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Engaging
Ithaca, New York (population 31,000 plus students,
with 100,000 in the surrounding area), once known
as the "City of Evil" for its tolerance
of gambling, drinking and swearing, is today a
mellow metropolis that is home to the Ivy League's
Cornell University and three other colleges.
It is situated in the rural center of New York
state, along the southern tip of 40-mile long
Cayuga Lake, one of the Finger Lakes, and has a
reputation as a very liberal, casual and
enlightened city. Youthful and laid-back, it
boasts an average cost-of-living, lush natural
beauty, a low crime rate and plenty of activities
to keep anyone busy.
Tucked
in a narrow valley, Ithaca is surrounded by steep,
wooded hillsides, and streams rush from these
hills into the valley, creating spectacular
waterfalls as they go. Neighborhoods, some working
class and some more affluent, are nestled in this
dense, deciduous tree landscape, overlooking the
city below. The median home price is roughly
$185,000, and traditional bi-levels, Cape Cods and
ranch-style homes are all available. Comfortable
residences on leafy lots can be found in the mid-
to high-$100,000s, and in higher-end
neighborhoods, such as Cayuga Heights, homes in
the $300,000s and up are the norm. Overall, Ithaca
is a nice city, but there are student-intense
(i.e., party) areas probably best avoided (such as
South Hill where Ithaca College is located and
East Hill where Cornell is located).
It is difficult to overstate how
politically and socially liberal this city really
is. It is animal-friendly, gay-friendly and
environmentally-friendly, and the "crunchy
granola hippie vibe" permeates just about
everything. Residents, many of whom are
politically active, boast about the casual,
"live and let live" lifestyle. Veterans
of the '60's counterculture and people seeking a
place where understated intellectualism is
appreciated and encouraged will feel very much at
home here.
Being bored in Ithaca is
difficult task. Thanks to the local institutions
of higher learning, Cornell in particular, there
is always an event to attend, and many are free to
the public. Theater productions, guest lecture
series, workshops and much more make for a full
social calendar. Ithaca is also home to the Cayuga
Chamber Orchestra, the Ithaca Opera Association,
Cornell Plantations (botanic gardens), two bird
sanctuaries, the Handwerker Gallery (a showcase of
contemporary art) and Cornell's distinctive
Herbert F. Johnson Museum of Art, designed by
renowned architect I.M. Pei, which houses 32,000
works of art. Tompkins County Public Library has
public access computers, free wifi for laptop
users, exhibits, book discussions, a homebound
program, talking books and more.
The
Ithaca Commons, the wonderfully funky restored
downtown pedestrian marketplace, is full of
one-of-a-kind shops, book stores, galleries and
award-winning restaurants. In fact, Ithaca has
more restaurants per capita than New York City,
everything from cozy bistros to nationally-known
vegetarian delis. Many eateries feature an
extensive wine list, often populated with vintages
from one of the 20 wineries within the Lake Cayuga
region (many of which can be visited along the
Cayuga Lake Wine Trail, the nation's first wine
trail). The city also boasts one of the best
farmers' markets in the region, a festive event
along the lake with old time bluegrass musicians
and plenty of great food (weekends from April to
December).
With
towering waterfalls, sweeping views and deep
gorges traversed by huge bridges, Ithaca is a
truly beautiful city (the catch phrase is
"Ithaca is Gorges"). In fact, more than
100 waterfalls and gorges are within 10 miles of
downtown, creating soothing natural greenways.
Cascadilla Creek Gorge, on the southern end of
Cornell's lovely 745-acre campus, is one of the
most inspiring (but has lots of stairs). For
walkers, Circle Greenway is a verdant 10 mile
pedestrian path that winds from the Commons
downtown to Cornell University. There are a number
of public access points to Cayuga Lake (although
most of the shoreline is covered with private
homes), and boating is a favorite summer activity.
Four 18-hole golf courses and two 9-hole golf
courses add to the city's green landscape. Three
state parks are a short drive away, and a scenic
countryside peppered with vineyards and farmland
beckons on weekend afternoons.
The
city has an extensive and popular bus system (TCAT)
and operates nearly all 37 routes seven days a
week. People age 60 or better ride for half price
(75 cents). Monthly passes are $45. The city also
offers door to door van transportation for the
disabled, and Gadabout, with its bright yellow
buses, is a non-profit organization with
door-to-door service for people age 60 or better
and the disabled. For automobile owners, the
nearest interstate, I-81, is 20 miles away.
Tompkins Regional Airport is the local airport and
receives flights from most major airlines.
Cayuga
Medical Center has 204 beds and is Ithaca's
emergency, primary and acute care medical
provider. It is fully accredited by the Joint
Commission and is an affiliate of both the
Rochester Heart Institute and the Mayo Laboratory
Clinic. It meets national average in most areas
and accepts Medicaid and Medicare patients. The
Silver Service is a membership group ($4) for the
65+ generation and gives seniors a variety of
services and discounts. More extensive medical
care is available in Rochester (90 miles) and
Syracuse (50 miles). For military retirees, the
nearest VA hospital is in Bath (49 miles), and the
nearest outpatient clinic is in Auburn (38 miles).
For
those with a love of learning, Cornell's Adult
University sponsors 50 seminars, workshops and
study tours each year. Topics include everything
from zoology to architecture. The Cornell
University Summer Seniors Program is for anyone at
least 60 years of age who wants to enroll in
summer session classes but does not want to earn
college credit. Even better, anyone age 60 or
better may audit, free of charge, any course at
Tompkins Cortland Community College, space
allowing.
Ithaca
experiences warm, humid summers and cold, snowy
winters (although sometimes it rains in the valley
while snowing in the hills). July temperatures
average in the 80s, and January temperatures
average in the 30s. The city receives 2 to 4
inches of precipitation per month, and the sun
shines 155 days of the year. The water quality and
air quality are both above national averages.
For
all of its appeal, life in Ithaca has some
downsides. Winters can be gloomy. Taxes are high.
The left-leaning politics are not everyone's cup
of tea. The city is isolated. College kids are
everywhere. And for some unknown reason, the
bridges over the gorges occasionally seem to
entice a few of these kids, particularly students
from Cornell, to commit suicide. After six
students killed themselves within a six month
period in 2010, Cornell and the city placed fences
and barricades in and around many of the bridges.
Despite
these drawbacks, it is hard to imagine a more
laid-back or scenic city than Ithaca. With its
famous, gorgeous gorges, soothing water sounds and
wooded terrain, it entices many.
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