateles Suites.

Marcellus Masterworks Chorale

Oh, my God! Maureen McCauley has an amazing ability to attract talent. This is an original image from 1985, today they are in technicolor.

Toni and I went to the Sunday Night Masterworks Chorale recital for Christmas. We have heard them many times and expected it to be great, but oh, my God!

Maureen found Karen Bartlett-Morse, plus two other female vocalists and a guy with a trumpet. Sorry, I don't have the names you guys, but you were spellbinding.

Skaneateles Festival

The Skaneateles Festival presents:

"A Manhattan Christmas"

featuring Laura Austin Allyn and the jazz artistry of vocalist Karen Holvik, pianist Tony Caramia, and other special guests.

"A Christmas Suite" is generously sponsored by:

The Falcone Family

and

Aurora Inn
Henry & Helga Beck
Pat & Mary Bright
Bill & Donna Davis
Evan and Elizabeth Dreyfuss
George Iocolano
Jacobs Press
Tom & Gretchen Jeffers
Lynn Law Firm
Eloise Luchsinger
Dan McCann and Five Seasons Florists
Milford, Lynch & Shannon, Attorneys at Law
Mirbeau Inn & Spa
Bob & Sally Neumann
Andy & Sherie Ramsgard
Ramsgard Architectural Design PC
Linda Roche, Realty USA
Rosalie's Cucina
Saxenian Rug Company
John & Carol Shannon
The Sherwood Inn
Time Warner Cable
James & Salli Tuozzolo
Dale and Rillann Van Epps
Wachovia Securities: Alan F. Coates, A. Daniel Coates, Elizabeth Besio and Frank Albanese
Jeff & Kate Youle

Charles Dicken's never knew Robinson Crusoe

Chuck never knew Rob, but if he did they would be friends, and probably hang out at Dockide at Robinson Crusoe Cottage in Skaneateles, one of the Finger Lakes in Central New York.

How does the idea of a like-it-was summer vacation sound to you? If you are a little blown away by just how fast paced we all live, like finding this blog, then you will love Robinson.

It is, indeed, a like-it-was summer cottage nestled amongst 2 acres of private woods and waterfront. Now, don't get me wrong; this is no camp. Inside has been completely renovated and has [most] of the luxuries of home. Absent is cable TV and internet, but, by the end of the week you will wish you didn't have that at home either.

Sound alluring? I know it does to me. So pick up your cell phone [Ug] or email [Ug, again] me about a vacation memory.

Curt

Charles Dickens Visits the Manger

Tourists are NOT Welcome in the StoryBook Village!
[For 1 Night, anyway.]

Most of the time we surrender our Village to the tourists who flock here to get a taste of the life we live 24/7/365. But:
Beginning at 6PM December 08, 2006
Locals Night and Dedication of the Creche

Father Christmas greets the children in the Skaneateles Library beginning at 6 pm; Dedication of the creche 6:30, Singing by Skaneateles students, Caroling with the Dickens Characaters. Extra time for shopping, Stores open until 9 PM. Free Refreshements made possible through the donations of Key Bank, Imagine, Pomodoro, The White Sleigh, Apricot Lane, Vermont Green Mountain, Teddy Bear Nursery, Sherwood Inn, Bella Blue & Creekside Books & Coffee.

Of course, it's all FREE! except...

NEW THIS YEAR: Help Decorate the Community Tree. Purchase an ornament from The White Sleigh, Pomodoro, Key Bank, Apricot Lane or the Chamber of Commerce Office $7.50 ea or 3/$20.00 and hang on the Gazebo Tree. Proceeds to benefit the Skaneateles Fire Department.

Read: "Lighten up Scrooge! Buy an ornament"

Call Sue or Candy 315-685-0552 for details, except what else do you need to know?

Skaneateles Historical Society Open [Boat] House

Big Stuff is happening in the StoryBook Village History Department.

Actually, it all started when a guy decided to tear down a significant old waterfront home to build even more significant new waterfront house. Part of what's being torn down is an original turn-of-the-Century BoatHouse. That, of course, rang the bell [loudly] at The Historical Society. [It should come as no surprise that they actually care about Historical Old Houses.]

On the other hand, Toni and I know all about the other side of this argument. Historical old houses can also be classified as junkers with no particular redeeming value other than being old and a real pain in the ass to renovate.

So, the guy had a GREAT response to the outcry "Save our History". "If you want it, you can have it and I will even pay you money to haul it away!".

That would have been the end of that in any ordinary community, but not here in the StoryBook Village. they [The Historical Society] said "OK, we will".

Now, to fully understand this drama you need to know The Historical Society has a Historic Old Building of it's own, the Creamery. The Creamery used to do stuff with milk and cream and sits on the bank of the Outlet in a picture perfect setting. Today it is a Museum full of Teasels and Lightning Sailboats and all-things-Skaneateles. But it wasn't always that way. 15 years ago it was a Junker.

Next to the Creamery is yet another Historic Old Junker. Well, it turns out that the owner, Ron Fisher, offered it to the Historical Society last month for an Expansion of the Museum. [Thanks!, Ron] Truth be known, Ron did this in the memory of his wife and their life in the StoryBook Village.

Next to that is [yet] another Historical Junker. So here is the Plan.
We will buy both, renovate Junker #1, then tear down Junker #2, then move Junker #3 to where Junker #2 used to be.

Whew! Are you following this? Only in the StoryBook Village.

Clearly this is all a lot of Junk and they need your help.
Sunday, December 3, 2006

Location:	The Creamery 28 Hannum St. Skaneateles, NY 13152
Contact:	315-685-1360
Website:	Click here for more information
Starting Time:	1:00 PM
Ending Time:	4:00 PM
Admission:	FREE

Auburn Holiday Inn just called

It's A-Dog-Eat-Dog World in the Hotel business. Sort of.
Except here in the Finger Lakes.

I just got a call from Amber at the Holiday Inn Auburn. You could search for Holiday Inn, but better to go directly to their local page. In case you don't know, The Auburn Holiday Inn is a very nice property in the next community over from the StoryBook Village, and, Amber is a large part of the personality of the place. You will immediately understand when you talk with her.

In any event, we are supposed to be competitors. Ha!

Amber had a Guest wanting to make reservations with them for the 2007 Sunrise Rotary WinterFest but didn't know the dates. So, of course she called us Skaneateles Suites [remember we are supposed to be the competition?]

This is so typical! Now don't get me wrong; everybody wants to sell their rooms first. But after that is done, or if you don't have what the Guest wants we think nothing of picking up the phone and calling "The Competition".

By the way, WinterFest is January 27 & 28, 2007. If the Holiday Inn is sold out, then call us! Ha!