CITY January 2024

ARTS. MUSIC. CULTURE. JANUARY 2024 FREE | SINCE 1971

BEST OF ROCHESTER

! !!

WINNERS

INSIDE

!

In Memory of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. “I have a dream that my...children will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character.”

We salute the following students for the example they have set with their lives in school and in the community by living the ideals of Martin Luther King, Jr.

Martin Luther King Recipients 2024 #2 - Shamarii Robinson

#39 - Nala Greene

East Upper School - Ervin Wiggins Jr.

#5 - Nathanial Mishiyev

#42 - Giovanni Rivera

#7 - TaMahj Bolling

#45 - Oz’Cyana Singleton

Edison Career & Technology High School - Saraiyah Hutton

#8 - Alianna Holmes

#46 - Mia Colon

#9 - Mianelys Rivera Valentin

#50 - Ning Clay

#15 - Anastasia Clark

#52 - Kingston Jenkins

#16 - Lari Bostick

#53 - Liana Crosby

#17- Emma Lynn Villalobos

#58 (Elementary) - Ashton Worth

#23 - Jeremiah Bembry

East Lower School - Andre Cleveland

#25 - Bintou Diatke

Frankin Lower School - Donte Powell

#28 - Jaydiel Valazquez

Northwest Junior High - Uriah Shaw

#29 - Harlow Trammell

Rise Community School - Jordyn Brandon

Wilson Magnet High School – Wanlee Irizarry Pacheco

#34 - Carneley Jenkins

Rochester International Academy (Elementary) - Yo Nay Say

Home/Hospital Program – Franchellys Otto Fernandez

Franklin Upper School - Quausha Davis Monroe Upper School – Julieann Falu Northeast High School – AriAnna Walter Rochester Early College International High School – Taranee Jean-Baptiste Rochester International Academy Secondary – Neema Wilondia School of the Arts – Righteous Buggs School Without Walls – Lah May Paw

#58 (Secondary) - Anthony Diaz

The 41st annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. tribute awards ceremony will be held at School of the Arts, on January 16, 2024 at 6:30 pm. The Public is invited.

Rochester Teachers Association Human Relations Committee

Celebrating 41 years of outstanding students!

JANUARY 2024 | Vol. 52 No. 5

Inside

ARTS. MUSIC. CULTURE. 280 State Street Rochester, New York 14614 feedback@rochester-citynews.com phone (585) 244-3329 roccitymag.com PUBLISHER Rochester Area Media Partners LLC, Norm Silverstein, chairman FOUNDERS Bill and Mary Anna Towler EDITORIAL Editor: Leah Stacy Arts writers: Daniel J. Kushner, Rebecca Rafferty Contributors: Sydney Burrows, Katie Epner, Gino Fanelli, Johanna Lester, Matt Passantino, Jessica L. Pavia, Abby Quatro, Katherine Varga

6

THE BEST OF:

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

22

THE BEST OF:

FOOD

CREATIVE Director, Strategy: Ryan Williamson Art director: Jacob Walsh ADVERTISING ads@rochester-citynews.com Sales director: Alison Zero Jones Advertising consultant/ Project manager: David White OPERATIONS/CIRCULATION Operations manager: Ryan Williamson Circulation manager: Katherine Stathis kstathis@rochester-citynews.com CITY is available free of charge. Additional copies of the current issue may be purchased by calling 585-784-3503.

CITY may be distributed only by authorized distributors. No person may, without prior written permission of CITY, take more than one copy of each monthly issue.

38

THE BEST OF:

DRINK

44

THE BEST OF:

RECREATION

CITY (ISSN 1551-3262) is published monthly 12 times per year by Rochester Area Media Partners, a subsidiary of WXXI Public Broadcasting. Periodical postage paid at Rochester, NY (USPS 022-138). Address changes: CITY, 280 State Street, Rochester, NY 14614. Member of the Association of Alternative Newsmedia and the New York Press Association. Copyright by Rochester Area Media Partners LLC, 2024 - all rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, photocopying, recording or by any information storage retrieval system without permission of the copyright owner.

ARTS. MUSIC. CULTURE. JANUARY 2024 FREE | SINCE 1971

BEST OF ROCHESTER

!!!

54

THE BEST OF:

SHOPPING & SERVICES

62

WINNERS

INSIDE

!

On the cover: Illustration by Jacob Walsh

@ROCCITYMAG THE BEST:

CROSSWORD PUZZLE

WXXI Members may inquire about free home delivery of CITY including monthly TV listings by calling 585-258-0200.

roccitymag.com

CITY 3

///////////////////////////////////////////////////

The best of us EDITOR'S LETTER

BY LEAH STACY @LEAHSTACY

T

he windows in the CITY suite on the fifth floor of WXXI overlook High Falls. Brick buildings with vintage advertisements painted on — “Phillips Process Co.,” “Samuel R. Parry Machine Co.” — and the large “Brown’s Race Market 60” (IS that apostrophe a typo?) in red letters on the structure that houses La Luna and Luna Cooperative. Genesee Brewery rises in the distance, beyond the under-construction Pont de Rennes bridge. This once nightlife-filled neighborhood is oh-so-slowly coming back to life with new businesses and soon, a state park.

I do a lot of writing and thinking while gazing out those windows; often about Rochester’s past, present and future.

I have my own version of those, of course, but then there’s the collective version. Our industrial and creative history. Our post-pandemic present.

Our questions about the future.

When we reinstated the Best Of Rochester awards, our hope was that this readers’ choice poll would (again) give the public a voice and give the winners a feel-good boost.

And while this contest doesn’t always bring out the “Best Of Rochester” (some people seem more fitted to trolling Facebook comments than writing in votes), it does unite the greater community to cheer for their favorites these last few weeks of the year. We love to see it.

Negative comments and emails are nothing new for us; after all, CITY is part of a newsroom and naturally attracts public opinion. I recently received an email from someone who wanted to withdraw their monthly support — in his opinion, there is no “meat on the bones” of CITY anymore since we stopped printing investigative and hard news. We won’t split hairs on how that’s almost impossible with a monthly magazine. As I replied to him, CITY is dedicated to arts & culture coverage, and that may indeed include an investigative piece online or in print.

What we are trying to do at CITY extends far beyond a readers’ choice poll or an awards party at Radio Social. The “meat on the bones” is found in our coverage of the things that create beauty and culture around us, much the same way we send flowers when something terrible happens. Art makes life bearable. There’s a quote from the movie “Dead Poets Society” that I constantly return to: “We read and write poetry because we are members of the human race.

And the human race is filled with passion. And medicine, law, business, engineering, these are noble pursuits and necessary to sustain life. But poetry, beauty, romance, love, these are what we stay alive for.”

There’s the “meat on the bones.”

There’s the best of us.

Happy 2024, friends.

L

4 CITY

JANUARY 2024

Our hopes for 2024 I

n 2024, I hope to see increased momentum in the recent uptick in city and county fiscal support for the arts, and for average people to go support art spaces they’ve never been to before. Government support is crucial, but audiences need to show up, too. I’m looking forward to seeing how new MAG director Sarah Jesse steers the ship. And I’m stoked to see more consequential exhibits from spots like Rochester Contemporary, UUU Art Collective, and Joy Gallery, and to learn about more emerging artists from spaces like Behind the Glass Gallery and Frank’s Chop Shop.

—REBECCA RAFFERTY

M

y hope for 2024 is that our sense of local pride extends beyond the short list of big names that put Rochester on the map, and embraces the independent artists, musicians, tiny studios, DIY makers, and all manner of weird and scrappy creators who remain in Rochester to forge a vibrant, dynamic scene with lots of surprises still in store.

—KATE STATHIS

L

ike most folks, I see the amazing natural landscape of our downtown waterfall and river and I cringe at how underutilized the High Falls area is at bringing communities together for art, shopping, food and culture.

I'm really excited about the High Falls State Park being built on the banks of the Genesee under the Pont de Rennes bridge (also getting a facelift). I hope that this new park becomes a regular meeting place for families and outdoor enthusiasts and ushers in a cultural and connective boom in the High Falls district that myself, and others work and play in.

—RYAN WILLIAMSON

I

n tandem with tighter wallets and changing tastes, the market on craft beer will likely get tighter in the coming year. That's not always a bad thing.

Mediocre beers, already in short supply, will be harder to come by, and breweries will face a pressure to produce more distinct, bespoke products to cater to a more prevalent beer-nerd backbone market. To wit, I hope to see crispier lagers, longer fermentation wild ales, and IPAs that are focused on finer points of flavor rather than muddled hop slop."

—GINO FANELLI

M

y hope for 2024 is that Rochester's landscape for concert venues continues to evolve and grow to match the depth and breadth of musical talent in the region. There are promising signs: the recent opening of Essex beginning to address the need for more mid-sized venues in the city; and the burgeoning vision of organizations such as Upstate Music Group and Dutch Creatives’ Collaborative among them. With the proper venue infrastructure, the live music scene could engage not just local artists but major touring acts as well, making Rochester a must-stop destination for musicians and audiences alike.

—DANIEL J. KUSHNER

O

n a recent scroll through social media, a post popped up from Grub Street: ‘We are so back.’ The corresponding article was about the creativity in the NYC restaurant industry, post-pandemic. And I thought about how, here in Rochester and the Finger Lakes, we could (should!) say the same.

From new spots and talent to innovation and international recognition, our food and beverage scene is only growing in size and staying power. My hope for 2024 is not ‘we are so back.’ My hope is ‘We are so here to make some noise. We are so here to stay.’

—LEAH STACY

roccitymag.com

CITY 5

6 CITY

JANUARY 2024

BEST ACTOR

THOMAS WARFIELD

MOST PRACTICAL ARTISTIC VISION

FINALISTS Kiefer Schenk | Carl Del Buono | MJ Savastano

CARLOS

@peaceartthomas

BEST ART GALLERY

MEMORIAL ART GALLERY 500 University Ave. | mag.rochester.edu

FINALISTS Rochester Contemporary Art Center (RoCo) | George Eastman Museum ARTISANworks

BEST ARTIST

SHAWN DUNWOODY dunwoode.design | @shawndunwoody FINALISTS Susan Pullman Brooks | Magnus Apollo | Doug Mac

BEST ORIGINAL BAND

JOYWAVE Joywavemusic.com | @joywave FINALISTS

Cool Club & the Lipker Sisters | Only Shallow | Personal Blend

BEST COVER OR TRIBUTE BAND

SEVEN WONDERS Livefleetwoodmac.com | @livefleetwoodmac FINALISTS Hey Mabel | BB Dang | Disintegration

BEST VOCALIST

DANIELLE PONDER Danielleponder.com | @daniellepondermusic FINALISTS Teagan Ward | Sarah Gebbie | Katie Mangiamele

CASTELLANOS I

t’s not uncommon for artists to make klaxon-like work that calls their audience’s attention to serious issues. But for Carlos Castellanos, pointing out problems isn’t enough. His mad-scientist installations raise awareness, sure, but also often envision solutions. And a subtle but common thread in his work seems to underscore that it’s going to take all of us — not just bureaucrats or companies that drag their feet — to reverse damage done and plan for a better future.

Take his recent installation, “TerraRete: Brownfield Tokenization Prototype,” created in collaboration with Johnny DiBlasi and Bello Bello, his partners in the interdisciplinary research collective, Phylum.

Exhibited in Rochester Contemporary’s fall 2023 exhibit, “Tomorrows,” the work was composed of a large tank filled with polluted soil from the Vacuum Oil site in Rochester’s PLEX neighborhood mixed with compost, and devices running custom software that “mines” electricity generated by bacteria. The work provided a model for converting the act of bioremediation into cryptocurrency — thereby envisioning a way to incentivize average people to take an active role in restoring environmental health. Lining a shelf above the tank were vials of clean soil, one filled and added for each hour the exhibit was open.

Castellanos’s artistic focus is in the intersection of technology, ecology, and living systems, and his work has been exhibited at local, national, and international events including the International Symposium of Electronic Art (ISEA), the computer graphics conference SIGGRAPH, and Centro del Carmen de Cultura Contemporánea (CCCC) in Valencia, Spain.

There’s an eerie beauty to his work, even as it PHOTOS BY REBECCA RAFFERTY makes a case for a collective human interest in the environment. During an artist residency at K11 Art Village in Wuhan, China, Castellanos created “Floating Data Wetland,” an artificial island of native grasses and plants, sensors, and globes of light that change color depending on the quality of water they were set upon. Installed on a lake, the work would be encountered by random passersby like mysterious, will-o-the-wisps in the night, but could be used to monitor the health of the waterway by anyone who registered to receive mobile updates.

Castellanos’s work at times incorporates his music composition and audio engineering background, like in the buzzing, popping “Swamp Music,” which connected his microbial fuel cells — “bacteria batteries'' — to modular synthesizers, making ‘music’ that very much sounded like a living thing, trapped in sound waves and annoyed about it. His art is imaginative, thought-provoking, and I can’t wait to see what he does next.

—REBECCA RAFFERTY

roccitymag.com

CITY 7

BEST THROWBACK SCREENING OF 2023:

‘GOODFELLAS’

H

ow lucky are we to live in a city where we can see classic movies and hidden gems in a movie theater? There's no shortage of opportunities throughout Rochester, but when there was a chance this past February to see Martin Scorsese's "Goodfellas," one of my favorite movies ever made, I immediately seized the opportunity. "Goodfellas," for all of its signature Scorsese violence and tension, is just a fun movie. Watching Ray Liotta's Henry Hill work his way through the mafia is frightening, entertaining, funny and thrilling — Scorsese effortlessly captures all these emotions with ease. To watch Hill's story unfold in a theater made signature moments come to life in ways they hadn't for me before. The obvious example is the famed Copacabana one-take shot, where Hill and his soon-to-be-wife Karen (Lorraine Bracco) begin outside and make their way into the club without a cut, which allows Scorsese's brilliance to be on full display. Even smaller moments held new resonance, like Tommy DeVito's (Joe Pesci) "How am I funny?" scene when a bunch of guys are sitting around a bar just talking and the tension quickly escalates.

Pesci's characterization of DeVito is as funny as it is frightening — much like most of "Goodfellas" — and the moment where he has everyone on edge made me hold my breath like I had never seen the movie before. His presence loomed large over me from the screen, a reminder why Pesci's character is one of cinema's scariest.

— MATT PASSANTINO

PHOTO PROVIDED

8 CITY

JANUARY 2024

BEST DJ

DJ MIGHTY MIC roarroc.com

FINALISTS DJ Chreath | DJ Darkwave | Brian Bartlett

BEST PHOTOGRAPHER

AARON WINTERS aaronwintersphotography.com FINALISTS Jim Montanus | Will Cornfield | Louis Ressel

BEST COMEDIAN/ COMEDY TROUPE

SHIRELLE KINDER @gatorgotjokes

FINALISTS Dario Joseph | Chris Thompson | Todd Youngman

BEST DANCE COMPANY

GARTH FAGAN DANCE garthfagan-dance.com

FINALISTS Rochester City Ballet | PUSH Physical Theatre | Borinquen Dance Theatre

BEST ARTS EVENT

ROCHESTER FRINGE FESTIVAL rochesterfringe.com

FINALISTS Clothesline Festival | Corn Hill Arts Festival Rochester International Jazz Festival

BEST DRAG PERFORMER

KYLA MINX @kylaminx

FINALISTS Darienne Lake | Aggy Dune | Mrs. Kasha Davis

roccitymag.com

CITY 9

MOST UNEXPECTED BAND TO BREAK ONTO THE SCENE

WOVENHOME

F

olk and hip-hop are not two musical genres one would expect to mesh. And on its face, that mash-up doesn’t feel like a natural fit with stylistic influences as far-flung as Africa, South America and New York City.

But with this melting pot of sounds, the quartet Wovenhome defies categorization and surpasses expectation. On its debut recording “Waving Trees,” the band with roots in both Rochester and Popayán, Columbia weaves indelible grooves around hypnotic, harp-like hooks and smooth vocal harmonies.

Wovenhome’s leaders, Hayley Dayis and Alexander Fals, are gifted visual artists as well as musicians — in both mediums, they combine earthy subject matter with lighthearted, free-flowing skill. Listeners are unlikely to come across another Rochester band that features the West African string instrument known as the ngoni, which lends authenticity to Wovenhome’s global folk bona fides.

Dayis and Fals are bolstered by the understated musicianship of bassist Shaun Jones and drummer-rapper Gary Lamaar. The rhythm section’s mesmerizing push-andpull is in full effect on the alluring “Totumo” and the unexpected instrumental track “Sunrise on Mt. Abe,” which features Jones playing one of his handmade mouth harps (more on this in another critic’s pick).

As fresh as Wovenhome’s music sounds, the band is similarly new. It’s hard to say where the music will go moving forward, but as a first impression, it doesn’t get much better. Compared to other local acts, Wovenhome is sometimes below the radar, but listeners who stay tuned in with heightened vigilance will be rewarded.

— DANIEL J. KUSHNER 10 CITY JANUARY 2024

BEST LIVE MUSIC VENUE (500+ CAPACITY)

CMAC

4355 Lakeshore Drive, Canandaigua | cmacevents.com FINALISTS Kodak Hall at Eastman Theater | Essex | Water Street Music Hall

BEST LIVE MUSIC VENUE (500 & UNDER)

ABILENE

153 Liberty Pole Way | abilenebarandlounge.com FINALISTS Bug Jar | Iron Smoke Distillery | Photo City Music Hall

BEST MURAL OR PUBLIC ART EXHIBIT (2023)

COBBS HILL WATER TOWER GRAFFITI 80 Culver Rd.

FINALISTS “Monuments” by Craig Walsh at Rochester Fringe MAG Centennial Sculpture Park | Flour Pail Kids mural at Ugly Duck Coffee

BEST MUSEUM

STRONG NATIONAL MUSEUM OF PLAY One Manhattan Square | museumofplay.org

FINALISTS George Eastman House | Memorial Art Gallery Rochester Museum and Science Center

BEST FESTIVAL

LILAC FESTIVAL FINALISTS Rochester Fringe Festival | Rochester International Jazz Festival Corn Hill Arts Festival

roccitymag.com CITY 11

12 CITY JANUARY 2024

MOST PROMINENT MUSIC INFLUENCER FROM ROCHESTER

RICK BEATO F

or music nerds who love popular music from the 1960s onward, no person is more authoritative on the subject than musician and YouTuber Rick Beato. While he’s well known to 3.8 million YouTube subscribers for his expertise on the history, music theory, and production behind pop’s most memorable songs, a lesser-known fact is his origin as a member of a musical family from a Rochester suburb.

Beato attended Fairport High School and Ithaca College before settling in Georgia and becoming a successful studio engineer and producer. His place in pop culture was secured with the success of his YouTube Channel, which he calls “Everything Music.” On the channel, viewers can find Beato listening to, playing excerpts from, and analyzing everything from classic rock hits to current viral songs on TikTok. Since 2006, he has posted more than 1,200 videos which regularly garner hundreds of thousands of views.

Beato draws on his knowledge and experience as a classical, jazz, and rock musician in his popular video series “What Makes This Song Great?” and his Top 20 Countdowns highlighting specific instruments, styles and songs. His most popular video is “Top 20 Acoustic Guitar Intros of All Time,” with more than 19 million views. He’s also interviewed such living music legends as Brian May, Pat Metheny, Peter Frampton, Keith Jarrett, Victor Wooten, and Rochester’s own Steve Gadd.

If you're into music, you should know Rick Beato, and you should know he got his start in the Rochester scene.

— DANIEL J. KUSHNER

YOU CAN HANG OUT WITH US

PHOTO PROVIDED

@ROCCITYMAG ROCCITYMAG.COM roccitymag.com CITY 13

LEAST STRESSFUL PERFORMING ARTS PARKING LOT

JCC CENTERSTAGE

T

he curtain closes and the anxiety begins. Do you get up now, so you’re the first to leave the theater and, therefore, the parking lot? Or do you stay for final bows, give the actors their much-deserved applause, and then spend the next half hour inching your way out of a congested lot, praying you won’t end the night in a fender bender, trying to forget that you (maybe) paid an extra fee for the privilege of parking?

If this resonates with you, or if you’ve ever had a minor panic attack trying to find parking before a show, then you know the beauty of a performing arts venue with a large, free lot. The Jewish Community Center’s CenterStage productions have the benefit of the entire JCC parking lot, which is spacious and doesn’t charge one of those “special event” fees the nights of shows. Even when it’s crowded, this critic has never had a problem finding a spot within eyesight of the building. While some postshow traffic is inevitable, the lot is spread out enough that you don’t feel cramped and claustrophobic. (East Avenue Wegmans should take notes).

This makes it a stress-free place to go to see a CenterStage play, Rochester Fringe performance, or other cultural events, such their Jewish Book Festival. As an added bonus: this venue has the good fortune to be situated along the lovely Erie Canal bike trail, offering a more pleasant alternative to driving. And, of course, there are bike racks as well.

—KATHERINE VARGA

GREATEST PROUD-TOBE-A-ROCHESTERIAN MOMENT: DANIELLE PONDER ON “JIMMY KIMMEL LIVE!”

F

or the past four years, soul musician Danielle Ponder has gone from milestone to milestone. Her widespread notoriety began in 2020 as a featured contestant in NPR’s Tiny Desk Contest and additional NPR features followed — as did prestigious gigs at The Hollywood Bowl, Newport Jazz Festival and Newport Folk Festival, and eventually TV appearances on “Late Night with Seth Meyers” and a song featured on the soap opera “General Hospital.”

But it was her performance on “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” in Los Angeles last January that represented Ponder at the pinnacle of her power to this point. She sang “Someone Like You,” arguably the strongest, most memorable song from her album “Some of Us Are Brave.” Her spellbinding delivery and versatile tone all announced a musician poised to be a household name for years to come.

As one of those watching from home in Rochester, it was gratifying to see a native of the city command the national stage as if to say, “I belong here.” The TV spot was both a major coup for the singer and a triumph for the Rochester community, which rarely gets national attention for something positive. It seemed, at that moment, Ponder’s voice had never sounded more electric as she wailed with unmatched passion and held a vibrant east coast community on her shoulders.

Ponder has long been a major force in the local music scene. Now, she’s a national artist with widespread recognition. There’s no telling where she goes from here.

— DANIEL J. KUSHNER 14 CITY JANUARY 2024

MOST IMPACTFUL POST-SHOW TALKBACKS

THE AVENUE BLACKBOX

M

any theaters offer post-show talkbacks to enhance audience engagement, but few knock them out of the park as consistently as The Avenue Blackbox, now in its fifth season.

As a Black- and queer-led space, this theater prioritizes plays written by Black playwrights, especially ones with stories and themes that resonate with communities around its location at 780 Joseph Avenue. Productions are collaborations between experienced theater artists and local youth (ages 22 and younger), giving many young people who may not otherwise have an arts education the opportunity to make theater.

Artistic director Reenah Golden

Informal and friendly, the talkbacks allow artists and audiences alike to stay in the space and reflect after the performance. Previous talkbacks have been led by community leaders including Dr. Jeffrey McCune (director of the Frederick Douglass Institute at the University of Rochester), Dr. Tokeya Graham (educator and founder of Soulstainable Living LLC), and Christopher Coles (who also goes

by Bakari Poet). These informed mediators offer thoughtful perspectives, but more importantly, they create space for Rochester youth to express themselves apart from the characters they’ve been playing. Audiences are also encouraged to respond with personal reflections and testimonies.

“Those are important stories for us all to be able to connect to, especially as we’re looking to use the arts as an agent of change,” said the Avenue’s founding artistic director Reenah Golden. “We really need to hear from each other and not think we know every story that’s out there.” Full of honest insights, humor, and heart, these talkbacks allow the Avenue to put the “community” in “community theater.”

—KATHERINE VARGA

roccitymag.com CITY 15

LEAST EXPECTED EXHIBIT ABOUT THE 19TH CENTURY

“BECOMING GENDERED” AT GCVM A

s a mother of two small children and someone who doesn’t want to enforce strict gender expressions, I’ve done my share of gently navigating the comments of others who object to my son wearing his sister’s hand-me-down floral shirts or the short haircut I gave my daughter’s curls last summer. I’m uncomfortable with the implications of why it matters so deeply to place youth into binary boxes so that people can, at a glance, make assumptions about private anatomy and associate them with identities these kids haven’t begun to conceive of, much less agree to.

As it turns out, not too long ago it was locally common to adorn children uniformly in lace and ribboned dresses through their toddlerhood, only separating them with binary garments as they became older children. That fact, backed up by a vast array of historic materials, is presented through November at Genesee Country Village & Museum’s exhibit, “Becoming Gendered: Garment as Gender Artifact,” a deep dive into 19th century gender expressions, and how they differ from today.

Exhibited in the museum’s John L. Wehle Gallery, this fascinating show presents mannequins wearing clothing that was lovingly hand-stitched for babies, children, and adults; daguerreotypes, paintings, historic documents, and more.

Some of the exhibit’s fashions for men — in gorgeously complicated cuts, every conceivable hue, and luxe materials and textures — have more in common with male birds’ sexy showcase of dazzling beauty than much of the acceptably drab clothing men are allowed today.

There’s an educational section on the gender norms and expressions of this region’s Indigenous Haudenosaunee nations — whose women have always had a crucial leadership role in their societies — and the ways their norms were altered by contact with European colonists.

And importantly, the show notes that trans and nonbinary people have always existed.

It presents the story of an adamantly nonbinary person, Public Universal Friend, who was born into a mid-18th century Quaker community in Rhode Island, and settled in the Genesee Valley. Then, as now, being accepted as a person outside of the gender binary was a constant battle — but one they arguably won, given that their chosen name and story have been preserved in time.

—REBECCA RAFFERTY

16 CITY JANUARY 2024

roccitymag.com CITY 17

BEST DANCE FESTIVAL

MAD WEEKEND AT NAZARETH UNIVERSITY T

he city of Rochester is known for its numerous festivals, and Nazareth University has added dance to that list with its annual “MAD Weekend.”

The weekend, an acronym for ‘movement and dance,’ is open to the public as well as Nazareth students and packed full of workshops, panels, and performances with local dance groups and choreographers from outside cities. At $5 per class, the weekend is incredibly affordable and offers the dance community a chance to train with artists of all styles.

This year, the weekend featured the Boston-based contemporary dance repertory company Boston Dance Theater. The company presented a piece in the MAD Showcase and hosted a lecture-demonstration, giving attendees insight into the choreographic process of a professional dance company. Other classes offered at MAD ranged from Indian Dancing to Partnering to Contact Improvisation with other artists such as 32nd Pack Dance, who traveled from New York City to collaborate and connect with Rochester dancers.

MAD Weekend culminates in a showcase in the stunning Arts Center on Nazareth’s campus, and the program includes pieces from many artists who participated in workshops and discussions throughout the festival. By featuring different styles of dance created by artists from all over, the performance allows audiences to experience a nice range of works. This year, soloists, duets, and groups performed Irish, tap, and contemporary dance pieces.

With its inclusion of introductory to advanced classes and chances to watch talented performing artists and hear from creative choreographers, the weekend is a wonderful offering for non-dancers and dancers alike.

—SYDNEY BURROWS

BEST PUBLISHED LITERARY WORK OF 2023

“DAY TRIPS AROUND ROCHESTER” BY DEBI BOWER daytrippingroc.com

FINALIST “In This Moment” Chapbook Series by Visual Studies Workshop

BEST PROFESSIONAL THEATER COMPANY

GEVA THEATRE CENTER 75 Woodbury Blvd. | gevatheatre.org

FINALISTS Blackfriars Theatre | OFC Creations | JCC CenterStage

BEST COMMUNITY THEATER COMPANY

THE AVENUE BLACKBOX THEATRE 780 Joseph Ave. | avenuetheatre.org

FINALISTS The Company Theatre | Nickel Flour | Pittsford Musicals

PHOTO PROVIDED

18 CITY JANUARY 2024

MOST MEMORABLE MOVIE-GOING EXPERIENCE

BEST SPACE FOR

UP-AND-COMING DANCERS

‘EBARBENHEIMER’ T ulogies for the movie industry and the theatrical experience have been written in many forms throughout the years. The industry has struggled to rebound in a post-2020 world and there have been glimmers of hope, but never any sort of consistency that signaled a healthy theatrical marketplace. This past summer, the unlikely alliance of J. Robert Oppenheimer and Barbie proved one thing: if you build it, they will come.

"Oppenheimer" and "Barbie" both showed people still want the communal experience of going to the movies, and when given the option to watch bold, fresh, thrilling movies, they will make time to go. The success of both films was propelled by the 'Barbenheimer' meme, which can't be replicated (even though studio heads will desperately try), and it made people feel like they couldn't wait for streaming options.

MUCCC he Multi-use Community Cultural Center (MuCCC) in the Neighborhood of the Arts is a gem of a theater for Rochester’s performing artists. While MuCCC is most commonly known for its presentations of local theater troupes, it’s also a great location for dance performances.

The small building that is home to MuCCC was originally a church, built in 1887.

The enchanting space was renovated extensively in 2009 and now features an intimate, accessible 80-seat black box theater. Founded by local arts cornerstone Doug Rice, the organization is run by volunteers and offers low-cost shows, bringing affordable art to the community. The center focuses on bringing in performers working in experiential art, which allows attendees to experience styles of theater and dance that they may not see elsewhere. MuCCC serves artists as well as audiences, giving those who aren’t frequently on the big stages a unique chance to present their work.

Over the past year, Rochester has seen several of its theaters close. 'Barbenheimer' filled just about every theater in Rochester with attendees in costumes, ready to be a part of something. It was the first time since 2020 moviegoing felt like the communal event it once was and gave hope for what it still could be. We need movie theaters to survive, because we need places to escape, find new worlds, and live lives that aren't our own. Leaving the stress of every day life at the theater's front door is one of the most important reasons for going to the movies. 'Barbenheimer' may never be repeated, but it was a reminder of why we go to the movies and encouragement for all to keep going.

In addition to being home base for Rochester’s oldest community theater group—the Rochester Community Players—MuCCC has presented over 800 different shows since its creation, including an annual dance showcase, “Dances at MuCCC,” which features short works by many Rochester-based choreographers. The show gives audiences a chance to see snippets of different styles while allowing performers an opportunity to be seen by those outside of their immediate arts communities. In a first this year, the curated collection of dances was included in the Rochester Fringe Festival, bringing even more viewers to the space. For local performing artists who are looking to present their creations, MuCCC offers a welcoming path to the stage.

—MATT PASSANTINO

—SYDNEY BURROWS

roccitymag.com CITY 19

CITY’s Year in (Music) Review: Local Songs We Loved in 2023 “Praise the Sun” by Wovenhome, from Waving Trees Every track on the “Waving Trees” EP makes earthy tones — like that of the harp-like African instrument called the ngoni — sound transcendental. But “Praise the Sun” is the standout example of Wovenhome’s soundworld, synthesizing global folk music and rap in a cohesive statement of joy.

— DANIEL J. KUSHNER

“Roll the Credits” by Danielle Ponder Danielle Ponder’s rising star is impossible to ignore. The local soul phenom’s latest single continues her subtle insistence on hip-hop beats and atmospheric production. The song serves as both a defiant anthem for love and a victory lap for Ponder, but there’s arguably no one who deserves it more.

— DANIEL J. KUSHNER

“Parallels” by Kindofkind, from Sustenance Pill Kindofkind’s edgy new album “Sustenance Pill” is a heady combination of math rock, emo, and hardcore. Fortunately, the music never sounds so cerebral as to be bloodless. “Parallels” contains ample servings of tasty guitar noodling, groovy rhythmic shifts, and cathartic screaming in one spicy dish.

— DANIEL J. KUSHNER

“Cinderella” by Mikaela Davis, from And Southern Star Ever had a catchy guitar riff stuck in your head?

What about a harp riff? Mikaela Davis accomplishes this and more on “Cinderella,” a deep cut from her “And Southern Star” release. Weaving a new tale for folklore’s original bachelorette, Davis showcases both her musicianship and license to groove, not to mention the solid roots psychedelia of her band, Southern Star.

— RYAN YARMEL

“New Fear” by Georgie, from Intimacy Hangover “New Fear” is my favorite song off of Georgie’s excellent 2023 EP “Intimacy Hangover” (among the best titles of anything in recent memory). I love every part of this song: the banjo, the strings, the percussion, the vocals, the lyrics. “Are you being real? Am I being real?

Am I real?” Eternal questions, beautiful song.

— JACOB WALSH

20 CITY JANUARY 2024

“Dirt” by Bugcatcher, from Go! “Dirt” arrives about halfway through Bugcatcher’s excellent 2023 album “Go!,” and it’s the one I keep coming back to. Maybe it’s the perfectlysighed vocal hook in the verse, the expertly-placed bass punctuation in the mid-song drop out, or the abrupt ending that makes you wish the song was longer. I don’t know, it’s magic.

— JACOB WALSH

Another year is in the books and with it, plenty of new releases from the region’s talented roster of musicians. Several CITY/WXXI staffers weighed in on their favorite songs from 2023, including music from familiar favorites like Danielle Ponder and Mikaela Davis to more recent arrivals on the local landscape like Georgie and Wovenhome.

“State Lines” by The Endless Mountain Derelicts, from Good Got Damn The opening track off the 2023 EP “Good Got Damn” by Finger Lakes alt-rockers The Endless Mountain Derelicts establishes the group’s sneering, blue-collar, hard-working, anti-establishment attitude with a twangy, driving singalong that’s part cowpunk, part outlaw country and all piss and vinegar. Singer-songwriter-storyteller Justin Swank sings “Candidates on purple killing spree, black sheep fall to their knees/ Choose a side, let them rot/ It’s all the same.” EMD lets you know right off the bat that they’re pissed at societal norms being shoved down their throats, and the only way forward is to burn the traditional playbook and warm your hard-working hands by the fire. — RYAN WILLIAMSON

“The Higher” by Zahyia Zahyia’s eclectic mix of musical styles are synthesized here into a powerful, danceable anthem, inspired by Octavia E. Butler’s novel “Parable of the Sower.” For this groove-based single released this summer, Zahyia said, “I incorporated sound and textures that I imagine dancing to on a spaceship with my ancestors.” Beam me up. And consider making it your new year’s resolution to hear her and her band live; they’re even more otherworldly on stage.

— MONA SEGHATOLESLAMI

“Pathétique” Sonata (No. 8 in C Minor), First Movement, from Beethoven: Complete Piano Sonatas, Vol. 1 Ludwig van Beethoven wrote 32 sonatas for solo piano, and they reflect the many sides of his musical style over the course of his life.

Pianist and Eastman School of Music Professor Alexander Kobrin has been playing all of these sonatas in concerts each month this year at Eastman, and he is also releasing them as a series of studio recordings. In addition to Beethoven’s passion and storminess, Kobrin finds in this music “warmth, kindness, sweetness, and humor.”

You can hear his thoughtful interpretation in the first album of the project, Beethoven’s first eight sonatas. — MONA SEGHATOLESLAMI

“Baroque and Blue” by Laura Dubin & Antonio Guerrero, from Baroque and Blue There is such amazing joy to the music that local pianist Laura Dubin and her husband, longtime musical partner and percussionist Antonio Guerrero, play, which has such thought and care put into every turn of phrase. Their latest project is a match made in heaven: Dubin and Guerrero playing the music of Claude Bolling, the French jazz pianist and composer famed for his tuneful, stylish music and crossover collaborations with Jean-Pierre Rampal and other classical artists.

This is the feel-good music to keep you smiling into the new year.

— MONA SEGHATOLESLAMI

“Alot Has Happened”

by Negus Irap, from King Pari Emcee Corey Waterman, AKA Negus Irap, reminds music fans why he’s one of Rochester’s top rappers with “King Pari,” the followup album to “My Name Is Guss.”

The new set of songs finds Irap more upbeat and delivering his most polished performances to date. On the album’s closing track “Alot Has Happened,” the rapper takes stock of his life, including fatherhood and his emotional health, with his characteristically smooth flow and endearing singing voice.

— DANIEL J. KUSHNER

“Twang” by Eli Flynn, from Running With Scissors Eli Flynn sings, “I’ve been testing waters, trying to find the missing piece,” and we wade right-in to the musician’s inaugural solo effort, immediately benefiting from Flynn’s “testing the waters” in regional bands like Giant Panda Guerilla Dub Squad and The Able Bodies. A pensive indie driver with a bit more elbow room, “Twang” leaves the album’s front door perfectly ajar, tempting anyone with ears to have to hear what’s inside.

— RYAN YARMEL roccitymag.com CITY 21

22 CITY JANUARY 2024

BEST “PLATE”

DOGTOWN 691 Monroe Ave. | dogtownhots.com

FINALISTS Red Fern | Henrietta Hots | Nick Tahou Hots

BEST LATE-NIGHT EATS (PAST 11 P.M.)

THE ANGRY GOAT PUB 938 S. Clinton Ave. | theangrygoatpub.com

FINALISTS Mark’s Texas Hots | Marshall Street Bar & Grill

BEST BAKERY

LEO’S BAKERY & DELI 101 Despatch Dr. | leosbakeryanddeli.com

FINALISTS Yeah Baby! Bakes | Amazing Grains | Get Caked Bakery

BEST BARBECUE

DINOSAUR BAR-B-QUE 99 Court St. | dinosaurbarbque.com

FINALISTS Sticky Lips BBQ Juke Joint | Good Smoke BBQ & Pub | Texas BBQ Joint

CHECKS-ALL- THE-BOXES

CHOCOLATE CHIP

COOKIE

ORANGE GLORY I have eaten so many chocolate chip cookies across Rochester. Like, maybe too many? If you mention a bakery to me, I’ve likely been there; and if you ask if I’ve tried the house chocolate chip cookie the answer would be, eventually, yes. Rochester: we are very good at cookies! But, for easily the past decade-plus (probably closer to two decades if we’re being completely honest and you’re wondering how old I am), my go-to chocolate chip cookie can be found at Orange Glory. Located at 480 E. Main Street (a quick diagonal jaunt from the Eastman Theatre—and formerly housed next door to The Little Theatre), Orange Glory offers daily lunch specials and an array of cookies and other baked goods in an intimate cafe setting. For me, the standout has always been its chocolate chip cookie. It’s not crumbly, but it is soft; it’s not crunchy, but it has texture. It has salt (non-negotiable), heft, layered hints of caramelization, and—perhaps most importantly— has achieved ideal chocolate distribution. I am rarely on board for any outing to include a second location, but I have left lunches in establishments with dessert options only to swing

by Orange Glory and grab a cookie to complete my meal. I know it’s divisive, and I’m sure there’s more out there for me to discover, but for now—and, probably forever—this cookie takes the cake.

—JOHANNA LESTER

BEST DINER

HIGHLAND PARK DINER

960 Clinton Ave. S. | highlandparkdinerny.com FINALISTS Lakeside Haven | Great American Diner | Jim’s on Main

BEST BURGER

THE GATE HOUSE 274 North Goodman St. | thegatehousecafe.com

FINALISTS The Playhouse // Swillburger | Good Luck | Strangebird

PHOTO PROVIDED

roccitymag.com CITY 23

BEST PAIRING

BEST CANDY SHOP

POP-UP OF 2023

STEVER’S CANDIES

ABBINA

FINALISTS Andy’s Candies | Hedonist Artisan Ice Cream & Chocolates Laughing Gull Chocolates

A

bout a year ago, while sitting at the bar of Grace & Disgrace on Richmond St., I convinced (585) magazine publisher Jane Milliman to try her first corndog. We were at the second-ever Abbina pop-up, an a la carte food and drink pairing event by chef Brian Arliss and sommelier JJ Cutaia. And there was a house made corn dog, paired with an herbaceous, saline Walsh & Sons Little Poppet white. It was the kind of event I’d been anxiously awaiting since the end of the pandemic.

BEST CATERER

I caught two more of the pop-ups in 2023: one at Fifth Frame, and one at Melo. I appreciated the use of non-traditional spaces (a brewery, a coffee shop) for the elevated dining experience, and the a la carte option was welcome when I landed at one of the pop-ups after another event and wanted to just try a few of the five courses. (To this day, I’m still thinking about the gazpacho with turmeric shrimp and watermelon over fried wild rice.)

I’ll spend money on a pairing dinner experience over a new pair of shoes any day.

Events like these make our city more interesting; they add color and the chance for criticism and competition. They can also be a great testing ground for new concepts — which, in the case of Arliss and Cutaia, is what ended up happening. They will open a new restaurant, Vinalia Urbana, in the former Dac-hoa space on Monroe Avenue, this month in partnership with the Joy family (owners of Pourin’ Joy on Park Avenue).

While I’m sad to see the Abbina pop-ups end, it’s a sign that something is working.

—LEAH STACY

623 Park Ave. | steverscandy.com

PROIETTI'S ITALIAN RESTAURANT & CATERING 980 Ridge Rd. | proietties.com

FINALISTS Root Catering | Madeline’s Catering | Tavos Antojitos y Tequila

BEST CHEF

RICHARD REDDINGTON (REDD) 24 Winthrop St. | reddrochester.com

FINALISTS Nate Stahl (Strangebird) | Kimberly Roth (The Back Alley Grill) Cruz Nieves (The Revelry)

BEST SAMMIE (BREAKFAST/SUB/ETC.)

DIBELLA’S Multiple locations | dibellas.com

FINALISTS Bodega | Rubino’s Italian Foods | Calabresella's

BEST DONUTS

RIDGE DONUTS 1600 Portland Ave. | ridgedonuts.com

FINALISTS Donuts Delite | Golden Harvest | Schutt’s Apple Mill

BEST FISH FRY

BILL GRAY’S Multiple locations | billgrays.com PHOTOS BY ABBY QUATRO

24 CITY JANUARY 2024

FINALISTS The Old Toad | Captain Jim’s Fish Market | Polska Chata

roccitymag.com CITY 25

BEST GLOBAL FOODS MARKET

ASIA FOOD MARKET

1885 Brighton Henrietta Townline Rd. | asiafoodmkt.com FINALISTS Spice Bazaar | International Food Market & Cafe | Namaste Indian Grocery

BEST NEW BAGEL ON THE SCENE:

FOX’S DELI

BEST ICE CREAM

ABBOTT’S FROZEN CUSTARD Multiple locations | abbottscustard.com

FINALISTS Pittsford Farms Dairy | Hedonist Artisan Ice Cream & Chocolates Countertop Creamery

BEST ITALIAN RESTAURANT

THE PASTA VILLA 1313 East Ridge Rd. | thepastavilla.com FINALISTS Rocco | Vern’s | Fiorella

BEST MEXICAN RESTAURANT

MONTE ALBAN Multiple locations | montealbangrill.com

FINALISTS Tavos Antojitos y Tequila | Neno’s Gourmet Mexican Street Food Old Pueblo Grill

I

’m well aware that my toxic trait (OK, one of them) is my unyielding opinion on all food-related matters. And friends, there is a new bagel in town that’s rocking my world. So, here’s the tea.

Fox’s Deli has recently started making bagels, and the quality is top-notch. In classic NY Deli style, they’re slinging traditional water bagels that are hand-rolled, boiled in malted water, and made fresh daily. But the devil is in the details, so let’s break it down. Just looking at these blistered beauties, you know you’re in for a crispy treat.

The seed coverage is unmatched in town, which, in my opinion, is a big deal. If I’m ready to pick seeds out of my teeth, I want to go all in. Break open this bad boy and you’ll find an oasis of pillowy chew. I vacillate when it comes to my idea of the perfect bagel. If I’m going for a bacon egg and cheese, it’s hard to beat a puffy New York style bagel. But when it comes to a cream cheese accompaniment, I want a rip and dip bagel with an exterior so crackilly that you might think it’s been deep fried. Somehow Fox’s has managed to strike a nice balance between the styles. Quantities are limited each day, so hurry-scurry to get your hands on some.

—ABBY QUATRO

26 CITY JANUARY 2024

MOST UNDERTHE-RADAR RESTAURATEUR

JEFF CHING

I

n the local food and beverage industry, there’s a lot of IYKYK. The quiet guy in the beanie standing near the counter at Playhouse? That just might be Jeff Ching, who’s a partner in four of the most popular — and game-changing — spots in town. In 2010, Rochester native Ching returned from Boston, where he’d been managing the Otherside Café on Newbury St. (back then, a trailblazer spot for both vegan / vegetarian cuisine and craft beer). That experience led him to found The Owl House (2010), followed by partnerships in The Playhouse // Swillburger (2015), Pizza Wizard (2020), and Strangebird (2021). His longtime collaborator, chef Brian Van Etten, was part of the first three projects as well.

Ching is a stay-behind-the-scenes guy. While he’ll acquiesce a press request here and there, he mostly whisks in and out of the spaces — rarely shaking hands and kissing babies, as they say. He’s the kind of partner who builds a good team and lets them operate in their strengths with guidance as needed, and it shows. All four of his spots are go-to favorites for city residents and beyond (and mentioned frequently in this year’s Best Of nominations).

BEST ASIAN RESTAURANT

HAN NOODLE BAR 600 Monroe Ave. | hannoodlebar.com

FINALISTS Chen Garden | Szechuan Opera | Furoshiki

BEST COMFORT FOOD

PETIT POUTINERIE 44 Elton St. | petitpoutinerie.com

FINALISTS Dogtown | The Red Fern | The Saucey Chef

BEST NEW RESTAURANT (2023)

TAVOS ANTOJITOS Y TEQUILA 425 Merchants St. | tavosroc.com

FINALISTS Leonore’s | Wildflour | Lila’s in the Lobby

BEST OUTDOOR DINING

JINES

658 Park Ave. | jinesrestaurant.com FINALISTS REDD | The Owl House | Tavos Antojitos y Tequila

—LEAH STACY

roccitymag.com CITY 27

28 CITY JANUARY 2024

BEST PIZZA

PIZZA WIZARD 760 S. Clinton Ave. | pizzawizard.pizza

FINALISTS Strangebird | Peels on Wheels | Pizza Stop

BEST FOOD TRUCK

BEST VEGAN RESTAURANT

THE RED FERN 283 Oxford St. | redfernrochester.com

FINALISTS The Owl House | New Ethic Pizzeria & Cafe | Squatcho's

THE POUTINE TRUCK

BEST WINGS

FINALISTS Countertop Creamery | Neno’s | Macarollin’

FINALISTS Strangebird | Jeremiah’s | Windjammers

BEST RESTAURANT

BEST LOCAL PACKAGED FOOD/DRINK PRODUCT

petitpoutinerie.com

NOSH

47 Russell St. | noshroc.com FINALISTS Good Luck | REDD | Vern’s

BAR BILL 1129 Empire Blvd. | barbill.com

ZWEIGLE’S 671 Plymouth Ave. N. | zweigles.com

FINALISTS Mott’s Applesauce | Katboocha | Genesee Beer

BEST DESSERT

PHILLIPS EUROPEAN

26 Corporate Woods | phillipseuropean.com FINALISTS Caramel Bakery & Bar | Yeah Baby! Bakes | Red Fern

CROSSWORD PUZZLE ANSWERS PUZZLE ON PAGE 62. NO PEEKING! 1

T

19

BEST RESTAURANT TO DINE ALONE

JINES

658 Park Ave. | jinesrestaurant.com

S

23

K

27

S

R E N U

3

A

4

P

P E N

I E D 32

40

A

50

FINALISTS Strangebird | REDD | Vern’s

2

B

55

E

41

K

42

I

A

S

A

C

H

R

E

60

5

6

S

20

A B

7

N O

24

R

A

E

N

S

I

A

56

A

L

E

R

D O

61

A

F

F 72

BEST SUSHI

UMAI REVOLVING SUSHI 2833 Monroe Ave. | umairoc.com

L

76

L

F

97

T

Y

113

A

123

S

130

H

134

E

O N

L

103

P

O N G

I

F

115 124

T

I

T

C

H

S

S

E

X

C

104

O U

116

Y

135

S

A

A

S

S

L

J

36

U

L

I

A M

E

E

37

A

E

I A 88

T

74

S

I

L

110

E

T

T

S

S

N

S

T

E

W A

T

P

A

R O W

E

S

31 39

T

47 54

N I

S

75

E

A

G

E

D

E

R

B

E

S

I

C

N 119

C

128

O U

129

C

D

S

H

I

C

D G

A

59

71

L

95

R 64

90

S

R

A

F

N

89

U M N O P

D

R

132 136

I

O

118

D

U

F

94

18

L

E

N

I

17

A

26

E

A

16

A M E O R

81

111

L

T

N

L

Y

127

58

S

105

E

S

15

L

E

53

70

S M

K A

N

H

S

F

46

57

S

T

22

38

Y

H O U

F

K

T

69

F

Y

A M A

63

14

T

R

Y

F

A 30

100

126

B

13

A M E

117 125

R

N

N

A

U

U

12

A

93

O

E

C

Y

S

T

B

11

29

N

T

87

25

M E

I

H O 131

52

80

S

109

M R

A

99

E

108

A

73

R

45

M E

D

K

R

A

E

O

I

21

S

44

T

B

D

L

P

10

E

68

S

C O R

S W E

C

67

R

E

S

P

P

S

I

114

G 86

R

107

E

92

T

E

9

35

T

O

X 98

34

T

O

E

S

66

G

R

I

62

79

A M E

O M A

91

E

78

85

102

FINALISTS Poké Sushi | Velvet Belly | Keep It Rollin’ Sushi Bar

77

L

C

O R

A M O N G

65

K

R

33

O R

E

T

28

43 51

8

E

48

T

49

S

A

T

O

P

A

R

S

L

E

82

A

83

R

G O 96

84

A

S

O N

S

A

D

E

T

A

T

120

121

122

D O W N

S

101

L

106

E

112

E

S

A

S

133

I

137

E

S

I

E

N

I

G O

S

T

E

S

roccitymag.com CITY 29

BEST WRITE-IN

ANSWERS Categories you peer-pressured us into adding (or, adding back)*: Best-kept secret Best idea for the future Best dispensary Best place for a picnic Best community leader Best server Best corner grocery store Best videographer/filmmaker Best playground Best place to dance Best library Best garden center Best brunch Best bagel Best gluten-free eatery Best place to make new friends Best wine & liquor store Best charity / nonprofit Best boutique Best radio show/podcast Best local film festival Best movie theater Best local landmark Best place to adopt a pet Best Chicken French Best French Fries Best church Best Mediterranean restaurant Best Indian restaurant *Disclaimer: we can, and may indeed, change our minds a year from now.

30 CITY JANUARY 2024

A picture perfect day Best Wedding Venue: “Kodak”

Roundball rock

Best Local Media Personality: “John Tesh”

Crackin’ spines

Best Independent Bookseller: “What’s a book?”

You need a hug, buddy?

Best Weekend Getaway: “Anywhere you can be alone.”

Your short game stinks

21+ only

Best family trip: “Strong museum if young kids. genny brew house if older kids”

Happy trails (but also, you’re missing the point of a ‘Biking Trail’) Best Biking Trail: “Erie canal so I can walk all the way to buffalo”

Life pro tip

Best Restaurant to dine alone: “You don't look sad if you sit at the bar”

Best golf Course: “the one next to the treatment plant idk the name”

Bonk, too h*rny

Send them packing

Buzz off

Best Place to Take a First Date: “Bus Station”

Who hurt you?

Best Place to Play Pool: “At your uncles house ban pool tables from bars”

Woof

Best Dog Park: “Burger King”

Sour pickles

Best Pickleball Courts: “F@ck pickleball” “Eww” “None. Stop with the Pickleball” “Pickleball wtf that’s some white people shit” “The ones where you can’t hear the thwack of the ball” “What's a pickleball?”

Best Dessert: “my girlfriend”

Best Outdoor Dining: “Too many yellow jackets. stay inside!”

Line dancing

Best Professional Dance Company: “The back of house at Good Luck”

Lactose illiterate

Best Ice Cream: “Pittsfield Dairy”

Can you imagine?

Best Donuts: “there are none”

Hooked on phonics

Best Bartender: “Zac makitta,” “Zack maketta”

C’mon, it’s “Rochester”

Best "Plate": “I thought ‘plates’ were ‘over’”

"THANKS!"

INSIDE WXXI PUBLIC MEDIA | WXXI-TV PBS | WXXI NEWS/NPR WXXI CLASSICAL | WRUR-FM 88.5 | THE LITTLE THEATRE

BEST OF WXXI! In honor of “CITY’s Best of…” we have come up with our own “WXXI Best of…” without the community submissions and voting. So, it’s rigged. Enjoy!

Best Masterpiece Series: All Creatures Great and Small An adaption of James Herriot’s adventures as a veterinarian in the 1930’s Yorkshire Dales, this series offers plenty of heart, a picturesque setting, and a charming cast. Season 4 premieres on Sunday, January 7 at 9 p.m. on WXXI-TV.

Best Rachmaninoff in Rochester: WXXI Classical WXXI Classical plays more Rachmanioff than any other station in Rochester. That could be because it is Rochester’s only allClassical music station. Cue up Piano Concerto No. 3 in D minor.

Best radio talk show: Connections with Evan Dawson Evan Dawson talks about what matters most in our community, every weekday from Noon-2 p.m. on WXXI News. On January 6 Evan celebrates his 10th anniversary hosting Connections.

Congrats to Evan!

Best PBS Kids Show: Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood Inspired by the iconic, award-winning Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood, Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood stars 4-year-old Daniel Tiger, son of the original program’s Daniel Striped Tiger, who invites young viewers into his world, giving them a kid’seye view of his life. It airs weekdays at 9 a.m. on WXXI-TV and weekdays at 10:30 a.m. on WXXI-Kids 24/7.

Best item in WXXI’s vending machine: M&Ms They are the most popular candy produced by Mars, Inc and our vending machine can vouch for that! Did you know that the candy, which was introduced in 1941, is named after the candy company founders, Forrest Mars and William Murrie?

Best WXXI green room: First Floor green room A green room is a space that functions as a waiting room for on-air guests. WXXI has two of them, but the first floor one has the best set up with a comfy couch, swivel chairs, and great lighting for make-up touch ups. Just ask any politico that comes in for a Voice of the Voter debate. The two candidates have to flip a coin to see who gets the first floor one.

Best technical advance in News: The Tiny Microphone Have you seen WXXI News’ Racquel Stephen’s person-on-the street weekly videos on WXXI News Instagram page? She uses the tiny mic and it’s not only adorable but records some pretty big sound.

Best movie theater popcorn: The Little Theatre Truth! If you haven’t had it, you are seriously missing out.

Best WXXI thank you gift: It’s a tie between WXXI hoodie sweatshirt + The Route winter cap You thought we were going to say the tote bag, didn’t you? Soft and warm embellished with those great looking station logos, both are wardrobe essentials. Want one? It can be yours by visiting WXXI.org/give.

roccitymag.com CITY 31

W

XXI’s annual initiative with Al Sigl Community of Agencies, Dialogue on Disability, kicks off Monday, January 22 with a week of special programming designed to stimulate dialogue about people of all abilities and promote a more inclusive community. Below are just a few programs that are airing. For a complete list of specials and to learn more about the initiative, visit wxxi.org/dod.

Path Forward: Remembering Willowbrook Tuesday, January 23 at 11 p.m. on WXXI-TV Geraldo Rivera’s 1972 exposé of Willowbrook State School, which at that time was the largest institution in the world for people with disabilities, shocked the nation and forever changed the treatment of people with disabilities. This film highlights the lessons learned, positive change that resulted, and the legacy of Willowbrook.

Photo: Willowbrook State School | Provided by PBS

Classical Musician & Composer Vignettes January 22-28 l Times vary Throughout the week on WXXI Classical and online at WXXIClassical.org we’ll present vignettes that highlight musicians and composers with differing abilities.

Wonders of the World I Can’t See Wednesday, January 24 at 10 p.m. on WXXI-TV Comedian Chris McCausland, who is blind, travels the globe to explore some of the world’s most iconic, unforgettable world landmarks, but in a new and unique way that discovers things the ordinary traveller might miss.

Photo: Chris with comedian Tom Allen Credit: BBC 32 CITY JANUARY 2024

Inside Our Autistic Minds Mondays, January 22 & January 29 at 9 p.m. on WXXI-TV In this two-part series naturalist and presenter Chris Packham (pictured) helps autistic people illustrate how their minds work, helping them connect with their friends and family in a new, more authentic way. Also airing on WXXI-WORLD on 1/23 + 1/30 at 8pm.

Provided by BBC

Elinor Wonders Why: Ms. Mole’s Glasses Tuesday, January 23 at 12 p.m. on WXXI-TV In this PBS Kids show, Elinor and her friends set out to return Ms. Mole’s glasses to her after she forgets them at school.

Ms. Mole (pictured) can’t see anything without her glasses! For more children’s programming related to this initiative, visit WXXI.org/dod.

Provided by PBS Kids

8 Disability Activists You Should Follow: J A N UA R Y 2 2 – J A N UA R Y 2 8 , 2 0 2 4

Anita Cameron @adaptanita

A disability justice activist who has been involved in social change activism and community organizing for more than 40 years.

Dominick Evans @domevansofficial

This trans filmmaker, public speaker, and social activist focuses their energy on LGBT rights and disabilities.

Emily Ladau @emilyladau

Author and disability activist, Emily shares her stories and insights on disability inclusion, storytelling, advocacy, and identity.

Imani Barbarin

@Crutches_and_Spice USA Wheelchair Football Buffalo Championship Game Thursday, January 25 at 9 p.m. on WXXI-TV The USA Wheelchair Football League Championship game between the Dallas Cowboys and the Kansas City Chiefs is the culmination of incredible competition and sportsmanship over the two-day tournament.

Photo: David Cross (#33) drops back to pass as Ben Richard (#78) swings out wide.

Provided by Buffalo • Toronto Public Media

POV: Fire Through Dry Grass Saturday, January 27 at 9 p.m. on WXXI-TV The Reality Poets don’t look like typical nursing home residents. These young, Black and brown disabled artists document their lives on lockdown during Covid, using their poetry and art to underscore the danger and imprisonment they feel.

Photo: (L-R) Reality Poets Vince, Jay, Tito, Pete, and Var, Credit: Elias Williams

A graduate of Eastern University with a degree in Creative Writing and a minor in French from the Sorbonne, Imani uses her voice and social media platforms to create conversations engaging the disability community. She runs the blog, “Crutches and Spice” and hosts a podcast of the same name.

Jeiri Flores

@dangerously_gifted A disability rights advocate who shares her unique perspectives as a person with a disability.

Keith Jones

@dasoultoucha A life-long disability activist with cerebral palsy. Keith is the President and CEO of SoulTouchin’ Experiences LLC, and his advocacy discusses the need for access, inclusion, and disability empowerment across all social movements.

Lauren Spencer @itslololove

A wearer of multiple hats, Lauren ‘Lolo’ Spencer is a disability lifestyle influencer, a model, a content creator, a public speaker, and an independent spirit award-nominated actress for her role as Tracy in the award-winning film Give Me Liberty.

Luticha Doucette

@freedomofmovement35 She is a Black, disabled, queer author of “Cultivating An Intersectional Mindset,” owner & CEO of Catalyst Consulting Associates LLC, artist and changemaker. roccitymag.com CITY 33

10 public Media Things Not to Miss in January All Creatures Great and Small, Season 4

Finding Your Roots, Season 10 Tuesdays at 8 p.m., beginning January 2 on WXXI-TV In the new season, 18 celebrities are joined by three non-celebrity guests, chosen for the series following a nation-wide casting call.

Hosted by celebrated scholar Dr. Henry Louis Gates, Jr., the series unravels their deep ancestral histories and solves family mysteries.

Guests include Valerie Bertinelli, Danielle Brooks, LeVar Burton, Michael Douglas, Dionne Warwick, and more.

Premieres Sunday, January 7 at 9 p.m. on WXXI-TV It’s Spring 1940 and with Europe at war, the community in Darrowby are pulling together more than ever before. With Tristan away serving, Siegfried and James bring in some extra hands to help around the practice: highly efficient bookkeeper Miss Harbottle, and student vet Richard Carmody. Happily married Helen and James begin to think about their future despite the looming possibility that James could be called up to serve.

Credit: Playground Entertainment and MASTERPIECE

Funny Woman Gateways Radio Tuesdays at 8 p.m. beginning January 16 on WXXI Classical The annual Gateways Music Festival presents a brand new 13-week series of programs highlighting music from its festivals and other musicians of African descent. Garrett McQueen (pictured) hosts.

Credit: Nate Ryan/MPR 34 CITY JANUARY 2024

Premieres Sundays, January 7-February 11 at 10 p.m. on WXXI-TV Blackpool beauty queen Barbara Parker decides to swap her pageant life for comedy television in 1960s London. After landing an audition, Barbara finds that being a woman and finding her voice in a largely male environment has its own challenges.

Credit: © Potboiler Productions; © Sky UK Limited

Capitol Fools: Politics Takes a Holiday New Year’s Edition 2024 Friday, January 12 at 1 p.m. and 10 p.m. on WXXI News Fast paced, laugh out loud show…check. Equal opportunity offenders… check. Skewering both sides of the aisle… check. If a “Steps-style show” is wrong, the Fools don’t want to be right. The Capitol Fools hold up a mirror to our crazy political culture, providing hilarious song parodies and foolish reflections that continue to inspire belly-laughter. Repeats January 14 at 9 p.m. on WXXI News.

Met Opera

NYS Celebrates Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Indie Lens Pop-Up: Razing Liberty Square

Monday, January 15 at 9 p.m. on WXXI-TV In this tribute to the life and legacy of Dr. King, New York State will celebrate the people and organizations in our great state who embody the principles of America’s greatest leader for social justice, freedom, and equality for all.

Highland Park Conservancy’s Eclipse Program Tuesday, January 9 from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at Olmsted Lodge, 171 Reservoir Avenue Rochester will experience a Total Solar Eclipse on April 8, 2024! Learn about this spectacular event, how to watch and where to celebrate from Dan Schneiderman, Eclipse Partnerships Coordinator at RMSC. WXXI Kids will also be there to share PBS KIDS eclipse resources with families in attendance.

Saturdays at 1 p.m. on WXXI Classical WXXI Classical brings you Met Opera broadcasts Saturdays at 1 p.m. But did you know that you can catch some of these operas live on the big screen? This month catch Verdi’s Nabucco on January 6 and Bizet’s Carmen (pictured) on January 27.

For theatres, visit: metopera.org/season/in-cinemas/theater-finder/.

Monday, January 29 at 6:30 p.m. at The Little Theatre Join WXXI for a special FREE screening and discussion of Razing Liberty Square, a film by Katja Esson. Liberty City, Miami, is home to one of the oldest segregated public housing projects in the United States. Now with rising sea levels, the neighborhood’s higher ground has become something else: real estate gold. The film will be followed by a panel discussion.

Photo: Joshua Kenley sits on the back porch of his home in the Liberty Square Housing Project Credit: Hector David Rosales

Frontline: Democracy on Trial Tuesday, January 30 at 10 p.m. on WXXI-TV The roots of the criminal cases against former President Trump stem from his 2020 election loss. Amid the presidential race, examining the House Jan. 6 committee’s evidence, is the threat to democracy and the historic charges against Trump. roccitymag.com CITY 35

240 East Ave thelittle.org

F a l l e n L e a v e s JAN. 20-22 • TICKETS AT THELITTLE.ORG Award-winning filmmaker Aki Kaurismäki (Le Havre, The Other Side of Hope) makes a masterful return with FALLEN LEAVES, a timeless, hopeful and ultimately satisfying love story about two lonely souls’ path to happiness – and the numerous hurdles they encounter along the way.

Set in contemporary Helsinki, and shot through with Kaurismäki’s typically playful, idiosyncratic style and deadpan humor, this tender romantic tragicomedy is a timely reminder of the potency of movie-going from one of cinema’s living legends.

Winner of the Jury Prize at the 2023 Cannes Film Festival.

The best type of snow fort is a movie theater — this is just a fact. Grab all the warm, delicious Little Popcorn and hibernate with us on Wednesdays for a series of throwback films, each with a snowfueled twist. Wearing cozy clothing is very much encouraged. Tickets at thelittle.org.

Jan. 10: Little Women (2019)

Greta Gerwig’s adaptation of Louisa May Alcott’s classic coming-of-age story. Featuring Saoirse Ronan, Florence Pugh, Timothée Chalamet, Emma Watson, Eliza Scanlen, and Meryl Streep.

Jan. 31: Let the Right One In (2008) Eli is 12 years old. She has been 12 for over 200 years, and she just moved in next door. Featuring snow, blood, friendship!

Sharpen your razor and slip on your black gloves as we celebrate this classic crime and mystery horror sub-genre with the January Giallo series all January at The Little!

36 CITY JANUARY 2024

Jan. 4: BLOOD AND BLACK LACE (4K restoration)

Jan. 18: THE STRANGLER

Jan. 12: THE RED QUEEN KILLS SEVEN TIMES

Jan. 26: DEEP RED

January Giallo is co-presented by Cinematic Void and Anomaly - The Rochester Genre Film Festival.

TICKETS AT THELITTLE.ORG

roccitymag.com CITY 37

38 CITY JANUARY 2024

BEST COCKTAIL BAR

THE REVELRY 1290 University Ave. | therevelryroc.com FINALISTS The Daily Refresher | Martine | Cure

BEST DIVE BAR

LUX LOUNGE 666 South Ave. | lux666.com

FINALISTS Murph's Irondequoit Pub | Joey’s | Marshall Street Bar and Grill

BEST LGBTQ BAR

ROAR

621 Culver Rd. | roarroc.com FINALISTS Lux Lounge | Bachelor Forum | Avenue Pub

THE ONLY ALL-AGES

HAPPY HOUR

TOM WAHL’S I

t’s late afternoon. You’ve been working for what feels like the most hours when you notice that your standard “at least three beverages at all times” lineup is short a member. You need … something. There’s a void and it must be filled. It’s too late for coffee, it’s too early (and, likely, too unprofessional) for a cocktail. Enter Tom Wahl’s “Root Beer Happy Hour.” Offered daily (locations include Greece, Avon, Brighton, Bushnell’s Basin, Canandaigua, Fairport, and Newark) from 3 to 4 p.m., you can grab a root beer float for $1.99. In case you think you misread that, I’m mentioning it again: you can get a root beer float—made with Tom Wahl’s homemade root beer— for $1.99. Every day. Is this the best use for $2? Will you come across as looking like the epitome of generosity in your friend/family group when you graciously (but knowingly) say, “It’s on me”? Are you also getting a side of fries because you know that every ice cream treat deserves a hot, salty potato on the side? (No one needs to know! But the obvious answer to all these questions is yes, of course.) Take your grandparents, take your children—no one is getting carded and everyone is going home happy.

—JOHANNA LESTER

BEST BAR TO DRINK ALONE

ROAR

621 Culver Rd. | roarroc.com FINALISTS Lux Lounge | Ziggy’s | Strangebird

BEST BARISTA

RORY VAN GROL (UGLY DUCK) 89 Charlotte St. | uglyduckcoffee.com

FINALISTS Billy Lyons (Hydra) | Erika Jenks (Clementine) Taylor Brotzman (Clementine)

BEST BARTENDER

PATRICK STETZEL (ZIGGY’S) @pstet1 | ziggysroc.com

FINALISTS Michael Bolis | Alex Cubi (Tavos) | Will Cornfield (Martine)

PHOTO BY JOHANNA LESTER roccitymag.com CITY 39

BEST CIDERY (ALCOHOLIC)

BLUE BARN CIDERY 928 Maintou Rd. | bluebarncidery.com

FINALISTS Muller’s Cider House | OSB Ciderworks | Seed + Stone Cidery

BEST COFFEE SHOP

JAVA’S

16 Gibbs St. | javascafe.com FINALISTS Ugly Duck Coffee | Fuego Coffee Roasters | Melo Coffee & Kitchen

BEST CRAFT BREWERY

THREE HEADS BREWING 186 Atlantic Ave. | threeheadsbrewing.com

FINALISTS Strangebird Beer | Irondequoit Beer Company Mortalis Brewing Company

DRINK TREND TO WATCH IN 2024

NA COCKTAILS I

n case you missed the most hilarious announcement in early December, White Claw announced a new, non-alcoholic version of their popular spiked seltzers: White Claw 0% Alcohol. Food and drink editors around the world thought it was a prank at first, but it’s completely real. So, uh, that’s just seltzer, right? Right. With a higher price tag. And it all speaks to a trend that’s growing in the drink world.

As a Wegmans ginger seltzer stan and HOP WTR (non-alcoholic seltzer made with hops for flavor) subscriber, I get it — sort of. Most nights of the week I like to have an NA option at home. There’s been a lot of cultural buzz about NA cocktails (AKA mocktails) and lower ABV options, especially since the booze-infused days of the pandemic where many people drank heavily at home. Here in Rochester, we have an NA cocktail contest and an NA pop-up, AltBar, which offer mocktail mixology for those who don’t imbibe.

I’m all for it — but let’s remember, if a bar or restaurant staff knows their stuff behind the pine, they will know how to make a tasty NA cocktail, with or without a fancy mocktail menu.

—LEAH STACY

BEST JUICE BAR

JUST JUICE 4 LIFE 710 University Ave. | justjuiceforlife.com

FINALISTS Breathe Yoga & Juice Bar | Refresh Cafe & Smoothie Bar

BEST SPORTS BAR

JEREMIAH’S TAVERN Multiple locations | jeremiahstavern.com FINALISTS Ziggy’s | Tin Cup Social | The Distillery

BEST WINE BAR

CARNEGIE WINE CELLARS 247 North Goodman St. | carnegiecellars.com

FINALISTS Apogee Wine Bar | Flight Wine Bar | Living Roots Wine & Co.

PHOTO BY QUAJAY DONNELL 40 CITY JANUARY 2024

MOST UNDERRATED

BREWER CLAY KILLIAN L

ook, Rochester is not hurting for talented brewers flexing their muscles on cutting edge beers.

We have world-renowned talent like Eric Salazar at Strangebird popping out an endless array of barrel-aged oddities. Jon Mervine at Fifth Frame puts up IPAs to rival any Trillium or Tree House offerings. Paul Guarrancini at Sager Beer Works makes the best English Dark Mild this side of the pond. But for a true beer nerd experience, beers that are bold, complex, and utterly dedicated to style and form, look no further than Clay Killian at Pittsford’s Copper Leaf.

When Killian first opened the doors of Copper Leaf in 2021, what struck me was not the competently brewed IPA or blonde ale, as good as they were. No, it was the fully formed wild ale program on tap, blended with assorted fruit and with new batches bubbling away in barrels throughout the taproom. Who the hell does that?

Well-established breweries like K2 Brothers and even Other Half took years before launching their own respective wild ale programs. But then there’s this little hole in the wall in Pittsford, on opening day, pouring glasses of a spontaneously fermented strawberry ale. It was a bold move, even if the beer sucked — but it didn’t.

Killian’s take on sours is ripe with notes of fresh fruit, funk, acid and sugar in a delicate harmony. The thing about his truly great beers is, for the average drinker, they can be challenging. Take Killian’s Flanders Red Ale, a Belgian-style sour defined by such a strong acetic backbone that its intricacies can easily be lost in the shuffle. But beneath that tart veneer are deep notes of cherry, stone fruit, and even toffee, ripe for the picking. It’s a deeply challenging beer made for people who can truly appreciate how special it is. That descriptor can apply to so many of Copper Leaf ’s offerings. Yes, Killian brews the obligatory IPAs and heavily fruited sours. But if he has anything close to a flagship, it’s a grisette; an esoteric style of German farmhouse ale. This is all to say that Killian is a brewer’s brewer. He makes beer for people who love beer.

— GINO FANELLI

SCENE AN EVENTS NEWSLETTER FOR THE SOCIALLY RESTLESS

PHOTO PROVIDED roccitymag.com CITY 41

BEST WINERY (ROC OR FLX)

LIVING ROOTS WINE & CO.

1255 University Ave. | 8560 County Road 87, Hammondsport livingrootswine.com FINALISTS Dr. Konstantin Frank Winery | Hermann J. Wiemer Vineyard Fox Run Vineyards

MOST PROMISING FINGER LAKES WINE PROJECT APOLLO’S PRAISE E

ven if you don’t follow Finger Lakes wine news, there’s a chance you’ve heard the names Kelby James Russell or Julia Rose Hoyle. The married couple are both acclaimed international winemakers; Russell for Red Newt Cellars and Empire Estate on Seneca Lake and Hoyle for Hosmer Winery on Cayuga Lake.

In late 2023, Finger Lakes native Russell bought Lahoma Vineyards, on the opposite side of Seneca Lake, and announced he would be producing his own wines under the moniker Apollo’s Praise. (Fun fact, it’s a nod to a song he performed with the Glee Club as an undergraduate orchestration major at Harvard University.) Hoyle will remain at Hosmer, though she’ll be an integral consultant on Apollo’s Praise.

Russell’s new venture will produce an inaugural ‘23 vintage of more (presumably) award-winning wines, from experimental Grüner Veltliner to the more crowd-pleasing Riesling, Chardonnay and Cabernet Franc. We’ll be first in line to taste.

—LEAH STACY

PHOTO PROVIDED 42 CITY JANUARY 2024

BEST OF ROCHESTER

roccitymag.com CITY 43

44 CITY JANUARY 2024

MOST IDYLLIC

SPOT* FOR A RUN/

WALK/BIKE RIDE *THAT ALSO FEATURES TURTLES, SWANS, AND DUCKS

TURNING

POINT PARK

A

m I about to blow up my preferred “under the radar” nature spot? In the spirit of the new year and for you, dear readers: yes. Located in Charlotte, Turning Point Park is, for my money (it’s free! It’s nature!) the best place to spend a Saturday morning walking with a friend (or a dog pal—or a friend’s dog pal) or to embark on an early evening run or bike ride. I’ve also heard tell of a canoe and kayak launch located along the way. Park at Boxart Street and from there, head along the boardwalk and trail toward the Genesee Marina or take the trail that heads toward Lake Avenue and connects to the Genesee Riverway Trail. If you take the bridge over the Genesee River Turning Basin, you’re bound to encounter turtles sunning themselves on a giant log; ducks fighting for space on said log when not making their way down the river; swans keeping to themselves, in typical fashion; and a host of other wildlife that flies and/or swims. It makes sense that when the organizers of the Rochester Marathon revamped the route a handful of years ago, the new path incorporated a section of Turning Point Park. It’s lush, well-kept, and a great reminder that you can find your “somewhere that’s green” if you look hard enough. Or, read the right magazine.

—JOHANNA LESTER

FILE PHOTOS roccitymag.com CITY 45

$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

BEST RETURN ON INVESTMENT

MONROE COUNTY LIBRARY SYSTEMS CARD A

t first I thought this article would be a witty reminder that libraries still have a place in the TikTok age, but after doing my research I’m wondering why the hell I haven’t taken advantage of more of this stuff. Let’s dive right in… You’ve probably had your library card since you were seven. That 14-digit code has been with you since before you could be trusted with scissors. So I’ll give you a pass if the following comes as a shock.

MCLS’s events calendar is like the lineup at a music festival: it feels impossible to see everything but dammit, you’re going to try. There’s classes in cooking, gardening, knitting, crocheting, painting, book-binding, ukulele, meditation and cyanotype printmaking. Grow your mortal toolkit with training in CPR and Naloxone. And take advantage of the resources on small businesses, grant writing, financial literacy, Medicaid, fraud protection, digital literacy, reentry after incarceration and job seeking.

Did you know that with that tattered tag on your keychain, you can borrow an airfryer? A metal detector? Electric guitar, sewing machine, GoPros, snowshoes and classic Nintendo? Why not impress your friends with a bubble machine, anatomical models, walkie-talkies, pasta maker or inflatable T-Rex costume? Expand your horizons with a telescope, microscope, birdwatching kit, cake pan collection, CPR dummies and dulcimers. And of course, you can always curl up with an EBook, EReader, vinyl record, cassette tape or DVD (writer plea: rediscover commentary tracks!).

A personal favorite of mine are the digital archives, where I’ve spent hours vicariously strolling Main Street in the 20’s and shopping at Sibley’s in the 60’s. Maybe someday I’ll borrow a VR headset from the Henrietta branch and take my adventures up a notch. If you’re feeling down with the SAD this winter, I promise that a trip to the library will bring you some light in these ostensibly dark times. (Or, you could borrow a light therapy lamp from the Webster branch.)

The Very Important Places (V.I.P.) pass offers admission discounts to over a dozen museums and attractions, including RPO, RMSC, GEM, GCVM. Embarrassed when you have no cash to pay the Rangers in those quaint little toll booths at the entrance to a State Park? The library even loans the Empire Pass, waiving entry and day use fees at over 200 parks across the state.

Note: This was written for the Monroe County Library System as a whole. All of these amenities are spread throughout the system’s 31 branches and even OWWL (Ontario, Wayne, Wyoming and Livingston counties). Readers can explore the website for more details, but are encouraged to come in and talk to a librarian themselves.

— KATIE EPNER

PHOTOS PROVIDED 46 CITY JANUARY 2024

MOST REWARDING JOURNEY TO THE BATHROOM BEST BIKING TRAIL

ERIE CANALWAY PATH eriecanalway.com

FINALISTS Genesee Riverway Trail | Tryon Park | Auburn Trail

ACME

BEST BOWLING

RADIO SOCIAL 20 Carlson Rd. | radio-social.com

FINALISTS L&M Lanes | Okay Beer Co. | Domm’s Bowling Center

BEST CAMP FOR KIDS

GIRLS ROCK! ROCHESTER

274 Goodman St. Suite D218 | girlsrockrochester.org FINALISTS Genesee Country Village & Museum | Stella Maris | Creative Themes Greater Rochester YMCA PHOTO PROVIDED

BEST CROSSCOUNTRY SKIING

MENDON PONDS PARK 95 Douglas Rd.

FINALISTS Bristol Mountain | Harriet Holister | Durand Eastman Cummings Nature Center

A

cme is a relic. This isn’t news. It’s a notorious last-stop-of-the-night bar known for its wild card energy and late night slice game. (I can personally attest to the fact that the saltine cracker crust and cup + char ‘ronis really hit the spot around 2 a.m.) Bless the tolerant bartenders and bouncers for dealing with all of us townies at our whiskey-soaked worst.

The bathroom, however, is where the true charm lies. Not for the faint of heart, you begin your journey with a drippy descent downstairs. Maybe your legs are a little wobbly after that last drink or maybe you’re entering a dungeon never to see the light of day again. Rounding the corner, you blink in the sudden fluorescents, and realize that you’ve made it to your destination. Walls and stalls are layered with years of bar scum and graffiti left by the loving patrons of bar nights’ past. If you’re lucky, you might even find a stall with a toilet seat or a door still on its hinges.

Will this give some the ick? Almost certainly. But it just has so much classic dive bar character that it makes me smile every time. Unchanging and unflinching, bars like these remain for a reason. And let’s be honest, it’s never stopped me from smashing pizza (and a side of blue cheese) into my face after the fact.

—ABBY QUATRO

roccitymag.com CITY 47

BEST PLACE TO MAKE

A NEW FRIEND CENTRAL

ROCK GYM T

here comes a point in most of our lives when we look around and realize a), I think I’d like some new friends and b), making friends is hard. But before I launch into that, let me remind the reader that in order to make a friend you need to be a friend, and friends are typically nice, positive, supportive and interesting. Friends are also empathetic and responsive to social cues. Attempts outside this credence are not guaranteed.

Climber ready? Climb on! The first thing I noticed when I joined CRG back in 2020 was how striking it was to be surrounded by a hundred other people around my age, gathering around an activity that wasn’t debaucherous. Better yet, when the endorphins start pumping, it can feel like a real party (especially when “Jungle” plays overhead).

The climbing gym feels like one of the few remaining places where you can approach someone you don’t know, strike up a conversation (or be struck), exchange some words, then Spiderman yourself up a wall, jump (or fall) <12 feet down, and either stay or move on to a new part of the wall. It’s kind of like what I imagine a party in the 60s would have been like — without the drugs, sex, or bell bottoms.

I’m obviously an extrovert, and if I sound like the devil incarnate to you and you’ve sworn off ever considering climbing simply to avoid people like me, don’t worry. As easy as it is to meet someone new, it’s also easy to do your own thing, AirPod Transparency mode or not. There’s daily yoga, a fitness room, climbing leagues, and events like beer tastings and movie screenings.

Plus, climbing is for everyone. It’s like a puzzle and exercise mixed into one, and you’re likely to make a few friends along the way.

— KATIE EPNER

PHOTO BY RYAN WILLIAMSON 48 CITY JANUARY 2024

MOST CONVINCING ARGUMENT FOR E.T. ADAM FRANK’S “THE LITTLE BOOK OF ALIENS” T

he national buzz about alien lifeforms got a boost in its usual fringe-y frequency last year when Congress held hearings on UAPs (unidentified aerial phenomena, formerly referred to as UFOs). For some, the whistleblower testimony gave legitimacy to the claims that we’ve been visited by extraterrestrials — and that there has been government coverup on the matter.

That news didn’t excite astrophysicist and University of Rochester professor Adam Frank, though he is heavily involved in the search for extraterrestrial life. Frank doesn’t think we’ve been visited by aliens, but he calls himself an “alien optimist” — he believes that intelligent life in the universe probably isn’t unique to Earth. And he explains his ideas clearly and conversationally in his “The Little Book of Aliens,” which was published in October.

When considering the mysteries of the night sky, there’s a lot to cover. And Frank’s book packs a ton into just under 200 pages, starting with the history of humanity’s conceptions about aliens, and going on to discuss mathematical equations that predict the likelihood of extraterrestrial life, conspiracy theories, and aliens in pop culture. He then delves into the ways scientists previously (barely) searched the cosmos for signs of life, before discussing how those approaches have changed, and why he thinks we’re close to proving we are, in fact, not alone in the universe. To Frank, the truth is out there, not here.

Though brief and easy to absorb, the book has gravity. In 2019, Frank became the Principal Investigator on NASA’s first grant to study ‘technosignatures’ — signs of advanced civilizations on other worlds, such as the presence of pollutants like CFCs (chlorofluorocarbons, remember those?) and solar system artifacts (like satellites) that, if present, can be detected from Earth using sensitive instruments.

Frank’s book also explores the ‘what ifs’ that come with the final frontier’s territory: What if alien life has nothing in common with life as we know it? What if we discover intelligent life, and figure out how to make contact — should we?

—REBECCA RAFFERTY

PHOTO BY ADAM FENSTER / UNIVERSITY OF ROCHESTER roccitymag.com CITY 49

BEST CULTURAL CRASH COURSE “ORIGINAL PEOPLE’S PODCAST(ONGWEHONWE)”

BEST DAY HIKE

LETCHWORTH STATE PARK letchworthpark.com

FINALISTS Corbett’s Glen Nature Park | Chimney Bluffs State Park Mendon Ponds Park

A

handful of local Indigenous-led institutions, including Ganondagan State Historic Site and the Seneca Art & Culture Center, offer year-round programming that includes history, art exhibits, performances, recreation, and lectures.

They remind us that while the regional Indigenous nations have a deep and rich history, they aren’t just a thing of the past, but a living set of cultures.

For those who want to know even more, there’s the nuanced “Original People’s Podcast (Ongwehonwe),” presented since January 2022 by Ganondagan’s Cultural Liaison, Ainsley Jemison. The pod, which is available on all streaming platforms, is wideranging in its subject matter, offering storytelling and interviews with other local and non-local Indigenous people.

Through dozens of episodes, Jemison has spotlighted knowledge holders, artists, activists, athletes, entrepreneurs, and educators. Guests have included pianist and conductor Timothy Long (Muscogee Creek/Choctaw), who is associate professor and music director of opera at the Eastman School of Music, reflecting on family and his journey in music; filmmaker Katsitsionni “Joonie” Fox (Akwesasne Mohawk) discussing her art and that of other Indigenous filmmakers, painter and tattoo artist Mackenzie Gents Cheama (Zuni) chatting about tattoos and cultural taboos, and the occasional non-Indigenous guest, such as former basketball player, social activist, and writer Etan Thomas in discussion about similarities in the Black and Indigenous experiences in America.

BEST FAMILY DAY TRIP

LETCHWORTH STATE PARK letchworthpark.com

FINALISTS Genesee Country Village & Museum | Strong Museum | Seabreeze

BEST DOG PARK

ELLISON PARK 365 Richs Dugway Rd.

FINALISTS Cobbs Hill Park | Spring Lake | Better Together

There’s no hard and fast regularity to which the podcasts are posted, and they range from 17 minutes to about two hours in length, depending on what is being discussed and how long the subject chooses to discuss it. The pod is a highly accessible way to learn more about the diversity of Indigenous cultures and the enduring issues — from misconceptions to existential threats — that Indigenous people face. Best of all, the stories shine through an Indigenous lens, voiced directly by contemporary First People themselves.

BEST FAMILY FRIENDLY ATTRACTION

—REBECCA RAFFERTY

FINALISTS Genesee Country Village & Museum | Seabreeze | Seneca Park Zoo

STRONG NATIONAL MUSEUM OF PLAY One Manhattan Square | museumofplay.org

BEST GUIDED TOUR

MOUNT HOPE CEMETERY 1133 Mount Hope Ave.

FINALISTS Genesee Country Village & Museum | Landmark Society Susan B. Anthony House

PHOTO BY JACOB WALSH 50 CITY JANUARY 2024

BEST LOCAL SPORTS TEAM

ROCHESTER AMERKS amerks.com

FINALISTS Rochester Red Wings | Roc City Roller Derby | Flower City Union

BEST OUTDOOR SWIMMING

CANANDAIGUA LAKE FINALISTS Durand Eastman Beach | Hamlin Beach State Park | Stony Brook State Park

BEST PICK-UP BASKETBALL

COBBS HILL PARK 80 Culver Road

FINALISTS Merriman Park | Rochester Sports Garden | JCC

BEST PICKLEBALL COURTS

DINKERS PICKLEBALL CLUB 135 Despatch Dr. | dinkerspb.com

FINALISTS Charlotte Beach | Irondequoit Rec Center | Shadow Lake

BEST STARGAZING SPOT

MENDON PONDS PARK 95 Douglas Rd.

FINALISTS Cobbs Hill Park | Durand Beach | Webster Park

roccitymag.com CITY 51

BEST SLEDDING HILL

HIGHLAND PARK 180 Reservoir Rd.

FINALISTS Cobbs Hill Park | Ellison Park | Mendon Ponds Park

BEST PLACE TO PEOPLE WATCH

ROCHESTER PUBLIC MARKET 280 North Union St. | cityofrochester.gov/public market FINALISTS Java’s | Lux Lounge | Wegmans

BEST PLACE TO PLAY POOL

DICKY’S CORNER PUB 791 Meigs St. | dickyscornerpub.com

FINALISTS Joey’s | Bachelor Forum | Marshall Street

BEST KARAOKE NIGHT

ROAR

621 Culver Rd. | roarroc.com FINALISTS Lux Lounge | Firehouse Saloon | Bachelor Forum

BEST TRIVIA NIGHT

ROAR

621 Culver Rd. | roarroc.com FINALISTS Radio Social | Nine Maidens

52 CITY JANUARY 2024

BEST PLACE TO TAKE A FIRST DATE

PLAYHOUSE // SWILLBURGER 820 S. Clinton Ave. | theplayhouseroc.com

FINALISTS Caramel Bakery & Bar | The Little Theatre | Radio Social

BEST PUBLIC GOLF COURSE

DURAND EASTMAN PARK 1200 Kings Highway N. | monroecountyparksgolf.com FINALISTS Genesee Valley Park | Shadow Lake | Ravenwood

BEST PUBLIC PARK

HIGHLAND PARK 180 Reservoir Rd.

FINALISTS Cobbs Hill Park | Durand Eastman | Mendon Ponds Park

BEST WEEKEND GETAWAY (WITHIN 3 HOURS)

FINGER LAKES

BEST OF ROCHESTER

FINALISTS Ithaca | Skaneateles | Niagara-on-the-Lake

roccitymag.com CITY 53

54 CITY JANUARY 2024

LIVING HANDPICKED, HOME-GROWN GIFTS (FOR YOU OR SOMEONE ELSE)

SUNSCAPE

FARMS R

ochester has long been known for “you pick” options at various farms across the region. From apples and blueberries to peaches and (the too-short season of, in my opinion) cherries, being able to physically pick your own produce is a great benefit of living here—and maybe something we take for granted. At Sunscape Farms (two locations: Greece, 1530 Maiden Lane; Penfield, 1416 Creek Street), summer “you pick” opportunities have become more exciting. Customers at the Greece location (open again beginning in May) have the option to pick flowers from the extensive (tens of thousands of blooms across nearly a dozen varieties) field located behind the main greenhouses at a variety of price points. (“You-pick” is not currently available at Sunscape’s Penfield location, but it is open year-round for other seasonal, homegrown produce and cut flower bouquets from July through October, per the website.)

Is anyone not delighted when they receive fresh flowers as a gift? Has your own mood not been lifted when buying yourself flowers? This is also the best way I can think of to recreate that iconic image of Meryl Streep walking down the street, an enormous bouquet in her arms. Mrs. Dalloway said she would buy the flowers herself—and, if given the chance, she may have picked them as well.

—JOHANNA LESTER

PHOTO BY JOHANNA LESTER

PHOTO PROVIDED roccitymag.com CITY 55

HIDDEN GROCERY GEM R’S MARKET M

y dad was born and raised in Pittsford, and growing up hearing his stories about Rochester, it felt like he knew everyone—or at least knew about everyone. So we were both shocked when, earlier this year, a neighbor told us to check out R’s Market (2294 Monroe Ave). “It’s the best spot to run into and grab the basics,” they said. We listened.

My dad and I pulled into a small strip mall with only two storefronts visible from the parking lot. Bells rang as we pushed through the door, and we were immediately met with a cross between a New York City-style bodega and an old-school market. Loaves of locally baked, fresh bread. A small cooling area to the left with just enough produce.

And a small meat case tucked in the back, the only hint of its existence a low hum from the refrigerator system. A tall, eager man waited to help us. We left that first visit with stuffed bell peppers and premade Italian meatballs, and we’ve been introducing more people to it ever since.

R’s Market first opened in 1964, and has always been in the same spot. It’s a neighborhood name, the kind of business that only survives off a dedicated group of regulars and word-of-mouth. It’s small, indiscernible. Barely there if you don’t know where to look. But stepping inside is like stepping back an era. And even in 2023, people are discovering it for the first time.

—JESSICA L. PAVIA

PHOTOS PROVIDED 56 CITY JANUARY 2024

BEST ANTIQUE SHOP/ DEALER

BEST FLORIST

3200 W Ridge Rd. | theshopsonwestridge.com

260 Culver Rd. | wisteriaflowersandgifts.com

THE SHOPS ON WEST RIDGE

WISTERIA FLOWERS AND GIFTS

FINALISTS Greenovation | CP Antiques | Ontario Antique Mall

FINALISTS Stacy K Floral | Arena’s | Kittleberger Florist & Gifts

BEST BIKE SHOP

BEST OUTDOOR MARKET

FULL MOON VISTA 1239 University Ave. | fullmoonvista.com

FINALISTS Tom’s Pro Bike | Bert’s Bike Shop | Towpath

ROCHESTER PUBLIC MARKET 280 North Union St. | cityofrochester.gov/public market FINALISTS Brighton Farmers Market | The Lucky Flea | TheMATA

BEST BRIDAL SHOP

HEART 2 HEART BRIDE 1170 Ridge Rd. | hearttoheartbride.com

FINALISTS Silk Bridal Boutique | Lovely Bride | 2 Hearts Bridal

BEST SALON/ BARBERSHOP

ROCK PAPER SCISSORS SALON & MED SPA 788 University Ave. | rockpaperscissorssalon.com

BEST SMOKE SHOP

MAD HATTER’S HIDEAWAY 2234 Culver Rd. | madhattershideaway.com FINALISTS The Plug | eLab | Ghost Dog

FINALISTS Gallery | Surface Salon | Bare Element | Do or Dye | South Wedge Barber

BEST HOTEL

THE STRATHALLAN HOTEL & SPA 550 East Ave. | strathallan.com

BEST CORNER STORE

BODEGA

FINALISTS Woodcliff Hotel & Spa | Hyatt Downtown | The Lake House Canandaigua

206 Park Ave. | bodegaonpark.com FINALISTS Highland Market | 999 Market | Henry’s

BEST INDEPENDENT BOOKSELLER

BEST FITNESS CENTER

45 Main St., Brockport | liftbridgebooks.com

MIDTOWN ATHLETIC CLUB

LIFT BRIDGE BOOK SHOP

FINALISTS Akimbo Bookshop | Bookeater | Hipocampo Children’s Books

200 E. Highland Dr. | midtown.com

FINALISTS YMCA | Jewish Community Center | LA Fitness

roccitymag.com CITY 57

GO-TO GIFTS FOR THE FOODIE IN YOUR LIFE HENRIETTA RESTAURANT SUPPLY

BEST LOCAL MEDIA PERSONALITY (RADIO/TV/ONLINE/PRINT)

SCOTT HETSKO 13WHAM | @scotthetsko

FINALISTS Adam Chodak (News 8 WROC) | Evan Dawson (WXXI) Don Alhart (13WHAM)

BEST MUSIC SCHOOL

EASTMAN COMMUNITY MUSIC SCHOOL 10 Gibbs St., Suite 321 | esm.rochester.edu

FINALISTS Costello Music | Submarine School of Music | Hochstein School of Music

E

veryone seems to fancy themselves a chef these days (and has the Crocs to prove it), but I’m here to give you the inside track on restaurant grade kitchenware.

Henrietta Restaurant Supply (HRS) is a one-stop shop for solid, unpretentious gear.

From skillets to sheet trays to stainless steel prep tables, or a deep fryer that you JUST might need at home — they have it all. Last year for soup season, I treated myself to a stock pot so big that I can climb inside it (and have). You pay wholesale prices and don’t need a special card to shop there as you do with similar restaurant supply joints.

Boiled down, if you’re gadget-obsessed and looking for the latest trend (spoiler alert: your air fryer is really a convection oven), then this isn’t for you. But If you’re ready to trade in your slap chops and ceramic knives for some proper tools, you can thank me later. Go ahead, fill up your home fridge with quart containers (properly labeled and dated, of course) and you’ll never look at Tupperware the same. You might even get that “yes, chef” callback that you’ve been fantasizing about.

BEST MUSICAL INSTRUMENT STORE

—ABBY QUATRO

PARKLEIGH

HOUSE OF GUITARS 645 Titus Ave. | houseofguitars.com

FINALISTS Bernunzio Uptown Music | Sound Source | Northfield Music

BEST PLACE TO BUY KITSCH 215 Park Ave. | parkleigh.com

FINALISTS Archimage | Record Archive | Sweet Poison Cupcake

BEST RECORD STORE

RECORD ARCHIVE 33 ⅓ Rockwood St. | recordarchive.com

FINALISTS Bop Shop Records | House of Guitars | Needle Drop Records

BEST VINTAGE/ SECONDHAND STORE

RECORD ARCHIVE 33 ⅓ Rockwood St. | recordarchive.com PHOTOS PROVIDED

FINALISTS Little Shop of Hoarders | The Op Shop | Staple Vintage 58 CITY JANUARY 2024

MOST CLIMATE-FRIENDLY LOCAL SEED CULTIVATOR

FRUITION SEEDS I

f it seems like Naples-based Fruition Seeds treats their seeds like family — in essence, they are. Matthew and Petra founded the organic farm pretty recently (by farm standards), in 2012. The duo, along with a handful of helpers, grow about 60% of their seeds on 24-acres in Naples.

The fruit and vegetable seeds are grown specifically for the Northeast, which means they’re great for a shorter growing season (ahem, Rochester weather). And they’re actually known as being regionally adapted, or grown and cultivated specifically with one environment in mind. (Most commercial seeds are manufactured to grow well in California.) Fruition’s seeds are made with our climate in mind; think early maturity and high success rates. They’re hardy, disease resistant, and beautifully unique—with both historical varieties that have long grown in our region and new takes on classics that Fruition farms themselves.

Plus, it’s just pretty cool to grow your own food in a backyard or community plot with seeds that were developed right down the road. It’s like a whole other level of knowing where your food comes from. As if it couldn’t get any better, Fruition Seeds cares about community the same, if not more, than they care about cultivation. One way they show this is by welcoming people onto their land for large feasts where they share in preparing the harvest and discussing ways to protect our climate. They also ensure Fruition Seeds are open-pollination, meaning they can be saved and shared for generations to come.

—JESSICA L. PAVIA

PHOTOS PROVIDED roccitymag.com CITY 59

BEST SKIN IN THE GAME ROCHESTER

DRUM TRADE N

eat, narrow pathways between colorful columns of stacked drum kits allow visitors to navigate Rochester Drum Trade, a music shop at 140 Troup St., tucked away in a 20th-century addition behind the historic Hervey Ely Mansion.

About 1,300 square feet are filled to the brim with the hollow instruments, and there are more in storage in the basement next door. A sweet elder pup, Snuggles, mostly dozes on the couch but will rouse to greet new faces and gently offer his head for pats before retiring to his spot, allowing shoppers to browse or consult with the shop’s owner, Benjamin Dodge.

The 34-year-old Olean native buys, repairs, sells, and trades vintage and contemporary drums and percussion instruments. He estimates that, aside from his personal collection, he has about 60 full drum sets and about 300 snare drums — some made as early as the 1910s — hundreds of cymbals, and assorted hardware. Treasure hunters can find novelties like a 1920 snare drum patented and manufactured in Rochester by George M. Carnes, or the bass drum head from the kit that jazz drummer Buddy Rich used to record at Manny's Music in New York City. Dodge hastened to add that the shop doesn’t deal in hand drums — though he does get a lot of requests for them.

Dodge began playing and buying drums when he was 13, scoring kits on estate sale adventures with his grandma, and reselling them to churches. College brought Dodge to Rochester — Monroe Community College for accounting, and SUNY Brockport for business — but he has been buying and selling instruments online for more than 15 years, and crowding each house he has lived in with a dragon’s hoard of drums until he finally opened the brick and mortar in January 2020.

Since then, local business has picked up, which Dodge says includes musicians of all ages and walks, from kids looking for their first kit to members of the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra and some high profile clients, including local legend Steve Gadd and Kevin Bacon’s brother, Michael. Rochester Drum Trade is open Wednesdays through Saturdays and by appointment.

—REBECCA RAFFERTY

PHOTOS PROVIDED 60 CITY JANUARY 2024

BEST SOCIAL MEDIA ACCOUNT

@INNERLOOPBLOG FINALISTS @industrystandard69 | @rocthecitywithhope | @daytrippingroc

MOST UNIQUE MUSICAL GIFT MOUTH HARPS

BEST DAY SPA

DEL MONTE LODGE 41 N. Main St., Pittsford | delmontehotels.com

FINALISTS Ape & Canary | Woodcliff Hotel & Spa | Bare Element

BEST TATTOO PARLOR

LOVE HATE TATTOO 47 State St. | lovehatetattoo.com

FINALISTS Have Hope Tattoo | Westside Tattoo | Old Friends

BEST HOBBY STORE

DAN’S CRAFTS AND THINGS 352 Empire Blvd. | danscraftsandthings.com

FINALISTS Millennium Games | Rochester Art Supply | Performance Hobby

BEST WEDDING/ EVENT VENUE

ARTISANWORKS 565 Blossom Rd. #L | artisanworks.net

FINALISTS Arbor Loft | Historic German House | Genesee Country Village & Museum

BEST YOGA STUDIO

BREATHE

19 S. Main St., Pittsford | breatheyoga.com FINALISTS Tru | Vault | Element | The Reformery

T

here’s nothing more special for a musician than to play a handmade instrument crafted to exact specifications. For those of us who are musically inclined, the image conjured is that of a violin virtuoso playing a rare Stradivarius. But thanks to local musician and mouth harp-maker Shaun Jones, that kind of opportunity is available to anyone with even the most casual relationship to making music — and at a reasonable price.

The story began in 2019, when Jones’s burgeoning interest in mouth harps, also known as jaw harps, led him to purchase a Snoopy’s Harp. After finding the souvenir both difficult and somewhat dangerous to play, he went down what he refers to as a “continuous rabbit hole of history, physics, and crafting/musical traditions,” in search of a professional-sounding harp that was homemade. On the other side of the rabbit hole was a five-hour instrument-building process — including the fabrication of the frame and the reed, fitting them together, fine tuning, putting on a finish, and carving the carrying case.

Honing the reed inside the harp takes great precision and requires minute adjustments done by ear to place the reed in the ideal location within the instrument’s steel frame.

The result is a reverberant, springy sound capable of achieving distinctive melodies using what’s called the overtone series.

In other words, the music made is a cross between a backwoods jam session and an ethereal drone. Jones’s rootsy yet otherworldly mouth harps start at $120 for a standard steel version, while upgrades to materials and aesthetic considerations will cost more.

— DANIEL J. KUSHNER

PHOTOS PROVIDED roccitymag.com CITY 61

///////////////////////////////////////////////////

Answers to this puzzle can be found on page 29

Launching points PUZZLE

BY S.J. AUSTIN & J. REYNOLDS ACROSS

1

2

3

5

6

7

23

9

10

28

41

33

42

12

13

14

34

43

44

30 36

16

17

18

48

49

83

84

121

122

26

29 35

15

22

25

24

32

11

21

27

40

8

20

19

1. Snares 6. With 136-Across, recording devices for journalists and detectives

4

Pads d2

31

37

38

45

46

39 47

10. Inclination 14. Illustrious

50

51

19. Old-timey photo wash

55

56

53

52 57

54

58

59

20. "Just playin'!"

21. Civil rights pioneer Bridges 22. Fauna's partner

60 65

66

23. ** Assistive devices for those with certain joint injuries 76

27. Fitting treat for the end of the weekend

85

77

97

31. IDs on tax forms

102

113

38. The last thing you see in a tiny kitchen?

123

40. Aliases, informally 43. Twist-off cookie 45. What's in _____?

88

103 108 115

90 94

95

96

100

101

104

105

109

110

116

124

82

89

93 99

114

81

87

98

71 75

80

92

107

35. Andean camel relative

70 74

79 86

32. Where to find Hawaii on many US maps

64

69

73

78

91

30. Ben Affleck's first (and second) wife, familiarly

63 68

67

72

25. ** Automotive additive to maintain stopping power

28. Entry-level sport league, for short

62

61

117 125

126

106 111

112

118 127

119 128

120

129

130

131

132

133

134

135

136

137

92. Pants with wales, slangily

109. Regular

93. Not very much at all

111. Dermatologists' concerns

96. Ending with clip or slip

113. "Like that would ever happen!"

47. Light bulb units 50. ** Cause for a wedding day hangover 53. Bird that may be of an Old World or New World variety

68. Substance central to the plot of "Breaking Bad" 70. NorCal airport code 71. Spot of land in the ocean

55. Poetic before

72. ** Pro bono aid, perhaps

56. Sign on a window at an animal shelter

76. Bread scoring tool

57. First things into the pot 59. From _____ Z 60. In the company of 62. Trig function 63. Contemptuous smile 64. Shadow box 65. Prize drawings 62 CITY JANUARY 2024

79. Classic Pontiac muscle car 80. Aqua hue 81. Northeastern grape varietal 85. Minnesota congresswoman Ilhan

97. "Devilish" musical interval heard throughout the main theme of "The Simpsons"

115. Hosp. procedure that requires patients to remove metal jewelry 117. "_____ out!" (Ump's cry)

99. ** Scapula

119. Girl's name that rhymes with a Scottish term for girl

102. First two words of an Obama slogan

123. ** Type of lottery ticket

103. "The Chosen" author Chaim

127. ** Football scores, of which Thurman Thomas had 65

105. "_____ Can" (Sammy Davis, Jr. autobiography title)

130. Thumb (a ride)

86. Nozzle setting 88. More current version of 39-Down?

106. Coup d'_____

132. "Yeah... that won't work for me"

90. Plastic construction toys since 1949

107. Maker of an iconic red beehive shaped dog toy

133. "Hello. My name is _____ Montoya... Prepare to die!"

91. Den denizen

131. Christmas season

134. English county, or a new Rochester music venue on University Ave. 135. Setting for "The King and I"

54. Italian lager 58. Smart thermostat brand acquired by Google in 2014 61. Dolphin or Patriot, e.g.

136. Replacements for the second word of each starred clue

63. Traditional Japanese massage

137. _____ Park, CO

64. Prolonged military attack

DOWN

66. Eagerly encourages

1. Disapproving syllables

67. What a high school sr. may spend their spare time working on

2. Contact lens brand 3. With the stroke of _____ 4. Serving plate you might have left at your parents' house over the holidays 5. Winningest college football coach of all time 6. Actress Vardalos or Long

69. Lao-_____ 73. Rank for a UK nobleman 74. By a narrow margin 75. Biblical spy 76. High, as ideals or goals

7. The Thunder, on scoreboards

77. What you feel "when the moon hits your eye like a big pizza pie"

8. Wedding cake section

78. ** Ankle-length garments

9. Famous Ford flop

82. Have _____ (give a try)

10. Short-term status on AIM

83. MMA fighter Rousey

11. Northern neighbor of AFR 12. Video game with the caatchphrase "BOOMSHAKALAKA!" 13. Tot 14. Opposite of ppp in sheet music 15. Much-memed 1999 ska-pop smash hit

84. Item on a balance sheet 87. Aides: Abbr.

89. First half of a record 92. Brotherly name in film 93. Hunky-dory 94. Genealogical abbreviation

16. ** Snappy pest control devices

95. Classic holiday baddie

17. NFL sportscaster Andrews

98. Coin flipping "Batman" villain

18. Prolific pun purveyors

100. The Astros, in a box score

24. Put back on eBay, maybe

101. Teacher's plans

26. Roughly 2 o'clock on a compass

104. "But of course, Monsieur!"

29. Irish county bordered by Limerick, Galway, and Tipperary

108. Yukon or Sierra

33. Suffix with switch

110. Relent

34. Univ. of Maryland athletes 36. Aardvark's prey 37. Like some Central American ruins 39. Opening word of "A Visit From St. Nicholas" 40. Build-_____ Workshop

112. "_____ Was a Lady" (Ethel Merman tune) 113. Tennis great Arthur 114. Bio. and chem., for two 116. Matthew _____ of "The Americans"

41. Principle of cause and effect in Indian religions

118. Plum tomato type

42. Words followed by Base or spades

121. Midwestern playwright Inge

44. Kia sedan model

122. Those: Sp.

46. Cuban singer Gloria

124. Letters for one short on gratitude?

48. Absolute

125. Ga. neighbor

49. Uttered an oath

126. Like Fr. nouns after "La"

51. Scouts' honor?

128. German conjunction

52. Legal pardon whose name comes from the Greek word for forgetfulness

129. Trig function

120. Houlihan portrayer on M*A*S*H

roccitymag.com CITY 63

64 CITY DECEMBER 2023