Fireworks, horses, and deceased diners
The best way to do them all
The best place to see fireworks on the Fourth of July…
…isn’t Disney World, it isn’t on the banks of the Charles River accompanied by the Boston Pops, it isn’t on the National Mall, and it isn’t on the Hudson River off the shores of Manhattan.
No, the best place in America to see fireworks on the Fourth of July is out the sixth-floor window of the Courtyard by Marriott in downtown Syracuse, NY.
We stumbled into this accidentally three years ago, on one of our regular trips to Central New York to see the wife’s family. We were about to put the kiddo to bed, thinking we’d have to wait till next year for fireworks.
And then the booming started. We opened the curtains to see not one fireworks display, not ten displays, but dozens, sprawled across the cityscape and beyond, into the surrounding towns and countryside. And it went on and on for hours, well after the kid had fallen asleep and the wife and I were ready to call it a night.
The hotel staff had no explanation, just locals celebrating. Nothing unusual. If this is the usual, what happens when the locals get a little festive, a little frisky?…
The best place to see someone ride a horse…
…isn’t Belmont Stakes and it isn’t the Royal Horse Show and it isn’t Saratoga Springs.
No, the best place to see someone ride a horse is Healing H’Arts Equestrian Center in Union Springs, NY.
My cousin-in-law started this wonderful program years ago that uses horses as a therapeutic tool to provide physical and emotional wellness to people of all ages and communities. It is where our daughter first rode a horse and where the spark of hippotherapy came into our lives. She would continue to ride back home in NH until a few years ago when our local equestrian center closed.
Even though we haven’t found a local replacement, our daughter gets back on a horse whenever we’re in central NY and the effects are immediate and stunning. She’s strong, she’s happy, she sits upright, she grooves to music… She comes into her power and gives a preview of what’s possible.
If you’re looking for a non-profit to support this year—and yes, I’m a little biased—here it is.
The best vegan diner in America is…
…well, it’s closed. Or it will be in a few days. A quick in memoriam for Strong Hearts, a vegan greasy spoon that the wife introduced me to early in our courtship.
The original venue was as greasy as the food, but both were fantastic. A dark hole-in-the-wall near Syracuse Stage that slung all manner of breakfast, sammiches, shakes, and memories. Eventually, it moved to nicer digs and the menu cleaned up a bit (no more breakfast!), but it was still always a must-do whenever we dropped into town.
Sadly, they’re calling it quits. Luckily, Syracuse has sprouted many other friendly joints for veg heads, though none will quite fill these culinary shoes.
❤️
Adam
On the live show Friday at 12:30pm eastern…chocolatier (and candidate for NH State Representative, Rockingham District 16) Enna Grazier!