Adirondack Family Time™

Happy New Year! Sometimes a parent just wants to have some adult time. I was recently with family at The Ballyntine in Charlotte, NC and during dinner had to try their famous Ballantyne Martini. It's not really a martini but looks like one. Here is the recipe to get you in the holiday spirit. T HE BALLANTYNE 12 1 oz Pearl Pomegranate Vodka 1/2 oz Malibu Coconut Rum  splash of Pomegranate juice muddled raspberries shake vigorously serve as a martini

Auld Lang Syne is one of the most popular songs that nobody really knows the lyrics to. "Auld Lang Syne" literally translates as "old long since" and means "times gone by." Below are the lyrics with a bit of a translation for what I felt were the tricky parts. Happy New Year! "Auld Lang Syne" Should auld acquaintance be forgot, And never brought to mind? Should auld acquaintance be forgot, And auld lang syne. CHORUS: For auld lang syne, my dear, For auld lang syne, We'll tak a cup of kindness yet, For auld lang syne! And surely ye'll be your pint-stowp, And surely I'll be mine, And we'll tak a cup o kindness yet, For auld lang syne! We twa hae run about the braes, (run about the hills) And pou'd the gowans fine, (and pulled up the daisies) But we've wander'd monie a weary fit, Sin auld lang syne. We twa hae paidl'd in the burn, (paddled in the stream) Frae morning sun till dine, (from morning to

Happy Kwanzaa!  Kwanzaa begins  Monday ,  December 26, 2011 , and ends  Sunday , January 1, 2012 . The word "Kwanzaa" comes from the Swahili language and means "first fruits". The African-American holiday was first established in 1966 and mainly celebrated in the United States. The Seven Principles of Kwanzaa 1. umoja - to maintain unity in the family and community 2. kujichagulia - self-determination, to be responsible and speak for oneself 3. ujima - collective work and responsibility, to build and maintain a community 4. ujamaa - economic co-operation, to help and profit one another

Author Bio Diane's first guidebook,  Adirondack Family Time High Peaks/Tri-Lakes Regions: Your Four-Season Guide to over 300 activities (with GPS coordinates)   covering the towns of Lake Placid, Saranac Lake, Tupper Lake, Jay/Upper Jay, Keene/Keene Valley and Wilmington is published by  Hungry Bear Publishing .  This four-season edition covers 33 easy hikes, 19 swimming holes and beaches, 21 historic venues, free ice skating spots, snowshoe trails, cross-country ski trails and much more. This is the first is a series of four books covering all regions of the Adirondack Park. The next books, Adirondack Family Time from Plattsburgh to Ticonderoga (summer 2012), Adirondack Family Time from Long Lake to Old Forge (fall 2012), Adirondack Family Time from Schroon Lake to Lake George and beyond (2013) will follow the same popular format of the 1st Adirondack Family Time book.  Diane Chase is foremost the mother of two young children who seeks and writes about ways to foster im

Sometimes it is difficult to get children outside but it doesn't have to be challenging to keep them active. Bowling is great exercise, fun and even the smallest in the family can do it. Below is a list of bowling establishments located in the Adirondack Park and in no particular order. Riverside Bowling Lanes (518) 647-9905 2 Mcrea Street (Corner of route 9N.) Au Sable Forks Lake George Bowl-Spare Time (518) 668-5741 Lake George Rd, Lake George, NY Pine Lanes-Spare Time (518) 793-9606 166 Saratoga Ave, South Glens Falls, Adirondack Lanes (518) 585-6851 Hague Rd, Ticonderoga, Willsboro Bowling Center (518) 963-8983 3922 NYS Route 22, Willsboro, North Bowl Lanes Inc (518) 561-1690 28 N Bowl Ln, Plattsburgh Bowl Winkles (518) 523-7868 340 Main St, Lake Placid Lake View Lanes (518) 359-2234 1939 State Route 30, Tupper Lake Forge Lanes (315) 369-2631 North St, Old Forge Lake Luzerne Community Center and Bowling (518) 696-4250 Lake Luzerne Sar

Though some people choose to stick to their favorite mountain for the ski season, others move around to experience all the downhill opportunities available in the Adirondacks. Here is my latest write-up of ski mountain discounts around the Adirondack Park. For those with ski passes don’t forget about the Reciprocal Pass Program between Gore , Titus , McCauley , Mt. Pisgah and Whiteface . This program allows the season pass holder to either ski for free on certain days or at a reduced cost. There are also significant savings available for the mid-week non-season pass holder. McCauley Mountain holds to their Crazy Eight Days. Each Friday from January through April offers adult lift tickets for just $12.00. ( Crazy Fridays excludes December 23 & 30, 2011 & February 24, 2012 .)

©Diane Chase, Adirondack Family Time Taking a break from skiing the bumps? Here are a few inside golfing activities that can provide a different type of winter activity. 

Adirondack in Fall Time Lapse Brought to you Rooftopmedia on Vimeo ADK time lapse project - FALL from rooftopmedia on Vimeo .

"Even as wisdom often comes from the mouths of babes, so does it often come from the mouths of old people. The golden rule is to test everything in the light of reason and experience, no matter from where it comes." Gandhi Okay people f you haven't given much thought to the drinking straw, think again. In February 2011, Fourth grader, Milo Cress of Vermont learned that more than 500 million disposable plastic straws are used each day in just the United States alone. Cress is now on a quest to rid the world of drinking straws. When Cress discovered so many straws were being discarded every day, he pledged to stop using disposable straws and now asks the rest of us to follow suit. BeStrawFree.org realizes that some people have to use straws but just asks that we rethink the amount of waste we generate with each straw we take. According to the BeStrawFree.org site, 500 million straws would fill more than 127 school buses daily.  Picture that amount of drinking stra

The Yule Log By Diane Chase Though difficult to trace, as most traditions are, burning the Yule Log has become a symbol of prosperity and luck for the coming year. Stories have dated back to the 12th century when European winter festivals celebrated the winter solstice. The lighting of the log symbolized the return of the sun and longer days. Some people have each family member sit upon the Yule Log before it is burned for good luck. Others will write a wish to toss into the fire to ensure good luck for the coming year. All in all, it is a means to ward off evil spirits and bring good fortune to family and friends.  The tradition is maintained from year to year by saving a small portion to use to light the next year's log. We all have our holiday traditions but nothing is seeped more in the tradition of winter activities than the town known as the birthplace of winter sports in America. Once again Lake Placid is bringing back traditions of ol'. The High Peaks Resort i

Wassail!   (Wassail" is an olde English word for a toast similar to "Good Health" while  the wassail  refers to the drink  ( spiced or mulled wine or ale) you are toasting with.  Enjoy your holiday with a warm drink among family and friends!  Wassail* 1 gallon apple cider 1 quart cranberry juice (not cocktail) 1 tsp whole cloves (substitute nutmeg other spices you enjoy) 1 cup brown sugar 3 sticks cinnamon 1 orange, sliced in thin slices DIRECTIONS  Mix all items in crockpot or large sauce pan. Simmer to keep warm * mix in  a Madeira or red wine  The Wassail Song!

UPDATED:   The program now includes 3rd and 4th graders!  By Diane Chase I always think that I have stumbled upon the deal of the century, only to find that everyone is already in the know. So just in case I am not the last person to find out that New York State is once again offering the Ski and Ride Passport Program to all 3rd and 4th grade children, I’m here to let you in on the secret. The program was first established in 2000 to introduce children to skiing and promote a healthy lifestyle choice. The passport offers free lift tickets and other discounts like soft drink coupons. Personally, the beverage option seems to cancel out the healthy lifestyle choice. Perhaps it may help encourage a child to get off the couch and onto the slopes. There are two different types of passports: Learn to Ski/Snowboard or Ski and Ride. The Ski and Ride Passport is a booklet of coupons for free lift tickets (with adult purchase) for 31 listed ski mountains including Gore, Whiteface, T