The Beginning or the End?

By which I refer to college commencement, inspired by my granddaughter’s receiving her MA in Education this past weekend. Eight strong we trooped to Geneva, NY, where Hobart William Smith is located, to be with her.

Some of us stayed in Seneca Falls, where the first Women’s Rights Convention was held in 1848.  The Women’s Rights National Historic Park Visitors’ Center is a good start to visiting the area. The Center houses a number of exhibits including a timeline of women’s history events; panels that lift up to reveal truths about women’s lives and a section on women and work that could use a little updating.

Next door is the Wesleyan Chapel that at various times served as laundromat, opera house, movie theater, and a mechanic shop. The present restored iteration is where The Declaration of Rights, modeled on the Declaration of Independence, was presented in 1848 by a large group of women and some male supporters including Frederick Douglas. Apparently the actual document is missing. https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/blog/find-the-sentiments

My female family members on the podium

We moved onto the National Women’s Hall of Fame, built in what was once a mill that produced socks. Only the first floor is complete although three more are planned and partly in the works. Some played a card game of matching the faces of famous women past and present, some wove yarn into a sort of timeline, some eyed the bench that Susan B. Anthony may have once sat on.

Luckily, by Sunday, when commencement took place the weather was sunny if a tad on the chilly side. Besides the pleasure of seeing our graduate get her diploma (last year she was felled by Covid so didn’t get to walk), we loved the bagpipers who serenaded the procession in and out. The ceremony was a little long but enjoyed by attendants human and canine.

This is a family in the Napoleonic tradition in that it marches on its stomach so food played a sizeable role. Saturday night we ate at Sackett’s Table, so farm-to-table that the food practically walks in unaided. Meat-centric but with plenty of options for non-carnivores, you can also buy meat and other foods to take home. I had never seen a tomahawk steak

Tomahawk Steak

before and was knocked out –had it been swung at my head I would have been. Even the booze is locally sourced.

Sunday after graduation we had a large, late lunch at the spacious, contemporary Quincy Exchange in Corning to make the trip for those driving back to NYC an hour shorter (which sadly, it failed to do because of hideous traffic.) Quincy, self-described as an American Bistro, has an innovative menu and an airy feel. 

Since I’m dealing with food, I must mention Banister’s Bed & Breakfast in Seneca Falls where some of us stayed. Built in 1860, four of the last five owners were lawyers, hence the name. Breakfast is lavish, exemplified by the Watermelon Pizza, one course during our Saturday morning repast.

To make it, cut a piece of watermelon into a wedge. Top with a thin layer of cream cheese in lieu of mozzarella and assemble fruit artfully on top. Delicious, pretty and zero work.

A chorus of Pomp and Circumstance please.