Is it hot in the city right now? Tired of those long exhausting hours at work? In case you forgot Labor Day is just around the corner. That is right!!! An extended weekend with an enjoyable 3 days off. (Gosh, wish I had that…kidding..need the moolah) So, RICH YOUR NEWSCASTER AND PERSONAL TOUR GUIDE is here to tell you that there is no better place to be now or this weekend than in the Adirondack Mountains in beautiful Lake Placid, NY!!!!

The extended forecast this week is great. Hot 80 degrees in downtown Lake Placid, perfect for swimming, hiking, biking or any other interesting outdoor activites. Being donned the Tour Guide of the Golden Arrow Lakeside Resort (it is a great job) let me clue you in on a few ideas to help you plan your travels. Grab your hiking gear and head over to the ADIRONDACK LOJ and the Mount Marcy/Heart Lake area. There are some great mountain ranges for you and your entire family to enjoy a vigourous or relaxing climb in the Adirondacks. Heart lake is beautiful and picturesque and if you plan on hiking Mount Marcy plan leaving very early in the morning as it is a full day hike. But, such great views at the summit. For the inexperience climbers there is Mount Jo and some other trails in this area which will be right up your alley.

Not up for a hike and just want to kick back and relax on the beautiful waters in Lake Placid? Then enjoy a nice relaxing cruise on the LAKE PLACID MARINA BOAT TOUR on the serene waters of Lake Placid. This tour will take you out and a guide will explain the great history of the lake itself and you will get the story of the mysterious “Lady of the Lake”. (Yah, oohhh, a legend..gotta love them) They are actually going to shoot a motion picture of this mysterious woman from Lake Placid’s great history.

If you are still reading this blog? WHY??!!! I expected to see all of your smiling faces by now! Get in that car or on that motorcycle and head to Lake Placid!! Weather is gorgeous and time to enjoy that extended Labor Day weekend.

Mirror Lake is still very warm and is great for swimming. Try out our White Sanded Beach made out of crushed limestone. (oh…feels so good on the toes) Hop into one of our many canoes, kayaks, rowboats and pedalboats and enjoy a relaxing paddle in the lake. Weather forecast is looking great and mother nature has been very good to us this summer season.

Of course, while you are in the area head over to all the OLYMPIC VENUES and enjoy the history of the 1932 and 1980 Olympics. Your family will have such a great time. In the hiking mood then I suggest heading up to the Mount Marcy and the Cascade Lake region where there is hiking trails for everyone. Pack a lunch and enough water as some of the trails are a full day hike. The children will love hopping on the ADIRONDACK SCENIC RAILROAD which takes you through the back area from Lake Placid to Saranac lake and back. (I love riding the train and dreaming of running the locomotive..hehe).

So, stop wondering what happened to summer! There is still plenty left to enjoy and now is the time to take advantage of all that Lake Placid and the Golden Arrow Lakeside Resort has to offer. Have a great day everyone! See you soon!!

Back by popular demand the Adirondack Harvest is back!! That is right! In our very own GENERATIONS restaurant Chef Dave Hunt will be working with local vendors and farmers again to bring back this great meal. Instead of dinner this time we will be having a Sunday Brunch!! (yes you wanted brunch and we aim to please) This event will be happening this coming Sunday July 18th, 2010 at 11:00AM. Reservations will not be required and the cost will be $28 per person. (small fee to enjoy great food). I will now let our very own MADAME CUISINE remind everyone what an Adirondack Harvest is all about!! Take it away gal!

OH LA LA!! Madame Cuisine taking time out of my busy schedule in the kitchen to inform you about this delicious meal. An Adirondack Harvest Brunch is a meal designed to promote discussion about the challenges of purchasing/dining locally. Guests will sit down to a locally grown, 5 course, family style meal with our very own head chef David Hunt, Generations Restaurant Manager Mark Corr, area farmers and local brewers. (Of course do not forget this gourmet queen..i will be whipping up some great dishes..yummy)

Check out the great Brunch Menu:
* Chilled Athena Melon Soup with wild blueberries and champagne
* N.Y. state cantaloupe melon from great lakes region
* Northern N.Y. Blueberries from Rulfs Orchard
* Asgaard Farm Maple Goat cheese Blintz with Local maple syrup

* Asgaard Farm Fresh Eggs Benedict with wilted fledgling crow spinach on English muffin and hollandaise sauce

* Braised Kilcoyne sauerbraten with fledgling crow red cabbage and farm purple potato pancakes

* Stir Fried Oriental Greens with Soba noodles – a combination from two farms – tot soi from fledgling crow and bok choy from Rulfs.

* N.Y. state cherry clafouti with poma liqueur reduction and whipped farm fresh cream.

* Screwdrivers made with lake placid vodka

CHEF DAVID HUNT

We would like to thank Cris Winters for joining us at the first Adirondack Harvest and writing in the Adirondack Explorer about her experience at this event. If you would like to read about this article please click on ADIRONDACK EXPLORER.
I am so glad that you and your friends enjoyed every savory bite..OH! LA! LA!

I am looking forward to having more individuals enjoy this great meal. So, why are you still sitting there? Get in the car and head up to Lake Placid to Generations Restaraunt on Sunday for a great Brunch. Your taste buds will be glad you did. Do not forget to tell them that Madame Cuisine sent you. I am being waved to help in the kitchen. Until then have a delicious day!! OH! LA! LA!

So, who out there is in the mood for a delicious and appetizing dinner? Do not want to cook at home? You dont have to! Join us at GENERATIONS RESTAURANT where we will be holding our first ever ADIRONDACK HARVEST DINNER. What is a Harvest Dinner you may ask? Well, let our very own MADAME CUISINE fill you in on all the details.

OH LA LA!! Madame Cuisine taking time out of my busy schedule in the kitchen to inform you about this Dinner. An Adirondack Harvest Dinner is a meal designed to promote discussion about the challenges of purchasing/dining locally. Guests will sit down to a locally grown, 5 course, family style meal with our very own head chef David Hunt, Generations Restaurant Manager Mark Corr, area farmers and local brewers. (Of course do not forget this gourmet queen..i will be whipping up some great dishes..yummy)

When is this taking place you may ask? It is happening this Sunday June 27th, 2010 at 5:30pm and will happen monthly throughout the growing season. If you feed your belly too much you are welcome to stay over at the Golden Arrow in one of our comfortable rooms. For just $40 per person you can sit down to a great meal and enjoy one alcoholic beverage if you like.

CHECK OUT THE MENU FOR THIS UPCOMING HARVEST DINNER:

TO START:

KEESVILLE FARM STRAWBERRIES WITH COUNTRY BISCUIT
FRESH CREAM AND MINT

WOW! This gals mouth is watering from all the great choices! OH LA LA! Why are we holding this event? The Holderied family (god bless them) owns and operates the Golden Arrow in Lake Placid. It has been recognized as one of the greenest hotels in the State of NY and was awarded the Audubon Societies highest rate of 5 green leaves for its sustainability initiatives. The family recently took over operations of the restaurant Generations and are working towards holding the restaurant to the same green standards as the resort. Generations will be hosting the Harvest Dinner where local farmers and brewers are bringing their food and beer. Chef Hunt will create a meal using those ingredients. The goal will be to raise awareness by discussing the challenges and benefits of eating locally.

As you can see, this is going to be a very enjoyable and delicious evening. Time for this gal to get back in the kitchen and get busy. I am looking forward to seeing each and everyone of you this coming Sunday. Toodles!!!

CINDY YOUR EFQ is back and blooming with excitement from all of the great environmental friendly news that I have just received from the Golden Arrow. Through a two week program created in recognition of EARTH DAY 2010, The Golden Arrow Lakeside Resort in Lake Placid, New York has permanently retired 48 tons of carbon dioxide emissions. (Oh the greenness is coursing through my veins….and cannot wait to continue with all these “green” efforts). How did we go about doing this you ask? Well, it was as simple as becoming a FACEBOOK FAN of the Golden Arrow!!! The program was very simple, for every 25 new fans added between April 8 to 22nd, the Golden Arrow agreed to retire 3 tons of Carbon through the Adirondack Council. In total The Golden Arrow added 400 new Facebook fans in that 2 week period. I am so appreciative of all of our new facebook fans helping with this great cause. We have received new fans from all over the world.

We worked jointly with the Adirondack Council and their Cool Park/Healthy Planet Carbon Retirement Program. This was developed to prevent thousands of tons of carbon dioxide from being emitted by power plants from Maine to Delaware.

Our very own Jennifer Holderied had these words that I felt should be shared with everyone. “We’re so grateful to be able to work with the Adirondack Council again and take advantage of this program.” “It is was a fun way to take advantage of free social media and celebrate Earth Day at the same time. It is nice to see so many people on the same page when it comes to sustainability and helping the environment.” (I am so glad that Jennifer is on the environment’s side and for that I am going to kiss the very earth we walk on…figuratively speaking…lol).

This queen of the environment, also, has to mention the great support and help that some of the staff of the Golden Arrow has also done in the past few weeks. The Village of Lake Placid held its annual VILLAGE CLEAN-UP DAY and being the “green” resort that we are. Several employees took the time on Sunday morning and helped clean up the streets and sides of the roads of Lake Placid. Their friends and family came out and picked up all kinds of debris and garbage and disposed of it in a proper location. (Gosh! I feel so much love from these people! That my wings are ready to lift me right off the ground!!!)

Check out these “great people” hard at work!!

Before I go, this gal just wants to thank everyone who has helped support the Golden Arrow in our “green efforts”. Keep up the good work in making our environment a better place to live. Give yourself a big pat on the back and I look forward to spreading more green news in the future.

So, think back to your childhood memories and all those great stories that our parents read to us. Remember the story of the MAN IN THE YELLOW HAT AND HIS CURIOUS MONKEY? You do not?(Hmmm…let me jog that memory of yours!) I remember reading all the exciting adventures of CURIOUS GEORGE, the mischievious little monkey who was always getting into some kind of trouble. He always put a smile on my face! Positive he had been still putting smiles on children’s faces to this day.

Guess what!!! CURIOUS GEORGE LIVE IS COMING TO LAKE PLACID! That is right. The man in the Yellow hat and his monkey friend will be visiting the Olympic Center in downtown Lake Placid. They will bringing some great jungle adventures to the Herb Brooks Arena for families to enjoy. This will be taking place on Memorial Weekend from FRIDAY MAY, 28TH THROUGH SUNDAY MAY 30TH, 2010.

MS. DEAL-MAKER wants to share with everybody an affordable package for this event. I have been working in conjuction with our Curious friend and came up with one adventurous deal:

$99 per person (double occupancy) includes:
One Night Deluxe Lodging at the Golden Arrow, just steps from the Olympic Center
One Ticket Per person to see Curious George (any show)
One Breakfast per person at Generations Restaurant

Bring the entire family for only $25 additional per person! This is most definetly a deal that you will not want your family to miss. Time to share the magic of Curious George and bring that time honored character back into your childrens life.

Call us 877-832-9915 to reserve your room today!!!!

CLICK CURIOUS GEORGE FOR MORE INFO!!!

This gal is off to make her reservations to see that adorable monkey live. Gotta get enough tickets for all my grandchildren. (My better get the cc out going to need it..lol) Have a great day everyone and look forward to seeing you at the Golden Arrow.

A question for all of our avid readers out there in blog land! What do “#24 scored a hockey goal with 5 minutes left on the clock” and “I pronounce you man and wife” have in common? Absolutely nothing right? I am sorry but you would be completely incorrect!!!!

RICH YOUR SPORTSCASTER (no, has not gone off his rocker, at least I dont think so) here to tell everyone that exactly these two events happened simutaneously to one great family! On the weekend of April 2nd through the 4th, 2010, the CANAM HOCKEY ASSOCIATION was holding their weekly children’s hockey tournament. Staying at the Golden Arrow Lakeside Resort was the MINNESOTA PRIDE hockey teams. As their usual form several divisions of the the organization had made it to the Gold Medal round on Sunday morning April 4th. The children were busy skating around the ice in the 1980 HERB BROOKS ARENA trying to score those all important goals to win the Gold Medal. One Minnesota Pride team did just that and won gold. CONGRATULATIONS! GUYS YOU DESERVED IT!!!

Everyone from the team was celebrating their much deserved victory and one family in particular had just a little bit more ice time to endure. Here comes the great part of this story!

The game had finished and one couple with their family decided they were going to make it official and get married there in the afternoon!!! That is exactly what they did! STEVE AND AMY walked out on the ice with their children and decided it was time to tie the knot. Our very own, PRINCESS AMANDA RECLA-WYLIE performed the marriage right on the ice of the 1980 arena!!! (Yes, no joke right on the ice) Each individual said their vows and made it official.

CONGRATULATIONS STEVE & AMY FOR SHARING THIS GREAT MOMENT WITH THE GOLDEN ARROW!!! FROM FAMILY AND STAFF OF THE RESORT WE HOPE FOR MANY BLISSFUL YEARS OF MARRIAGE!

So, as you can see, this was a very exciting day on April 4th, 2010. Not only for the Minnesota Pride Hockey Team but also for Steve and Amy whom got married. Wondering how you are going to propose to that special someone or looking to hold a small intimate wedding ceremony at the Golden Arrow or any other location in the Lake Placid area? Then please check out AMANDA’S PRINCESS PERKS as she will make your special day unforgettable!!!

Time for this boy to head off the ice. Everyone have a great and wonderful day! I look forward to seeing each of you in the future for whatever special occassion brings you to Lake Placid.

CINDY YOUR EFQ is already back with another great idea that hoping everyone will participate in. How can you help conserve energy by just a click of a switch or a turn of a knob? All my “green” dears, let this sweet ole gal tell you!!! World Wildlife Fund has come up with an interesting and great way to make a statement about climate change and to find solutions and protect our environment. This historic event is called EARTH HOUR!!! (my foliage is getting greener by the minute from this great event).

I am sure everyone is wondering what is Earth Hour? Earth Hour is a global event created to symbolize that each one of us, working together, can make a positive impact on climate change. This will be taking place on Saturday March 27th, 2010 from 8:30pm to 9:30pm. We are asking everyone to do something very simple. Just turn off your lights for one hour during this period. This bold statement will be made by tens of millions of people and this gal is hoping you will be one of them. Our friends in NYC participate in this event every year and conserve billions of electricty!

If you are planning on making your trip to the Golden Arrow in Lake Placid this weekend, please have it in your heart to shut those lights off in your room for one hour to help in this effort. Being the eco-friendly resort that we are, yours truly, is wishing everyone to follow this simple procedure. Well, I am off to spread this “green” aspect to all of our friends in the Lake Placid village. Thank you everyone in advance for supporting this great environmental idea!!! I will see you in the spring with some other great tips on how to conserve energy and help out this great planet of ours!!!

February has finally arrived all around the world. Winter is in full force in Lake Placid and Whiteface Mountain. On February 2nd the famous groundhog Punxsutawney Phil saw his shadow and that means six more weeks of winter. Great news for all of you avid skiiers and winter adventure seekers out there. (I know I know..more cold..but hey that is why we love the Adirondacks..hehe) I know some of the local groundhogs did not see their shadow but, HEY Phil is never wrong!

RICHARD YOUR NEWSCASTER is back in session after a little break and ready to fill you in on a new ski package for non-downhill skiiers. Lets not forget the exciting Winter Carnival that is held in Saranac Lake every year!!! That is right! The 113th ANNUAL SARANAC LAKE WINTER CARNIVAL is also kicking off its festivites starting on Friday February 5th and running through Sunday February 14th. This year’s theme is ADIRONDACK COWBOYS and sure will be a treat for every member of your family. You must head to Saranac Lake and see the glorious Ice Castle that will be lit up this coming weekend. It is truly a sight to see!!! (Of course do not stick your tongue to the ice, from experience it is not a comfortable situation…lol).

BILLY MADDEN HARD AT WORK! WHAT A GUY!

On the following weekend on Saturday February 13th there is the glorious parade in the afternoon. The children will enjoy seeing Sara the Snowy Owl and all of her woodland friends parading the streets (yes, I like to hug the mascots too..lol). Golden Arrow resort still has some great rooms available for you last minute travellers who would like to partake in this event!!!

Flipping over to the ski aspect of your travels. Our very own sweet and adorable MS. DEAL-MAKER wants me to inform you about her new ADD-ON CROSS COUNTRY SKI PACKAGE. (Sorry, it took so long, she did not forget about non-downhill skiiers). This package for a low price of $24 per person includes a two out of three day cross country pass to some of the best groomed trails in the Adirondacks at our very own Mt. Van-Hovenberg. This can be added on to any room type that you have reserved. With the fresh powder coming down each day, how can you pass up such an offer???

Almost forgot, Whiteface Mountain has great ski conditions and what better way to enjoy time with the family then having a Lake Placid Ski Vacation. Check out our great packages for those seeking a little relief in the wallet. Well, it is that time again to pack up thine bags and head out into the Winter that is Lake Placid. Remember everyone to bundle up with your hat, mittens and scarf!!! I will see each and everyone of you at the Winter Carnival and on the Cross Country Trails. BYE FOR NOW!!!