In October of 1997, not far from the birthplace of baseball, ground was broken for what was to become America's most unique microbrewery. Based on traditional Belgian farmhouse architecture and set on a former hop farm in upstate New York, Brewery Ommegang was born with the philosophy that truly unique ales must be built from the ground up. Now brewing five award-winning Belgian-style ales and offering daily tours and tastings, plus a full calendar of special events, Brewery Ommegang is the place where brewing is an art and partaking is a passion.

In the 19th century, Marines were dispatched from the Navy Yard to crack down on illegal whiskey distilling in what became known as the WHISKEY WARS. Today, Kings County Distillery is proudly making moonshine and more on premises. Join BLDG 92 and Kings County Distillery on a tour (and tasting!) that explores whiskey scandals of the past and the resurgence of the industry today. For more information and to register, visit http://bldg92.org/events/.

In the 19th century, Marines were dispatched from the Navy Yard to crack down on illegal whiskey distilling in what became known as the WHISKEY WARS. Today, Kings County Distillery is proudly making moonshine and more on premises. Join BLDG 92 and Kings County Distillery on a tour (and tasting!) that explores whiskey scandals of the past and the resurgence of the industry today. For more information and to register, visit http://bldg92.org/events/.

Find out how local sustainable manufacturer IceStone® survived Hurricane Sandy and has transformed 10 million pounds of waste glass into high design countertops that rival the strength and beauty of quarried stone—absent the associated environmental damage. Visitors will have the opportunity to handle the raw material, experience a cutting-edge green production facility, and take a piece of IceStone home. For details and to purchase tickets, visit http://bldg92.org/events.

The Hot Glass Show. Presentations from 9:45 a.m.-12:00 p.m.; presentations begin again at 1:00 p.m. Located on the Hot Glass Stage.

Flameworking Live! Two presentations each hour starting at the bottom of the hour. Presentations today: 9:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m., 1:30 p.m.-4:00 p.m. in the GlassMarket.

Sign up a workshop at the admission desk (anytime) or at The Studio (after 12:00 p.m.). Space is limited and may only be booked on the day of the class. 12:00 p.m.-5:00 p.m. in the Studio.

Seating in the hot shop and views into workshops provide opportunities to watch teachers and students at work. 10:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. in the Studio.

The GlassMarket features soem of the state's best shopping outside of New York City, according to AAA New York Online! Thousands of one-of-a-kind glass and glass-related treasures that would be hard to find anywhere else. 9:00 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Visit our online shopping at http://glassmarket.cmog.org anytime.

Tour of the GOLDEN Acrylics, Williamsburg Oils, and QoR Watercolor factory as well as the Sam & Adele Art Gallery.

Harden Furniture conducts a free tour of our facility, starting at the Harden Showroom. You will be guided through our factory to see real people making real furniture of outstanding quality. The tour usually takes approximately 2 hours, depending on the number of questions and information requested.

Tours can be adapted to all ages, from preschool to senior citizen. The price for guided tours is $10 for adults and $5 for children ages 2-16, $8 for seniors. Tour company representatives, teachers, and Scout leaders are given complimentary admission with the group. Group tour rates are $8 per adult or $5 per child

Guided tours last approximately 50-55 minutes for adults and 30-45 minutes for children. Our docents lead visitors throughout the public spaces in the factory complex, explaining the history of carousel and band organ production in the Tonawandas and the operation of this particular factory.

Tour groups view large photo murals mounted throughout the building showing the factory complex in operation in 1919, as well as the carving shop, the music roll production shop, and the Lockman Exhibit, a private collection of 20 carousel animals on loan to the museum. All visits end with a ride on either our 1916 #1 Special adult carousel or our Kiddie Carousel in the Children's Gallery.

Other amenities include a wonderful gift shop, handicapped-accessible restrooms and motor coach parking. For more information, or to schedule a tour, contact the museum at (716) 693-1885.

A $25.00 charge will be invoiced for tours which have not been canceled at least 48 hours before the scheduled time of arrival. Please plan to stay a minimum of one and one half hours, so your guests will have time to see all of our exhibits and browse in our gift shop.

Madison Square Garden'sTM All Access Tour allows fans to get an insider's view of the inner-workings of The World's Most Famous Arena®, providing them with little-known information and rarely seen viewpoints on the legendary showplace. Visitors taking part in the "All Access" one hour tour become a part of one of the busiest and most exciting sports and entertainment facilities in the world and are treated to a host of unique experiences. Visit the Knicks, Rangers and Liberty locker rooms; tour backstage of the Theater at Madison Square Garden; go inside the Star dressing rooms; learn how a basketball court becomes a sheet of ice; meet one of the famed Knicks City Dancers; see the MSG Network® studio; witness all the seldom seen build-up to a live event - players practicing, performers in production, casts in rehearsal or crews staging events! You'll never know what you'll see on the All Access Tour.

The Met offers several options for individuals and families to enjoy this cultural experience, including a subscription plan. Those interested can obtain a calendar and more info by mail or phone. Seating prices for performances vary, and Group Discounts are available to organized groups of 20 or more.

90-minute Backstage Tours explore the creation of an opera production, guiding visitors through the shops where artisans work on the sets, costumes, and wigs, and includes the rehearsal facilities, dressing rooms, 10-story backstage complex, and the auditorium. This is a fantastic opportunity for individuals, families and groups to see what goes on behind the scenes of a major production. Advance reservations required.

Ever wonder what happens on the other side of the tube? Since 1933, NBC
guides have been guiding visitors on a behind the scenes look at NBC's
New York operations. The hour-long tour takes in some of the world's
most famous studios, including:

Studio 1A Home of Today Show
Studio 3A Home of MSNBC
Studio 3C Home of Nightly News with Brian Williams
Studio 8G Home of Football Night in America
Studio 6B Home of Late Night with Jimmy Fallon
Studio 8H Home of Saturday Night Live

Tracing radio and television back to 1933, the tour brings some of NBC's
classic programs back to life -- programs that were created in the same
studios that bring us today's entertainment.

The tour guide might be a celebrity in the making. Michael Eisner, Steve
Allen, Kate Jackson, Regis Philbin, Ted Koppel, Marcy Carsey, Dave
Garroway and Willard Scott all were NBC Pages in their early days.

The Original American Kazoo Company was established in 1916 and is now the only original metal kazoo factory in the world. The museum highlights history, amusing trivia, and shows step by step the way kazoos are made.

Kazoos of all shapes and sizes are permanently displayed in the museum. Our collection chronicles the history of kazoos as well as the factory. Display cases contain several types of wooden kazoos, liquor bottle shaped kazoos that celebrated the end of prohibition, antique kazoo instruments, silver and gold kazoos, and many more. From the museum space, you can view kazoos being made on the original equipment. Our staff will be happy to explain the manufacturing process.

The Kazoo gift shop offers thousands of exciting and unusual items for that special gift or unique souvenir, such as jewelry, toys, wind chimes, cards, hand crafted items, books for all ages, and much, much more. Needless to say, we have a variety of kazoos to complete or start your own kazoo band.

Nestled in a bucolic valley, a mile southwest of Hammondsport, is the Pleasant Valley Wine Company, home of the world-famous Great Western Winery Visitor Center. Established in 1860, the winery proudly displays the designation U.S. Bonded Winery No.1 and has eight remarkable stone buildings listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The winery retains the original integrity of an old-world winery with caves carved deep into the valley's hillside; it's an architectural masterpiece nestled in the heart of the spectacular Finger Lakes Region of New York State.

The Great Western Winery Visitor Center is the most comprehensive center of its kind in the world; it's fun for the entire family and a great learning experience.

Browse among historical artifacts covering over 140 years of Finger Lakes wine making and grape growing expertise. You'll see an extraordinary working model of the Bath and Hammondsport Railroad, "The Champagne Trail," intricately detailed with over 168 feet of track and 28 switches. Visit our cooper's shop, featuring authentic wine casks and barrels, cooper tools and equipment

History
=======
The Pleasant Valley Wine Company, popularly known as the Great Western Winery, located near the village of Hammondsport, New York, is the oldest winery in the Finger Lakes region. By the 1830?s and 1840?s, European settlers found that the Finger Lakes region provided such favorable growing conditions that grapes had outgrown home production capacities. On March 15, 1860, Charles Davenport Champlin and 12 local businessmen consolidated their holdings under ?Articles of Association for the Manufacture of Native Wine? and, with $10,000 capitalization, built the first winery in this region, The Hammondsport and Pleasant Valley Wine Company, which was designated as Bonded Winery No.1 in its State and Federal districts.

The original winery was constructed on land whose price had soared from $10 to $100 an acre in one decade! It was built on a slope owned by Mr. Champlin overlooking Pleasant Valley, two miles south of Hammondsport. All wine making operations were carried out by Jules and Joseph Masson, noted French-born winemakers of the time, in still-used wooden and stone structures, with adjacent cellars carved deep into the hillside. Eight of these Great Western Winery buildings were listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1980.

During the winery?s first year of operation, 18 tons of Isabella and Catawba grapes were harvested, yielding 220 gallons of wine per ton. On August 17, 1862, the first recorded shipment, 100 gallons of wine, left the winery. Business thrived. While the Civil War brought supply and labor shortages, as well as price increases and transportation difficulties, the enterprise was sufficiently successful in 1865 to invest in champagne-producing equipment. Twenty thousand bottles of Sparkling Catawba were made that year. In 1867, this wine was awarded honorable mention at the Exposition Universelle in Paris, the first American Sparkling wine to win an award in Europe. In 1873 in Vienna, the winery?s champagne was awarded first prize and its first European medal; since then the Company?s champagnes have received numerous European gold medals and other awards.

Because of the internationally recognized excellence of Pleasant Valley Champagnes and because of the similarities of climatic and soil conditions between the area and the Champagne district of France, Pleasant Valley came to be called the ?Rheims of America.? When the U.S. Postal Service opened a branch at the winery in 1870, it used the postmark, ?Rheims, N.Y.?, which was used until 1945 when rural delivery took its place.

In March 1871, Mr. Champlin sent a case of champagne to his close friend, Marshall P. Wilder, who was a well-known wine connoisseur in Boston. After introducing it at a dinner party at the Parker House, Wilder declared it to be "the Great Champagne of the Western World." The Champagne was thus dubbed ?Great Western.?

Shipping records of the 1860?s, 70?s, and 80?s are filled with such prestigious accounts as S.S. Pierce, Macy?s, Park Tilford, George F. Hueblin and Brother, Palmer House of Chicago, Parker House of Boston and individuals such as Professor Henry W. Longfellow of Cambridge, Massachusetts. Pleasant Valley wines appeared on the lists of the most fashionable restaurants. They were even heartily recommended by doctors for their medicinal qualities.

These were exciting years at Pleasant Valley. From 1872 to 1875, Mr. Champlin and area businessmen built the nine-mile Bath to Hammondsport Railroad to combat price increases of canal transportation. Not only was this a successful business venture, but it also brought tourists to the area to ride the Keuka Lake steamers, such as Lulu and Urbana, at 10 cents a ride. Later, on March 8, 1893, the Pleasant Valley Wine Company was registered as a New York State corporation, with the Champlins and Massons holding 205 of 400 outstanding shares of stock. Adding further excitement, on July 4, 1908, Glenn Curtiss made the first pre-announced airplane flight on the Pleasant Valley flats directly below the winery entrance. The world-renowned Curtiss Museum, dedicated to his flying endeavors and the remarkable decades when Hammondsport epitomized the country?s spirit of innovation, attracts aviation enthusiasts from around the world to its spacious quarters across Pleasant Valley from the winery.

The good news that Pleasant Valley had sold more champagne in the first six months of 1919 than in any previous year was marred on July 1 by the enactment of Prohibition. The winery was left with an inventory of 70,000 cases of champagne and substantial quantities of still wine. Yet it survived the 14 years of Prohibition on sales for sacramental and medicinal purposes.

After Repeal in 1933, the Company progressed steadily. Charles D. Champlin II, grandson of the founder and dean of American champagne makers of his time, managed the operation until his death in 1950. The family retained control of the business until 1955 when it was sold to a company run by Marne Obernauer, a businessman from New Jersey, who officially renamed the winery Pleasant Valley Division of Great Western Producers. In 1961, the winery was acquired by The Taylor Wine Company, its next-door neighbor, which was itself acquired first by The Coca-Cola Company in 1977, then Joseph E. Seagram & Sons in 1983 and finally Vintners International Company, Inc., in 1987. Having survived Prohibition and several ownership changes, the winery returned once again to local family control in 1995.

Great Western Winery has the largest plantings of the vinifera varieties Chardonnay and Riesling in the East, pioneered French-American varietals in the 1960?s, was the first New York State winery to produce natural ice wines and is the only New York winery to have won the Governor?s Cup for the ?Best Wine in New York? two years in a row. The winery is the largest producer of bottle-fermented champagnes in the eastern United State and for over a century Great Western Champagnes have been the most-honored American Champagnes in European competition and have enhanced the wine lists of some of the most prestigious American hotels and restaurants.

From its beginnings as Schenectady's grand showplace near the end of the Roaring Twenties, to its prime years as a movie palace, through its post-war decline, Proctor's endured to enjoy an extraordinary rebirth. Because of the concern of the community and the generosity of theater lovers, Proctor's can look forward to many more years of providing audiences with the best in entertainment.

Proctor's is now entering an exciting new phase in our history. A proposed 22.5 million dollar expansion is in the works for 2004. It will greatly expand the backstage area, giving the theatre the opportunity to present larger-scale productions such as Phantom of the Opera and The Lion King, add an additional 450-seat theatre which will present shows in a more intimate setting, new offices and dressing rooms among other amenities.

No trip to Radio City is complete without a tour of the legendary theatre. Reopened after an extensive restoration on October 4, 1999, the Music Hall now reflects its original grandeur of opening night, 1932, sporting behind-the-scenes upgrades and refurbishment. Following the lead of Radio City's experienced tour guides, guests explore: the Great Stage, one of the largest indoor performance stages in the world; the stage's hydraulic system, still in operation since the '30s; the renowned private suite, with 12-feet high gold leaf ceilings and onetime home to Samuel "Roxy" Rothafel. And as an exciting climax to the Stage Door Tour, guests will meet one of the world-famous Radio City Rockettes!

Steinway & Sons was founded in 1853 by German immigrant Henry Engelhard Steinway in a Manhattan loft on Varick Street. Henry was a master cabinet maker who built his first piano in the kitchen of his Seesen, Germany home. By the time Henry established Steinway & Sons, he had built 482 pianos. The first piano produced by the company, number 483, was sold to a New York family for $500. It is now displayed at New York City's Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Over the next forty years, Henry and his sons, Henry Jr., Albert, C.F. Theodore, William, and Charles, developed the modern piano. Almost half of the company's 114 patented inventions were developed during this period. Many of these late nineteenth-century inventions were based on emerging scientific research, including the acoustical theories of the renowned physicist Hermann von Helmholtz.

Steinway's revolutionary designs and superior workmanship began receiving national recognition almost immediately. Starting in 1855, Steinway pianos received gold medals at several U.S. and European exhibitions. The company gained international recognition in 1867 at the Paris Exhibition when it was awarded the prestigious "Grand Gold Medal of Honor" for excellence in manufacturing and engineering. It was the first time an American company had received this award. Steinway pianos quickly became the piano of choice for many members of royalty and won the respect and admiration of the world's great pianists.

In 1866 Steinway & Sons opened the first Steinway Hall on 14th Street. With a main auditorium of 2,000 seats, it became New York City's artistic and cultural center, housing the New York Philharmonic until Carnegie Hall opened in 1891. By this time, the company had moved to its current location in the Astoria section of Queens, New York, and built Steinway Village. Virtually its own town, Steinway Village had its own foundries, factory, post office, parks and housing for employees.

In 1871, Henry Sr. died and sons C.F. Theodore and William took over operations. An accomplished pianist, C.F. Theodore was responsible for the technical aspects of piano making and personally earned the company 41 patents, including one in 1875 for the modern concert grand piano. In the same year, William helped establish a showroom in London. Five years later, in 1880, the Hamburg factory began operating and a retail operation, the Steinway-Haus, was established. Another retail operation opened in Berlin in 1909.

Today, Steinway & Sons crafts approximately 5,000 pianos a year worldwide. Over 1300 prominent concert artists and ensembles across the world bear the title Steinway Artist. No artist or ensemble is a paid endorser of the piano. Each Steinway Artist personally owns a Steinway and has chosen to perform on the Steinway piano professionally. In North America, artists select their Steinway for concert performances from the company's unique "piano bank," an inventory of more than 300 pianos valued at over $15 million.

Pianos are placed throughout North America and are maintained to concert standards by an exclusive network of Steinway dealers. The famed "basement" of New York's Steinway Hall, at 109 West 57th Street in New York City, is the bank's home office. Branch piano banks are maintained at Steinway dealerships in cities throughout the country to serve performing artists. In all other countries, major concert venues in each town own Steinway & Sons instruments which the artist can use.

At our family-owned brewery, we have a long tradition of pride in what we make.

It is our attention to detail and uncompromising commitment to quality that has become the signature trademark of the Matt Brewing Company and our award-winning Saranac Beers.



A Brief History of the Matt Brewing Company
Brewhouse Square Utica, NY

As one of the few remaining great American regional breweries, the Matt Brewing Company has prospered at the foothills of the Adirondack Mountains in Central New York for over a century. Under the leadership of the third (Nick) and fourth (Fred) generations of the Matt Family, the Brewery has earned the reputation as one of the most respected specialty brewers in the country, producing a variety of distinctive, flavorful beers.

In 1885, young F.X. Matt I, a German-born immigrant, left a promising career at the famous Duke of Baden Brewery in the Black Forest region of Germany to travel to the United States with the determination and dream of owning his own brewery someday. After several years of brewing experience at the Bierbaur Brewery, F.X. Matt re-organized the faltering brewery to create The West End Brewing Company in 1888. Serving as both the star salesman and brewmaster, the brewery quickly became one of the largest and most successful of the 12 breweries operating in Utica at the time.

Today, Nick Matt (President) and his nephew Fred (Vice President of Marketing & Sales) continue this proud tradition with the celebrated Saranac family of beers ? a beer brewed to the same exacting standards of quality F.X. Matt established more than a century ago.

The guided tour of the United Nations starts with a brief overview of the Organization and its structure. The main part of the tour consists of a visit to the chambers of the Security Council, the Trusteeship Council and the Economic and Social Council, which are located in the Conference Building.

During the visit, you might briefly observe a meeting. An average of 5,000 official meetings are held at the United Nations Headquarters annually. Please note that some council chambers might be closed to the public. The guide explains the functions, composition and current actions undertaken by each council, as well as the activities of the United Nations system.

Visitors also see exhibits on such topics as peacekeeping operations, decolonization and disarmament. An art collection, presented by Member States, is also part of the visit. It consists of tapestries, murals, mosaics and sculptures.

The final stop on the tour route is the General Assembly Hall, the largest and best-known room. Visitors are then escorted to the Public Concourse where the United Nations Postal Counter, the Gift Centre, the United Nations Bookshop, a coffee shop and restrooms are located.

The Wedding Gown Preservation Company is a family owned business operating in Endicott, New York since 1913, where they specialized in preservation and alterations of wedding gowns. There modern lab and equipment preserve every gown with a special anti-sugar treatment to prevent yellowing and discoloration and has been proven and recognized as the best method in gown preservations by the International Fabricare Institute. Over the past 80+ years, Wedding Gown Preservation Company has prided themselves on quality and care of the wedding gowns that they clean and preserve for their customers. Each gown is handled individually and given the utmost attention and care.

They put the highest degree of professional care into the heirloom processing of your gown. First, they examine your gown to find all spots. A detailed Quality Control Report is updated through each and every step. They use proven formulas to remove spots and treat the entire gown for sugar stains. Your gown is thoroughly cleaned with extra attention given to the neckline, trim and hemlines. Their experts shape the gown, position a full bust form and fill the sleeves. It is then wrapped in acid-free tissue and fitted carefully into a preservation chest with an acid-free display window. The preservation chest is then enclosed in a 700 lb.-test shipping carton. Your gown is then shipped back to you pre-paid anywhere in the United States by UPS or Fed-Ex. You receive the gown within ten to fifteen working days from when they receive it.

Westchester Modular Homes, Inc. headquartered in Wingdale, NY was founded in 1986 by two prominent New York builder-developers, Charles W. Hatcher and Thomas F. Flood III.

Hatcher and Flood started out as traditional custom stick builders in Westchester County where the demand for upscale custom built homes was high. Their philosophy was simple, but effective - customize the home and give the customers what they want - not what the builder thinks the customers want!

In January 2000, Westchester Modular Homes became an Employee Owned Company through an Employee Stock Ownership Program.

Westchester's success in residential housing is in large part due to its ability to anticipate and quickly respond to the needs of the prospective home buyer.

Plan your trip to include Plattsburgh, NY on beautiful Lake Champlain, as you won't want to miss our fun filled factory tour. Our tour includes information about our founder, John Sortino, and our multifaceted entertainment company. You can view a walking storyboard of our cartoon, Banana Planet, and hear all about the animation process. We also have arts and crafts projects for children as well as fun, educational facts about the rain forests and the people who are working to protect and preserve the primate world. And what tour would be complete without seeing how plush animals are made so take our tour and discover the wonderful world of toy making!

Once you've taken our factory tour you'll want to continue your primate experience with a stop by our retail store and ice cream shop. World Wide Monkey's retail store is a one of a kind primate jungle with something for everyone. You'll find all types of plush monkeys from chimps, gibbons and orangutans to the most exotic of primates. But the fun doesn't stop there. We carry all different types of primate related merchandise including puzzles and books. Our store will delight and amaze the youngest of hearts. Come Visit Us Today!