Adirondack Family Time™

By Diane Chase This weekend is FREE fishing weekend around New York State. This is an opportunity for anyone to try fishing and not have to worry about getting a fishing license. One place for kids to fish all season is Lake Steven in Wilmington, This small pond is specifically stocked for children and family members with disabilities.

There are many opportunities for mountain biking in the Adirondacks but Whiteface Mountain in Wilmington will be the place to be for a range of events and activities for all level of mountain biker. The Bike Fest Village will open on Saturday and Sunday at 7:00 a.m. and is free to all. Clinics, demo days, children activities and live entertainment will be just a portion of what will be happening around Whiteface Mountain Bike Park on Whiteface Mountain in Wilmington. Check out the new Hardy Road Trails, Dirt Bike Jump Park and much, much more! Schedule of events

By Diane Chase One quick, on road, bicycle ride in Lake Placid is the  John Brown Road  loop. Starting at John Brown Farm and Gravesite, we park our car and hop on the bikes. Some of us need to get our bicycle legs back after a long winter free from pedaling. As John Brown Road has two entrances off Old Military, we bear left at the Y and head northwest onto Old John Brown Road for about 0.8-mile. At the end of the road we turn right onto Old Military Road, passing the North Elba Cemetery and Lake Placid Community Garden.   Read more

Susie Middleton, the talented author of Fresh, Fast & Green ,  is always tinkering in her kitchen coming up with fresh recipes for all the produce from her garden. As a trained chef and former editor and current editor-at-large of Fine Cooking , Susie experiments with fresh product so that I don't have to. It is about as close as I'm going to get to a personal chef. I love to cook but I'm going to leave the recipes to Susie! With my rhubarb popping up all over, I need some new recipes to use up the rhubarb, get my children jazzed about their school snacks and add something interesting when backyard grilling. Rhubarb muffins? Each week my children help make muffins for their school snacks. They get to choose different recipes or make old favorites. It has become a few precious moments we spend with each other and the outcome is always delicious. On Susie's blog, SixBurnerSue , she has pages dedicated to testing recipes from her own garden or from the test kitc

Save the date: May 7, 2011  North Country School in Lake Placid hosts a beautiful community pancake breakfast with tours of the school facility. Come see this progressive school that focuses on art in education, farm school techniques, greenhouse, garden. See the horses and other livestock. Last year there were even tours of available of the latest green buildings!

By Diane Chase There are many paint choices at Brush On In! Brush On In in Lake Placid offers many inside activities and events to keep the whole family busy on a rainy, snowy or anytime! The final product!  Each object is individually priced with an additional studio fee of $9 for adults and $7 for children that covers the firing, glaze and paint.  Look for online specials as well as toddler special (M-F) 1/2 price sitting fee. It can get pricey but there are small items that children can paint that are very reasonably priced. 

By Diane Chase  51,000 bulbs are starting to wake up in Saranac  Lake New York (NY)  in time for the first Daffest   April 29 - May 1, 2011. Throughout the weekend there will be garden tours, historic tours and the Saranac Lake Chamber of Commerce will have a booth with a map available. 

By Diane Chase This weekend   Whiteface Mountain   will celebrate its last  The annual pond skimming contest will take place at the base of Whiteface on April 9th  with no entry fee required. Skiers and snowboards will try to gain as much speed as possible to "skim" across a man made pond to win prizes for longest distance, biggest and best splash and best costume. Pond skimming at Whiteface is not just for ticket holders. Spectators can access the event for free. For those in need of accessibility, the event will have a limited view from the sun deck. Pond skimming can be viewed from the gondola but tickets are required. 

By Diane Chase I  want that simpler time with Adirondack carolers, hot chocolate and exchanging friendly greetings on the street. I want to alleviate the holiday stress and just enjoy being with my family. On December 10-12, 2010, the village of Lake Placid will turn on its old world alpine charm and celebrate its annual Lake Placid Holiday Stroll. Santa will kick off the event with  free  skating at the  Olympic Center  on Friday the 10th starting at 6:30 p.m. Read More of my Post on Lake Placid.com

Children try small jumps first By Diane Chase The 'Learn to Fly" Wednesday is back as the NYSEF coaching staff at the Olympic Ski Jumps in Lake Placid will have four fun ski jump clinics in 2011 on the hill of Vancouver Olympians Bill Demong and Peter Frenette. These clinics are open to all children. Date and Time: Wednesdays from 3:00 p.m. - 5:30 p.m. as follows: January 5, 12,18 (Tues) and 26th Location: Base Lodge of the Olympic Ski Jumps in Lake Placid, NY. Cost: First year jumpers are $5.00/session A successful clinic at the Lake Placid Olympic Ski Jumps Age: All athletes six-years and older with prior skiing experience Equipment: Alpine or XC skis and a helmet There will be plenty of snacks and hot chocolate to keep your little ones energized! Kids progress to the jumps at their own initiative.

By Diane Chase Lake Placid Olympic Ski Jumping Complex The Chair lift to the top He's a winner! 

By Diane Chase This weekend the Adirondack Polo Club  in Westport, NY will hold its Leslie Cup to raise funds and awareness for High Peaks Hospice and Palliative Care. On September 4th the Club will donate proceeds to the Ronald McDonald House. Not only is this a fun activity for kids but also raises much needed funds for a worthy cause. According to Lonnie Cross, Adirondack Polo Club member, the club is in its fifth season though for the last two years has made Westport its summer home. Previously the club traveled to destinations as far away as New Orleans to participate in matches. When Cross purchased land from a golf facility he did so with the purpose of providing a different local attraction for the community. “We are polo enthusiasts that are used to traveling. This year we have played matches on the other side of the lake with the Sugerbush Polo Club as well as in Saratoga. Our players come from different backgrounds,” says Cross. “We have careers beyond polo so this is

By Diane Chase Jack and the Beanstalk may be considered a children’s story but the undertones of the Seagle Music Colony’s operatic rendition leaves anyone with an appreciation for music with his/her own interpretation. The giant does get his in the end, but it is not the end one is expecting. For adults there is the rich performance of the four gifted students and children listen in awe to a magical story. The bonus is being able to meet the fairytale characters, come-to-life, after the show. Read More

FREE 2010 YOUNG & FUN ARTS SERIES AT THE  LAKE PLACID CENTER FOR THE ARTS SELECT WEDNESDAYS IN THE LPCA THEATRE 10:30AM • FREE ADMISSION Seating is First-Come, First-Serve. Doors Open at 10:00 a.m.

Pendragon Theatre* in Saranac Lake is celebrating its 30th year with deals on live performance subscriptions. Four subscription types are available between May 1, 2010 - April 30, 2011. Pendragon will offer 11 productions Year Round: All 11 events (including Moby Dick and Shakespeare) $120 Year Round: All 9 events $100 The 5 Show Summer Full Length: $70 Special 30th year deal: "3 for $30" = 3 events for $30 restrictions do apply. only one per person per season) Good for any combination of full length, cabaret, alumni event, etc but just three events. The line-up is An adaptation of Jungle Book Sarah Ruhl's Eurydice Constance Cogdon's adaptation of The Imaginery Invalid Edward Albee's Who's Afraid of Virginia Wolff A return engagement of Orson's Welle's Moby Dick Rehearsed A return engagement of The Complete Works of Shakespeare (abridged) One Night Only "Pendragon Alumni" staged reading on July 17, 2010 with reception Cabaret Evenings - so