A New Cafe in Town

The count down began four weeks ago. Soon to be Green Cafe daily customers were anticipating the grand opening of their new, potential collegetown hangout. When the glass double doors finally opened, the usual stale smells of Pita Pit, Starbucks, and Insomnia Cookie were overpowered by the crisp, fresh aroma from the chic, green eatery. The line of customers grew quickly from one to thirty. Some were curious passerbys, others entered the store convinced to leave with a new Ithacan delicacy. 

As a resident of Collegetown who lives close to the cafe, I decided to follow its progression on a day-to-day basis. For the past three weeks my collegetown residence afforded me the ability to walk by the project every morning. After taking a liking to the aesthetics I decided to introduce myself to the builders as well as the owner and vowed my business. Yesterday was my first visit, first three visits actually. 

In the subsequent sections, an unbiased, well-informed opinion will be shared and left for readers to decide whether to push through the glass doors and enter the Green Cafe or remain a passerby. 

Aesthetics: 

It is a refreshing change of collegetown eatery scenery. A bright and vibrant feeling immediately surfaces when one enters. But that novice feeling can quickly turn into an overwhelming sentiment. A lot is happening simultaneously. Understanding its' New York City roots may permit some to understand why it seems the Green Cafe is trying to offer everything. Hot bar, cold bar, salad bar, sandwich bar, but no 'typical' bar. They have yet to obtain a liquor license which could overwhelm others in a different way. What was thought to be a 'typical' bar became a smoothie bar. The marble counter-tops reflect the 10+ flat screen tvs that are placed throughout the cafe. All of these features are not only visible once one is inside, but they are also obvious when staring through the enormous windows that surround two-thirds of the cafe. 

What to eat:

I walked in with no expectations and left with a salmon roll, an assortment of salads from the cold bar and a container of fresh strawberries. Although the aforementioned had already been prepared before entering the cafe, there are a number of at-your service features. A tofu-station, sandwich station, salad station and don't forget the smoothie bar. You can pick out your food or have it prepared for you depending on how much time you have to spend. I suggest browsing through the cafe before making any decisions. It took me three trips to educate myself on how vast a selection they have. 

Staff:

For having opened just recently they seem to know what they are doing. Although some areas are more under-developed than others, there is someone always willing to jump into a new station. I witnessed the man who made my salad in at least three other stations before I left the cafe. The atmosphere amongst the staff as well as the customers is exciting and unfamiliar. We are new to them, they are new to us and it is intense to have to establish ones' reputation within the world of collegetown. 

The down-side:

A common sentiment amongst college students who have recently experienced the Green Cafe is that it is quite pricey. Understandably the cafe has to earn what was put into the construction, but regardless of that fact, after a while the "newness" of the cafe will die down and students will choose their wallets over their stomachs. 

Although they seem trendy and inviting, the chairs are quite stiff in nature. Crowded by the adjacent smoothie bar, the seating area lacks space and comfort. Customers at first feel compelled to sit down especially during the grand opening but days after that, the seats became less frequently occupied. It would be nice to see some outdoor seating as the warm weather melts collegetown. 

Closing remarks:

Somehow in this mess of an economy, the Green Cafe managed to open and they seemed to do so successfully. Ithacans welcomed the new place with open arms and mouths. It is surely not destined to simply be a late-night stop-in. Although pricey, it does have an enormous selection which may intimidate some but attract others. The idea that one can choose there own salad, or make their own sandwich has compelled many collegetown residents to visit the cafe. The New York City aura has satisfied some customers and disappointed others who see it more of a "mainstream" venue. I welcome the refreshing change of scenery. The multitude of options rather than just sandwiches or pizza suits the university atmosphere. So as one passes by the enormous glass windows, keep going until one hits the large glass double doors, open them and take a peek. 

Ithacoffee

Students as well as Cornell staff are in continual pursuit for that perfect cup of coffee. Although the recent transition from Seattle's Best to Ithaca Coffee Company satisfies many people on campus, the coffee itself still isn't great. Fortunately there are alternative options for Ithacans who wish to get more than just ones' average cup. The underground coffee life in Ithaca is buzzing with stands, stores and baristas just waiting to serve. Luckily, my quest to study off-campus has challenged me to find such locations two of which will be subsequently touched upon. 

Gimme! Coffee: 

This hidden gem is located on Cayuga Street in the Commons. It is definitely a place for the locals but they seemed to welcome a stranger when I walked in. The stand has a simple and understated decor matched with deep, wonderful smells of coffee, tea and baked goods. As one moves from the front of the stand to the back is when the noise kicks in. Steaming a pitcher of organic milk, grinding the dark brown specialty beans, blending a frothy mixture are sounds that resonate as soon as one reaches the counter. The service is well-trained. Each of the baristas seemed to exercise their own form of 'latte art'. Their passion to perfect their customers drink of choice is mirrored in one of their company statements: "We're convinced that coffee-just pure, brilliant coffee- can bring sensory pleasure on a par with fine wine or artisan chocolate." Their dedication to using their own line of beans instead of mainstreaming their company to marginal brands is what makes them unique. And in Ithaca, uniqueness is treasured. 

Queen of Tarts: 

This tiny spectacle is located on the opposite side of college town and is known to very few students. An early jog up Dryden road last thursday ended with the finish line at this unobtrusive cafe. I had seen it earlier on my drive to 'Wings Over Ithaca', and its quaint appearance immediately drew me back for a closer look. If it looks small from the outside, it is even smaller on the inside. With the menu changing daily as well as a dangerous selection of home-made desserts, 'Queen of Tarts' is the perfect place for an afternoon snack as well as an awakening cup of joe. There brand of choice is no other than Gimme! Coffee, but the barista seemed less interested in perfecting the shape made in my latte rather more excited to tell me what the soup of the day was as well as which dessert she recommended. The vegan brownie, although sounds like an oxymoron, was my dessert of choice. It satisfied my carb-fix as well as sweet-tooth. I left satiated with a feeling similar to the one I had experienced as a child leaving my grandmother's notorious kitchen. The coffee was nothing short of spectacular, with several blends being offered as well as a variety of prepared drinks. Although it is not as bustling as Starbucks is in the morning, the few that do make the trip up to 'Queen of Tarts' clearly know good coffee and good desserts. 

Aisles and Aisles of Bliss

W-E-G-M-A-N-S! 

You have definitely heard about it, read about it, some even claim they can see it from the top of libe slope on a rare clear day in Ithaca.  It's that brown, rectangular mass proclaiming those famous seven neon orange-colored letters: WEGMANS. My third trip this week inspired me to write about my passion for this reliable market of dreams. For those of you who have yet to make a trip, I recommend doing so whether it is for personal validation, hunger satisfaction, or pure curiosity (all of which I have experienced many times as a student and dedicated shopper).  Located off of Route 13, Wegmans has it all: well-staffed, incredible produce selection, unexpected prepared foods section and an aisle dedicated just to candy. What causes me to go back again and again? First and foremost it is a supermarket. It trumps Tops in every aspect. Wegmans has your basic supermarket aisle classics but then it surprises it shoppers with aisles like: the organic food section, or the back left corner dedicated to local and foreign beer, or the enormous prepared foods section that has ithacans coming back for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Something for Everyone: 

It is clear that Wegmans takes pride in serving there customers top quality ingredients. The produce section is kept clean and always has a staff person there checking to make sure the baby arugula is in consistently filled. Moving to the right of the produce section is the section that makes Wegmans the place to be. The so-called prepared foods section is a compilation of meats, fish, bakery, salad bar, olive bar, cheese assortments, hot-food, cold-food, prepared salads and a large seating area to enjoy ones recent purchases. I should add the sushi section as well as pizza station to that list because they always draw a crowd. It is the restaurant of Wegmans and is always bustling with college kids as well as townees.  

Added Perks: 

So when one goes to Wegmans, how many things can one get done? Grocery shop, pick up your dry-cleaning at the station in the front, drop off your child at the day care center, grab a bite to eat, see a cooking-demo in the produce section, pick up your prescription at the pharmacy section, grab tonight's' dinner already pre-made. All of that in one store. Incredible. Maybe its because I love discovering new ingredients or great finds in supermarkets across the globe but there is something about Wegmans that makes me jubilant.

Checking-out:

Under-age students beware, Wegmans prides themselves on being very strict when it comes to purchasing alcohol (as of now the alcohol section consists of beer but I just signed a petition in attempt to bring wine to the store!). They not only will card you but they will card all of the people you are with and they are not shy about it. Aside from that, I recommend taking a tour of the candy aisle, be sure not to mix candies because they will automatically charge you for the most expensive candy offered! Even if you are in the mood for some chinese food or a great salad make a right once you enter and take a lap around the prepared foods section, you will be drooling by the end. Shop and eat till your hearts content!

Knitting Etc.-A Great Find

Ithacan Culture:

Whether it is at the farmers market, state theater, or Ithaca Festival, citizens of Ithaca are continually finding places to unleash their creative sides. Literally, every time I travel in Ithaca, it never ceases to amaze me how versatile this city seems to be. Summer has the Ithaca Festival which celebrates the local artist community. Fall has Apple Fest where every apple and its hybrid are presented to the community (as well as the kettle corn and outstanding prepared foods section). Spring houses one of Ithaca's most famous attractions: The Farmers Market. And winter hosts the Chili Cook Off (which just occurred and I could not attend!). But where do these local artists go in the winter? It is too cold for the Farmers Market, Apple Fest has already passed, summer is too far away, and the Chili cook-off lasts three days.  This weekend, my adventurous side afforded me the answer to the aforementioned question: during the winter, many ithacans (not all) can be found with two needles knitting! 

Knitting in Ithaca:

How can I substantiate this claim? Well all one needs to do is take a short trip to a small store hidden in a chunky shopping center: Knitting Etc. is its' name. I found myself there last friday as well as this saturday amazed at what it had to offer me. Last friday in particular, I walked in at around 5:00pm to a crowd of women all in a circle knitting and eating an assortment of desserts. I came at the right time because they told me that friday's after 5 is knitting 'happy hour'. This 'happy hour' is a time for knitters (beginners and advanced) to come in with whatever project they are currently working on and enjoy good food, great talent and wonderful conversation or as my friend calls it: 'stitch and bitch'. Aside from the 'happy hour', Knitting Etc. offers classes in different areas (gloves, hats, sweaters), boasts a huge yarn selection and houses some of Ithaca's most interesting people. 

My Experience:

That day my 'happy hour' consisted of around 8 women all of which had been knitting for years. Two of them were newcomers and had never been to 'happy hour' (3 including myself). One was a newspaper delivery women who told me that she gets up around 4am everyday and barely can stay awake late enough to come to 'happy hour'. The other two were store personnel one of which wrote the pattern that I was following with my project that I brought (a black cowel). The last 3 were responsible for the assortment of goodies (chocolate pralines, brownies and cookies) as well as the interesting conversation. They all shared their "beginner knitting moments" with me as well as stories of their childhood, their recently established families and current life issues. Although my knitting skills were inferior as well as my life experiences, these 8 women took me under their wing and helped me to finish my first project on my own. Aside from the 'happy hour' attendees, the door to Knitting Etc. was continually swinging open with Ithacans walking to and from asking for a button, or a new type of yarn, or an opinion on a project. Each had their own style as well as creativity when it came to their knitting. 

Closing Stitches:

If you are ever in the mood to learn to knit, to pick up an old project, to find some interesting Ithacan folk, or to get a free piece of chocolate: take a trip to Knitting Etc. It is definitely a place where Ithacans hibernate for the winter and create some of the most well-crafted projects. And what they make in the winter can be seen: in springs' Farmer's Market, falls' applefest, and summers' festival. I always feel that everyone is need of a little stitching and bitching in their life.  

Hollywood Video-30 Rock-Must-See

After hiking and eating and more eating, we decided to rent a movie this weekend. Our choices were: Collegetown Video about 50 feet from my apartment or Hollywood Video about 10 minutes by car from my apartment. Although one would think Collegetown Video would be the logical choice, a history of late fees always keeps from going in. I had a good track record with Hollywood Video and decided to remain a loyal customer so off we went to the "best" mall in Ithaca. Applebee's is right next door and was clearly packing a crowd that night so parking was limited, who knew. We were greeted by a staff of 4 as we walked in, each asking if we needed guidance in any way. We figured we knew what we were doing so politely declined. And yet every movie that we attempted to make a grab for was consistently shut down by quiet utters behind us. One personnel in particular clearly did not trust our ability to choose a "quality" must-see and kindly guided us in the right/his direction. We finally decided to ignore the movie selection and went for the tv shows. 30 Rock, season one was our ultimate decision. It wasn't an easy decision because the store is enormous. It also has a wide selection of classics, new releases as well as great discounts on DVDs. Along the aisles and against the walls are little tags hidden amongst the DVDs telling people what is popular or why so many viewers liked this one. Finally we made our way to the front and the salesman asked us one more time, "are you satisfied with your decision?" and my friend responded "Well, are you happy with our decision is more like it!" and before I could even laugh they hit me again, late fee $22.00: it was a big one. It must have been from over winter break when my mind was racing from final #1 to final #2 to final #3. After a little embarrassment, I brushed it off and remembered how excited I was to watch 30 Rock. After 4 hours of episode after episode we realized what a sound decision we had made. 30 Rock was quirky, hilarious and well-deserving of all the awards it had already won. My recommendations for those of you who are bored or who are in need of some "good recommendations" on what to see, head over to Hollywood Video in Triphammer Mall. Although you may think you are capable of choosing a quality movie or tv show, I recommend asking the staff because they are eager to help. 

Just A Taste: Simply The Best In Ithaca

        The Rack of Lamb

         The Pork Chops

         Mushrooms

           The Braised Greens

                   The Blackened Sole
My valentine came to visit on thursday and stayed until sunday, so I had to put some thought into our dinner plans, more like extensive thought. And out of all of the dinners we ate together, Thursday's choice had to be the best. Just A Taste, a tapas bar and restaurant located in the heart of the commons was delicious in every way. Now, I have been to Just A Taste several times before. So one would think my knowledge of the restaurant includes my familiarity with almost every dish on the menu. Wrong. Each time that I had gone in the past was with my family who ALWAYS ordered the same dishes. And although they were appetizing and delicious every time we ordered them, my deep desire to go beyond the 7 dishes was growing. So when my valentine and I went this Thursday I did not hold back at all (none of the 7 family dishes were ordered). I explained to my valentine that every dish was worth a taste and it was customary to order a decent number of dishes due to their small size. With that being said we ordered the following, drum roll please: 1-Grouper sauteed in a lemon wine reduction covered in soft lemon rind and onion strips 2-spicy blackened sole complimented by an apple-celery salad coated in blue cheese dressing 3-sauteed brown and white portobello mushrooms smothered in garlic and butter 4-braised greens with walnuts and pieces of stilton (a very funky type of blue cheese) 5- winter squash sauteed in brown butter blanketed with parmesean and walnuts 6-rack of lamb over a lentil-bean salad cooked to perfection 7-pork chops with duck cracklings, an avocado creme and tortilla strips. I have to be honest, when the waiter came back after we ordered 5 of those dishes, instead of getting dessert we opted for the other 2 savory dishes. Totally worth skipping the sweet tooth. Just a Taste is also known for their refreshing wine selection, but we were not able to try that out unfortunately. By the end of the meal it was almost 10:00pm and we did not know where the time had gone. The staff lets you enjoy your meal without bothering you every 5 minutes. Sometimes though when they bring out the dishes and they don't tell you exactly what is in front of you, you can tend to forget what you ordered due to the shear number of dishes that can be ordered and present on the table at once. Simply ask for a menu to refresh your memory and start thinking about what you want to order next. Beware, get to Just A Taste early on friday and saturday nights (especially if you are a large group) it is nearly impossible to get a table and chances are you probably will be eating around 9:00 or 10:00pm (but hey, in the spirit of Tapas, Spaniards love eating around that time) So go have a taste, a dish, a glass of wine, or 7 dishes, you will enjoy every bite and minute of it! The pictures at the top are from our meal! 

Jim Schug Trail

So I pushed beyond the boundaries of Ithaca into another town: Dryden, in search of some outdoor activity. Most of the New York State Parks that I researched were closed due to winter maintenance but I plan on visiting them in the future so stay tuned. Hopefully this wonderful weather lasts a little longer to melt the rest of Cayuga Lake and afford me several locations to choose from, but I did my best. Dryden is about 15 minutes from Ithaca on Route 13. The drive is very easy and you cannot miss the huge sign welcoming one to Dryden. From there I pulled into a municipal parking lot located in the center of main street. With my waterproof boots, large jacket, wool neck-warmer and my valentine I walked towards the Jim Schug Trail entrance. What seemed to be the backyard of Dryden residents turned out to be a 4.2mile long trail covered in thick snow that culminated with a view of Dryden's largest lake. From the tracks that were already made in the snow we noticed that pets were allowed as well as cross-country skiers. (I have yet to cross-country ski but if one were a beginner, the Jim Schug Trail would definitely be a great place to start) 4.2 miles from the beginning of the trail to the lake, but remember it is 4.2 miles from the lake back to the beginning of the trail. So around 9.4miles of walking in total. The trail level is not difficult in anyway but with a little more snow and colder conditions, difficulty level could be pushed to medium. It was a perfect day for a walk. Sunny, 22 degrees out (although it felt as if it were 15), clear skies and an uncrowded path. Benches every 1/2 mile line the trail in order for walkers to keep track. Be warned the walk there goes by quickly, but don't forget that you have to turn around and walk back to your car! Anyways, a little fresh air is always good to clear the mind and the Jim Schug Trail was successful in doing so. After the trail if you are hungry, good luck trying to find a place. Dryden's selection of cafes and restaurants is pitiful compared to that of Ithaca, it is almost worth it to skip the stop and drive back to Ithaca where the opportunities are endless. All in all the 15 minute adventure coupled with the 2 hour walk was well worth it. My valentine and I enjoyed the sun, each other's company and the great outdoors of upstate New York. 

If you are in the mood for a little of this kind of exercise check out The Jim Schug Trail.