Amazing! Well kept, organized and a beautiful way to spend the day. We went to the gardens around…read morethe welcome center, which was good enough for us. However, the campus has SO many gardens that they maintain, so there are plenty more to visit.

Formerly known as the Cornell Plantations and consisting of 25 acres, Cornell Botanic Gardens is…read moreone of the most popular attractions around Ithaca and has something for everyone, which is why my partner, his family, and I came for a visit on this beautiful Saturday. Located in the center of the Cornell University campus, but also including the adjoining F.R. Newman Arboretum and over 3,500 acres of natural areas, there were hiking trails, nature walks, gardens, ponds, woodlands, meadows, glens, waterfalls, fens, bogs, and, of course, "gorges." The well-kept gardens were easy to access, easy to walk around, and were extremely quiet. It's very kid- and pet-friendly. The historic core revolves around the herb and perennial garden. Admission is FREE, but one does need to pay a parking fee to enter the park on weekdays. It runs you $1.50 per hour, so it's exceptionally reasonable, but it's free on weekends. We enjoyed our drive through the campus to get to the botanic garden, which we can recommend.

I enjoyed hearing the chime concerts from my apartment and while walking around campus everyday…read more They play three times a day and you can go up the tower to put in your requests as well as enjoy the panoramic view of the campus and city. I love it whenever I hear the Alma Mater (Far Above Cayuga's Waters). You can also request to have the chimesmasters play for your wedding (just put your request in early because there is about a 4 year waiting list!) when you get married at the Sage Chapel! Many Cornellians get married here, including a former head chimesmaster (I'm referring to you, Cathy J)!

Such a cool experience, go to the concerts done three times a day on weekends. The Chinese master…read moreplays excellently and it's unique enough that you'll remember that trip to Cornell (whether it's your first or your hundredth)

I'm very glad they "survived" their recent funding crisis ... For myself, I can't think of a more…read morecrucial student & faculty amenity than a cinema ... Clearly some disagree ... However I've been delighted to find large crowds at (some) recent screenings ... And a few hardened cineastes like moi, at others , haw haw ... Two petty gripes: Any chance of ever getting coffee service back behind the counter again? ... I hate wrangling with the ornery keurig pods ... And, though I'm afraid this one is even more impossible -- I wish that for those of us walking back to C-town, that someone could persuade the groundskeeping powers-that-be not to chain the external steps in (endless) winter-time ... It's such a much faster & less lung-crushing way of getting back up to the top ... I guess they feel they have to do that though -- just so that if I slip on the ice & sue Uncle Ezra, that they can remind me that I stepped over the dang chains ... Oh well ... In concluding, what with all the multifarious distraction options these days, it'll probably never again be like it was in the "big 80's" -- when Statler would fill up every weekend with frat boys stomping on the floor and shouting "Tastes Great!" in unison, only to hear their coy sorority counterparts respond in coy contralto, "Less Filling!" ... before every picture ... Those were the days alright! ...

There's not often a film I desperately want to see at Cornell Cinema (most are classic films I…read morecould watch for free on Netflix, for example), but the occasional director's appearance or screening of a film that's just finished its run and thus no longer (or was never) at one of the other theaters in town makes it worthwhile (and given it's on the Cornell campus, it's much more convenient than the Regal out at the mall if you don't have a car). A couple other good reasons: the price is right for Cornell affiliates (tickets are only $5 for grad students) and the space is beautiful - the one-screen cinema is set in a soaring, classic 1920s auditorium covered in stunning murals. In the warmer months, screenings are even held outside. If you happen to be from Boston or are familiar with the Harvard Square area of Cambridge, MA, the CC is roughly Ithaca's equivalent to the Brattle Cinema or the Harvard Film Archive (it's university-managed like the HFA, but looks like and has offerings more along the lines of those at the Brattle).

Michele is such a wonderful artist and equally a beautiful person; she has the zen and patience we…read moreall strive for. I contacted Michele via email in hopes that she could assist with working on a Jewelry Badge for my Girl Scouts troop. She called me the next day and we made a plan. Her work area is amazing, everything is in its place and she really takes pride in making old things new. Our girls spent an hour and a half in the studio and really enjoyed the experience. As a trained sculptor, she makes her work look easy, where I would have probably lost the tips of my fingers. Please see below the beautiful Girl Scout pins she made during our demo. The girls had a million and one questions and Michele answered them all with much care and patience. She also provided them and indirectly me, with great life advice. She explained how we should find what we love in life and take time in the day to just do it; it will benefit the quality of your life. She encouraged the girls to follow their dreams, citing that being an artist was always her passion. Please note that she makes everything by hand and it's amazing to see; she offers classes and encourages inquiries for creating a one of a kind piece. Please see Michele, you will be highly impressed by her creativity and expertise.

I broke my wedding band and was so pleased to be able to have it fixed up without leaving the…read moreneighborhood! Michele is a capable and creative jeweler who can fix broken things or create something new out of something sentimental. She had my ring back to me in a jiffy and was affordable, too.