For anyone who has visited Aurora, NY in the summer months, you’ve probably stopped in at Dorie’s.  The seasonal establishment which, in the past, has offered specialty coffees, teas, invigorating fruit smoothies, ice cream, delectable desserts, and preset sandwich options has always attracted me.  I first went to Dorie’s in 2008 when I was a freshman at nearby Wells College.  For the first few weeks of each fall semester, grabbing lunch and relaxing on Saturdays became a ritual for me and my friends, and we dreaded each day every fall when Dorie’s would close for the season because it offered a respite from the daily humdrum routine of life on campus.

Based on the time I’ve spent there, the Dorie’s community tends to be made up of Aurora community members and Wells College students, as well as those vacationing in Aurora.  This was one of my favorite things about the atmosphere at Dorie’s, because it wasn’t strictly a college hangout, a local café, or a tourist attraction, but a mix of all three that offered a relaxing, friendly atmosphere that was a reflective representation of Aurora.  The cute floral booths and dark wood tables always conveyed an elegant, small town charm that appealed to me, and the tables set out on the patio overlooking Cayuga Lake gave me some nearly-perfect picturesque views.

Now, almost four years later, I recently found out that, upon re-opening for their summer season this year, Dorie’s will transition from a coffee shop to a deli and sandwich shop.  I loved the café aspect of Dorie’s in years past, but the idea of a sandwich shop seems intriguing and offers a fresh change of pace.  Plus, who doesn’t love a good sandwich?  I’m excited to see Dorie’s, with it’s familiar and comforting atmosphere, when it re-opens this Memorial Day weekend with custom made sandwich options and deli meats added to their menu – I definitely want to check it out when my family is in town for graduation weekend and enjoy a paper-wrapped deli sandwich on the deck with them!

On the shores of Cayuga Lake, the Inns of Aurora properties are located in an ideal location that allows guests to take advantage of the local attractions.  One such attraction: the Wells College Book Arts Center.  Established in 1993, the Book Arts Center is housed in Morgan Hall at Wells College and is comprised of three distinct facilities: the Wells College Press, the Bindery, and the Typographic Laboratory.  The Book Arts Center provides a refreshing look into the tradition and history of the book via classes, workshops, symposia, and lectures on hand bookbinding, calligraphy, letterpress printing, and the history of the book!

A trip to the Book Arts Center offers the perfect mix of history and creativity as visitors have the opportunity to learn about the history the center and the history of book arts, while getting a hands on look into the world of book arts.  For visitors not interested in trying out the impressive machines in the center, there are exhibits of impressive student and faculty work on display; I always enjoy passing through to see the new displays on my way to class.  The center is definitely one of the things I love most about attending Wells College; as one of few undergraduate institutions in the nation to offer a book arts program, I have the opportunity to learn amazing things and see a never-ending flow of creative work from fellow students!  From a variety of hand-bound books to examples of meticulous calligraphy, I’m never disappointed by what I find when I stop by the Book Arts Center.  Wells College also recently welcomed a new Victor Hammer Fellow to the Book Arts Center facilities; a talented, emerging book artist is invited to spend two years at the center for the purpose of sharing their expertise with Wells College students and the Aurora community.  The newest fellow, Katie Baldwin, is a printmaker who specializes in bookbinding and letterpress printing.

In addition to the center’s programs held during the academic year, this summer will mark their 7^th annual Summer Institute.  The three-week institute gives attendees the opportunity to register for hands-on classes in calligraphy, bookbinding, paper engineering, typecasting, and design.  The 2012 Summer Institute is a perfect attraction for those visiting Aurora in July who are looking for a unique experience!  Given the prevalence of digital arts, the Book Arts Center offers an ideal look into the quaint and interesting world of book arts.

Image Courtesy of the Wells College Book Arts Center Blog

This post is especially timely, as the Book Arts Minor Show is on Monday, May 14. If you’re in the area, stop by the Book Arts Center on Wells College campus and check it out. Their work is beautiful & I can’t help myself from thinking “how?!” every time I see a new piece. As a personal plug, I wrote an article for The Sycamore magazine during my senior year at Wells about the book arts.

Having grown up in small town USA and then gone on to attend college in the equally small Aurora, New York, I’ve come to love nature.  Untouched by urban sprawl, anyone who’s visited Aurora can appreciate the beautiful environment and landscape, myself included.  Recently I found out that the Inns of Aurora, located a short walk from my college in Aurora, New York carry Aveda products in their guest rooms.  I’ve always been fond of environmentally friendly products, but recently many companies have been going “green” with environmentally safe products, which, after closer inspection, were nothing more than natural ingredients or “green” packaging.  While these “green” improvements are a step in the right direction, I was curious to find out if Aveda was any different, so I decided to do a little research to find out more about the brand; what I found definitely surprised me!

As a company dedicated to creating environmentally responsible health and beauty products, Aveda products are as environmentally safe as possible.  As the first company to sign the Coalition for Environmentally Responsible Economies Principles, Aveda is certainly dedicated to caring for the world; all Aveda products are packaged in 100% post consumer recycled plastic and manufactured using only wind power.  Aveda products are not tested on animals, and the company uses and promotes alternative testing methods – a reassuring message, especially when I surf the web and find ridiculously cute pictures of puppies and penguins!  In addition to producing products that are safe for the environment, Aveda strives to give back to the earth as well as society through their partnerships with nonprofit organizations that work towards social and environmental improvement.  The company runs their own recycling program under which consumers can recycle old Aveda product caps to extend the current boundaries of recycling.

Normally when I read about the ingredients in an environmentally friendly product I walk away slightly confused with the image of a chemical plant in the back of my mind; this wasn’t the case with Aveda.  As I read their website, which included ingredients like rose and lavender form Bulgaria, sandalwood from Australia, and turmeric root, I was reminded of a garden bursting with plants.

Suffice it to say, I wish every hotel and inn I’ve stayed at had carried Aveda products!  I think I’ve fallen in love; the company goes beyond the use of “green” ingredients or packaging, encompassing a variety of environmentally
friendly actions.  From their company beliefs and mission to their environmentally responsible actions, the Aveda message and company mission align perfectly with the Aurora lifestyle and the Inns of Aurora offerings.

The ever-dreamy AFAR Magazine invited readers to elucidate their idea of travel by completing the phrase “To Travel is to…” You can read some submissions here, but what say you? Why do you travel? What is it to you?

Photo courtesy of Gary Hodges

If you’re one of those history buffs, the upcoming Museum Week might be something you would enjoy. TourCayuga.com states that the program will take place May 31-June 6, 2012 and “has been designed as an easy and effective way to encourage the state’s residents, as well as out of state visitors, to explore the breadth of the state’s outstanding museums and heritage organizations.”

So, if you’re in the area, feel free to stop in for lunch, or dinner, and explore the Inn and E.B. Morgan House — which aren’t museums, but have lovely art and historical significance. Or, visit the Seward House or Harriet Tubman Home in Auburn, both available for tours. Even if you’re not in the area, Museum Week should prove to be a wonderful opportunity to explore the cultural bounty of the state.

The April showers haven’t quite subsided yet, but May flowers have already popped up their colorful heads, and the village is beginning to wake up as spring officially takes hold. One of the great aspects of the warmer months for us, here at the Inns, is more hustle & bustle — including extended hours in the Dining Room. As of today, we’re serving lunch again! Granted it’s only for four days a week, for now (Wednesday through Saturday, from 11 am – 2:30 pm), but we’re so excited to debut our brand new lunch menu. Meryl (our Director of Training and Service) even stated that she believes it’s the best lunch menu we’ve ever had.

So, play hookey for an afternoon on Cayuga Lake, and come enjoy some fettuccine, a lobster roll, or share a charcouterie plate with friends. We’ll have the cocktails waiting.

And, as a quick sidenote, thanks to Anne Marie Cummings at the Ithaca Journal for her review of the Dining Room. The service and culinary teams work very hard to make the experience as memorable as Ms. Cummings found it to be, and we all appreciate the kudos!

David has been a Skaneateles Festival regular for years, and we’re very excited to feature such talented artists during the dinner. He and Elinor will perform both during the reception and the intermezzo of the dinner, and also be on hand to chat about their music & provide some background on their selections. As usual during our wine dinners, Meryl and Chef Patrick will also be on hand to explain the wine choices and course pairings.

The Skaneateles Festival has been bringing music and zest to Skaneateles for over three decades, featureing chamber, orchestra, and even kid’s themed concerts, to get the littler toes tapping (although our evening’s event will be best appreciated by older concert-goers). The testimonies and memories presented on its website are tribute enough to the joy & beauty the festival brings to the small, tightly-knit community of Skaneateles each summer. And, a small village itself, Aurora can appreciate such an experience, and we’re happy to be able to pay tribute to it, as well.

There are still quite a few spaces left for the evening, however time is moving quickly, so call us today (315.364.8888) to reserve your spot. There’s no better way to kick off a summer of lakeside sunsets & wonderful music in Skaneateles than with a lakeside sunset and wonderful music in Aurora.

For more information on the event check out our website for details, or give us a call at 315.364.8888.

On Tuesday 17th, the Visiting Writers Series will bring in publishers and contributors to the Stone Canoe literary journal, including the Inns’ own Tina Post, a contributing non-fiction writer to this year’s issue of Stone Canoe. (Yay, Tina! Go girl!) I also have it on good authority that there will be cookies there, and if you see a tall brunette, come say hello to me, too.

Sunset on the lake. This view never gets old.

Despite having a busier-than-usual winter season, the spring often brings with it a feeling of the village coming back to life, both literally, with trees and flowers blooming, and metaphorically. It’s hard to pick a most beautiful time of year in such a naturally beautiful location, but with the advent of greenery & warm sunshine, spring may just take the cake. (Speaking of cakes, you should see some of the ones Trina prepares for the weddings hosted here. Can you say confectionary delight?)

Most of all, we’re all so happy to be busy because it means we’re able to share this place, and experience, with even more people

The E.B. Morgan House porch - an experience unto itself.

than before. In a recent meeting, I jotted down the note, “the experience of Aurora is our gift to give,” a paraphrase of something our General Manager, Sue Edinger, had said. And, she was absolutely correct. More important than the luxurious surroundings of the Inn or the delectable food of the Dining Room is the entire experience of spending time here, on the lake. Sometimes, it’s easy to forget that, working or living here day after day. But, the best — and easiest — way to remember is by sneaking a peak at the looks on the faces of our guests as they experience it for the first time. That’s the gift we receive in return for giving Aurora.