Before you begin: Something I noted as I was typing, I use a lot of forward slashes in this. I'm owning it, I just wanted you to know this was intentional, or at the very least I recognize that it's a few too many.
So my buddy is a hyper-obsessed audiophile, a condition/trait/sickness which has led to many a road trip to feed his addiction.
Notably, spending the weekend of MLKjr Day driving from Oklahoma to Indiana to pick up some speakers, the first of our sound adventures. It was that trip that set the precedent of always always doing something other than just buying speakers. We took a minor-ish detour on our way to Memphis for some BBQ at Corky's, one of two uber-famous joints that are must stops.
Well this weekend was to prove no exception. We were driving to Sayre, PA to check out some La Scalas, which are my favorite speakers ever. Google 'em. We buy vintage, not new, so it is always fun to meet their former owners, see where they(speakers not the owners) live and learn about the their provenance.
Our route took us through Corning, NY, never heard of it? I hadn't either. However, while driving through it we saw signs for their glass museum. This led to much debate about what Corningware was/is made of. Thank the dear sweet baby Jesus for iPhones and Google. Turns out it is made of glass, which makes the whole Corning/glass museum thing come full circle. I feel like my buddy would probably want it noted that he made that Grand Canyon sized leap of logic and I did not. I thought Corningware was ceramic. Turns out we are both right.
We drove through, but not before deciding that Corning would be our side bar, the event that made this drive an adventure and not just a shopping trip. A glass museum, how could I not?! It was only about 40 miles outside of Sayre so we were going to do business first and then attend to our fun.
The speakers were terrible.* Their owner was kind of creeptastic and borderline hostile. The cute toy fox terrier that belonged to the speaker's owner urinated all over me. It wasn't fun. *they looked terrible and had sub-par parts and finish, they sounded fine (but we have a much nicer pair already)
We decided to take a lap in Lois and discuss. The discussion ended with us leaving Sayre sans speakers. It was a good choice. We were using our noggins for real that day. But, one of us was a little dejected to have an empty cargo area and we really needed something to turn that frown upside down.
Once again reaping the blessings bestowed on us by the technology gods we searched Yelp for good pizza in Corning. Turns out they have two legendary pizzerias. We picked Aniello's, which had the best/most reviews and headed that way (thanks google maps!). Aniello's, it turns out, is in the heart of Corning on their fabulously historic/restored/thriving main street, which is right up my alley. Boon! (it's like boom, but funnier because a boon is a timely benefit!)
We ordered our pizza, 1/2 cheese 1/2 chicken wing (weird right? that's what all the reviews said to do) and sat down to wait. There was a super silly Leather and Lace store across the street so while my buddy stewed on his semi-loss I went to check it out. Bizarrely, and yet not, it was just what the name implied. Bondage, super ornate dildos (did i just type that in a blog my mother reads?), and low quality lingerie. They did have a fabulous skirt made of feathers. It was lovely.
As soon as I wrapped up my experience at Leather and Lace my buddy called to let me know our pie was ready. It was massive. It was fantastic. It was all but gone within about 15 minutes. I fully recommend this joint and the chicken wing pizza. Now, some of the reviews claim the chicken is dry, and I will admit it looks it, but come on guys, it was in a billion degree pizza oven for 20 minutes, it's gonna crisp. It didn't taste dry at all. It tasted like wings, without the mess and the bone. The cheese pizza was outstanding as well.
After we ate (and ate and ate and ate) we decided we should probably walk it off for a while. Fortunately the weather was divine so we set off to see what Corning had for us.
Sigh. I already want to go back.
They have a jewelry store which makes its own jewelry. I found, with the quickness, something we could spend that speaker money on... but we didn't. Sad face. I made my buddy go into the cutest little fabric and notions shop. They had a billion vintage handkerchiefs in a bucket by the door, would that I had a project for them, and tons of fabric, and trim and lampshades and all sorts of wonder and glory. The fabulously hep and cool-kid girl running the store was listening to Adele, who was singing To Make You Feel my Love, I tell you this because that was the tone and mood of the store encapsulated in the clerk and song. Deep contented sigh. We spent a good deal of time there. Next time I go I will be spending a good deal of money there. Maybe. Probably. Definitely.
There was a super fab/modern/high end baby store, a theatre, a little hotdog/milkshake/diner joint, a billion restaurants, a million bars, a thousand different glass galleries and so many fun stores. We didn't get to go to them all; had to get home to our errant children that had broken out while we were gone. And by children I mean child, and by child I mean our basset with a penchant for chewing through wood and a wanderlust that knows no match.
We didn't go to the glass museum. We didn't go to the Rockwell either, Corning's art museum which is currently featuring a Warhol exhibit entitled Cowboys and Indians. We did however find an inn above one of the billion restaurants and made firm plans to come back this summer, have a romantical weekend (probably just a night) see both museums, visit all the shops, eat yummy foods and drink heavily. Don't judge me, or do, it's not going to change my plans.
It started off like a super long drive for nothing, but it turns out it was one of our best adventures and Saturdays to date.
