a fresher
perspective.
What makes ithaca worth visiting?
You'd think we'd have a quick answer. But we don't. It's not
like pointing to a menu and saying, "try the veal."
Don't get us wrong, the menu's great: Ithaca has waterfalls
and gorges and very smart colleges. There's a fun downtown,
fine food & wine and a spectacular lake. The menu's solid.
But the "it" in Ithaca is off the menu and way more interesting.
Take a fresh perspective.
Look deeper. In Ithaca, there are 758 graduate-degree-holders
per square mile. There's a Tibetan monastery on one hill and
a 50,000-watt solar system on the next. There's a brewery that
grows its own hops, a deli that raises its own pork and a bar that
mixes its cocktails based on what's fresh at the farmers market.
Ithaca is the birthplace of the sundae, the hometown of LOLITA
and the site of the world's largest human peace sign.
And did we mention all the waterfalls?
See what we mean? Ithaca is more about discovery than itinerary. It unfolds best when you look off the menu. But that advice
is challenging for folks who just want to hear, "try the veal."
So for them, we fall back on the old bumper sticker. We say,
"'Ithaca is Gorges.' Go see some waterfalls." But between us,
there's so much more. Just bring your curiosity. And skip the
veal. The local Thai is better.
photos Dewey Neild
