Things to do, places to eat, shows to see, places to stay in Madison County, NY      

_ Cooking is and should be a lot of fun, but many don't even know where to start.  The Peppermill in Hamilton has your solution with their winter and spring cooking classes.  Here is the upcoming schedule.  Make sure you book early and Leslie's classes will sell out.

Thursday, February 16th –ONE DISH WONDERS – One pot is all it takes to prepare dishes that range from rustic to elegant - and all are good enough to share with company! Just add a salad and dinner is ready.  Bridle Creek Bed & Breakfast 6:30pm - $35.00

Thursday, March 15th –SUPER SUPPER SOUPS & SALADS – Go beyond your mom’s chicken soup.  In this class you will learn how to make 2 hearty and delicious soups and 2 go-with salads for a quick and delicious meal that even your kids will eat.  Bridle Creek Bed & Breakfast 6:30pm - $35.00

Thursday, April 19 – COOKING WITH BOURBON – Bourbon has been around since the late 1700’s.  Its unique and complex taste will be used in 4 different recipes.  Leslie will show you how easy it is to add depth to a variety of dishes using the sweet flavor of bourbon.  Bridle Creek Bed & Breakfast 6:30pm - $35.00

Thursday, May 24th- CLASSICAL ITALIAN – Learning to prepare Italian cuisine is more than learning to just cook.  It’s about the people, the food, the atmosphere and of course, the wine.  Four dishes from Italy will be prepared – some old favorites and some newer creations.  Bridle Creek Bed & Breakfast 6:30pm - $35.00

Thursday, June 14th - CHICKEN 4 WAYS – Chicken is a staple in most family menus, so why not learn some new ways to prepare it.  If you are looking for a way to spiff up you nightly menus, this is the class for you.  Guaranteed all new and different recipes!

Bridle Creek Bed & Breakfast 6:30pm - $35.00

Thursday, July 19th – 2ND ANNUAL BACK PORCH BBQ CLASS – Last year’s class was a blast so I am serving up another one for you.  All entrees will be cooked and served right off the grill.  Come sit, sip some wine and watch Leslie prepare 4 different grilled dishes that you will use all year long. 6:30pm till???  Leslie’s Back Porch.  Please note space is limited so register early!

_ The Cazenovia College Art Gallery in Reisman Hall opens Thursday, Jan. 26 with the Sabbatical Returns Exhibition, this year showing the work of Corky Goss, professor of studio art; Karen Steen, professor of fashion design; and Anita Welych, professor of art. A reception, free and open to the public, on Jan. 26, from 4 to 5:30 p.m. will include lectures by the professors. The show runs through Feb. 17.

The Cazenovia College Art Gallery in Reisman Hall, 6 Sullivan St., is on the corner of Sullivan and Seminary streets, one block north of Route 20, in Cazenovia. Hours during the academic year are: Monday through Thursday, 1-4 p.m. and 7-9 p.m.; Friday, 1-4 p.m.; and Saturday and Sunday, 2-6 p.m. Summer hours vary. All exhibitions are free and open to the public. For information contact Jen Pepper, gallery director, by email to jpepper@cazenovia.edu, or visit http://www.cazenovia.edu/art-gallery (in Quick Links).

_ Cazenovia College’s spring dramatic production is Our Town, the classic three-act play by American playwright Thornton Wilder. The play uses the device of a character dubbed Stage Manager to create the town of Grover’s Corners and its citizens, including George Gibbs, the doctor’s son, and Emily Webb, the daughter of the town’s newspaper editor, following their lives, and the life of the town from 1901 to 1913.

Auditions will be held in the Catherine Cummings Theatre at Cazenovia College, 16 Lincklaen St. in Cazenovia. Open auditions for community actors will be held Wednesday, Jan. 25 from 7 to 10 p.m.

Auditions reserved for College students will be held on Monday, Jan. 23, and Wednesday, Jan. 25 from 2:30 to 5:30 p.m. each day.

Callbacks on will be on Thursday, Jan. 26 from 7 to 10 p.m.

Show dates for Our Town are the weekends of April 13, 14, 15, and April 20, 21, 22. Show times and other details will be announced as they become available. The show will be directed by David Lowenstein, Cazenovia College’s artist in residence, and produced by Colleen Prossner, theatre manager. For more information please contact Prossner at 315-655-7238, or email cprossner@cazenovia.edu.

Cazenovia College, founded in 1824, is an independent, co-educational, baccalaureate college near Syracuse, N.Y., offering a comprehensive liberal arts education in an exceptional community environment, with academic and co-curricular programs devoted to developing leaders in their professional fields.  Cazenovia, named one of "America’s Best Colleges" by U.S. News & World Report, is also a national College of Distinction.  For more information, visit www.cazenovia.edu. 

_Madison County has a long and storied hop farming tradition.  However, Madison County has never, ever been home to a commercial brewery.  That all changes officially tomorrow as Good Nature Brewing will open its doors and tap lines to the public. Owners Matt and Carrie sent out the good news via email this morning:

The big day is finally here!  We are fully licensed, and will be opening our tasting room for tastes and growler fills this Thursday (TOMORROW!), Friday, and Saturday.  Thursday we'll open from 3-7PM, Friday from 3-8PM, and Saturday from 12-8PM.  We have GNB growlers available here, but feel free to bring your own for filling.

We'll also be taking orders for our second generation of GNB pint glasses!  If you order now (instead of waiting until they come in) you get a dollar off!  

We are located at 37 Milford Street Suite #3 in Hamilton (across from Ray's and next door to M&M Press.  Look for the sign!  Call or email if you need help finding us.   

(315)824-1560

Starting next week, we'll go to our regular tasting room hours. 
Sunday/Monday:  Closed
Tues-Thurs:  12-7PM
Fri-Sat:  12-8PM

Tours by appointment!  

Cheers! 

Carrie & Matt 

_

It almost took all the way until January for a sigificant snowfall to happen in Madison County.  That changed with the winds off of Lake Ontario yesterday with much of Madison County getting 3-4 inches of snow.  It is a winter wonderland outside right now!  To get in the spirit of winter and the upcoming snowmobile season, Rasmussen Snowmobile Rentals presents this pretty cool helmet cam video of their rental experience,  Enjoy!

_ The International Boxing Hall of Fame and Museum announced today the newest class of inductees to enter the Hall. Living inductees include multi-division champion Thomas “Hitman” Hearns, two-division champion Mark “Too Sharp” Johnson, “Let’s Get Ready To Rumble” ring announcer Michael Buffer, trainer Freddie Roach, broadcaster Al Bernstein and journalist Michael Katz. 

            “We’re extremely excited about the Class of 2012 and very much looking forward to honoring the 23rd class of inductees,” said Executive Director Edward Brophy.

            The 23rd Annual Hall of Fame Weekend is scheduled for June 7-10th in Canastota, NY. Over 20 events, including a golf tournament, banquet, parade and autograph card show, are planned. An impressive celebrity lineup of boxing greats of yesterday and today will attend this year’s Induction Weekend. The highlight of the weekend will be the Official Enshrinement Ceremony on the Hall of Fame Museum Grounds in Canastota, New York on Sunday, June 10th to welcome the newest members. 

            The Hall of Fame also released names of posthumous honorees: Cocoa Kid in the Modern Category; Newsboy Brown, Leo Houck and Jake Kilrain in the Old-Timer Category; promoters Hugh D. McIntosh and Rip Valenti in the Non Participant Category; and James Wharton (Young Molineaux) in the Pioneer Category. Inductees were voted in by members of the Boxing Writers Association and a panel of international boxing historians.

            For more information on the events planned for the 2012 International Boxing Hall of Fame Weekend, please call the Hall of Fame at (315) 697-7095, visit online at www.ibhof.com, on Facebook at www.ibhof.com/InternationalBoxingHallofFame and on Twitter at www.twitter.com/BoxingHall.

###

COMMENTS UPON RECEIVING INDUCTION NEWS

“To me this is an amazing accomplishment. It makes me so happy to know that I made it after all these years and so many fights. I’m thrilled! Muhammad Ali is my idol. He’s the man that got me into the boxing business. It’s great that I will be on the Hall of Fame Wall with him.”

                    - Thomas Hearns

“This is wonderful! This is an awesome moment for me. The Hall of Fame is the biggest award that an athlete can receive. I strived my whole career to be in the Hall. I can’t say enough. This is a dream come true, just wonderful.”

                    - Mark Johnson

“Oh my God. I’m so overwhelmed. I can barely speak. I’m instantly overwhelmed. When I think of all the great inductees, from legends from 100 years ago to so many great fighters and non-participants that are now being inducted, to be thought of in such great company is the greatest compliment I can receive in my career in boxing."

                    - Michael Buffer

“I appreciate this very much. This the best day of my life! It’s a great honor to join trainers like Ray Arcel, Eddie Futch and Angelo Dundee in the Hall of Fame.”

                    - Freddie Roach

“I appreciate this very much. I’m actually kind of dumbstruck. Wow! I’m overwhelmed, really. (Hall of Fame broadcaster) Don Dunphy was a great mentor to me and a great idol. Just the thought of being in the same place as him is special. I’m very active in the sport of boxing and I have lots of things I’m looking forward to in the future and this is great because it validates the past, it validates being involved in the sport. I couldn’t be more excited. One of the unique qualities of the Boxing Hall of Fame is the fact that it places an importance on those of us who aren’t boxers but hopefully have added something to the sport.”

                    -  Al Bernstein

“I’m very, very excited! I’m more than honored. I’m shocked to be listed with guys like Jimmy Cannon, Dan Parker, Dave Anderson and one of my all-time idols Barney Nagler. This is incredible and one of the greatest all-time honors that I could ever imagine.”

                    - Michael Katz

_ The Poolville Winter Farmers’ Market returns on December 10 from 10am to noon at the Poolville Community Center. This month the market welcomes guest chefs Charles Wilburn and Roger Foster from the Poolville Country Store to the cafe, as well as more farmers and local artisans.

_Drover Hill Farm, Evans Farmhouse Creamery, Jewett’s Cheese House, Sunfed Beef, Szarek Farms, and Utica Coffee Roasting Company will join the amazing lineup of over 20 local food producers. Local artisans featuring their work just in time for the holiday season will include Denise Leone, Beth duBois, Goat Lady Soap, and Denise Timms. The market will be the perfect spot to buy fresh food, enjoy a warm delicious lunch and a cup of  freshly roasted coffee, and find locally produced presents for friends and family. (Photo by Kate Klein)

_ Over the past three decades, thousands of patrons have enjoyed the sights, sounds and wonders of the holidays at Lorenzo. And as in years past, hundreds of hours of preparation and decorating have been invested in the 2011 celebration of “Christmas at Lorenzo.” In celebration, The Friends of Lorenzo will kick off the holiday season with their annual “Mansion Preview Party” on Thursday, December 1 from 6-8 pm.

“The Friends are very excited about this year’s party. We’ll be offering sleigh rides to the Mansion, fabulous live music, and great hors d’oeuvres and wine. And we will also sponsor a special raffle for a complete holiday table setting for eight. Attendees will be encouraged, too, to place a silent auction bid on one of the giclees we have reproduced from the incredible Lorenzo fine art collection. The “Preview Party” will be a great way to ring in the season,” offered chairwoman, Dianna  Slodowitz.

For more information about attending the “Preview Party,” please call Diane Voss at 655-3200; admission is $20 for Friends of Lorenzo members and $25 for non-members.  Public hours for “Christmas at Lorenzo” will be from 7-9 pm on Friday, December 9, and from 1-4 pm on Saturday and Sunday, December 10 & 11.

_ The Cazenovia College Chorale will present Amahl and the Night Visitors,  and sing other seasonal selections, at the Cazenovia United Methodist Church, corner of Lincklaen and Seminary streets, in Cazenovia, on Wednesday, Dec. 7 at 7:30 p.m. The concert is free and open to the public. 

The Chorale, under the direction of Bruce Campbell, is a 65-plus-voice vocal ensemble. The semi-staged concert version of Menotti's opera will make up the majority of the concert, with the Chorale and a student group, the Cazenovia College Singers, offering other seasonal selections. Call Campbell at 391-8047 for information about the production.

This will be the fourth area production of this wonderful opera under Campbell’s direction.  The title role of Amahl will be sung by Zach Simms, a sixth grader from Cazenovia Middle School. The role of Amahl’s mother will be sung by Amanda Benoit, a graduate of Cazenovia High School and St. Rose College. The three kings, a trio of male voices, are sung by Eric Feola, Glenn Hirt and John Melvin.  The role of the Page will be sung by Jake Ammann.  Bill Verity is the accompanist.