Days 1-2: E-ville to Elmira to Corning

Day 1: E-ville to Elmira to Corning

QOTD:  

Some folks like to get away
Take a holiday from the neighborhood
Hop a flight to Miami Beach
Or to Hollywood
But I'm talking a Greyhound
On the Hudson River Line
I'm in a New York state of mind

Weather: Perfect in E-ville 9am, and same in Elmira at 9pm (except it is dark in Elmira) 

In transit all day. Bay Bridge backed up way worse than normal at 9:30am, good that we left 2 hours to make the flight. Delta to Detroit where we get off the plane at gate A3 and walk to gate A63 in a straight line. This has to be the longest terminal in America. And, it’s new and spiffy. A half mile in we see you can “express” tram from one end to the other with a stop in the middle. We’re committed, walk the last half mile too. 

We are set to leave on time for Elmira except the crew realizes the carry-on bags self-checked in the jetway aren’t on board. No ground crew around to load them up. 

Day 2: Corning

Weather:  Warm and bit muggy

Pics:  All around Corning except in the Corning HQ where no photos are allowed including no photos of the fascinating installations in the building

Up early, in the Fitness Center at 6am. Bad news: it’s next to the pool: that always mean the humidity is way up. Sure enough, Fox News is blaring; at least the other guy is amenable to changing the channel.  Breakfast is a standard buffet, and THB has double portion of Cheerios with raisins, toast and a bran muffin (not bad). 

The rest of the day is spent at the Corning Museum. Needless to say, it’s all about the glass! We  have a terrific curator-led tour of the modern collection, then take a break for lunch at the museum café (THB has ratatouille over rice, a bread stick and iced tea, included), followed by arts and crafts. 

THB makes a flower and a picture frame. The flower is done with able assistance in front of 900 degree ovens and hot melted glass. The picture frame is done by putting glue on a pre-made small frame and gluing on shards of glass. Guess which one old-shaky-hands has a harder time with?

Afterwards, it’s back to the Museum to take a more detailed look at the extensive (can there be a larger one?) collection of historical glass, a walk through the scientific exhibits (fascinating), and another stroll through the modern glass collection.

A short rest, and then we head to the Corning corporate headquarters. They have permanent large installations spread throughout the building. Sorry, no photos allowed: Corning is afraid of corporate espionage. Maybe they hadn’t see the average age of our group.

Welcome dinner at the Radission: scallops on clear noodles, green salad, sea bass on couscous, and a “pecan ball” (scoop of mostly melted vanilla ice cream covered with packaged pecan pieces and lukewarm chocolate sauce), included

Radisson in Corning

Out back 

Fitness Center

Radisson is saving on water cups in FCtr

And on shower doors (it seems to be missing)

Corning Museum of Glass

One company designs all museum logos?

Chihuly front and center

Vladimir Kopecky

Marvin Liposky, who we used to see every Saturday morning at the Westside

Dennis Oppenheim, working in a different medium, "beehives"

The "hmmmm" of the bees

Judy Hill

Making flowers

Step 1

Step 0, putting on armor

Pick your colors

Yes, they kibitz in this sport, too

Step 2

Step 3

Step 4

Step 5

THB's next art project, pre-firing

Death Rays released if stanchion gate is not closed?

Baseball wherever you go

The best glass museum is expanding

Corning HQ, the only photo allowed