It’s that time of the year with the weather breaking and hope closing in of warmer weather and outdoor activities that we start to solidify our vacation plans.  If you will be spending time at a  vacation home on Cayuga Lake, Seneca Lake or the River,Fuzzy Guppies has family fun in mind for you. And it is only a short drive from some of the other Finger Lakes like Keuka Lake. This year while vacationing in the Finger Lakes, take a break from the lake and stop down to see what the fun is all about.  You may even want to try one out. Then stop down to the River Park Grille for a mouth-watering burger.

You can rent canoes or kayaks here, and you can sign your kids up, to romp around in the canal in these giant hamster like balls.  The kids just love them.  Watch the video above and watch some of the fun.

Looking for a vacation home on Keuka Lake, Seneca Lake, Cayuga Lake or any of the other Finger Lakes, give me a call and you will soon be enjoying your own vacation home right here in the beautiful Finger Lakes !

This information brought to you by Mary St.George, Associate Real Estate Broker, Wine Trail Properties, 315-719-8377,[email protected]

In writing my blog, I am like anyone else.  I have typos, the misuse of grammar and sometimes information that does not present itself in the correct manner.  Some of the information is from public documents or portals and some of the information is from my opinions or has been accumulated from statistical measures that I have put together. 

 I try to take my own pictures or use ones available to the public, or even sometimes purchase pictures.  When the pictures are not mine, I try to give credit to the photographer when known. Of course this is not always possible.

If any information gets out on my blog that contains errors, I will indeed make the corrections.  I am far from perfect and even the best newspapers and journals end up printing errors after numerous runs by editors.    I always have my contact information loud and clear on my blog so that anyone with a concern can contact me. 

So if I have offended anyone – I really am sorry and apologize for my short comings.  I want my blog to be informative and interesting.

I will attempt to do a better job of making less errors in 2013.

Kindly,

Mary

For current and interactive temperature stats on Keuka Lake, you can visit the Keuka Lake Association’s page.  It will look like the graph below. The KLA has played an integral part in maintaining the sparkling clean waters of Keuka Lake.  The organization was formed in 1956 and is composed of a very dedicated board that keeps abreast of all issues in the watershed that could potentially affect the water quality of the lake.  If you have any water quality questions about Keuka Lake, these are the people to contact. 

 The temperatures on the other Finger Lakes are averaging around 70 degrees, a comfortable temperature for all of your water sports.   Skaneateles Lake is showing a modest 67 degrees earlier this morning.  I see at least another two weeks of comfortable lake temps for swimming and water skiing.

Enjoy the lake while you can !

One of the biggest decorating and remodeling trends in the last ten years, was to add an outdoor kitchen.

 Sounds great, right?  Before you take on a project like this, I have some recommendations.

1. Decide on how much your budget will be.  Added costs could be running water lines to outdoor sinks and electrical  wiring to outdoor refrigerators and the ability to run appliances.  You do not want to depend on extension cords.
2. Be realistic on how much you will be using it.  Is this a whim that just sounds great, or do you spend a lot of time outdoors?
3. Will you enjoy being in the full sun for hours cooking? You may want to consider a covered area to maintain a shield from the sun and this will be an additional cost to the project.
4. How will the outdoor elements in your locality affect your outdoor kitchen?  Salt water ice and cold can be very harmful on just about anything,
5. Will there be additional maintenance involved to shut things down and open back up because of weather concerns?  In the North, water lines will have to be drained and turned off.  How will snow and ice accumulation affect stone walls and floors ? Will your appliances be affected by salt water in the air?
6. Will you be selling your home in the near future or is there the possibility?  If so, your money may be better spent inside the home where you will receive a better return on your investment.
7. Talk to friends and family to get some input on what they like and don’t like about their outdoor kitchen.  Ask them what they would do differently if they had to do it all over. Their input will help in your decision-making.

Installing an outdoor kitchen can run between $3,000 and $10,000.  Of course this number can run higher if more upgrades are added such as a covered area pictured on the right. 

Depending on the design you choose, the proximity of the home may be an important factor as well.  Even if you love the outdoors, you still have to get items from point A to point B.

After all the review and debate and you favor an outdoor kitchen installation, remember to request estimates from at least three contractors.  You will want to visit some completed sites as well. 

When complete, don’t forget to invite your friends and family to share in your enjoyment !

This information brought to you by your favorite realtor, Mary St.George, Associate Broker, Wine Trail Properties, 315-719-8377,[email protected] Your Personal Connection to Lakefront Living

Anne Hathaway the adorable actress know for so many roles in various movies such as “The Princess Diaries”, “Broke Back Mountain” and “The Devil Wears Prada” has been spending the past week trekking around Keuka Lake with her parents that have a home here in Yates County.

photo by Scott Meyer

Perez Hilton actually disclosed this little get-a-way for Anne on his gossip column.  Anne was spotted in both the Villages of Penn Yan and Hammondsport stopping in various shops.  She was also spotted at a few of the wineries that dot the area around Keuka Lake and at a few of the restaurants such as the Esperanza.   The businesses in the Keuka Lake area were surprised to see their names listed in a gossip column, but most found it quite fun.

This area is not immune to star-studded actors and actresses finding a delightful refuge in the area. In fact there are several celebrities that have second homes on the Finger Lakes, allowing them to escape to a more private and civilized setting.  Since Keuka Lake is less than a 6 hour drive from NYC and an hour flight into the airport from NYC, it makes it a sensible place to get away to for many of the privileged. Stars find that they are able to come and go as they please with minimal fanfare.

Anne comes to the area to visit with her parents, and why not.  Keuka Lake is one of the most beautiful lakes in the Finger Lakes and a favorite of so many with the charming little hamlets and villages that are found around the lake.  Anne we love when you visit the area, so please visit often!

Of course since hearing of Anne Hathaway being in the area, many have their eyes open for the possibility of a sighting. 

If you are interested in finding a delightful lakefront home on Keuka Lake and experience the relaxation and joy that so many have already found, then call, text or email me.

This information brought to you by Mary St.George, Associate Broker, Wine Trail Properties, Your Personal Connection to Lakefront Living, 315-719-8377,[email protected]