A Day (and Night) to Remember
in Rochester...
by Stephanie Liddle, Rochester Resident
N
othing makes me realize more what a wonderful town we live in than having guests here for a weekend. Rochester is such an exciting place with so much to offer, to residents and visitors alike. In one day alone you can do such a variety of things. When we had out-of-town guests we had such a memorable and fun-filled Saturday…all in our own Downtown Rochester! Read this calendar of our “Day in Rochester” to get a taste of what we did. And then head out for you own adventure and…ENJOY!
Early Saturday morning the moms headed out for coffee and donuts. We went to the Home Bakery and got it to go, then strolled around town. Just a block down the hill, we stopped in at the Farmers’ Market and were amazed at all it had to offer. I picked up some flowers and my friend got some great tips on when to pick her cucumbers and tomatoes from the gardeners there. Now that’s some useful “coffee talk.” We strolled down Main Street and shopped (of course.) We browsed everything from dresses at Janet Varner to dressers at Antiques by Pamela. I even picked up a Farmers’ Market cute shirt to wear that night at Dragonfly Boutique. The Leader Dogs joined us in our walk around town, which is such a neat part of Rochester to share with friends. It was a beautiful morning full of activity down the sidewalks. A block off Main we walked through the historic Chapman House that is filled with a variety of lovely home décor items. There, I picked up some great ideas and will be heading back! We ended our shopping excursion with a few surprises from Froggy’s Toy Stop for the kids and
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www.DowntownRochesterMI.com
Paint Creek some magazines from Lytle Pharmacy next door for my friend’s long drive. After returning home, we grabbed the kids and all took off for a more vigorous walk. We headed out for the Paint Creek Trail that meanders through town. The kids even brought their nets and we took time to catch things in the Paint Creek. As we made our way back from our nature exploration, we all decided that, yes, we were hungry. So we hopped up on the bar stools at Knapp’s Dairy Bar for some seasoned fries, burgers, and, of course, a bunch of icy-cold shakes. Chocolate won out as the favorite.
Chapman House
Andiamo Rochester
Next on our agenda…the moms stopped in at Eugenia’s on Third and had manicures and pedicures. In the meantime, the dads took the kids over to the Painted Pot where they made us lovely handprint coffee mugs to remember the weekend by. Then they headed over to the park, where they walked (I mean ran) around the pond and played on the swings until they were exhausted! (Note: That makes for an easier adult exit later.) Once the babysitter arrived at our house, we started our “grownup” evening adventure. We enjoyed a wonderful dinner at Kruse and Muer on Main Street, where we sat in the front windows and watched the busy scenery. After our delicious meal, we walked around town while doing a tad bit more window shopping, just because that is always fun! Finally, we decided to pop into Andiamo’s for a little Italian coffee, dessert and music. It was a great way to wind up a wonderful day with wonderful friends! Our guests told us how lucky we are to live in such a vibrant town that is filled with so much activity… and I had to agree with them. So get out there and have fun with your family and explore our wonderful Rochester.