"I love Lucy" weekend with the girls

Jamestown NY
(Lily Dale, NY)
November 11th & 12TH 2017





Life has been pretty low key for me over the last few weeks. My focus has been on loosing some major pounds as our family embarks on vacations for 2018. Mark was presented with two cruise vouchers and we have decided on a family trip in May of 2018 to Bermuda, which we officially booked last week. We plan a couples only trip to Western Caribbean in November 2018 (not yet booked or decided.)

Two weekends ago, Tammy and I spent a day garage sailing and thrift shopping. We scored some amazing deals.
 We had a nice low calorie lunch at Subway (for National Sandwich day) and I gratefully stuck with in my points.

One of the steals I pick up. 

 Turkey!

 Later that evening I spent some time with Carol catching up.

Sticking to the weight watcher plan has not been easy.  Food seems to be everywhere at work. Last Monday there was a baby shower for a co-worker. Extra days at the gym.

 I broke my clean record of NOT over expending and had some chicken wing dip. That stuff seems to get me every time. Below is Kelly. We are all so excited for her.

   Thursday's before my class Aimee and I head over to weight watchers for a meeting and I was Thrilled to have lost a total of 18 pounds. Chicken wing dip or not. I am out of my mind with happiness. We celebrated within reason with dinner at Penera Bread company,

I have never been. It was amazing and I stayed within my points.

This weekend has been in the making for a while. It was an "I LOVE LUCY" weekend with the girls.
I have been talking about going to Jamestown NY for some time, but often realizing that the area is not a quick day trip had put it off. When Kelly had called reporting she needed a girls weekend, I put the plans officially in place.
Aimee was in for driving, Tammy was in for the fun, I booked a hotel and we all left early Saturday morning picked up Kelly in Rochester and made our way South to the birth and resting place of Lucille Ball.

As we traveled south I noticed Lily Dale was on our way.

The town?, assembly? or perhaps camp is known for the largest number of clairvoyant or free thinkers.

Generally the area is gated and a charge for entrance, but as we were off season and it was open. The plan was to find a psychic so that Kelly and Tammy could get a reading. Although I think these are fun, I am actually way to cheep to invest in any of this. I have in the past as well as was educated on tarot reading myself, so its not that I don't "believe", Its just that I have better things to spend my money on.

 As it ended up, we had a hard time finding a psychic that was open. Once we did it was a tab of $100-. Instead we took a stroll of the town, and gathered at the two stores open in the area.

 It was definitely an interesting place. We all agreed that a visit in the summer was a must. I would have totally enjoyed hiking the several trails that lined the cute quaint little houses.

 It did feel a little Blair witch...however. Does that not look like a sacrificing alter?

 and a witch cauldron to boot.

I found one of the trails to super fun. A Labyrinth. That sounded very neat. BUT it was cold and we had things to do in Jamestown....

I thought this cash register was pretty neat. The coins are offered by both residence and tourist alike.

Very charming place right on the water. I am sure I would enjoy it much more on a warm summer evening.

Up next was Jamestown....

We headed into town after being told to about where Lucy's grave site is located. It did take us some time to find it, but we were eventually alerted to the heart shaped cursive L's along the pavement.

I'm not sure if it is appropriate to take a picture with a grave marker, but we did. And I smiled as she made so many of her fans before me. 

Up next was a trip to the Museum.

There are actually two parts to the museum. There is a building that honors both the lives of Desi and Lucy and then there is one that features the movies and tv. 

A few of Lucy's outfits including the famous pokadot dress. 

A few awards.

Of course I had to get a picture of the RV adds. 

I didn't realize how many movies she had done. I will have to seek out this one. The Long Long Trailer. I bet it is funny.

Check out this Old camera. It is BIG! A few interesting fact about the production of the I love Lucy show; The idea of an American housewife married to a Cuban man was questioned by the network. The thought was it would not be believable. Additionally, Lucy and Desi loved and lived in California. The TV networks were in NY. Instead of moving. They built their own studio/sound stage...and volia Desilu Productions. Lucy and Desi's divorce finalized (or maybe it was filed.) on the last day of production. (May 1957) 

It's hard to believe the last show was made nearly 15 years before I was born, and I remember growing up with her show.

The second part of the museums. Was located next door. This was the classic I love Lucy archives. 

Finally we got to the set. Here is the original living room. I made it black and white to better represent what we saw on the tv.

The original kitchen.  

and of course the new California home. (I cannot remember if these were in color or not.) I really don't remember watching many of the later shows. I didn't even know she had her own show after the I love Lucy days. "The Lucy Show." As I already noted, I was surprised to see how many movies she had also done.

We all had fun posing in the Vitameatavegamin commercial.

Here are the words.. Just in case you want to run the whole scene for yourself. 

Although we had completed the museum. There was still more fun to be had. There were two stores filled with Lucy fun. We all bought T-shirts to commemorate the weekend.

 (This was taken on Sunday morning at the hotel.)

By now...all of us were starving. We took a walk down the street to a place called The Pub.
Late lunch included a few beers, breaded and baked chicken tenders and cheese puffs. All baked (low cal late lunch.) Very tasty.

After reviewing the map. (It was very tiny, and actually upside down when you look at the way it is printed.) We attempted to find the several murals painted through out the area. We only found this one. 

We then headed towards the park where Lucy's statue stands. Apparently there was one that was erected that had the Lucy fan's enraged as it was so UGLY  and looked nothing like her. The artist apologized and a more appropriate one was created. We had the fortune of getting a glance at both.

This Memorial park is not actually in Jamestown but in Lucy's childhood home town of Celoron about a 10 minute drive outside of Jamestown.(Her childhood home is also located here 59 Lucy lane although we did not stop to visit.)

Ugly Lucy.....

and Pretty Lucy....

I'd say this is much more realistic.

 Although it was cold out. I had to get a look at the small Light house and lake just as the sun was going down.

 (I simply love the way the colors came out in this one. These pictures were taken with both my cell phone and my camera. I am beginning to think I do not need my big old bulky camera, the one above and my favorite were taken with my phone.)

 On our return ride to Jamestown we stopped at this hole in the wall bar called the Swamp.

 We had (for the exception of our D&D Aimee) several cocktails and got a little silly.

I was having so much fun with our gator friend. I asked the bar tender what his name was....He was unfortunately nameless. Dubbed George the Gator!!! We really had a great time just being crazy silly, We even had a Journey sing along with some of the other patrons. "Don't stop Believing.." I was so enamored of George.... Amine has purchased his twin for my Birthday. 

So if your ever at The Swamp....make sure you say hello to George and tip your Bar tender......Bye Bye George......

After the Swamp we headed to the hotel I had booked earlier that week. The plan was to call an Uber and head back downtown for some evening fun. We had a few cocktails in the room before heading to the Cherry Lounge (recommended by the desk clerk).

I had never taken an uber..Our driver was Lou, he was a little odd, but was GREAT at getting us to our destination and back home again later. 

The Cherry Lounge was the BOMB!!! 

 A smaller bar/restaurant central to the downtown area and within walking distance to the local pubs/clubs. We had dinner and drinks at the Cherry Lounge. I had the most AMAZING Buffalo chicken salad. Yum. I'm drooling thinking about it. 

 Kelly ordered these cheese balls...they were pretty yummy too.

A few more cocktails and we walked over to Shawbucks. We were informed that this place was the place to be. When we arrived it was pretty dead for a Saturday evening, although they were setting up for a band. We had a date with Lou for our uber home at 9pm. No time for bands. We had fun all by ourselves anyway

(Okay so my cell phone camera is not so lovely indoor at night in weird light....something to think about,)
Several cocktails in, Lou texted me...he was there. The evening came to an end. We did continue to have some fun back at the hotel. We're Crazy like that!!!!

Sunday we all awoke with just a slight headache. Had a nice FREE hot breakfast provided by the hotel and headed on back to home.
All I can say is what a WONDERFUL time was had. We are already planning our next Girls Trip. NY CITY has been mentioned! TTFN