An All Too Brief Summer Vacation Part 5: I Made It Through The Rain
I woke up more than once during the night to the sound of rain. I was pretty sure that today (Monday) was going to be a wash out when it came to outdoor activities. (A trek to Leavitt Falls would be foiled again!)
Once again, my husband and I got up and went down to breakfast before my sleeping son. (Although we kind of woke him before we left. He's a teen, it take a while for him to get out of bed and get moving. This is going to be a real challenge during the school year! ) Our server this morning was Terry and she immediately noticed that we were heavy coffee drinkers and left a pot for us on the table. While my husband went back to the buffet to fill up, I told Terry what I'd like for breakfast and she did a great job making sure that I was safe. Still I did have some concerns (see previous blog posts), so when I saw Colleen, the assistant manager (who had called me PRIOR to my visit, which was very much appreciated even though we never did get past playing phone tag) I asked if we could speak later in the day. She was very open and we agreed to meet around 1:45 as that this generally a quieter time in the dining room. (Lunch is just finishing up.)
With a hike out of the question, I decided to sign up for the History tour. I had some time prior to that so I tried to sit out on the South Porch, but even with my sweatshirt it was a little chilly. I moved inside to the Pine Room. Meanwhile, the kid decided to don his hat and trench coat and go for a walk in the rain. At least he came prepared!
The history tour had about a dozen people (too many for my taste...and I think a few people snuck in without registering and joined us in progress) and was run by Claire. (Could this be the same Claire who authored/put together the Images of America Skytop Lodge book? I didn't' think to ask.) The tour ran just over an hour and was modified due to the weather. (When my son took it last year it was run by a gentleman and they ended up on the observation deck. That was eliminated from our tour.) As a long time visitor, I knew quite a bit but it was still a fascinating look into the history. I especially liked the "newer" aspects of the tour, visiting the conference wing and learning about the development. Claire spoke about the June uncovering of the original cornerstone to celebrate the lodge's 90th anniversary. Unfortunately, the metal box that was placed under the stone was compromised and the documents inside were mostly a sodden mess of pulp. But there were coins and remnants to Sam Packer's (first general manager of the resort) bow tie which he wore when the cornerstone was laid (as a photo shows.)
The tour whetted my appetite for more Skytop history. I would love it if they offered a more extensive tour/exploration of the lodge and grounds. Maybe it's just that Skytop is in my blood, but I want to explore all the nooks and crannies and see the things that most people don't want to see. The spaces that are not currently used intrigue me and I know there must be lots of stories that are just waiting to be told.
I had some time to kill before I was to meet with Colleen and again I considered going to the pool, but the area was quite packed. And it was obvious that outdoors was not going to happen. Nothing you can do about weather, but relax and go with the flow! I also decided to be smart and outline some points that I wanted to cover with Colleen. (See, I can adult!) In doing such, I was able to give her a history (the Windsor Dining Room set a high bar for excellence back in 2016 and then plummeted in 2017 which was very upsetting, but this year I see the effort and think its' an ongoing process). I also wanted to point out items that I felt were working very well (like the service from Ivanna) and not so well. It was a good move and Colleen really listened to me. She explained how the process works in the kitchen and with staff. Made me realize that this IS a process; there is no "end result", but continued education on the part of everyone who works in food services. (Where there can be a lot of turn around.) Colleen also let me know that she would not be around that evening but Olivia would be managing and coming in later that afternoon. If I wanted I could meet with both of them before dinner. I didn't think that was necessary, but I greatly appreciated the offer and the thought. (Again which told me she took our conversation very seriously.) She also told me that she was going to assign Robert to our table as she said he was someone who really paid attention to detail. I left knowing that Colleen understood my issues and cared.
Soon after I found my son and since the rain SEEMED to have let up we decided to go for a walk. WITH UMBRELLAS! We headed out off the North Porch and down to the Lake. We walked approximately halfway around and then crossed over Rt 390 to take the Trout Stream Trail to Indian Ladder Falls. (This is a relatively simple walk.) It started to rain and the trail was a little muddy, but the real problem I had was with the bugs.. I don't know what they were because did not seem large, but I'm sure mosquitoes and their ilk can be small. I got bit on the face, legs and amazingly on my left thumb pad which got quite swollen! As miserable as the bugs (and itching) made me and even with the rain coming down pretty hard at times, it was worth it.
My son and I split up after crossing Rt 390 on the way back to the lodge. He took the lake trail whereas I took Dutch Hill Road. I beat him back to the lodge (a rarity), but then I was walking pretty fast because it was really starting to come down, my sneakers were muddy and sopped through (I ended up tossing them -- don't cry they were under $15) and I was itchy.
Of course as I enter the lodge who do I finally run into? The resort's general manager who blatantly lies and says I look great! I asked him if he had some time to chat. He did, so I ran upstairs to get rid of the soggy sneakers and drenched umbrella before meeting in the (not yet open; it was before 4) Library Lounge.
Although I've been visiting Skytop for many years, current General Manager, Jeff Rudder, is the only one that I've gotten to know because he likes to talk and (more importantly) listen to guests. He takes his role as General Manager seriously and goes above and beyond to keep the legacy and integrity of Skytop alive. As a result he has some incredibly loyal (and talented) employees. As a guest, I feel it's important to share the good, and occasionally the bad, with him. I feel a connection with the resort and I think that he respects that. I've been known to offer suggestions and I've been lucky enough to get some "inside scoop" on things that are or might be happening . (Such as reassuring me that the skating rink will NEVER go away on his watch.) I think we spent about 40 minutes in good conversation. As a stockholder as well as a guest, I feel that the resort is in good hands and, at least when it comes to Skytop, the future is a bright and well planned one. Might I even say that the spirit of Sam Packer lives on through Jeff Rudder?
After that there was just enough time to go upstairs, shower and change for our final dinner. It was obvious that Colleen had really listened to me. We were seated on the other side of the restaurant (usually you stay at the same table for your stay or at least in the same general area). Olivia, who is not just a part time assistant manager, but a full time nurse(!) made sure we were well taken care of. As did Robert, our server. As promised, he paid attention to every detail; checking and double checking things to make sure that I was "safe." He did it all with a personal flair that made me wish we would be around for more meals with him. I felt very comfortable with Robert and Olivia looking out for me.
In addition to the attention to detail, Monday evening's meal was the BEST that we had during our stay. I finally tried the salmon: DELICIOUS! I could eat it every night! (Something to keep in mind for the next trip!) And the rolls and butter...we were all seriously carb-loading. Both of the boys had the steak and had no complaints. My meal was finished off with raspberry sorbet and a delicious (decaf!) cappuccino. Everything was just PERFECT.
The only downside was that our vacation was coming to an end. Hubby and I went up to the room to pack up what we could. Then I grabbed my Nook and went back downstairs to the library lounge. I wasn't going to allow the evening to end without enjoying a specialty cocktail in the lounge. The cocktails are not cheap, but pricing is comparable to most upscale bars that I have been to. (Not that I've been in that many bars!) For after dinner, the tiramisu seemed like the perfect choice. (The fact that it had two different kind of Godiva Chocolate Liquor as part of the ingredients might have influenced me somewhat!) Drink in hand, I found a spot to sit, relax and read.
I concluded the evening by heading out to the South Porch again. There I found my son sitting listening to some music provided by a couple (guests?) with a guitar. I joined him for a while before heading upstairs and letting him know that I wanted him to be up in 30 minutes.
The entire family was in bed with the lights out (if you ignore the soft glow of my husband's electronic reader) by 11. Our lovely long weekend vacation was quickly coming to an end.
Once again, my husband and I got up and went down to breakfast before my sleeping son. (Although we kind of woke him before we left. He's a teen, it take a while for him to get out of bed and get moving. This is going to be a real challenge during the school year! ) Our server this morning was Terry and she immediately noticed that we were heavy coffee drinkers and left a pot for us on the table. While my husband went back to the buffet to fill up, I told Terry what I'd like for breakfast and she did a great job making sure that I was safe. Still I did have some concerns (see previous blog posts), so when I saw Colleen, the assistant manager (who had called me PRIOR to my visit, which was very much appreciated even though we never did get past playing phone tag) I asked if we could speak later in the day. She was very open and we agreed to meet around 1:45 as that this generally a quieter time in the dining room. (Lunch is just finishing up.)
With a hike out of the question, I decided to sign up for the History tour. I had some time prior to that so I tried to sit out on the South Porch, but even with my sweatshirt it was a little chilly. I moved inside to the Pine Room. Meanwhile, the kid decided to don his hat and trench coat and go for a walk in the rain. At least he came prepared!
The history tour had about a dozen people (too many for my taste...and I think a few people snuck in without registering and joined us in progress) and was run by Claire. (Could this be the same Claire who authored/put together the Images of America Skytop Lodge book? I didn't' think to ask.) The tour ran just over an hour and was modified due to the weather. (When my son took it last year it was run by a gentleman and they ended up on the observation deck. That was eliminated from our tour.) As a long time visitor, I knew quite a bit but it was still a fascinating look into the history. I especially liked the "newer" aspects of the tour, visiting the conference wing and learning about the development. Claire spoke about the June uncovering of the original cornerstone to celebrate the lodge's 90th anniversary. Unfortunately, the metal box that was placed under the stone was compromised and the documents inside were mostly a sodden mess of pulp. But there were coins and remnants to Sam Packer's (first general manager of the resort) bow tie which he wore when the cornerstone was laid (as a photo shows.)
The tour whetted my appetite for more Skytop history. I would love it if they offered a more extensive tour/exploration of the lodge and grounds. Maybe it's just that Skytop is in my blood, but I want to explore all the nooks and crannies and see the things that most people don't want to see. The spaces that are not currently used intrigue me and I know there must be lots of stories that are just waiting to be told.
I had some time to kill before I was to meet with Colleen and again I considered going to the pool, but the area was quite packed. And it was obvious that outdoors was not going to happen. Nothing you can do about weather, but relax and go with the flow! I also decided to be smart and outline some points that I wanted to cover with Colleen. (See, I can adult!) In doing such, I was able to give her a history (the Windsor Dining Room set a high bar for excellence back in 2016 and then plummeted in 2017 which was very upsetting, but this year I see the effort and think its' an ongoing process). I also wanted to point out items that I felt were working very well (like the service from Ivanna) and not so well. It was a good move and Colleen really listened to me. She explained how the process works in the kitchen and with staff. Made me realize that this IS a process; there is no "end result", but continued education on the part of everyone who works in food services. (Where there can be a lot of turn around.) Colleen also let me know that she would not be around that evening but Olivia would be managing and coming in later that afternoon. If I wanted I could meet with both of them before dinner. I didn't think that was necessary, but I greatly appreciated the offer and the thought. (Again which told me she took our conversation very seriously.) She also told me that she was going to assign Robert to our table as she said he was someone who really paid attention to detail. I left knowing that Colleen understood my issues and cared.
Soon after I found my son and since the rain SEEMED to have let up we decided to go for a walk. WITH UMBRELLAS! We headed out off the North Porch and down to the Lake. We walked approximately halfway around and then crossed over Rt 390 to take the Trout Stream Trail to Indian Ladder Falls. (This is a relatively simple walk.) It started to rain and the trail was a little muddy, but the real problem I had was with the bugs.. I don't know what they were because did not seem large, but I'm sure mosquitoes and their ilk can be small. I got bit on the face, legs and amazingly on my left thumb pad which got quite swollen! As miserable as the bugs (and itching) made me and even with the rain coming down pretty hard at times, it was worth it.
My son and I split up after crossing Rt 390 on the way back to the lodge. He took the lake trail whereas I took Dutch Hill Road. I beat him back to the lodge (a rarity), but then I was walking pretty fast because it was really starting to come down, my sneakers were muddy and sopped through (I ended up tossing them -- don't cry they were under $15) and I was itchy.
Of course as I enter the lodge who do I finally run into? The resort's general manager who blatantly lies and says I look great! I asked him if he had some time to chat. He did, so I ran upstairs to get rid of the soggy sneakers and drenched umbrella before meeting in the (not yet open; it was before 4) Library Lounge.
Although I've been visiting Skytop for many years, current General Manager, Jeff Rudder, is the only one that I've gotten to know because he likes to talk and (more importantly) listen to guests. He takes his role as General Manager seriously and goes above and beyond to keep the legacy and integrity of Skytop alive. As a result he has some incredibly loyal (and talented) employees. As a guest, I feel it's important to share the good, and occasionally the bad, with him. I feel a connection with the resort and I think that he respects that. I've been known to offer suggestions and I've been lucky enough to get some "inside scoop" on things that are or might be happening . (Such as reassuring me that the skating rink will NEVER go away on his watch.) I think we spent about 40 minutes in good conversation. As a stockholder as well as a guest, I feel that the resort is in good hands and, at least when it comes to Skytop, the future is a bright and well planned one. Might I even say that the spirit of Sam Packer lives on through Jeff Rudder?
After that there was just enough time to go upstairs, shower and change for our final dinner. It was obvious that Colleen had really listened to me. We were seated on the other side of the restaurant (usually you stay at the same table for your stay or at least in the same general area). Olivia, who is not just a part time assistant manager, but a full time nurse(!) made sure we were well taken care of. As did Robert, our server. As promised, he paid attention to every detail; checking and double checking things to make sure that I was "safe." He did it all with a personal flair that made me wish we would be around for more meals with him. I felt very comfortable with Robert and Olivia looking out for me.
In addition to the attention to detail, Monday evening's meal was the BEST that we had during our stay. I finally tried the salmon: DELICIOUS! I could eat it every night! (Something to keep in mind for the next trip!) And the rolls and butter...we were all seriously carb-loading. Both of the boys had the steak and had no complaints. My meal was finished off with raspberry sorbet and a delicious (decaf!) cappuccino. Everything was just PERFECT.
The only downside was that our vacation was coming to an end. Hubby and I went up to the room to pack up what we could. Then I grabbed my Nook and went back downstairs to the library lounge. I wasn't going to allow the evening to end without enjoying a specialty cocktail in the lounge. The cocktails are not cheap, but pricing is comparable to most upscale bars that I have been to. (Not that I've been in that many bars!) For after dinner, the tiramisu seemed like the perfect choice. (The fact that it had two different kind of Godiva Chocolate Liquor as part of the ingredients might have influenced me somewhat!) Drink in hand, I found a spot to sit, relax and read.
I concluded the evening by heading out to the South Porch again. There I found my son sitting listening to some music provided by a couple (guests?) with a guitar. I joined him for a while before heading upstairs and letting him know that I wanted him to be up in 30 minutes.
The entire family was in bed with the lights out (if you ignore the soft glow of my husband's electronic reader) by 11. Our lovely long weekend vacation was quickly coming to an end.
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