A Weekend in Syracuse

 Best friends!

 This is my new friend, Luke. Luke wanted to pose for a picture.

 Hogwarts is alive and well.

Syracuse: a place for truly excellent waffles and black squirrels. This weekend I went to Syracuse with my friend Nelly to visit our friend Joelle at school. After walking around Syracuse University's campus, I think we all have a bit of school envy. It's the kind of campus that makes you feel smart and motivated to learn just because the architecture is so cool. The frat houses are something straight out of a movie and make me want to go back to college. We ate at Funk 'n Waffles, which we all highly recommend, followed by a trip to Yogurt Land and Insomnia Cookies. We walked off our feast at Destiny USA (a four story mall in Cuse) and rounded out our evening with a viewing of The Fault In Our Stars.

Olcott, New York

Olcott is a sleepy beach town steeped in history with more fruit orchards and corn fields than people, or so it seems. In the late 1800s-early 1900s, this was a bustling destination for travelers to stay in the huge lakeside hotel that once existed. Now, it is a quaint spot to spend a summer day. There are cute shops, a carousel park, fruit picking, and wineries nearby, as well as a small beach. I recommend visiting Schulze Winery for a tasting and to meet Martin and Ann. Olcott is the perfect place to spend a few pleasant hours with an ice cream, dreaming over the lake. Or, for a more lively time, visit in July for the annual Pirate Festival!

Places to Go: Strong Museum of Play

Today I went on a mini road trip with two of my best friends from college. We went to the Strong Museum of Play in Rochester! I think people tend to forget how many awesome things there are to do in their hometowns or nearby. We had a lot of fun! Here are some snapshots from our day: