Finally Finishing the Rochester Renovation

Last summer I wrote about Rochester Renovation and Furnishing From Afar from Scottsdale. I wanted to go to Rochester, New York last summer and finish setting up my son’s house, but due to Covid, that wasn’t possible. However, we were able to visit this year. So, I was finally able to see the house in person and happily realize my vision for the space. I booked a less-than-stellar Marriott Courtyard, but it turned out that all we did was sleep there.

We were there from Tuesday to Friday. In addition to working on the apartment, we met up with friends, cousins, and our realtor, whom we had never met in person. Needless to say, it was a very busy week.

First Order of Business

The first morning we were there, Mike and I both walked around and made lists of everything we thought needed to be done. We also made a list of everything that we needed to buy. That prompted the first of several big shopping sprees at Lowe’s and Home Depot. In addition, there were trips to Marshall’s, Homegoods, and Home Sense for decorating items.

In the afternoon, we finished unpacking everything I had purchased last summer. We also removed all of the empty boxes and started cleaning. Big progress in my book, so we rewarded ourselves with a tour of the medical center, U of R campus, and downtown Rochester.

Getting the House in Shape

We did a lot over the next three days. I organized the kitchen and installed rods and curtains in the kitchen window and in front of the pantry. A corner shelf unit was unpacked and filled with a cookbook, decoration, and a ceramic jar with kitchen utensils. I patched holes in a wall and touched up paint in the hall, on the ceiling, and outside the kitchen door. Finally, we put up pictures and added decorator touches to the ladder bookcase in the dining room.

While I was doing the kitchen etc., Mike and our son reorganized the furniture and rug in the dining room. They also hauled a large air conditioning unit up from the basement and installed it in the living room. They rebuilt the entertainment unit so the doors and drawers work and leveled the dining room table and the keyboard. There was also some work to be done outside with the new garden tools we bought.

Getting the Upstairs Ready to Rent

In order to get the upstairs ready to rent, I thoroughly cleaned. We installed an air conditioning unit upstairs and weather-stripped and repaired the screen door. A shower curtain and another more complex curtain rod were installed to provide privacy for the bathroom. Plenty of time was spent with the new drill.

Wrap Up on the House

I can tell you that at the end of four days we were all pretty tired, but the house looked great. We left our son with a list of a few things that needed to be done by a handyman, but I think we really accomplished what we set out to do.

The Garbage Plate^tm

In addition to seeing our son, friends, and getting the house done, Mike has always wanted to try a Rochester culinary tour de force, the Garbage Plate. Nick Tahou Hots restaurant created and trademarked the dish, but lots of other places in town have one by a slightly different name. Two local friends recommended we try the one at Dogtown, which happened to be in our son’s neighborhood.

It is hard to describe how all of the different ingredients are piled on top of each other on a typical garbage plate. The base layer is made up of your choice of two of the following: french fries, home fries, macaroni salad, coleslaw, or baked beans. The next layer is one or two cheeseburger patties and/or sausages. The entire dish gets topped off with onions, mustard, and a brown meat sauce. To lessen your guilt, you can get veggie patties or sausages. You really have to be there to appreciate the dish – but here are some pictures. I have to say, it was actually pretty good.

Other Things to See

In addition to the garbage plate, I wanted to see the Erie Canal. It turned out that we crossed it several times each day just going to and from our hotel. It was amazingly empty. I also noticed that it was designed for barges that were probably pulled by mules along the side of the canal. There were lots of very low bridges going over the canal so there must be pretty strict height limits.

Our son really wanted to take us to the little neighborhood bar that he and his classmates have been hanging out in. Dicky’s Corner Pub is one of the oldest bars in Rochester. The building has been there for 139 years. The food was quite good and the drinks were cheap, perfect for students.

Final Thoughts

I am so happy that we were finally able to see the house in person and really bring it up to its full potential. Realizing my vision for the space after a year was definitely very high on my list of things to do. The finished remodel has exceeded my expectations and our son really likes his home.

Perhaps on the next trip, we can take it easier and visit the nearby Finger Lakes and maybe see Niagara Falls again. I look forward to seeing the leaves turn sometime while our son is in Rochester too.

What would you choose for your garbage plate?