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Thanks for setting me straight! My brother in law grew up in northern Syracuse, Phoenix, and he and my sister lived there for 2 years. I wasn't impressed with what I saw there either, but maybe I haven't given Syracuse enough exploration to write it off. Hope Syracuse starts to get the recognition it deserves!
Thanks for setting me straight! My brother in law grew up in northern Syracuse, Phoenix, and he and my sister lived there for 2 years. I wasn't impressed with what I saw there either, but maybe I haven't given Syracuse enough exploration to write it off. Hope Syracuse starts to get the recognition it deserves!
Yeah, I can understand where you are coming from then. Phoenix, NY is in rural Oswego County and rural Oswego is well...how do I say this in a nice way...white trashy and hick country. When I was growing up local radio stations would have jokes about people living in that part of Oswego County. Not very nice, but it was rather funny.
Thanks for all the thoughtful insight- and the dry humor. Andysmommy07, I'll definitely be reviewing the town of Corning with my wife. I'm excited about the region of cities we're looking to move with the proximity to truly unique other towns and to Canada, eh (had to say it..). Where I grew up for 30 of my 31 years: It's pretty much a gaggle of glorified bedroom communities- with the franchise retail strip malls going up everywhere. As far as putting the words 'standards' and Berkeley into the same sentence, any school that systematically accepts students based on the principle merit of sports prowess and doctoring their academic records to 'good enough' status, has no integrity and therefore no standards. The idea of being in an Ivy League town has some charm in that respect. Berkeley has become a marketing business not unlike Nike.
(Laptop is about to run out of juice... In the words of our great gov. "I'll be back!"
I personally like the classy, quaint downtown of Corning much better than the sometimes ghetto feel of Ithaca.
Andysmommy07, I can't speak for Syracuse, but ghettos in Ithaca? Where?
Like you, I really like Watkins Glen and Corning. Watkins Glen is wonderful for hiking and I love the little shops on the main drag in Corning. I also love the Museum of Glass. I never get tired of that place. I love their glassmaking classes and a lot of them are geared toward kids. Here's the website:
There are hiking trails everywhere in the entire area between Corning, WG, and Ithaca. Lots of sailing on the lakes and the Coast Guard auxiliary in Ithaca has sailing classes and boater's safety classes from time to time (I think they have a sailing class this weekend).
There's a kayak shop in Ithaca that rents kayaks and has little group paddles, and there's a class in kayak "rolling" at Cornell, as well as many other classes at Cornell's Outdoor Education program - everything from hiking to caving to skiing.
There's no chance of being bored around here, that's for sure. I just wish there were more 'fine dining' options as far as restaurants go. Maybe I just haven't found them yet. Any recommendations?
Lack of fine dining?....Between a few in the Elmira to Corning area ..At least 3 or 4 in the Ithaca area...3 or 4 more down toward the Binghamton area.....you shouldn't be lacking that " fine dining experience". Maybe it invoves a drive of an hour or so....but so what..it makes the "going out" experience more special.
I have to agree with Bellafinzi - I've lived in Syracuse's suburbs all my life. From Liverpool to Baldwinsville to Bridgeport. All have been lovely and just a short drive to most anyplace or anything you want to do. There is most certainly a "fest" devoted to your heritage or interest at some point in the year. If you are bored in Syracuse - you will be bored no matter where you are. 'Nuff said. Moving on - Andysmom07 - I'm moving to the Watkins Glen area the first of the year. Any suggestions for employment? I have over 30 years experience in the retail field. Sales, assistant buyer, shipping/receiving - you name it, I've done it.
I have to agree with Bellafinzi - I've lived in Syracuse's suburbs all my life. From Liverpool to Baldwinsville to Bridgeport. All have been lovely and just a short drive to most anyplace or anything you want to do. There is most certainly a "fest" devoted to your heritage or interest at some point in the year. If you are bored in Syracuse - you will be bored no matter where you are. 'Nuff said. Moving on - Andysmom07 - I'm moving to the Watkins Glen area the first of the year. Any suggestions for employment? I have over 30 years experience in the retail field. Sales, assistant buyer, shipping/receiving - you name it, I've done it.
Andysmommy07, I think I'll take you up on your offer - also! I recently bought a book entitled "Victorian Houses - A Treasury of Lesser-Known Example" and on plate 87 there's this gloriously, lavish mansion that is supposedly located in Watkins Glen. The book was published in 1973 and the house in question had seem much better days by the time it was photographed - in fact, it was boarded up and appeared to abandoned. I've goggled Watkins Glen and found what appears to be an abandoned estate size lot at the corner of Bath St. & N. Madison Ave. that I think would be a possible site for such a home - in fact, there appears to be a structure of some kind on the lot - but, goggle hasn't been very cooperative in letting me see enough of the building to determine its condition or.......even if it's the house in question. I'll try to describe the mansion that I'd love to know more about (it's current condition and possibly how it got that way - who built it, etc..) The style seems to be roughly 2nd Empire Victorian on steroids. Looks like a possible residence of either The Addams Family or The Munsters. It's 3 stories tall, 3rd floor is directly underneath the mansard style roof and its a black and white photo - but, I'm assuming it to be red brick - although it looks to have been painted at one time. It has a very beautiful veranda that wraps around the right side of the mansion, and looks like it has a porte' cochere in the center......has a 4 story tower just to the left of the porte' cochere and has an odd wing on the right that looks octagonal and the roof over that parts is faceted like a gemstone. Again, the only information I have on the mansion - is that it is located somewhere in Watkins Glen, NY - I came up with the possible streets - just by using Goggle satellite imagery - and guessed that since it would have surely been the most lavish home in Watkins Glen at the time of its construction - well......I assumed it would either be on the lake or at least have a lake view. Although, people sometimes build things in odd places. I wish I could provide you with a picture - that way you'd know exactly what it looked like. I suppose it would be a copyright law infringement if I did - though....although, I wouldn't be using the image for monetary gain....I wonder if that makes it OK? Thanks in advance for your help!
Watkins Glen what a town.Has it's own electric company, with reasonable Rates and fee. If I was you I'd stay away from any upstate town that does not provide electric power. In upstate NY.Example National Grid rates and Fees are 800% higher than those of Watkins Glen and the other 52 Village and town Electric companies. http://www.nypa.gov/partners/watkinsg.htm Good luck and may you and your family have a great life.
Last edited by TrueGov; 12-23-2009 at 04:02 AM..
Reason: Miss spelling
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Hope Syracuse starts to get the recognition it deserves! 
When I was growing up local radio stations would have jokes about people living in that part of Oswego County. Not very nice, but it was rather funny.
