<p>We will be arriving in Ithaca tomorrow afternoon and d will be staying overnight with a student from the Red Carpet Society. We will meet up on Friday for Cornell Days.</p>
<p>Any suggestions what a lone mother can do tomorrow evening on or around campus? Any nice places in college town to eat or any suggestions for on campus dining? Places I can see on my own? We will be doing the campus tour on Friday.</p>
<p>What about parking? Can I park in college town or do I need to park on campus and walk?</p>
<p>I suggest going to the mall for research purposes. As of last fall, it was called Pyramid Mall, but I have heard that its name is changing. But I think if you mention Pyramid Mall, people will know what you're talking about.</p>
<p>If you can get an idea of what's available in the mall, you will have a better idea of how much shopping your daughter would want to do at home and how much she would be willing to do after she arrives in Ithaca. Although there are other stores in other places in the Ithaca area, the mall would be her main shopping destination, and it is readily reachable by bus. However, for kids who come from heavily populated suburban areas (e.g., anyone who has ever been to Paramus, NJ or Tyson's Corner, VA), this mall will look pretty pathetic. Ithaca townies go to Syracuse for their serious shopping, but unless your daughter is bringing a car, she is likely to find going to Syracuse inconvenient.</p>
<p>If you're bored, there's a multiplex movie theatre attached to the mall. There's also a fairly inferior food court inside the mall. You would eat better in a campus dining hall.</p>
<p>I suppose you could go to the mall. But, um, it's a mall. There's a Target and a Dicks and a Best Buy. And, well, you get the idea.</p>
<p>So I would suggest that you walk down the Cascadilla Gorge trail to the Commons for a little adventure. There's a bunch of neat shops and cafes by the Commons to explore. Once you are done you can either walk back up the hill, or if the hill is too daunting, there is a trolley that runs every ten minutes back up the hill to campus.</p>
<p>Bonus points if you continue following Cascadilla all the way to the little neighborhood where Gimmee! Coffee is. Apparently Gimmee! is becoming all the rage in New York City.</p>
<p>As for parking, it would probably be less expensive to purchase a day permit from any of the parking booths on campus...it'll cost you $10. You can walk around campus easily.</p>
<p>Weggman's- the best grocery store in the world!! (ok- I may be exaggerating a bit). You can definitely do lunch there as they have a whole array of salad bars. Also nice seating area.<br>
It's in another section of town- near Bed bath and beyond and the Super 8 Motel.<br>
If you want a leisurely dinner, we liked Zsa Zsa's (Italian). The BoatHouse is also a good choice. It's right on Cayuga Lake.<br>
With each visit- I have become more fond of the Ithaca/Finger Lake region!!</p>
<p>On my list has always been exploring the library and the Johnson Museum of Art. I personally really enjoy the Statler Hotel restaurant and bar -- but it's not good for research purposes on student life ... unless your student is a prospective hotelie in which case you <em>definitely</em> need to hang at the STatler for a bit.</p>
<p>Have fun ... just drove home from Cornell leaving before dawn this morning and will be going back on Saturday morning for the day!!!</p>
<p>If you're looking to have a nice dinner with your kid I highly recommend Joe's...it's on route 13. Italian....delicious and I recommend it over Zsa Zsa's (my own opinion...but most of my Italian friends agree with me on this!)</p>
<p>If the weather is nice -- and I think that is not projected -- make sure to see the Cornell Plantations. My H also wanted to go to a lecture tomorrow afternoon by Cornell's Entrepreneur of the Year. I forget who it is and where it is ... I do remember it's at 4:30 on Thursday and open to the public! Like <em>that</em>'s a lot of help ... but there is all kinds of stuff going on all the time. </p>
<p>If you stop in at the front desk at the Statler, I bet they have a list of what's happening. Said list shows up on your pillow the night before if you are staying there ... so I bet there are more copies floating around!</p>
<p>If I were to eat alone in Ithaca, I might try the Tapas restaurant in downtown and sit at the bar. Gives you a chance to walk around Ithaca Common.</p>
<p>How odd to suggest going to the mall. It's a mall like every other boring consumption-obsessed mall in Generica. In my opinion, that would be a supreme waste of your precious time there.</p>
<p>Moosewood Cafe in a school converted into a shopping district downtown is world renown for their cookbook / menu.</p>
<p>There's interesting artsy movie theatres, wineries just outside of town. I second the Johnson Museum of Art. Be sure to get to (I believe) the 5th floor for the panoramic view of campus.</p>
<p>Be sure to check out Ithaca Falls - a massive waterfall right in town next to West Campus. Just a short walk - can't really see it too well from the road.</p>
<p>Also - inside Uris Library is the most beautiful small White library. Your IQ will jump 2 points just walking in.</p>