Bully Hill Restaurant
A Scenic Eatery in the Heart of the Finger Lakes Wine Region
Atmosphere
Bully Hill Restaurant is situated in the heart of the beautiful Finger Lakes wine region in upstate New York. The area is becoming increasingly well-known for its local award-winning wines, beautiful scenery and temperate summer climate. The restaurant is a part of the Bully Hill Vineyard on Keuka Lake, and it offers spectacular views from high atop the steep Western slopes overlooking the lake.
Bully Hill Restaurant offers both indoor and outdoor dining, and a spot on the patio offers quite possibly the most beautiful spot to dine in all of upstate New York. The atmosphere is casual, and during the summer months, it is a popular spot for vacationers who own cottages on the Finger Lakes, locals, and wine tourists alike.
While stopping up at Bully Hill for a delicious meal, you can also take part in wine tastings, visit their gift shop, museum, and enjoy their beautiful summer gardens and vineyards right on the grounds.
Menu
Bully Hill Restaurant prides itself on offering a menu based on fresh seasonal ingredients, which results in savory, unique entrees. You can order anything from smoked Mediterranean lamb salad to authentic southern barbeque straight from their new smoker.
Additionally, they have vegetarian options and a Kid’s Menu, not to mention a wonderful Bully Hill wine selection. Check out their full lunch, dinner, and special menus at the website: http://www.bullyhill.com/restaurant/restaurant.asp
Service
Service at Bully Hill is warm, helpful, friendly, and prompt. This is remarkable considering how busy they can get during the peak summer months, but it is highly unlikely that you will leave this establishment neglected or unsatisfied.
Price Range
Moderate. Lunch entrees range from about $8 to $15, and dinners range from $9 for sandwiches all the way up to $25 for their twin beef tenderloin fillets. Make sure to allow room in your budget to sample a glass or two of their very own wines grown on-location, which never fail to satisfy. Wines are available by the glass or by the bottle.
Hours
Bully Hill Restaurant is open throughout the Finger Lakes tourist season, May through October. They serve lunch daily from 11:30 am to 4 pm, and they have recently expanded their hours to serve dinners on Saturdays from 5-8 pm.
Location
Bully Hill Restaurant and Vineyards is located on the west side of Keuka Lake, very close to the South end of the lake and the charming village of Hammondsport, N.Y. Please visit their website for detailed directions from a variety of source locations.
8843 Greyton H. Taylor Mem. Dr. Hammondsport, New York, 14840.
Contact:
Call to confirm pre- and post-season dates and hours at the restaurant phone line: 607-868-3490.
For an extra treat, you can visit their website at http://www.bullyhill.com/restaurant/restaurant.asp. Here you can find complete menus, more information about their vineyard, restaurant, gift shop, and museum, as well as recipes for their singularly delicious entrees.
Adopting Your Next Family Pet: My personal experience with dog adoption
When I graduated from college, I decided that it was time to get a dog. I had grown up with dogs in my family from age six onwards—first a Great Pyrenees, and then a Saint Bernard. As a result, I’ve become what you would call an “animal person” of the highest degree. Having a dog around the house makes me a happier person, as I imagine it does for many of the other animal-lovers out there. Both of the dogs my family had while I was growing up were purchased from run-of-the-mill pet stores. The Great Pyrenees (alarmingly) was from a mall, and the Saint Bernard from a local pet shop. Over the years, I had heard stories about puppy mills and animal abuse, over-breeding and inbreeding, and I had developed serious doubts as to whether buying puppies from pet shops is an ethical consumer decision at all.
Of course the preferable option for getting a “quality-assured” dog is to buy from a reputable professional breeder. The drawbacks of this approach are that supply of puppies can at times be limited, as respectable breeders will not over- breed their dogs, in addition to the cost, which can be astronomically high if you’re looking to get a pup with show-worthy bloodlines. Even average purebred puppies can run upwards of three to four hundred dollars. As a young adult fresh out of college, this route simply wasn’t an option for me.
It was at this point that I began to look into pet adoption agencies. There are SPCAs across the country in both rural and urban areas, in addition to smaller independent nonprofit organizations that foster, treat, and rehabilitate pets. On the internet, one of the most useful resources that I discovered was the website www.petfinder.org. You can search your local area, region, or the entire country for the type of pet you would like to adopt, with search options such as pet type, breed, size, and age. Most postings come with pictures and the background for each animal, and petfinder.org features animals from different shelters all around the country.
On this website, I discovered a Great Pyrenees in a county animal shelter that was scheduled to be euthanized in days. My next free afternoon, I rushed to the shelter, an hour away, to find with some relief that someone from PyrRescue had removed the dog from the shelter and placed it in a foster home. Rather than turn around and go back home, I looked at the other dogs in the shelter, which was run largely by prison inmates. I was taken by a small, sweet-looking female terrier mix, which, as you might suspect, ended up coming home with me. The adoption fee was $45, and I signed a contract promising that I would have her spayed within the next six weeks. Having her spayed was not an entirely pleasant experience, as she was very sick when she came home with nausea and vomiting. Within days though, she recovered, and she has been a wonderful, affectionate pet.
Many people have hesitation about adoption because many dogs in shelters have been mistreated, abused, or have other serious behavioral problems. However, it has been my experience that with a discerning eye, you can tell if there are problems. That isn’t to say that if a dog has problems associated with having bad owners, you should not adopt it. Most problems of this sort can be worked out with the help of an owner who can show patience, persistence and affection to the dog. Often, working with a professional trainer can help to correct more ingrained behavioral problems. More serious problems, like aggression (even toy or food aggression), should give legitimate cause for hesitation, particularly if you have a family with children.
Another way to circumvent the potential problems is to adopt a young dog or puppy. They tend to be more impressionable, and rebound better from the traumatic experiences that so many animals tend to have when they end up in shelters. A year lager, I adopted a Golden Retriever-Great Pyrenees mix when he was about 8 weeks old, and I have had no problems with him whatsoever (barring the typical puppy housebreaking and chewing issues, of course!) His adoption fee was around $100, but this is because he was already neutered by the shelter at the time I adopted him.
Another important thing to consider is that a lot of dogs that end up in shelters aren’t abused, mistreated or neglected at all. I have seen so many dogs listed on petfinder.com whose owners had to give them up for various reasons: divorce, allergies, owner death, a new baby in the family, moving to a foreign country, etc.
In light of my experiences with pet adoption, I would strongly encourage any person considering getting a dog or puppy to seriously consider adopting rather than buying a puppy from a store. There are hundreds of thousands of good pets out there without homes. Why support the demand for animals bred for store sale, which in turn fuels an inhumane and unethical puppy mill industry? If you put in the time and energy to research, spend time with, and adopt a shelter dog, you’ll have a great companion, and quite possibly save a life in the process.
Additional Resources:
Beauty: Is Thin Really Still In?
There was a recent popular post on wordpress about a stunning Pakistani model. I’m not going to argue: the girl is beautiful, unique and very attractive. Some of the comments left on that article, however, really disgusted me. One reader wrote that they “prefer not to see size 13 women” because they are “not inspiring.” Not inspiring for who, may I ask? Anorexics and bulemics?
I’m writing this post because it horrifies me that the obsession with extreme thinness is still so prevalent–not just in the fashion industry but in the popular opinion in general.
The most popular dress size in North America is a size 14. And let’s face it; a lot of these women are beautiful. They’re your mother, your sister, your wife, maybe even your daughter. Why support an unhealthy and (for most) unattainable image of beauty?
Luckily, there’s a countermovement in the works. The majority may not know it, but there is a burgeoning “plus” (read: normal) sized fashion and modeling industry growing around the world, and particularly in the United States. Even major modeling agencies like Ford are establishing Plus divisions throughout the country.
http://www.walkthecatwalk.com/ offers insight into the fashion industry and their demand for size 0-4 models, and puts forward a challenge to print magazines and designers to begin to subvert this. Turn on your speakers–there’s an introductory inverview with Liis Windischmann and Diane Pellini, both phenomenally beautiful models that challenge the standard definition of beauty.
If you have any doubt that normal sized women can be both stunning and beautiful, I suggest you check out the Fenomenal Calendar online. Click the corner of the calendar to turn the pages and see a year’s worth of beautiful, average-sized women.
Plus models are also beginning to be featured occasionally on the covers of prominent fashion magazines. A handful are starting even make a name for themselves. Fluvia is a perfect example. Check out this stunning latina model’s website here. Just so you know, she’s a U.S. size 16.
Here are some others:
Isn’t it time that beauty of all sizes is acknowledged equally, particularly in the fashion industry?
Ford CEO Rakes in $28M for 4 Months on Job
I know news like this shouldn’t throw me into a state of incredulous disbelief anymore, but it still does. From a CNN article, see the full article at the link below:
“Struggling Ford Motor Company, which posted a record $12.7 billion net loss in 2006, gave its new CEO Alan Mulally $28 million for four months on the job, according to a statement filed Thursday. The details were made public as Ford moves ahead with plans to close plants and cut more than 30,000 hourly positions from the company in an effort to stem losses.”
http://money.cnn.com/2007/04/05/news/companies/ford_execpay/index.htm?cnn=yes
According to the poll on the article webpage, 20% voted that this $28 million, 4-month compensation package is “appropriate if he can turn Ford around” while a staggering 77% thinks it’s “inappropriate no matter what he does.”
If this is truly the case, why do obscenely large corporate bonuses/salaries still remain standard in American and international companies? If the common workers don’t like it, shouldn’t they try to do something? Mobilise? Anything. I mean wow, that’s horrendous. These people at the very top of corporate hierarchies are largely figureheads, and not a whole lot more. What do you think can be done?
Kurt Vonnegut
A remarkable writer died on April 11, 2007; may he rest in peace.
“Everything was beautiful, and nothing hurt.”
~Slaughterhouse Five, Kurt Vonnegut
“‘We probably could have saved ourselves, but we were too damned lazy to try very hard … and too damn cheap,’ he once suggested carving into a wall on the Grand Canyon, as a message for flying-saucer creatures.”
Read the full obit on CNN (though I’m sure there will be far better ones on other websites quite soon): http://www.cnn.com/2007/SHOWBIZ/books/04/12/obit.vonnegut.ap/index.html
A Few Good Quotes and a Positive Experience
“Our prime purpose in this life is to help others. And if you can’t help them, at least don’t hurt them. ”
–H.H. the Dalai Lama
This seems like a very simple thing to do–to at least not harm others. How simple is it in execution though? Can one live a life without hurting others (and to Buddhists in particular this includes all sentient beings)? What changes would you have to make to even live a life in which you minimise your harmful impact on others?
Another quote by the current Dalai Lama that I rather like follows:
“If you want others to be happy, practice compassion. If you want to be happy, practice compassion.”
I took the time a couple of weeks ago to help out with a small, startup nonprofit that teaches refugee children about photography, and this second quote reminds me of the experience with stunning accuracy. I helped a group of kids learn how to use disposable cameras, how to identify a subject, how to frame shots, basically how to look at the world through a camera. They were all practically jumping up and down with excitement at the prospect of taking a disposable camera home and using a whole roll of film for their first photo assignment, which was to take pictures that represent happiness to them. The following week, in return, I got to develop their first set of photos and see the world through their eyes. It was just about the coolest thing ever.
San Francisco to Ban Plastic Shopping Bags
Progress!
It’s about time something like this happened:
San Francisco is banning plastic shopping bags that are made with petroleum products. The move is predicted to save 450,000 gallons of oil per year and eliminate 1,400 tons of waste otherwise sent to landfills. Just imagine if this caught on in other major cities…
http://www.cnn.com/2007/US/03/27/environment.baggs.reut/index.html
Like the article says, it’s not at all uncommon practice in other countries to ban or at least discourage the use of plastic bags by charging for them. When I spent a semester in Ireland, this was just the case. Rather than shell out extra money for plastic bags, I brought along my hiking pack and carried my groceries the mile to my dorm on my back each week. It was a good arrangement for both parties–it provided extra exercise for an otherwise Guinness-imbibing student, and cut back on a wasteful and largely useless product. (Unless you consider the good they can do when placed securely over the heads of idiots. Hmm, shouldn’t have said that…)
Videos from the Trenches
No, not Iraq–Africa!
Tonight I came across a great nonprofit program called Scenarios from Africa that gives children and young people in Africa the opportunity to educate themselves and others about AIDS by collaborating with directors to produce educational film shorts.
While the aim of all the films is quite obvious when you watch them, the many videos that you can view directly from the website are also very telling of the situation in Africa and what daily life is like there. Some are sad, some are quite funny–watch a couple if you have a few minutes; you’ll be glad that you did.
Organic vs. Local: Which is better?
More often than not, you simply can’t do both.
“It turns out to be a frustratingly layered choice, one that implicates many other questions: What’s the most efficient way to grow food for all? Should farms be big or small, family- or corporate-run? How do your choices affect the planet? What tastes better? And then there’s that little matter of cancer.”
From: Eating Better than Organic, Ben Stechschulte / Redux for TIME
Stechschulte dives into the issue from a simple situation all of us might face in the grocery store: two apples. An organic from California and a local nonorganic. Which to buy? And for what reasons?
I’m an enthusiastic proponent of selective and informed consumerism. There’s great potential to affect change for the good of both consumers themselves and larger causes. So, without further rambling or preaching, here’s the article. It’s a good read and discusses some really important issues:
http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1595245,00.html
On Global Capital Mobility and Downward Leveling
The following quote is from a book I’m reading and I think most succinctly describes the trend of “downward leveling” that many economists and citizens around the world are concerned about of late:
“As economist David Ranney writes, “There is a strong interconnection between capital mobility and the cheapening of the costs of production.” Mobility offers the opportunity [for companies] “to move to low cost areas” and “pit the peoples of different nations against one another.” By using the threat of moving as a club, “corporations can extract wage and work rule concessions from workers in their home country.” And mobility allows companies to challenge or escape such claims on value as “health care, welfare, and subsidized housing programs; worker and consumer safety standards; and environmental regulations.””
-from Global Village or Global Pillage: Economic Reconstruction from the Bottom Up, Jeremy Brecher and Tim Costello, p. 52.
What are your thoughts or experiences with this?
Think it’s valid logic? Maybe not?
Do you see this happening in the company you work for? Are labor unions enough to counteract this trend? (I’m thinking not…)
Is this just “first-world” economic protectionist rhetoric?
Just tossing some ideas out there….I want to know what you think!
Spring Fashion ’07: A blank canvas
This spring, try creating your wardrobe like a painter creates her masterpiece: start with a blank white canvas. Then use shots of bold color in the form of belts, handbags, shoes, or jewelry to make a statement all your own.
One of the most popular silhouettes this spring is the shirt dress, plucked back to the realm of modern fashion from the marvelous ‘50’s. The silhouette is modest, flattering, and comfortable, and particular styles range all the way from sharp and mod to downright dollish. There’s a shirtdress out there to fit every fashionista’s personality. Though wrap dresses are yet another very viable option. This Proenza Schouler shirt dress sports all of the classic menswear details of your boyfriend’s nicest dress shirt, and adds an unexpected twist to an otherwise prim and polished ensemble.
A word on white: Some women shy away from white for obvious reasons—it supposedly does the opposite of black. Not necessarily so! White done right can be both flattering and utterly eye-catching. However, if you’re the type of girl that inevitably gets strawberry sorbet on her white summer skirt, black and white pattern dresses can serve this purpose just as well, and have a unique look of their own. Prints are also sure to flatter less-than-perfect figures. This Allen B Schwartz printed shirt dress is a lovely example. You can also mix it up and try the same idea with a shirt dress in a plain color like this casual navy dress by Gold Hawk.
Now that the canvas is set, get ready to apply your artistic genius! This season is about bold, vibrant colors. And they’re tropical, all the way: Grass green, turquoise, sea blue, flamingo pink, sunshine yellow, mango orange. Pick your favorite and look for accessories that make a statement. Wide belts, bangle bracelets, bright bags (slightly oversize, please), and colorful shoes are a sure bet.
The beauty of this trick is that you can use bright accessories to draw attention to your best assets. Tiny waist? Put on a wide, bright belt. Matter of fact, try out a wide belt even if your waist isn’t Reese Witherspoon’s—the width of the belt will actually create the illusion of extra slimness through the waist. Head-turner of a neck? Unbutton that collar, pull your hair up, and put on a pair of bright, eye-catching earrings like these from Urban Outfitters. Always yearned for an excuse to buy a pair of vibrant-colored shoes? Go for it. Don’t limit yourself with fear of going over the top, either. Buy a couple of unique pieces in a beautiful color that makes you happy—you’ll come back to them again and again.
Don’t forget that less is always more—go for minimalism, not impressionism. Let one or two pieces that compliment each other have center stage, and you’ll have people in awe of your crisp, bold spring look.
A fashion writing clip; apologies, compliments and copyright: adkgirl06.
Narcissism On the Rise: Are YOU special?
A joint article from CNN and StudentNews discusses a new study was presented this week that suggests that “vanity is on the rise among college students.” Having just graduated, I’d say that’s impossible. You can’t get more self-centered beyond a certain point; I’ve seen some pretty bad cases around campus.
The egocentric practice of talking on one’s cell phone in any circumstance, regardless of the situation, and without any regard to privacy or propriety, is one of the most rampant evidenced on campuses across the country. Ever go into a public bathroom to be walked in on by someone talking to their dad or mom or friend on their cell phone? Well, we all have. The sheer indignity! And worse, the offender is oblivious. They don’t give a shit. (Though maybe they do, seeing as they’re talking on the phone in the stall right next to you.) Alas, all you can do is wait for the opportune moment, flush and hope that the person on the other end of the line hears it and wonders what’s going on.
The study in question was presented today at a conference by Professor Jean Twenge of San Diego State University, and involved data from an evaluation called the Narcissistic Personality Inventory, and spans from 1982 to 2006. Why are we being called Generation ME, and did this come from out of the blue? It doesn’t seem so:
“The researchers traced the phenomenon back to what they called the “self-esteem movement” that emerged in the 1980s, asserting that the effort to build self-confidence had gone too far.
As an example, Twenge cited a song commonly sung to the tune of “Frere Jacques” in preschool: “I am special, I am special. Look at me.”
“Current technology fuels the increase in narcissism,” Twenge said. “By its very name, MySpace encourages attention-seeking, as does YouTube.”
Some analysts have commended today’s young people for increased commitment to volunteer work. But Twenge viewed even this phenomenon skeptically, noting that many high schools require community service and many youths feel pressure to list such endeavors on college applications.”
From: “Study: Vanity on the rise among college students,” The Associated Press.
Full Article
The article mentions MySpace and YouTube in particular as websites that fuel attention-seeking behavior— do you think this is valid? If so, what do you think this says for individual blogs like those on wordpress? I almost hate to think what sort of responses this may elicit; have at it! 😛
“Fatal” the pit bull
I just wanted to post a reference to this story as a follow-up to my earlier post regarding pit bulls. A pit bull named “Fatal” chased a boy into a car, jumped in through the car window and chewed him up pretty seriously. It appears to have been an urban low-income housing neighborhood in which the incident took place. It’s an unfortunate and textbook example of a bad owner getting his dog and the breed in general into a lot more trouble than they deserve. Should a guy like this even have a dog at all?
Full Story
My Pal Al
Had a very long day of work, so I don’t have the energy to remain upright long enough to write a long involved journal entry at the moment. So I thought instead I’d just throw a question out there. What’s your opinion of Al Gore and his “Inconvenient Truth” and his larger environmental/global warming crusade in general? Is it making an impact? Good or bad? Is it genuine, or is he trying to rally up some support for a forthcoming move in his political career? (I suppose these two things aren’t mutually exclusive, but sadly, more often than not in politics, they are.)On a larger scale, what do you think about the country’s current stance on the issue of global warming as a serious threat, and what degree of responsibility do we really have as a country and individuals to try to alleviate the problem? Some people of course are debating whether it’s a major problem at all. Others are adamant that countries like China and India fix it before we commit to doing our share.
Interesting, convoluted and highly controversial issue. Just curious to see what people are thinking about it. Comment away! 🙂
Us vs. Them
I got this comment in response to my previous post and I think it’s something that merits further discussion and consideration.
“I think AIDS is horrible, and I wouldn’t wish it on my worst enemy. My question is, why are we spending so much time, money and energy worrying about people in Africa? We’ve got national debt of something like $11 trillion (with a “T”), a house and senate who are spending money like lunatics and whatever special interest group they have to so that they can get support for reelection, and 70% of Americans can’t name even 1 of their state’s Senators. Let’s spend some of that money fixing our own countries problems (like paying off our national debt), THEN worry about Africa. There is no end to the list of needy people and countries, and their terrible problems. If you want to help fight AIDS in Africa, go for it with your own money, but quit pushing politicians to spend MY hard earned tax dollars on it.”
I agree, AIDS is horrible. I also agree our government is terribly inefficient and it squanders money right and left. And national debt isn’t really a great thing, either. The fact is that as a country we’re really not dumping huge amounts of money into helping the problem of AIDS in Africa, particularly relative to the national debt. It’s even less than a drop in the bucket. Also, I don’t have much expertise in economics (any knowledgeable econ people out there care to comment?) but wouldn’t paying off the entirety of our national debt really throw off our economy? Not to mention the fact that it’s probably economically unfeasible to begin with…
Here are some numbers and statistics though:
“The U. S. Global AIDS Coordinator’s mission is to lead implementation of the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (Emergency Plan/PEFPAR). The Emergency Plan is the largest commitment ever by any nation for an international health initiative dedicated to a single disease — a five-year, $15 billion, multifaceted approach to combating the disease around the world. Please visit www.PEPFAR.gov for additional information regarding the Emergency Plan.”
This is a substantial amount of money, no doubt. But compare it to our debt that our fiscally conservative commentator estimates as “something like 11 trillion.” It’s chump change, really.
This is survey from WorldPublicOpinion.org is interesting and makes a strong point as well:
“More significantly, when Americans are asked how much of their tax dollars they would favor going to Africa, they propose an amount that is far in excess of the actual amount. When the January 2003 PIPA/Knowledge Networks poll asked, “How many of your tax dollars would you be willing to have go to economic and humanitarian aid for African countries?” the median response was $20. This is more than six times the actual amount–in fact, approximately $3 of the median taxpayer’s bill goes to aid to Africa. Sixty-seven percent proposed an amount in excess of $3.” [3a]
For full survey stats, go to:
http://www.americans-world.org/digest/regional_issues/africa/africa3.cfm
So really, this guy is complaining about forking over about three bucks each year to help people in Africa.
Also, I have so admit that I don’t think much of Bush, but he has done something useful by increasing aid to African countries; have a look: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/12/30/AR2006123000941.html
So go ahead, cry in your tea, fiscal conservatives. In my opinion, it’s money put to good use.
Now, what really bothers me most about this comment is the author’s inherent “us before them” mentality. Are people really so attached to their native country (be it the U.S. or any other) to the point that they identify themselves by their nationality far above and beyond identifying themselves as simply a member of the human race? Is there a perceived threat that people with this attitude associate with giving aid to people in other countries? I don’t see these two problems as even comparable…hmm…national debt, versus death and squalor and suffering that can be alleviated with basic health support and awareness programs. Country issues aside, which is more immediately important? What if the AIDS epidemic was as bad in the US? Would this person still advocate focusing on issues like national debt in that case? If not (which I would suspect to be the case) this infers that the person values individual American lives over those of people in other countries or of other races. This starts to sound a little bit like the logic of a certain little man with a broom mustache, wouldn’t you agree? This brings to mind a quote from the movie Hotel Rwanda. The UN colonel, out of the sheer frustration in explaining why the world will not intervene, says to Paul Rusesabagina, “You’re black. You’re not even a nigger. You’re an African.”
Why is this attitude of “us” and “the other” so predominant? Haven’t we learned from the past? Mankind has one collective future, so every problem that mankind faces should be of universal concern.
Musings, Wanderings, and Other Journeys 