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Post by clarencebunsen on May 2, 2014 15:24:19 GMT -5
And after I do a few searches on my laptop, Google relays my preferences to my phone. At times it's a little disturbing how much my phone has learned about me in just 3 months. It started by offering me a screen of random news & sports items. I wasn't surprised that these became more refined after I clicked on a few. I was a little surprised when things started to show up based on searches I'd made on my laptop. Then I realized that if I made a search while I was signed into Lunarticks on my Google account my phone was "reading over my shoulder."
Anyway, yes hotels needs those links to show up high in searches.
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Post by dave on May 3, 2014 0:57:07 GMT -5
In 2004 I was surprised to open a "coffee table" book in our room at a very nice old hotel/resort on the Bay of Fundy in New Brunswick and find the Hotel Utica feted as a "destination" among a group of hotels that included the one in which we were staying. I'll bet this was the Ascend group. I just looked up the name of the place and it was the Chateau St. John. A travel agent booked us into the hotel and I gathered we were supposed to be impressed. Don't get me wrong. It was very nice with many amenities and a certain air of old tradition and polish, like Wentworth By the Sea in Portsmouth but with an order of magnitude improvement in maintenance. It's just that my interests don't run along the lines of fashionable places to stay. Not being very fashionable I find it easier to remember a terrific spot for trout on the stream or deli with a great roast beef sandwich. (How I miss Danzer's in Syracuse!)
About a year later I met a woman who with her husband drove up to Utica from the Hudson Valley to spend a weekend at the Hotel Utica.
"Really?" I said, somewhat surprised.
"What did you do in Utica when you weren't at the hotel?" I asked.
They never left. They arrived on Saturday afternoon, took a nap, had dinner, spent time in the bar afterward, slept late on Sunday morning and then got in the car and came home.
"But you missed Utica entirely," I said, with only a hint of sarcasm in my voice.
"From what we saw between the Thruway exit and the hotel's parking lot, we didn't think we missed anything," she said.
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Post by Clipper on May 3, 2014 5:15:51 GMT -5
Hopefully the improvements along the N Genessee Street corridor between the Thruway and downtown leave people with a better impression than they might have gotten before the projects on Whitesboro Street were torn down and the store fronts along the block just South of Bagg's Square have been re-purposed and remodeled in many cases. Tourists should have a better image of the city if they don't wander any farther than a few blocks East or West of Genessee or South of the Roefaro roundabout.
Well, up and out early today. Off to the annual meeting and election of officers and directors for the USBC Virginia State Bowling Association. Three of us going to Roanoke for the day. Always fun to get away and spend a day with the good friend. The USBC national representative is from Syracuse originally and we always reminisce about upstate NY for a few minutes. Glad that the meeting is close enough to drive up, attend the meeting and drive back. Roanoke is only about 2 1/2 hrs from here.
Have a good day all.
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Post by clarencebunsen on May 3, 2014 5:43:44 GMT -5
In 2004 I was surprised to open a "coffee table" book in our room at a very nice old hotel/resort on the Bay of Fundy in New Brunswick and find the Hotel Utica feted as a "destination" among a group of hotels that included the one in which we were staying. I'll bet this was the Ascend group. I just looked up the name of the place and it was the Chateau St. John. A travel agent booked us into the hotel and I gathered we were supposed to be impressed. Don't get me wrong. It was very nice with many amenities and a certain air of old tradition and polish, like Wentworth By the Sea in Portsmouth but with an order of magnitude improvement in maintenance. It's just that my interests don't run along the lines of fashionable places to stay. Not being very fashionable I find it easier to remember a terrific spot for trout on the stream or deli with a great roast beef sandwich. (How I miss Danzer's in Syracuse!) About a year later I met a woman who with her husband drove up to Utica from the Hudson Valley to spend a weekend at the Hotel Utica. "Really?" I said, somewhat surprised. "What did you do in Utica when you weren't at the hotel?" I asked. They never left. They arrived on Saturday afternoon, took a nap, had dinner, spent time in the bar afterward, slept late on Sunday morning and then got in the car and came home. "But you missed Utica entirely," I said, with only a hint of sarcasm in my voice. "From what we saw between the Thruway exit and the hotel's parking lot, we didn't think we missed anything," she said. That probably explains the cluster of new hotels and restaurants along Genesee between the Thruway and Wurz Ave. I'm trying to think of what I would tell out of towners to do if they spent a weekend at the Hotel Utica. Unless there is a hockey game at the aud or a performance at the Stanley there is not much within walking distance and the walk to either in the dark is not very appealing. Most of the things I would recommend are further afield. Downtown during the evening and on weekends is not tourist friendly. |
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Post by clarencebunsen on May 3, 2014 5:46:19 GMT -5
Travel safely Clipper and enjoy your weekend.
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Post by kit on May 3, 2014 9:54:23 GMT -5
I'm looking for any old photos of the little strip mall in Utica on Oneida St. between Eastwood Ave. and Kensington Drive. My mechanic runs 'Ridgewood Auto Service' at the right end of the building. In the middle is a convenience store, and at the left side is a place that sells 'homemade' Italian foods. It wraps around and there's a dry cleaners at the left end. It dates back to long before it was a strip mall and Jim, my mechanic, would love to have photos of it from back then.
Can anybody help me?
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Post by Deleted on May 3, 2014 14:38:10 GMT -5
I always see the parking lot full at Hotel Utica. I will be staying there in a few weeks for two days. It is my yearly vacation for myself. Beside I can pack lightly. I love there bar and period restaurant.
The New Hartford Walmart is for the more upper class. It is a more enjoyable shopping experience that having to look at these fat greasy black people stuffed into those tight pants they wear. I see an entirely different group of people shopping there. I did a study on that a few years ago at the same time I was doing a survey of the weight ( fat or thin--just by observation)of people who eat at Subway vs McDonalds( Riverside Drive). Thinner people really do eat at Subway.
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Post by Deleted on May 3, 2014 14:45:38 GMT -5
In 2004 I was surprised to open a "coffee table" book in our room at a very nice old hotel/resort on the Bay of Fundy in New Brunswick and find the Hotel Utica feted as a "destination" among a group of hotels that included the one in which we were staying. I'll bet this was the Ascend group. I just looked up the name of the place and it was the Chateau St. John. A travel agent booked us into the hotel and I gathered we were supposed to be impressed. Don't get me wrong. It was very nice with many amenities and a certain air of old tradition and polish, like Wentworth By the Sea in Portsmouth but with an order of magnitude improvement in maintenance. It's just that my interests don't run along the lines of fashionable places to stay. Not being very fashionable I find it easier to remember a terrific spot for trout on the stream or deli with a great roast beef sandwich. (How I miss Danzer's in Syracuse!) About a year later I met a woman who with her husband drove up to Utica from the Hudson Valley to spend a weekend at the Hotel Utica. "Really?" I said, somewhat surprised. "What did you do in Utica when you weren't at the hotel?" I asked. They never left. They arrived on Saturday afternoon, took a nap, had dinner, spent time in the bar afterward, slept late on Sunday morning and then got in the car and came home. "But you missed Utica entirely," I said, with only a hint of sarcasm in my voice. "From what we saw between the Thruway exit and the hotel's parking lot, we didn't think we missed anything," she said. That probably explains the cluster of new hotels and restaurants along Genesee between the Thruway and Wurz Ave. I'm trying to think of what I would tell out of towners to do if they spent a weekend at the Hotel Utica. Unless there is a hockey game at the aud or a performance at the Stanley there is not much within walking distance and the walk to either in the dark is not very appealing. Most of the things I would recommend are further afield. Downtown during the evening and on weekends is not tourist friendly. Sitting in Chancellor Park is always a blast of fun. Never know what will show up or who! Just tell them to put there beer can in a brown paper bag. |
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Post by clarencebunsen on May 3, 2014 15:46:06 GMT -5
"Beer Parks of Utica, A Self Guided Tour" That would be an interesting brochure to create, print on an ink jet and slip into the rack of a local hotel.
A few years ago my wife and I spent a day in Seattle trying to see all the points of interest listed in our city guide. Somewhere after the Space Needle and the fish market we made a wrong turn and found ourselves in a block square open space filled with old guys drinking from bottles in brown bags. That particular park didn't show up in any guide book I ever saw.
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Post by Clipper on May 3, 2014 18:05:05 GMT -5
LOL! Not in the guide book huh? Maybe we can arrange for tours of Chancellor, Steuben, and a couple of the other parks around the city. We can do it with surplus Hum V's and off duty cops with assault rifles to guide the tour. We will have to have someone check into that possibility. Hey, any way to make a few extra bucks and promote the city.
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Post by Deleted on May 4, 2014 12:17:30 GMT -5
Hopefully the improvements along the N Genessee Street corridor between the Thruway and downtown leave people with a better impression than they might have gotten before the projects on Whitesboro Street were torn down and the store fronts along the block just South of Bagg's Square have been re-purposed and remodeled in many cases. Tourists should have a better image of the city if they don't wander any farther than a few blocks East or West of Genessee or South of the Roefaro roundabout. Well, up and out early today. Off to the annual meeting and election of officers and directors for the USBC Virginia State Bowling Association. Three of us going to Roanoke for the day. Always fun to get away and spend a day with the good friend. The USBC national representative is from Syracuse originally and we always reminisce about upstate NY for a few minutes. Glad that the meeting is close enough to drive up, attend the meeting and drive back. Roanoke is only about 2 1/2 hrs from here. Have a good day all. Nothing has happened along the N. Genny St to downtown area except for some old building being torn down. Bagg Square is a mess like it has always been and business there are not making it. The Childrens Museum is going through some serious trouble with the Director doing some illegal manuvers with the board which has all but split up. I would see that place closing permanently. Is is not open now. |
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Post by Clipper on May 4, 2014 12:54:15 GMT -5
I would have to say that N Genessee is much more desireable than it was a few years ago. At least there are some new hotels, and businesses such as Denny's, Dunkin Donuts, and a couple of pretty nice restaurants.
I guess I was mistaken in thinking that the coffee roaster and a couple of other businesses that had opened on that block of Genny between the square and Oriskany St. has fallen back into decay again and the stores and shops are NOT occupied? It doesn't surprise me much. I was not impressed with trying to find a place to park to go into the coffee roaster's shop the last time we were there.
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Post by Deleted on May 4, 2014 14:21:17 GMT -5
I would have to say that N Genessee is much more desireable than it was a few years ago. At least there are some new hotels, and businesses such as Denny's, Dunkin Donuts, and a couple of pretty nice restaurants. I guess I was mistaken in thinking that the coffee roaster and a couple of other businesses that had opened on that block of Genny between the square and Oriskany St. has fallen back into decay again and the stores and shops are NOT occupied? It doesn't surprise me much. I was not impressed with trying to find a place to park to go into the coffee roaster's shop the last time we were there. Maybe I am looking at the wrong place. Dennys has been there for years so I did not count that as progress the same for the Utica Roasting Shop. The Pizza place closed. I always see D&D I guess new is the Beaner Eatery-forgot name and the Nikky Snoodles- something like that. The Utica Boilermaker Running Museum closed that was near the Roasting Shop. The eyesore is the Garbage Recycling Plant in that area and lower part of Wurtz Ave. |
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Post by clarencebunsen on May 4, 2014 17:11:55 GMT -5
As far as I know the Utica Coffee Roasting Company is doing OK. Last year they expanded their business and leased some space at Casa Imports for new equipment. My son got me some samples and they were excellent. Their site is a problem; no room for growth, it's a hassle to get to and once you're there parking can be scarce.
The stretch of North Genesse between the tracks and the Thruway is improving but it's not great. There are still abandoned buildings, polluted sites both east and west.
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Post by dave on May 6, 2014 4:55:17 GMT -5
I'm looking for any old photos of the little strip mall in Utica on Oneida St. between Eastwood Ave. and Kensington Drive. My mechanic runs 'Ridgewood Auto Service' at the right end of the building. In the middle is a convenience store, and at the left side is a place that sells 'homemade' Italian foods. It wraps around and there's a dry cleaners at the left end. It dates back to long before it was a strip mall and Jim, my mechanic, would love to have photos of it from back then. Can anybody help me? Kit, I will keep an eye out in my travels through the archives, but the most likely source of photos would be personal snapshots we'd never know about and newspaper articles and advertising. Unfortunately ... or fortunately when downloading ... the newspaper archives are mostly done in high contrast scans (The Clinton Courier an exception, stored in gray scale) and usually are mostly black with little detail. But it depends. Upon what I'm not sure, but I've seen a variety of results, mostly black. Happily, before 1900 most newspaper illustration was wood cut and engraving, line art that was usually readable. |
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