When I think of the Finger Lakes, I think of nature, hiking, wine, relaxation, and definitely indulgence. This past weekend, Sarah and I had the pleasure of visiting the Finger Lakes (more on that to come!) to see if our perceptions of the region were true. Nothing says indulgence and relaxation like an incredible bed and breakfast, and we stayed at the perfect one: The Halsey House.


I'm completely foreign to the B&B world, so when we pulled in to the drive after sundown to find two of the nicest men in the world approach us and say, "You must be Nick and Sarah!" I was certainly impressed.



Walking into the house, guided by David and David (the two owners) we learned that this beautiful property was built in 1829 by Nicholl Halsey. I don't know much about design, architecture, history, or pretty much anything, but I can say that this place is absolutely beautiful.


Later, we learned that much of the ornate furnishings throughout the house were family memorabilia or keepsakes from the Davids' families. Now, I don't want to get too public with the owners' personal lives, but let's just say a close family friendship with JIMMY STEWART comes in to play, here... (especially cool for us IUP grads!)


Our Room:


The B&B only has 5 guest rooms and we were assigned the "The Chamber." Small, but with tons of personality, this room was comfortable and inviting, had a huge updated bathroom, and an incredibly comfortable bed. What I really loved about this place is that despite the personal touch and friendliness of the owners and other guests, I felt completely comfortable to come and go as I pleased. It was a perfect balance of hospitality and independence, privacy and shared experience.


Speaking of shared experiences, I knew this place was special when we sat down to breakfast in the morning. All other guests were up and about, saying hello, drinking coffee (Halsey House special blend) and discussing their weekend endeavors.


And then the food arrived. Wow. The website mentions a "gourmet breakfast" but I was not ready for this! Now maybe this is just me being a bad blogger, but you're just going to have to go to The Halsey House and experience David's breakfast for yourself. It was my intention to take photographs of the food and report to you what each part of the breakfast was like, but I was completely thrown off track by the deliciousness. Ever-changing, and alternating between sweet and savory menus, the breakfast is almost exclusively sourced from local business and farms. David and David mentioned several times their interest in "promoting and investing in the Finger Lakes," and they are doing just that - spectacularly.


Needless to say, Sarah and I are completely sold on this B&B, and by extension, the Finger Lakes. We already can't wait to go back sometime in the future to spend more time exploring the region, while enjoying The Halsey House, its guests, and the wonderful proprietors David and David.

You can check out more about The Halsey House on their website, Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter!


Disclosure: The Halsey House provided us a complimentary room. All opinions are our own. We LOVED our stay and can't wait to return!

Sarah & Nick

Being vegetarian around Thanksgiving time means an extra focus on side dishes. When searching the internet for roasted brussels sprouts recipes, the combination of cranberries and pecans seem to be everywhere! Here is our version of this classic and delicious recipe.


Here's what you need:
- 2 cups halved brussels sprouts
- 1/4 cup dried cranberries
- 1/4 cup chopped pecans
- 2 tbsp. olive oil
- 1 tsp. garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes (or more if you like the heat!)
- Salt and pepper to taste

Here's what you do:
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
- If brussels sprouts are frozen, thaw and cut in half.
- Mix brussels sprouts in a bowl with olive oil, garlic powder, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper.


- Spread sprouts on a foil lined baking sheet and place in oven.
- Bake at 15-20 minute intervals, mixing/turning the sprouts every 10 minutes or so.
- Bake until desired roast is achieved. We like to see our leaves browning, with a bit of crispness around the edges. This usually takes about 50 minutes of roasting and turning.
- While sprouts are roasting, chop your pecans into small pieces. Lightly toast in a small pan on the stove over low heat.
- Once sprouts are out the oven, place in a serving dish and toss with the cranberries and toasted pecans.
- Enjoy!

These have become one of my favorite Thanksgiving side dishes over the past couple of years. I really love the tart cranberries and the spice from the red pepper flakes. The combination of the two send this dish over the edge!


Sarah & Nick

Cocktail posts are easily my favorite types of posts to write for the blog. It's fun to make them, photograph them, write about them, and drink them (duh). This delicious apple pie cocktail, adapted from Vegan Yack Attack is a perfect drink for any fall or winter evening!


Here's what you need:
- 1.5 oz. (1 shot) cinnamon whiskey
- 1.5 oz. (1 shot) whipped vodka (or vanilla vodka)
- 4 oz. apple cider
- Brown sugar
- Cinnamon
- Agave nectar (or honey)
- Ice
- Cinnamon stick for garnish (optional)
- Apple slice for garnish (optional)
- Cocktail shaker
- Lowball glass



Here's what you do:
- Combine some cinnamon and brown sugar in a bowl and set aside.
- Prepare your glass: With a clean paintbrush, brush rim of glass with agave (or honey) and dip in the sugar and cinnamon mixture. I don't recommend you skip this step, it's delicious!
- Combine ice, whiskey, vodka, and apple cider in your cocktail shaker, and shake until the outside of your shaker frosts from the cold.
- Pour into your glass. Include the ice.
- Garnish with cinnamon stick and apple slice.
- Enjoy!

The original recipe called for 4 oz. apple juice, but it just didn't seem thick/earthy enough for us, so we subbed in apple cider. I think this was the touch that pushed this drink from good to great. I'd be lying if I said I only drank one of these this weekend while we were working on this post. They're just so delicious!


Sarah & Nick