Saturday, January 28th from Noon to 5 pm for our annual visit McGregors for their annual ROBBIE BURNS DAY
CELEBRATION.

And of course Haggis is on the menu ! So if you are craving traditional Scottish dishes, this is the place to be Sat.

Mc Gregor Winery contact info: 5503 Dutch Street Dundee, NY 14837-9746
(607) 292-3999 www.mcgregorwinery.com

Don’t be surprised that this Scottish named winery would be celebrating Robbie Burns Day, there is quite a large contingent of Scotts in the area as evidenced in Dundee every year, where you can find the quite sizeable Scottish Festival.

McGregor Winery is another fine example of wineries you can find on the Keuka Lake Wine Trail located in the heart of the Finger Lakes.

This information brought to you by Mary St.George Realtor, Associate Broker, Wine Trail Properties, 315-719-8377

www.winetrailproperties.com

The Nest Egg Gift Shoppe in Penn Yan, NY chosen the “Business of the Week ” by the Finger Lakes Times !

Congrats to Joan Hansen for offering shoppers such a lovely store,  always neat, lovely selections, quality merchandise and all done with a fun presence. The custom wood facade is easily recognized by shoppers, as is the ever-changing window display, done up with the seasons best offerings.

Both local  residents and visitors from afar frequent this adorable and fresh gift store to make purchases for both themselves and for friends,  I do not know anyone that leaves the Nest Egg empty-handed.

The Nest Egg is also very proud to promote both Penn Yan and Keuka Lake with their selections.  And… Vera Bradley collectors from all over come to check out the newest selections of Vera Bradley items, as Joan has one of the best selections around.

Stop by to see what Joan has to offer.  She will even gift wrap it for you free of charge !

James Bupp is one of the great people I have had the pleasure to meet, all because of Facebook.   As many of my friends well know, I love to post “stuff;  pictures, links, comments and updates. Some of it is real estate related, some about wineries, some justinspirational and some just funny little quips. 

Just as I am a sponge for information, James loves to learn more about the great people  from the Finger Lakes such as Glenn Curtiss, the aviation pioneer.  As he wanders through the Finger Lakes, he finds out more about the people, where they came from, what they are famous for and how our lives have benefited from these folks.  Jim also likes to take  pictures as he makes his way around.

Jim is no stranger to the Finger Lakes, he currently resides in Canandaigua, but spent many a year in the Southern Tier working for IBM.  A great gentleman to have a conversation with.

In the very near future, look for links on our individual web pages to link to the others’ page.  I will also have a link to James’s store area where you can purchase online note cards with beautiful photos of the Finger Lakes area.  You really will love them !

So through Facebook a new cooperation is born.  We look forward to everyone reading our blogs.  If you have any ideas for us, please let us know by commenting on our pages.

We look forward to your page visits !

As a follow up to my most recent blog,  I googled “edgy” designs and ended up finding this Starbucks building.  It is located near Seattle, Washington and was just recently built.

It makes sense to see Starbucks try out this design style.  They have always been considered a “green” company.  Since shipping containers are made to be easily moved, Starbucks can easily move the location of this store.  The only thing that has me confused, is that they have a drive-up window.  I have never found drive up windows to be very “green” and find it healthier to get out of your car and move around if only for a few minutes . 

I am thinking this could cause havoc for some zoning boards, it could cause major stress, trying to figure out how to classify ….

Let’s see how this shipping container trend moves and if it does…

Container homes have become trendy among artist, architects, folks deciding to go green by recycling old containers, and for quick emergency housing in disaster areas.  Designers utilize the space in very efficient ways incorporating green products such as bamboo flooring, counters from recycled products and even stacking the components to provide relief or exposure to the sun.

Trendy…

There are many different makers of these container homes, with more and more entering the market.  Some home manufactures and designers, are producing homes that look like containers and are made of recycled components.

One of these homes can be found on Seneca Lake.  The owners purchased the land and then set up a home, made of these Wee components. The home now completed, is set up as a vacation rental.  If you want to see what one of these homes are like, you could rent it for the week and enjoy Seneca Lake while there.  The  Wee House 5127 Elm Rd, Dundee NY 14837

If you are not sure what to put on your vacant land and want to be trendy when it comes to vacation homes or lake homes,  just Google “container homes” and visit some of the numerous sites available.

Richard and Victoria MacKenzie-Childs, founders of the MacKenzie-Childs whimsical and creative design group have decided to sell their estate located on the East side of Cayuga Lake.  It is in close proximity to the business they sold, that still draws collectors from all over the world.  Their designs are easily recognizable and their fans are some of the most loyal collectors, waiting and anticipating new designs or pieces.

The property comes with 48 park like acres, complete with a pond, carriage house with quarters, and an art studio.   Perfect for so many home businesses or just a large family compound.  Loyal followers of Victoria and Richard’s style, will just adore this estate.  It is truly a showcase of their work and style.

The asking price for this world-class home is $1,100,000 and for additional funds, one of a kind pieces may be purchased.  The East side of Cayuga Lake has been home  to many affluent names and the setting for many outstanding homes suitable for the most discerning buyers.  Pleasant Rowland, creator of American Girl Dolls, owns a couple of homes in the area, as well as many other notables.

This home is currently listed by Michael DeRosa of Sotheby’s and you may contact me if you have an interest in the property or any others in the Aurora/Ledyard area.

Located on beautiful Seneca Lake, this lakeside vacation rental has been very popular with large groups, be it large families or just lots of friends visiting the area to go on the numerous wine tours that are available. 

This spacious 5 bedroom, 4 and 1/2 bath home easily accommodates large groups of visitors. Located on the West side of Seneca Lake just off State Route 14, it is easily accessible to the numerous wineries, Watkins Glen and a short drive to Corning Glass.  The property sits on a 1 acre lot and has 100 feet of lakefront complete with a dock.

For boat owners, there is a State boat launch located less than 1/4 mile down the road.

This property was carefully built for the handicapped person in mind.  It has a first floor master suite with a master bath built for those in wheelchairs.  The interior of the downstairs has floors that are seamless from one room to the next.  The doorways are all ANSI rated allowing complete mobility on the main floor.

Besides the downstairs master suite, this home offers two more master suites on the second floor as well as an additional sitting area.

The rear deck runs the total length of the home and offers plenty of room for dining, entertaining and just watching the lake with a glass of Finger Lakes wine !  The view is spectacular !  The large yard leading down to the lake lends plenty of room for outdoor games and activities. 

If you look real close, you will see me sitting on the end of the dock, just taking in the beauty of it all !

This home is a culmination of inspirations from a family with a great vision.  They built this home specifically to address  the vacation home  rental market along the Seneca Lake Wine Trail in the Finger Lakes knowing  of the high demand for rental properties. The property has a high rental rate, normally with sold out bookings.  The revenue brought in annually is somewhere around $60,000.

This Seneca Lake property would be available to the right investor.  For more information and additional photos, contact me @ 315-719-8377.

Save the date for this very popular event, Feb 11-12, 2012 – Cheese and Wine Lovers Weekend !

Love Cheese ?  Love Wine ?  Well…then this is the weekend wine event for you.  Come savor some of Keuka’s best wines with creamy and delectable cheeses that are locally produced.  Each winery will also have a dish prepared with a specialty cheese, a dish you may want to prepare at home.  This is a great platform to pair local wine with local artisan cheeses and one you will want to attend every year.

The following wineries are members of the Keuka Wine Trail and will be participating in the event:

• Keuka Spring Vineyards   
• Barrington Cellars
• McGregor Vineyard
• Ravines Wine Cellars
• Hunt Country Vineyards
• Stever Hill Vineyards
• Dr. Frank’s Vinifera Wine Cellars
• Heron Hill Winery          

 

 The winery events bring so many visitors to the area, making this an area to purchase lakefront homes and placing them in a property rental program.   Wine lovers, love to visit the wineries and spend a day or so in a lovely lakeside home or one with a view to sit back and enjoy a glass of their favorite findings.

I will be showcasing some great rental properties in future blogs. Some will be available for purchase as well…

All of the Finger Lakes are beautiful in their own right, but overall Keuka Lake seems to be the more desirable when you look at overall price ranges available.  Prices to live on Keuka Lake, or at least have access, range from $89,000 to a mobile in a lakeside, seasonal  mobile home community, to a lavish over the top 2 bedroom home with marble walls and unbelievable entertaining areas for $2.5 million dollars. 

Current Keuka Lake owners love their properties so much, they drive around with a little sticker on their car windows that deplays “QKA”.  These owmers feel that they aremore than fortunate to have found this hidden gem.

There are three main localities on the lake to choose to be near.  They include; Penn Yan, Hammondsport and Branchport.  In between these areas, you will find various hamlets and points. 

Some of the homes are intentionally seasonal with the owners only visiting during the summer months, others were built to be seasonal and left as is ( far uncommon anymore ) and most are year round homes, even if only used seasonally.

The choices are endless. In fact there are currently over 80 homes available for sale on Keuka Lake. Lot size, proximity to the style, vintage, garages, driveway, septic, sewer, public water, wells, bedrooms, bathrooms, the side of the lake and privacy are just some of the many variables that buyers look for. 

If you are looking for the perfect vacation home on Keuka Lake, Dave and I would be more than happy to assist you in your goal.  There are many beautiful homes to choose from in many different price ranges.  Dave is originally from the area and I have been in th are for 22 years, so we know the lake. 

We even have a property for sale that includes two homes, 5 acres of land and 170 feet of lakefront.  It offers so many options and all for $475,000.  For a more upscale option, we have a gorgeous 4600 square ft home complete with its own lakeside guest cottage 1 acre of land, wine cellar and 180 ft of lakefront on Keuka Lake.  Want to build your own home with a great view, we have that for you also.  And talk about views, we have an old converted barn with the most spectacular views of Keuka Lake located just minutes from Bully Hill and Dr Franks.

So give us a call and we will sit down and find something that fits your desires on Keuka Lake.

Budget travel is having a contest for the “Coolest Small Town” and after the initial rounds, Hammondsport, NY  has made the final cut with 9 other small towns across the US.  Vote for your favorite! You can vote once daily,  so be sure to get all your votes in before the contest closes on January 31st. And remember to vote for Hammondsport.  Let us make Hammondsport the “Coolest Small Town “.

So what makes Hammondsport special ?  You have to ask ?

• The wineries
• The quaint shops
• The Glenn H. Curtiss Museum
• The restaurants
• Keuka Lake
• The beauty of the hillsides
• Historical Homes
• Antiques
• Farmers Markets

There are so many reasons to love Hammondsport !   So vote today !

Coolest small Towns :     Beaufort, NC  Cape May, NJ  Cooke City, MT  Damascus, VA  Hammondsport, NY  Jerome, AZ  Nashville,  IN  Port Townsend, WA  St. Genevieve, MO  Weaverville, CA

Read more: http://www.budgettravel.com/contest/americas-coolest-small-towns-2012,11/#ixzz1ipREzLm8