Linda Stout

Canaseraga Coffee Company last Saturday was a blast. It was so fun. Imagine this old hardware store, lovingly restored, but turned into a vegetarian restaurant and coffee house, and throw antiques and cool new items in (wish I'd had time to shop). It is in the middle of nowhere, well, in western NY, about 20 minutes north of Hornell, near Swain, a ski area. It is across the street from an old-fashioned market that's still in business, no Wegman's there. The audience was wonderful, attentive and appreciative. I'm in awe of that audience and met nice new people. Wow. The audience included my aunt and uncle, brother and his friends from Rochester, about an hour north of Canaseraga. Many people came from all around the area, which is about 40 minutes from Wellsville, where I grew up, a cute little town that still has a pretty main street. Allegany County newspapers did a great job of covering my show. All the tables were full, and some folks were standing, and it's not a tiny place. The acoustics are excellent, thanks perhaps to a good sound system, hard, but also to seasoned wood floors, walls and ceiling. The owners, Allan and Patty Nobles, were wonderful, kept food and coffee and amazing looking desserts (I'd not asked for the pecan pie soon enough) coming with the help of one friend who was busy in the kitchen. They are jazzy-bluesy musicians themselves who were vacationing in Allegany County from Sarasota, FL. They up and left sunny Florida, and have done an amazing job of bringing national and local musical acts to tiny Canaseraga in very rural Allegany County. The most musical action thereabouts is probably in Alfred or Houghton, homes of small colleges, or maybe Hornell, in Steuben County, a bit southeast. But Al and Patty have put Canaseraga on the map. Even the open mikes keep them so busy all night there's no time for them to get up and play anymore. I can't wait to go back, and in the summer, more of my family's in the area. Thanks to the newspapers, friends who helped put up posters and to those who wrote to me and bought CDs. Patti and Al have my CDs for sale now if you missed the show.