The (Other) Artists of Upstate New York
One of the best things about our travel journeys thus far has been the opportunity to reconnect with friends & family from Los Angeles to Puerto Rico to Up North Minnesota. Equally as exciting is the gift of time with newfound friends…and, in this case, family of friends.
You may remember our dear friend Aimee from our trip to Phoenix who arranged for us to stay with a few folks during our time in the desert.
Well, as it turns out, lightning does strike the same place twice and so does Aimee’s ability to connect us with her family and friends spread throughout the US.
When we were planning our route home, we realized that a stop in Oswego, New York to stay with her beloved aunt & uncle may just be the perfect respite for our long journey back to the Bluegrass state.
After an early morning on the road, we pulled into town mid-afternoon to find Aimee’s Uncle Mike washing his restored Volkswagen Vanagon in the driveway.
As it turns out, we may have found our people.
Renowned artists, Dawn and Mike welcomed us with open arms before giving us a grand tour of their workshop space where they handcraft gorgeous lamps and other fixtures for contracted clientele. A shipment was boxed up and ready to head out across the world to a very famous buyer who just so happens to have impeccable taste in lighting.
Dawn showered us with incredible stories of their ventures in life and artistry and we lapped it up hook, line, & sinker as Mike loaded up his van for an afternoon of surfing on Lake Ontario on his motorized surfboard.
In the late afternoon, we hopped in the car for a tour of Oswego, picking up fresh produce for what was shaping up to be a dinner feast.
We swung by the lake and watched Mike surf through the cool waters, refining his turning skills on his newfound watercraft. As it turns out, Mike is an aquatic enthusiast, taking his kite-surfing prowess all the way to the Outer Banks of North Carolina in his Vanagon.
Once we made our way back to their house, we began peeling & chopping myriad vegetables picked right in the fields of the local orchard in Oswego. Mike fired up the grill to top our bountiful salad with juicy grilled chicken and baked potatoes.
As if they hadn’t already rolled out the red carpet for us, we finished the night with strawberry shortcake with delicious local strawberries.
We drank wine, swapped stories of our travels, & laughed together: a newfound friendship forged of curiosity and hospitality.
Thank you Dawn & Mike for a wonderful & welcoming trip to Oswego, the perfect endcap to our trip through the Northeastern United States.