Wine Themed Halloween Costume Ideas

Halloween weekend is upon us and if you're like me you've been carving pumpkins, sipping hot cider, and stocking up on plenty of your favorite candy. Despite all of this Halloween themed fun I'm still without a costume for this weekend's festivities! On the way into the office this morning my head was spinning with easy and affordable costume ideas. I've narrowed it down a few choices - all wine themed, naturally! I figured that there are likely Finger Lakes Wine Country fans like me out there in need of some inspiration, so here you go. Easy, affordable, wine-themed Halloween costumes.

1. A bunch of grapes. Head to a local party store or craft store and pick your favorite color (green, purple or red) balloons, some green felt, and safety pins. Ahead of time you will want to make your leaves. Using a large piece of green felt, cut a hole in the middle (where your head will go) and then cut the remaining fabric around the hole into leaf shapes. Make sure you make them large enough to stand out against the large balloons. For an added touch, grab an old headband, wrap it in scrap green felt and then hot glue a few green leaves to it. When you're ready to go, get dressed in tights/leggings/sweatpants and long sleeve shirt/sweatshirt. You can either go with all black, which is likely the easiest to find last-minute, or a color that matches your grapes. Now you'll definitely need a friend to help you blow up and pin the balloons on. If you're headed to a party you may want to do this step once you've arrived because traveling in a car - especially driving - will be near impossible! This costume will also make sitting down a bit of a challenge. So - if you're not traveling and don't mind standing around, this is an easy and fun costume.

2. Bacchus, The God of Wine. A perfect option for the wine loving guy, this costume is easy to pull together and super comfy! All you need is a solid color flat sheet, a different solid color piece of fabric, safety pins, fake grapes and grape leaves, green and gold fabric remnants, some crafting wire or even pipe cleaners to use as the base of the crown. Now men, depending on how warm it is or how daring you are, you can choose to wear whatever you like under the sheet. If you want to be authentic you can wear a pair of gym shorts and your favorite flip flops or sandals. Now, think back to the frat house and drape your flat sheet around you to create the one shoulder toga look. You can either belt the toga with some gold or white rope - or let it hang. Now drape the fabric over your other shoulder and either tuck the ends into the belt or simply tie it together on the other end. (This other piece of fabric isn't totally necessary) Now for the crown, just form the wire or pipe cleaners in a circle to fit your head. Wrap green and/or gold fabric around it tightly using hot glue to secure it. Now glue small grape bunches, grape leaves, and any other charms you find at the craft store to the crown. On the easy-o-meter, this one definitely wins! This costume could also be great for women.

3. Grape Stomping Lucy. We all know everyone loves Lucy, and having just celebrated the 100th anniversary of her birth, this is a perfect way to pay homage to America’s favorite redhead. All you’ll need is a long (preferably blue) peasant skirt, an off-the-shoulder white blouse, a thick belt, and a white or printed handkerchief or scarf. Besides the classic outfit, another key is the hair and makeup. While you may not be lucky enough to be a natural redhead, you have three choices – wig, temporary dye, or just go with what you got. Make sure you pull your hair back in that classic Lucy coif with lots of curls peeking out from the front of your scarf. A defined cat eye and bright red lips are a must! This is a fun, feminine and classic costume that is sure to be a hit.

If you decide to go with any of these, please make sure to share your picture on the Finger Lakes Wine Country Facebook page. Happy Halloween!

Keuka Holidays, November 12-13 & 19-20 - Get Your Tickets Now!

We are still enjoying the stunning colors of fall in Finger Lakes Wine Country, but the holiday season is just around the corner! While we may have a few weeks before we have to get serious about all things holiday, it's not too early to purchase your tickets to exciting events like Keuka Holidays. In fact, these events are sure to sell out, so don't put it off.

I had the opportunity to chat with Erin from the Keuka Lake Wine Trail about Keuka Holidays on the Escape to the Finger Lakes podcast. Keuka Holidays takes place over the course of two weekends so event goers can choose the weekend that works best for their busy schedules.  The event features wine, food, and lots of holiday cheer. Visit the eight wineries around the crooked lake and sample yummy dishes - everything from hearty stews with local root vegetables to light and sweet desserts - all paired with the award-winning wines from around the trail.

LISTEN TO THE PODCAST

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Gather inspiration for your own holiday tables at this event. Perhaps you find a new dish you just have to share with your family or you find a wine that will pair perfectly with your secret stuffing recipe. Visiting the wineries during the holiday season is always a treat as the tasting rooms are decorated to celebrate the season.

To purchase tickets, visit http://www.keukawinetrail.com/ or call 800-440-4898.

The Peak of Fall Foliage in Finger Lakes Wine Country

This weekend the fall foliage will peak in Finger Lakes Wine Country. I really thought last weekend was the peak, but from what I've seen around the region this weekend will certainly be rich with deep reds and stunning golden hues.

Yesterday I flew into the Elmira Corning Regional Airport and snapped this shot just before landing. A small taste of how beautiful the hillsides are in the region right now.

And the best news is that despite a rather rainy fall, this weekend is supposed to be sunny and in the high 50's, perfect pumpkin picking weather if you ask me!

Have a wonderful weekend! If you take any spectacular fall photos, be sure to share them on our Finger Lakes Wine Country Facebook page.

Escape to the Finger Lakes Podcast featuring Heron Hill Winery

Heron Hill Winery overlooking Keuka Lake

I had the chance to chat with Kitty Oliver, Marketing & PR Director at Heron Hill Winery. Kitty was able to fill me in with some exciting harvest happenings over at Heron Hill and also give me some inside scoop about their upcoming Tunes in the Tent series this fall. 

Take 15-minutes to listen to this podcast.

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I actually had the pleasure of visiting Heron Hill at Bristol on Canandaigua Lake last week. Having been to both the Heron Hill homestead over on Keuka Lake as well as the Seneca Lake tasting room, this rounded out my Heron Hill experience in the Finger Lakes. It's a beautiful tasting room and offers visitors along the Canandaigua Wine Trail a look at the famed Ingle Vineyards (the tasting bar looks out over the gorgeous rows of grapes). Definitely a must-visit if you're over that way.

Owner John Ingle and his wife Jo.

Heron Hill is making some really amazing wines. The owner, John Ingle is a true lover of the land and it's very apparent when you have a glass of his wine or even take a peak at his vineyards. He has been utilizing sustainable practices long before it was trendy.  Bernard Cannac is the winemaker and is a newer edition to the Heron Hill team. The friendly faces at Heron Hill, whatever tasting room you should visit, are always warm and welcoming. The wine speaks for itself and the view - specifically at the Keuka Lake location in Hammondsport, are spectacular.

Heron Hill is certainly a must on your list when visiting Finger Lakes Wine Country. Every Sunday this fall they have Tunes in the Tent, live music, food, wine and beer - what's not to love?

Cayuga Lake Wine Trail’s 18th Annual Holiday Shopping Spree

Experience the warmth of the Holidays by joining the Cayuga Lake Wine Trail at their 18^th Annual Holiday Shopping Spree, on November 18th through the 20th and on December 2nd through the 4th. Receive a souvenir wine glass, grapevine wreath, a unique winery ornament at each of the sixteen wineries, wine and food pairings plus holiday recipes from each of the wineries that are part of the Cayuga Lake Wine Trail. A unique offer to our Holiday customers is our event weekend shopper’s card where you can save $5.00 off a $35.00 wine purchase at each winery to help you purchase all those special holiday gifts.

Start your event weekend plans early by visiting Montezuma, Long Point, King Ferry and Six Mile Creek wineries on the Friday of the event. On Saturday mornings at 9:00 a.m. visit King Ferry and Long Point Wineries for their Early Bird Opening and then travel along the trail to visit the rest of the wineries.  

Each winery offers a wine and food pairing plus recipes. Hosmer winery is serving “Marinated Sweet Potatoes and Broccoli” while Cobblestone Farm Winery is offering a sweeter dish, “Fudgy Cherry Brownies”. Six Mile Creek will follow suit with a festive sweet concoction, “Eggnog Cheesecake” and Long Point Winery will be serving a hot delectable soup “Italian Wedding Soup”. 

Another great added feature to the events are Special Event Packages, which include a one or two night stay, transportation to the wineries on Saturday only and tickets to the event. Accommodation packages range from $245.00 to $625.00 for either a one or two night stay from these great hotels and inns: Ramada Inn, Homewood Suites and LaTourelle Inn in Ithaca; Microtel Inn and Holiday Inn in Seneca Falls or Waterloo; Inn at the Finger Lakes and the Holiday Inn in Auburn. Check out the wine trail package page on CayugaWineTrail.com  

Participants are eligible to win one of our Six Grand Prizes: a gift certificate from Corks and More in Ithaca, a hand blown glass ornament from Corning Museum of Glass, or a one night stay at these great hotels: Holiday Inn in Auburn, Holiday Inn in Ithaca, Homewood Suites in Ithaca and the Ramada Inn in Ithaca.

This event sells out quickly, so reserve your tickets today!  Advance tickets: Single ticket $35.00, a Couple ticket $50.00 plus handling fee and sales tax. Designated Driver tickets are available plus tickets at the door as long as the event does not sell out. 

For information and tickets, call: 800-684-5217, visit the website CayugaWineTrail.com or purchase at any Wegmans Store.

Fall is a great time to paddle our rivers

Fall is a beautiful time to enjoy the Chemung River in Mark Twain Country. The trees are ablaze with colors reflecting off the water. The temperatures are comfortable. The mosquitoes and gnats are long gone. The crisp fragrances of autumn combine with the sights and sounds of wildlife to make for a gorgeous float and commune with nature.

The 45-mile Chemung River flows by farmlands, steep shale cliffs, forests, meadows and several towns and cities. The river is rich in history, passing by former Native American villages, a Civil War Prison Camp and the locations of some of area’s first settlers.

Mark Twain spent over 20 summers in Elmira writing his greatest novels. It’s a good bet that he visited the river and sought its inspiration as he wrote “Life on the Mississippi” and the “Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.”

The shallow Chemung River is easy to paddle – great for beginning or novice boaters. There are 10 public boat launches and plenty of beautiful places to come ashore to picnic, take nature photos or to relax in the grass in the warm sun and watch the river flow.

With so many boat launches you can paddle for few hours or all day.

And let’s not forget the health benefits. Paddling is a low-impact sport and the perfect activity to strengthen and define your upper body. Paddling a kayak burns about 342 calories per hour.

River side trails and levees make for great hiking and cycling along the river. Best of all, the river is free of charge, open 24/7 and you don’t need reservations.

For more information, including river maps and places to rent canoes or kayaks visit the Friends of the Chemung River Watershed website at www.chemungriverfriends.org.