The Hotel Syracuse remembers the old as it faces the new

They called this “Suite Stories Ghostwalk,” and indeed the Hotel Syracuse had some stories to tell. But it wasn’t the kind of ghosts of folks who famously die and hang around these old buildings of ours. No, when I signed up as a “back guide” on the last Saturday of 2014 and walked the grounds…

Happy New Year’s Eve from Syracuse, N.Y.

Are you ready for the ball to drop for 2015? Do you feel you dropped the ball in 2014 or handled life pretty well? Today’s the day to tie up any loose ends for this year. Better hurry. And tonight’s the night to welcome in the new year with great hopes, big plans, newfound inspiration,…

The muddy prints of a 4-year-old

Somebody young was traipsing through the muddy backyard of our home in the Syracuse city neighborhood of Eastwood during this holiday week and then heard visitors arrive inside. They wanted in. Badly. But they couldn’t quite figure out how to work the tricky handle of the French door. We did not have a toddler visiting…

The War Memorial part of the Syracuse arena is impressive

Last week I brought you the hockey report from our visit to the Onondaga County War Memorial to see the Syracuse Crunch of the AHL. My dear wife Karen went back Friday night, just six days later, so I decided to make the historic, 61-year-old building in downtown Syracuse the star of the work on…

What are you doing here?

An unexpected guest showed up at our home in the Syracuse city neighborhood of Eastwood, and just five days from the New Year yet. I noticed the visitor loitering in the corner of our backyard when I let Ellie B aka Dogamous Pyle out for her morning Saturday romp. OK, I have to admit that…

Clark’s beef on ‘wick was worth the wait

I pressed my face to the window waiting for Clark’s Ale House to open with this August post telling of its history in another location in downtown Syracuse and licking my lips to reacquaint myself with owner Ray Clark’s famous roast beef sandwiches. My dear wife Karen and I went back a month ago for…

A wet, green Christmas was OK here

So much sentimentality is hung upon the concept of a White Christmas. Sorry, Bing, not this year in Syracuse, N.Y. I did not mind at all that in the front of our house in the Syracuse city neighborhood of Eastwood, the lawn once again had returned to green. OK, I will admit that at the…

The corner is long … and dark

We passed the Winter Solstice mark Sunday here in the Northern Hemisphere, officially moving into the fourth season, the coldest season. The darkest season. We are gaining light. That corner is always turned on the solstice, designating the day when the tilt of the earth begins to move us more prominently toward the sun for…

Gliding to success on a much smaller stage

When last I left you with photos and my impressions of the Syracuse Crunch of the American Hockey League, they’d skated to a 2-1 victory over the Utica Comets in a one-time event called the Frozen Dome Classic. Almost 31,000 fans had crammed into the Carrier Dome for the Saturday night in November, and oh,…

Turning Stone glows in misty holiday light

This August I marveled at the bright colors around the grounds at the Turning Stone Resort and Casino some 25 miles down the Thruway from Syracuse. Here’s the post with my pictures from that lovely day. On the way back to our car with my dear wife Karen from the dinner with the kids to…