Farewell Fancy Food

Rochelle in the McNamara Tunnel.

The three days in Chicago consisted of campus tours, exploring, and amazing food- a lot of amazing food. Unfortunately, everything must come to an end. However, as one adventure concludes, another takes flight. 

The smaller plane to Ithaca, New York.

Our chosen method of transport.

After a quick brunch in Chicago's O'Hare airport, the Cornell cohort took off to Detroit, Michigan for a transfer flight to Ithaca, New York. During the flight to Detroit, I had the unique pleasure of sitting next to a Philosophy and Religious Studies graduate and a social studies teacher from Alaska. The three of us had a very productive conversation about philosophy, education, school systems, and various other topics. The flight was fairly short, and while the plane encountered an unsettling amount of turbulence early on, the majority of the trip was relatively smooth. The descent was shaky at first, but later I was not even aware how far we had descended until the plane touched down. 

We rushed out of the plane because there was only a short window of time before our connecting flight departed for Ithaca. Along the way we passed through a colorful passageway though there was little time to stop and take pictures. The plane we boarded was smaller than usual and only had two columns of two seats on either side of the aisle. The overhead compartments were also a lot smaller and the larger carry-ons which did not fit beneath the seat were stored separately and marked with pink tags. The marked bags were then brought out after arriving at the destination and we continued into the surprisingly small Ithaca airport. The airport was only a fraction of the size of the San Francisco airport, and there was only one conveyor belt for checked in baggage. 

Concerning transportation, Mr. Chan-Law rented a van capable of sitting 12 people, and it was very convenient considering the blistering heat outside. It was a short drive from the airport to Cornell University, and the campus is even more beautiful when seen in person. 

All six Cornellians received their room assignments, key cards, room key, and mail box key. I was assigned to a double room in North Balch Hall, the only all-female dormitory at Cornell University. During Summer College, the dorms are separated into single-sex areas, but throughout the school year they are coed (with the exception of Balch Hall). The room is very spacious, and to my relief there are two large fans, desks, and a sink shared with the adjacent room. My roommate and neighbors will likely arrive tomorrow with the rest of the Summer College students, and I look forward to meeting everyone.

We were given time to settle in and prepare for our last scheduled "fancy dinner" of the trip and met at 7:30PM before departing for the John Thomas Steakhouse just a few minutes' drive from campus. 

Filet mignon and a side of "French fried potatoes" that
 had to be shared between five people.

The restaurant had very formal decor and beautiful decorative appetizer plates adorned with colorful paintings of rabbits, pheasants, and other game animals. The food was delicious and the portions very generous. We dined with Jim Schechter, the director of Cornell University's Summer College, and learned a great deal about the what to expect for the next three weeks. He was new to the concept of the Ivy League Connection, and I enjoyed how everyone was able to engage in a productive conversation that provided everyone with new information. It was a satisfying meal to end the expensive dinner spree, and I hope my appetite for normal dinners has not been mitigated by the rich rewards of taking part in the Ivy League Connection.