Ithaca

Vacationing with my kids in upstate New York this week, attending a friend's wedding at the base of the beautiful Taughannock Falls outside of Ithaca this weekend. Missed out on the chance to welcome President Bush to Charlottesville this morning, hopefully won't be my last opportunity as Mayor to greet a head of state (maybe President Obama will roll through town next year?). Miss my Cats. Going through Bodo's withdrawals. Thankfully have some new (new to me) Curreri and Sproule tunes to remind me of home.

Interesting to note that the City of Ithaca is about to launch a major renovation of their downtown pedestrian mall (sound familiar?) and just last month sent a delegation of local officials and business leaders to...Charlottesville, VA, to learn from our experiences with the Downtown Mall. Interesting to hear their take-aways from that visit:

"Charlottesville, Va: Ithaca's To Discover And Borrow," Ithaca Times, 6/25/08

"The Commons Redesign to Start in 2010," Ithaca Journal, 6/20/08

Kids and I spent the 4th of July at the Farm Sanctuary in Watkins Glen (what an uplifting place!), followed by a swim in Cayuga Lake and a stroll down the Commons. No fireworks in Ithaca tonight -- they do theirs earlier in the week, apparently get a cheaper rate that way. Unfortunately, though, some burning embers from their fireworks show ignited a series of small fires near the staging area at Ithaca College. Including a grass fire on...the rooftop of a new building. Yes, a green-roofed building, like Cville City Hall. Oops.

Happy Birthday, Nation.

Home soon.