Have any plans for March 29? You do now! 

Winter in the Finger Lakes is ideal for kids who love sledding, skiing or snowball fights, but sometimes there are days when even the hardiest winter lovers don’t want to go outside. On those bitter, icy days when it’s too cold to even build a snowman, entertain the kids at Eastview Mall in Victor, NY. Far more than just a place to shop, Eastview is full of activities for the younger set.

Here are four best bets inside Eastview Mall for keeping the kids busy and happy on the coldest of winter days.

Whether it’s movie time or just time for a snack, Prima Pop has a flavor for you. A family-run business in the heart of the Village of Victor, Prima Pop is home to a truly unique popcorn experience. The aroma of popcorn hits you as soon as you enter the door, leaving you wondering if you’re ever going to want to leave.

The sandwich is a timeless classic with seemingly infinite arrangements. To craft the perfect sandwich is unto itself an art, so much so that those who craft them have been affectionately dubbed sandwich artists (just ask Subway)! In Ontario County’s Finger Lakes, we have sandwiches to rival our fiercest competitors, no matter how stacked the competition is. I love sandwiches, and our area has some of the best. Here are a few of my faves!  

If nothing warms your heart more than a diner breakfast with endless java refills served in heavy, chunky, cream-colored vessels, then there is a good chance you have already been sipping from the cup of Finger Lakes industrial history.

Perhaps you have come to the Finger Lakes to explore our world-famous Rieslings and our award-winning farm-to-table fare. That’s all well and good, but let’s face it, sometimes a cold beer and a hefty burger are exactly what the vacation doctor calls for, with a big side of local culture. From re-purposed shotgun shells turned into lighting fixtures to free legal advice from town supervisors, here are some of the best off-the-beaten-path watering holes, dive bars and neighbor joints in the Finger Lakes where you can easily feel like a regular.

Sometimes you go to a bar or restaurant for a drink and try something new and wonder, where did that come from? That happened to me recently when I was at Lake Drum Brewing in Geneva, trying a flight of hard ciders from the region. One in particular stood out. It was a pleasantly spicy and alluring ginger cider, sweet but not cloying, and it tasted great with the popcorn I was eating. I could imagine it tasting even better with some Chinese food. I was thrilled when I discovered that the producer, Star Cider, is just a few miles away in Clifton Springs.

A Pennsylvania traveler called the office yesterday, pining for the delicious cabbage and cauliflower purchased here years ago when visiting the Finger Lakes. The caller is returning to our area next week and wanted to know where more cabbage and cauliflower could be purchased. 

Whenever I travel, one of the first things on my to-do list is to see where the locals shop for food. Of course I like eating at restaurants, but I love exploring the home cooking of different destinations even more, and a cook is only as good as the fresh, high-quality ingredients she buys.

Grocery stores, bakeries and ethnic markets are a year-round find, but in summer, the farmers markets are an open-air sampler plate not only of a community’s culinary bounty and inclinations but also of its cultural character.

National Trails Day falls on the first Saturday in June.  I really don't see the need for a special day to honor all of the phenomenal hiking trails in our country. I believe they deserve recognition each and every day, especially the beloved trails in the Finger Lakes that I explore regularly with my dog Shadow.

Hiking and discovering new trails is a personal passion. Another passion is finding trail signs as Shadow and I trek around Ontario County. These signs share the story of the trail that lies ahead. They guide you on your adventure. They also provide a history of the trailblazers who came before us.

Please join Shadow and me as we share our passion for the path less traveled, and a passion for the signs that guide us on our way.