Rambling with Russ: Canandaigua: Springtime Christmas

AprYule

April 16-17, 2016

It’s been something of a family tradition to have belated Christmas celebrations in response to bad weather or family schedules that prevent getting everyone together in late December. This year will be particularly late for various reasons, but mid-April seems a quite agreeable time to have a family gathering. We’ve selected Canandaigua as a central meeting site: Marjorie & I coming from Albany, my brother Doug & sister-in-law Ann coming the farthest from Midland MI, stepsister Mar from Fort Erie Ontario, cousins Marcia & Bob from closer-by Ithaca & Geneva. Since we were away in Vietnam in March, we left it to Doug to pick a place to rendezvous. He seemed a bit apologetic about his choice of the Miami Motel: less expensive but maybe a bit too kitschy w/ pink flamingos and other such adornments. But it was well-reviewed in TripAdvisor. And the combo of Christmas in April (christened “AprYule” by Mar) in the Finger Lakes with a Floridian ambience seems appropriately quirky . . . and, as noted below, his choice will get thumbs-up from the whole gang!

We leave Albany 8am Saturday for our 3½- hour drive, uneventful on a beautiful sunny spring day; the sun continues thruout the weekend w/ temps in the 60s up to 70, not very Christmasy but just fine for our plans. We arrive at the motel shortly before Doug & Ann. The Miami Motel has been restored to its 1950s glory by the current owners over the past 10 years; it’s the very model of a ‘50s motel: bright colors in the rooms, period light fixtures & furniture (Marjorie’s sister Mary, who trades in antiques, would love the “mid-century” look), a retro sign by the road, pink flamingos, even a working pay phone! And just the thing for our gathering: pink flamingos hanging on a Christmas wreath above the office. The owners are very friendly and helpful (Mar’s subsequent comment on Facebook: “When was the last time you paid your bill and hugged the proprietor?”). Kudos to Doug for finding this! We head off to a nearby Applebee’s where we’d arranged to meet Marcia & Bob for lunch.

It’s such a beautiful day, we delay our holiday celebration to head into town for a while. The outskirts are full of resorts & shopping malls (later in our stay we drive over to a skeletal building wondering what it is or will be, learning from our motel hosts it’s hotel construction that ran out of money). But like so many places in the Finger Lakes, Canandaigua, dating to 1789, has many beautiful old homes and churches within the city, and a walkable downtown with interesting shops & eateries.

The ornate County Courthouse and City Hall are particularly impressive buildings.

Pretty murals in a couple of alleyways, and one of a railway station on the side of a building overlooking the tracks.

And a lovely sculpture of children.

While the rest of the group browses thru shops, I wander looking for (and finding) photo ops. After the others tire of shops, Marjorie & Doug track me down so we can do our Christmas thing back at the motel.

Marjorie brought along some Christmas decorations, including a very small tree and manger scene, to set the mood. When the owners learn what we’re doing they bring down trays with coffee & water for us, and the husband takes a group photo. We all brought various munchies to share. The plan was to not bring gifts for everyone, but Doug & Ann didn’t get the memo in time and have something for each of us. We forgive them this mix-up. A good time is had by all, catching up on family news.

Into town for dinner at Simply Crepes, a pretty little local spot. Then, as recommended by our motel hosts, Marjorie, Doug, and I drive down to City Pier for sunset. Lots of noisy seagulls. Colorful “historic” boathouses; signs say you can’t live in them, so we wonder about the numerous antennas on their roofs.

Back to the motel, its retro look enhanced at night.

As usual, I’m up very early Sunday AM, so back to the pier for sunrise photos. A pretty morning, people fishing from the pier and boats on the lake. Nice lighting on the boathouses and marina; I take a selfie of my shadow.

After driving around town for photos of picturesque buildings (most notably the Granger Homestead) and streets, back to the motel.

Everyone’s up, so we all head into town for breakfast at Patty’s Place, full of locals and local ambience. And as we leave what to our wondering eyes should appear but . . . a Christmas tree in the front window! A fitting conclusion to our family holiday.

We take the somewhat longer but more scenic route along Route 20 (including the old “Cherry Valley Turnpike”) back to Albany, with a couple of stops along the way. Into Montezuma Wildlife Refuge: some geese, pretty trees and marshland. A dip south to Cooperstown. Many shops & restaurants closed, too early for the summer hordes of baseball fans. But we find Pioneer Patio to share a sandwich for lunch outside.

To the Fenimore Art Museum, overlooking beautiful Otsego Lake, bright blue sky above deep blue water. A special collection of Ansel Adams photographs, plus ongoing exhibits of American Indian and folk art, NY landscapes, etc.