by Aurora Dufort
Neither my husband nor I are native to the Finger Lakes Region. I am from rural Western New York, while he is from the Capital Region. We both happened to be offered teaching positions in the same school district. During Summer 2008, in a time of financial crisis and mass teacher lay-offs, I was an optimistic and inexperienced teacher candidate whose certification was still hot off the presses. I applied to every opening I saw posted that summer, most were for openings in towns I had never visited and probably could not pinpoint on a map. It happened that my first job offer was for a teaching position at a small school in the Southern Tier. Without hesitation, I accepted a position in a town I knew nothing about, in an area where I did not know a soul.
It did not take long for me to feel at home in this beautiful area. I settled into my first apartment, located in the bustling small town of Corning, within walking distance of the Corning Museum of Glass and Market Street, five charming blocks of unique shops, bars and restaurants. My co-workers quickly turned into friends, and I met the man I now call my husband. We had our first date beside Seneca Lake at the Village Marina – now Horseheads Brewing – under the warm June sun.
Four years later he proposed on the rocks that extend from the Seneca Lake Pier, in front of Horseheads Brewing. We were spending the day wine tasting, one of our favorite activities. We purchased our first bottle of celebratory engagement wine at Lakewood Vineyards and headed 15 miles up the west side of the lake to Prejean Winery to tell one of our favorite tasting room associates the good news. We took our engagement photos at Watkins Glen State Park and on the rocks where we were engaged.
In May 2016 we got married at one of the places most dear to us, the Hangar Theatre in Ithaca, a performing arts venue in a historic airport hangar, where I later worked for two summers. The Hangar Theatre is located next to Cass Park, along Cayuga Lake, just outside of downtown Ithaca. Just a few miles up the road, you will find the spectacular Taughannock Falls. Having attended performances there since our first summer together, the Hangar was the setting for some of our favorite memories. The location also paid homage to the fact that we were co-directors for our school’s drama club. When we walked down the aisle as part of our venue tour, we knew it was the perfect place to begin our next act.
Over the past few summers, my husband and I have been working toward fulfilling the ambitious goal of visiting all of the wineries and breweries on Seneca, Cayuga and Keuka lakes, the three lakes nearest to our Elmira home. It is a lofty goal, as every summer there are new destinations to visit. Should this remain a goal that continually eludes our grasp, I think that is a shortcoming we can accept. We keep a map of the Finger Lakes in our car, and each time we stop at a new location we highlight it on the map. It’s a treasure hunt I would recommend to everyone who lives in the area.
The wine is unparalleled, but the wine trails are about so much more. The scenery is truly breathtaking. There is this astonishing moment coming up the hill on NY-414 into Watkins Glen from Corning when you can first see the glistening lake, dotted with sailboats in the summer.
I have so many positive memories associated with Seneca Lake that as soon as I see it, I feel at peace. I love the time in the car with my husband and friends as we drive along the lake, windows down, music and laughter filling the air. The never-ending adventures that the area offers have given me countless cherished memories with my out-of-town family and friends. I love the conversations with each other and with the tasting room associates. I love sitting outside at the wineries in the summer, listening to live music played by talented locals. I love the one-of-a-kind shops along the lakes, places like Seneca Lake’s Hector Handmade, an artist collective that sells products made by local artists within a 30-mile radius of the shop. I love the endless nature trails to explore throughout the region, trails that wind through the woods, lead to awe-inspiring overlooks and run alongside waterfalls. The trails remind me of the power and beauty of the natural world that I so often forget about as I stare at my computer screen.
Fifteen years after moving here, I am surrounded by a network of strong and loving individuals: my husband, best friends, colleagues, even a sweet dog, adopted from Hornell Area Humane Society. My former middle and high school students now work at the businesses we frequent. Some are now teachers and custodians in area schools. They work at stores, restaurants and wineries throughout the area. They have fixed our cars, created the artwork that adorns our walls and constructed and heated the hallways of my school. One former student, now a veterinary technician, even helped us say goodbye to our beloved bulldog when the time came.
In the summer of 2008, I had nothing to connect me to this area except a job offer, but today a web of connections and memories stretches across the map. In striking out on our own as young adults and moving away from our families, my husband and I ended up finding each other and finding a place to call home. I would have none of this if I had not taken a chance on an area I did not know. This summer marks 12 years since that first date, and everything still seems magical.
Readers, I hope you pick up a new map of the Finger Lakes this summer and join us on our treasure hunt across the region. There is always something new to see, and the old never ceases to call us back.
