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Day Trippin’: Queen City Walking Tours FREE When Temps Dip Below 25 . . . see back side February 4-11, 2010
A FREE Weekly Publication Serving Ellicottville and Surrounding Communities
Volume 05 ~ Issue 05
Visit our website at: www.thevillagerny.com
Special Insert
LifeStyles & Leisure
Architectural Digest of Ellicottville A Modern Update for an Historic Home
One of the first farmhouses built in Ellicottville was the Widger family farm. Comprised of over 100 acres, over the years most of the original property has been sold off. But, fortunately the original house has been spared from the wrecker’s ball and has been beautifully preserved. Like so many farmhouses, this one is large and sprawling and filled with lots of unique rooms. Unlike modern houses, there is no great room easily divided by area rugs, but instead there are individual rooms separated from each other with real walls, so that a person can find privacy without having to retreat to their bedroom. This property is currently on the market through David Blanchard of Holiday Valley Realty Co. Contact him directly at 716-474-7024.
Story and Photos By John Thomas
In our rush to build the new and modern, sometimes we overlook the value of preserving the stately heritage properties that make up our town. One of the first farmhouses built in Ellicottville was the Widger family farm. Comprised of over 100 acres, over the years most of the original property has been sold off. But, fortunately the original house has been spared
from the wrecker’s ball and has been beautifully preserved. The first things I notice upon driving up to the house at 5673 Bryant Hill Road are the mature trees that dot the property. On this winter day the evergreens provide a welcome spot of green on an otherwise bleak landscape. The large deciduous trees, now devoid of leaves, will endow a generous amount of shade on hot summer days. The white walls of the house help it blend into the winter landscape
and the black shutters provide a bit of contrast to the scene. There is the definite suggestion of a large southern estate. Like so many farmhouses, this one is large and sprawling and filled with lots of unique rooms intended to be occupied by children or extended family. Unlike modern houses, there is no great room easily divided by area rugs, but instead there are individual rooms separated from each other with real walls, so that a person can find privacy
without having to retreat to their bedroom. I begin my tour in the kitchen and discover it’s been updated with new appliances: new corian countertops, a side-by-side refrigerator, glass countertop range with a generous oven, and over that, a hood with a built-in microwave. The cabinets and floor are all new, and finally a double sink and new dishwasher makes this kitchen an efficient work space. Dinner party-givers take note:
just off the kitchen is the one room that seems to always be ignored in modern houses: a closed off large formal dining room. The room is large enough to handle an oversized dining room table. The long window along the top of the wall lets in a generous amount of light, but the full shutters can be closed to darken the room for an intimate candlelight dinner. Like the kitchen, the floor here has been refinished with new wood. Standing in the dining
room I can imagine boisterous family dinners, while the clutter in the kitchen is thankfully out of sight. Just off the kitchen is a sunroom. The stone floor and wrap around windows create a casual space for summer time relaxing and casual dining. The skylights in the ceiling let in a pleasing amount of sunlight and give the room a light open feeling. See HOME back side
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WINTER CARNIVAL: March 13-14 ~ Holiday Valley Resort
Special Insert ~ The Villager ~ February 4-11, 2010
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Day Trippin’
Queen City Walking Tours: FREE When Temperatures Dip Below 25
Cont. from front
Just a few steps off the kitchen is the large living room. The original brick fireplace is still there and the floor has been updated with contemporary carpeting. The large windows look out to the aforementioned trees and distant hills. I realize that back in the days before television, music-making was the chosen evening entertainment, and this room is big enough for say, a grand piano and informal concerts. The built-in bookshelves also seem to be made for a different time, when people actually read books. A few steps down the hallway is the master bedroom area. The L-shaped master bedroom is almost cavernous, and spacious enough to be put to creative uses: one end could be a home office, gym or sitting area. Just across the hallway is the master bath and one of the other bedrooms. A new stairway off the living room gives access to what used to be the attic; however as part of the recent remodel, the second story has been beautifully refinished. The stairwell lands at a large area perfect for a game room. A full bath and thee other bedrooms have been added to this area; one of which is large enough to serve as a second master bedroom. Back downstairs I discover just off the kitchen a huge pantry, laundry room and requisite mudroom. There is
Dinner party-givers take note: just off the kitchen is the one room that seems to always be ignored in modern houses: a closed off large formal dining room. The room is large enough to handle an oversized dining room table. The long window along the top of the wall lets in a generous amount of light, but the full shutters can be closed to darken the room for an intimate candlelight dinner.
also a half bath with a shower; a short hallway leads to the huge two-car garage. It would have been easy for a developer to have purchased the property, torn down the house and built a series of condos. It’s fortunate that
the present owners saw the opportunity to upgrade and preserve this grand example of Ellicottville’s gentle past. If you are interested in this property, call Dave Blanchard at Holiday Valley Realty Co., 716-474-7024.
Every Tuesday at 2pm in February, Buffalo Tours offers free downtown walking tours when the temperature is 25 degrees or below. For each degree above 25 the cost goes up $1 to a max of $10 per adult ($5 for students). Visit inside historic buildings like M&T Bank, the Market Arcade, St. Paul’s Cathedral and Ellicott Square on this 2 hour tour. Price is determined 15 minutes before the tour using the the Weather Channel website for 14203 zip code.
BUFFALO - Every Tuesday at 2pm in February, Buffalo Tours will offer their Queen City Downtown Walking Tour for free when the temperature is 25 degrees or below. For each degree above 25 the cost goes up $1 to a maximum of $10 per adult ($5 for students). Price is determined 15 minutes before the tour using the Weather Channel website for 14203 zip code. Tours meet in the Buffalo Visitor Center at 617 Main Street. In the coldest weather, Buffalo Tours’ trained, volunteer docents quickly A few steps down the hallway is the master bedroom area. The L-shaped master bedroom go from historic interior to is almost cavernous, and spacious enough to be put to creative uses: one end could be historic interior, from M&T’s a home office, gym or sitting area. gold dome to St. Paul’s
Appetizers
Soup of the Moment Cup, $3.79; Bowl, $4.49 Holiday Valley Chili Cornbread Bowl, $8.95 Mediterranean Platter, $8.95 Spicy Fried Buffalo Wings Small (8) $6.99; Large, (16) $10.99 Calamari, $7.99 Smoked Chicken Nachos $8.99; Add Guacamole, $.75 Quesidilla of the Day, $8.99 Pub Kettle Chips, $7.99 Crab Dip, $9.99 Jumbo Shrimp Cocktail, $8.99 Salad of Assorted Greens & Tomatoes, $3.99 Caesar Salad Small, $4.29; Large, $5.99
Unconventional Sliders
(All Sliders Served with French Fries & Pickle) Pulled Pork, $7.99 Buffalo Chicken, $7.99 Cuban, $8.99
Salads
Chicken Caesar, $9.99, Substitute shrimp for $2.00 Fresh Fruit and Dip, $8.99 Cobb Salad, $9.99 Grilled Meditteranean Chicken, $10.99 Mandarin Chicken Salad, $10.29 Buffalo Chicken, $10.99
Specialty Sandwiches
All sandwiches are served with French fries. Cuban Sandwich, $8.99 Pulled Pork Sandwich, $8.99 Buffalo Chicken Wrap, $8.99 California Turkey Rueben, $8.99 Beef on “Weck”, $8.99 Mediterranean Wrap, $8.49
Brew House Burgers
All burgers are served on a Costanzo bun and come with lettuce, red onion, tomato, pickle chips and French fries. Brew House Burger, $7.79; Add Cheese, $.50 Mushroom Swiss Burger, $8.99 BBQ Burger, $8.99 Garden Burger, $8.99
Cathedral. This Winter Special is the brainchild of Fred Schrock, Preservation Buffalo Niagara’s Education Coordinator, who held a walking tour last February for twenty people. The temperature that day: three degrees Fahrenheit, not including the wind chill factor. “Maybe it’s crazy to be outside when the weather is this cold,” notes Schrock, “but that hasn’t deterred our visitors yet. Why not reward the heartiest tour-takers with even crazier prices?” Unlike winter Bills games at the Ralph, shirts are required on all tours. Tour-goers are not allowed to pray for bad
weather. Attendees from within Western New York are encouraged to brag that “this is nothing” in the vicinity of out-of-towners. This special cannot be combined with coupons and there is no change given for Buffalo Tour Bucks. Buffalo Tours is a public education program of Preservation Buffalo Niagara, a non-profit organization created to identify, preserve, protect, promote and revitalize historically and architecturally significant sites, structures, neighborhoods, commercial districts and landscapes in Erie and Niagara Counties. Visit BuffaloTours.org for schedules and more information.
Gourmet Burgers
All gourmet burgers are built on a Kaiser roll with beefsteak tomato and crisp romaine. Accompanied by cedar spiced steak fries and a pickle spear. Steak House Burger, $11.99 Smokehouse Burger, $11.99 Buffalo Burger, $11.99 Texas Steak Burger, $11.99
Flatbreads
House made pizza crusts incorporate grain from the brewing process. Individual 10” Pizza, $9.99; Large 16”, $16.99 Margherita Smoke House BBQ Pepperoni Mediterranean Rosemary Chicken Mixed Grill Vegetarian Buffalo Build Your Own Grilled Eggplant Nacho Grande Additional Toppings: Artichokes, Anchovies, Eggplant, Bacon, Jalapeno Peppers, Kalamata Olives, Grilled Chicken, Mushrooms, Roasted Red Peppers, Roasted Tomatoes, Ham, Peppers, Italian Sausage, Plum Tomatoes, Roasted Garlic, Pepperoni
Entrees
Old Fashioned Chicken Pot Pie, $12.99 Fish and Chips, $12.99 Classic Grilled Meatloaf, $13.99 Lobster Macaroni and Cheese, $16.99 Yankee Pot Roast, $13.99 Steak Frites, $23.99 Baked Crabmeat Stuffed Cod, $13.99 Penne with Chicken and Sausage, $13.99 Ale Marinated Steak Tips, $16.99 The Valley Mac and Cheese, $12.99 Chicken Scaloppini, $14.99 Martini Salmon, $18.29 Smothered BBQ Chicken, $14.99 Butternut Squash Ravioli, $14.99 Hickory Smoked Ribs, $16.99
At John Harvard’s Brew House, you will find great food made from recipes brought to America in 1637 by John Harvard an English clergyman and after whom Harvard University was named. John Harvard, the first benefactor to the college was the son of Robert Harvard, a butcher and tavern owner in London.
Desserts
Peanut Butter Pie, $4.99 Apple Crisp, $4.99 Chocolate Cobbler, $4.99 New York Cheesecake, $4.99 Butterscotch Bread Pudding, $4.99 Brownie Ice Cream Sundae, $4.99
(716) 699-5350 www.johnharvards.com
POND SKIMMING PARTY: March 27 ~ Holiday Valley Resort, Yodeler, 10am-3pm