A few weeks back Cara had this crazy idea to go up to Syracuse University, where we went as undergrads. Thing is, she didn't want to go on Homecoming when other old folks like us would be there. She wanted to go on a random weekend, when hotel rates would be low and the kids would just be scampering about. I hadn't been up in over five years, so I hopped into the car and drove up with Cara and Julie.
Given that is was November, it was gray in Syracuse. After checking into the hotel out first order of business was the go to Wegmans and picl up some supplies.
For a grocery store in a crappy town in Central New York, Wegmans had a lot of newspapers.
Cara really liked the melons.
Then we hit the candy aisle, where things got a little saucy. You really haven't lived until you've been spanked in a grocery store.
We hit the hotel bar late night, where some creepy guys who were also up on a random weekend tried to pick us up. Who could blame them, really? Hotties.
Cara and Julie hold up the bar.
The next morning we decided to loaf around campus. This was the view from our room at 8:30 AM.
It really wasn't cold enough for that jacket. Force of habit, I suppose.
...and we're walking...
Rain and all, it was still a nice day by Syracuse standards.
Eventually we made it over to Comstock Avenue, where the three of us used to live in the Alpha Gamma Delta House. It has since been closed due to alcohol violations (big shock) and is slated to recolonize in the next few years. In the meantime, the University is using it as a women's dorm. We decided to investigate.
We had heard through the grapevine that dorky female engineering students were living there, as well as a fraternity. Instead, we were greeted by these nice girls, all freshmen, who wanted to know all about the house, who had lived there, etc. None of them were dorks or engineering students. They were only allowed on the ground and top floor, and not in the basement, where there are more rooms as well as the elusive chapter room where we would circle each other's fat and put pledges in coffins.
Cara, Julie and I upstairs where men were never allowed. While we were there talking to the frosh, a guy slipped out of a girl's room at noon. Awesome.
More of the house. This is staircase that descends up to the second floor. The house was desgined by the Alpha Gam founder, an architect, so that 30 girls live on one floor. There is one huge bathroom and about 15 bedrooms. On weekends, craziness ensues.
When the sorority moved out in 2002 International took out all the nice, fancy furniture that had been there since the 1920s so that the house would have it when they regrouped. In its place, Syracuse put in all this crappy dorm furniture. Nevertheless, try to picutre this room with Stickley couches, lamps and tables, a Christmas tree in the corner and hung over girls in pajamas on Friday mornings.
Heading down to the street. We were very happy to see that such nice girls were living in our house. Bye Alpha Gamma Delta!
Here's where the trip gets a little lame. In true Syracuse fashion, the weather turned nasty on us and it started raining really hard. It was so bad we couldn't drive to the Turning Stone Casino an hour away. Instead, we went to the mall and I saw the Borat movie for the third time! We were forced to stay in for most of the night. Also strange, there were no kids out. None! Back in our day (late 1990s) we would have been tearing up Marshall Street in the snow! Perhaps things have tamed a bit. Losers.
Eventually Cara got a little restless.
Exhausted, she and Julie took a snuggle while we watched the first Back to the Future on TV.
On the way home on Sunday we hit this nasty bit of fog right outside Cortland. Central New York, why do you suck so much?
The whole set can be found here.
