A love letter to Ithaca

Photo by Sondra Wayman

I had no expectations when moving to Ithaca in the summer of 2018. It was just the next city that I needed to go to for my career goals–– this time for grad school. I accepted the offer letter before knowing where Ithaca was located, plugging it into Google maps so I could learn just how far away I needed to travel from Nashville (where I was currently living).

Over the next 7 years, I developed a deep love for Ithaca, it's aesthetic beauty and its peculiarities. This town might not have the prominent mountaintops or rugged landscapes, but what it did have was an extreme sense of home. Of community. Of belonging. All wrapped in New England charm and funk.

Now that I'm faced with an upcoming move, I find myself emotionally latching onto Ithaca, already nostalgic for places and people that I haven't left yet.

Questions occupy the forefront of my brain:

• Will I find friends/community in this new place?

• Are there folks who are into the same kind of outdoor adventures?

• Does this new place have a similar amount of charm?

• Is it a little weird around the edges?

• How Ithaca-like is it?

In 2018, moving to Ithaca alone was intimidating, and I only planned to be there two years. Yet two turned to an easy seven. Despite all that time, I now find myself scrambling––have I done everything here I hoped to? Did I explore every park, state forest, quirky coffee shop, or festival? Will I ever feel satisfied with how much I've done here?

Being in grad school meant that many of my friends were also seeking degrees. That also meant that they, too, were here temporarily and would eventually move away. The conversation "why is it so dang hard to leave Ithaca" has come up a number of times as we reckon with our own departure and attempt at finding a mere slice of Ithaca again in the future.

Why the gravitational pull?

The Obvious:

CNN just named Ithaca the #1 best place to live in America, largely for it's natural beauty and other touristic attractions. It's located fairly close to other touristic towns like Watkins Glenn, Skaneateles, Trumansburg, and Geneva. The glaciers carved out 11 beautiful lakes in this region, and they left many more gorges excavated throughout, often with prominent waterfalls and picturesque swimming holes. I've had the fortune of admiring all the classic waterfalls at Buttermilk, Treman, Ithaca Falls, Taughannock, and Cascadilla Gorge in all 4 seasons and at their most raging and trickle.

The Commons & downtown always provided a baseline level of quaintness and fun, with diverse restaurants and international cuisine like Hawi (Ethiopian), Lev (Middle Eastern), Maru Ramen or Saigon Kitchen (Asian), or Viva Taqueria (Mexican). I've had lovely dates with friends, catching up over tea or coffee at The Watershed, Greenhouse, Botanist, Press Bay, or Gimme. Any time you needed a brewery with live music and a lovely landscape you could always hit up Ithaca Beer Co and South Hill Cider. After enjoying homemade ciders, my friends and I even witnessed the aurora at South Hill (not alcohol-induced)!

On top of the hill, Cornell created a beautiful pocket of nature that I was fortunate enough to enjoy on a whim. The arboretum, botanic gardens, and Beebe lake were within walking distance from my workplace if I ever needed to slip away. If work proved more stressful, a visit to the Dairy Bar for homemade ice cream was necessitated. Climbing to the top of the Cornell clock tower to overlook Cayuga Lake and hear the bells chime allowed for the sweeping view of the valley landscape that I love so much.

If I'm ever craving a heartwarming stroll, I meander through Fall Creek or seek out the Farmer's Market. The market might not be for snagging bargain vegetables but rather it's for taking in local arts, crafts, florals, organics, and international cuisine from vendors–– all housed in a gorgeous wooden pavilion with stringed lights by the waterfront. Musicians play by the waterside, and it simply feels... fulfilling.

Naturally, the hiking, waterfalls, food, and music scene are enough to warrant a visit, to CNN's point. But, when you get the opportunity to stay a while, to immerse in the daily life, you are rewarded with even more...

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The Subtle:

Beyond the TripAdvisor list of things to do, Ithaca is the best not only because of the people and community but because of The Weird and Magical.

I am an avid hiker/biker, and slipping into these communities has been fundamental for my social life. My small little Bike Gang of friends became enveloped into larger, organized groups like the Finger Lakes Cycling Club, introducing me to more people within the community outside of school. I have cycled through so much of the region, understanding the curves of the landscape and hidden gems and swimming holes throughout. I have many hot, sweaty, gnarly memories biking around all of the finger lakes, with friends and alone, feasting on snacks from roadside market stands and little town cafes. Hiking groups and monthly book clubs allowed for friend groups to begin merging and morphing, as more folks arrived as friends-of-friends. If you play music, you can easily slide into the folk, indie, bluegrass scene with local jam groups. Now, no matter what event we go to, we will always see people that we know, and it is heartwarming to be that embedded in the community.

Much of the Weird and Magical comes from the unique events and festivals:

The Rutabaga Curling Competition (even equipped with rules and referees) brings together many contenders under the pretense of silliness to chuck their sculpted vegetables for a chance to win prizes. There is a full choir that chants songs about rutabagas, the lighting of the torch by the Rutabaga Queen, and, of course, protestors arguing for the ethical treatment of rutabagas (all in good fun).

In December, the Winter Lights Festival is kicked off with a Silent Disco Dance Party where crowds gather to party and dance on the Commons, despite the frosty temperatures. Everyone dancing is equipped with light-up headphones, the three possible colors corresponding to one of three DJs— you can see who the crowd is listening to based on the color of the headphones. This event is paired with the Annual Chowder Cook-Off and Ice Sculpture contests.

In late May, Ithaca Fest breaks the cold and rainy Spring as a massive, multi-day festival with live music, performers, arts/crafts, and food. There is even a themed festival parade; this past year being Enchanted Ithaca. In a similar style, Reggae Fest now boasts three days of reggae music, dancing, craft vendors, food, yoga, and skateboarding, all on the shore of Stewart Park, perfectly positioned to watch the sunset in June.

Grassroots in July is one of the biggest festivals, bringing together more prominent artists and local celebrities for a 4-day festival paired with an extra 4 days of Culture Camp to learn skills from some artists playing in the festival. It is the epitome of hippiness, much like Woodstock. Funky characters float around the festival in costumes and lights. There is endless dancing, all the way until sunrise–– if you can manage it. The Happiness Parade marches on the final day, with folks dressed in costume and the Fall Creek Brass Band leading the charge. Friends camp together, play music, and swim in the local creeks, and it feels like peak summertime happiness. Grassroots is truly the place where time stops.

September is one of my favorite months, largely for the cooling temperatures and changing leaf colors. Two festivals share the end of the month: Apple Fest celebrates the apple harvest through endless apple products, crafts, and festivities. Our region is perfect for apple production, and local orchards, as well as Cornell, work on making new varieties of apples that you can try at the festival. And one of my favorite fall festivals is Porch Fest, the one day music festival where local artists take over the large porches in the Fall Creek neighborhood. All day, bands play, people dance in the closed-off streets, and vendors sell arts, crafts, and food. You can meander around the neighborhood and enjoy the talented Ithaca community, coinciding with beautiful Autumn weather and colors.

In between all these show-stopping festivals, there are frequent pop-up performances by Circus Culture (you’ll be on the Commons and someone will be fire throwing, juggling, or doing aerials), and light-up community bike rides for Halloween and the full moon. The Ithaca events calendar is always sprinkled with more live music and dancing.

Goodbye to Ithaca

Beyond the itemized lists of things to do in the area, hidden gems or otherwise, Ithaca has been the place where Uri and I met, fell in love, and got engaged. We biked around all the Finger Lakes, cycled the Erie Canal, hiked all 46 high peaks in the Adirondacks, and sought out all the little towns in the surrounding area. Ithaca was an incredible home base for adventure, and we developed rich and long-lasting friendships here. I finally feel like I know this place very well.

While we are saddened to leave, we hope that, wherever we end up in the world, it will have a little bit of Ithaca to it.

Thanks to everyone who has been along with us for the ride!