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TABLE HOPPING

My Mind To Yours

by debra Merryweather

Belief and Health People talking provides the first narratives of anything. Western civilization values print history over oral history because reading and writing demonstrate higher levels of skill; literacy links to improved economic prospects. Historically authoritarian powers denied literacy education to subject people who didn’t “need to know;” and, most histories and ancient texts exclude narratives from women’s perspectives. I first heard about excluded narratives in a college literature course that covered critical thinking and semiotics. I didn’t like that the course challenged my beliefs; I scored a passed grade; now I understand.

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Semiotics is the study of signs, symbols, and their interpretation. Metacognition is the awareness and understanding of one’s own thought process. During the past decade, as I experienced changing/recovering brain function and memory, I’ve thought about myself, my history, my thought processes. In grammar school, I was taught that thinking about oneself was selfish and, therefore, a sin. Autonomy requires thought. I now wonder, does everyone think about how and why they think what they think?

Apparently, medical professionals are thinking about thinking. This year, the American Medical Association and the Association of American Medical Colleges jointly published a paper, titled “Advancing Health Equity: A Guide to Language, Narrative and Concepts.” The 54-page document includes information from Race Forward, a non-profit racial justice organization, and references to CRT, Critical Race Theory. The AMA/AAMC document defines CRT as “born out of both legal studies and education scholarship, this is a framework that centers experiential knowledge, challenges dominant ideology, and mobilizes interdisciplinary action and research in order to uncover inequalities related to

“Apparently, medical professionals are thinking about thinking.”

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race and racism and other intersectional identities and/or experiences.”

Whether the authors intended it or not, the AMA/AAMC definition of CRT includes every member of any socioeconomically disadvantaged group and anyone who might have been shortchanged by any power system. Shortchanged is my word.

In the preceding sentence, I used the term “disadvantaged;” The AMA/AAMC document recommends substituting “historically and intentionally excluded; disinvested” for “disadvantaged.” It’s important to our shared public health history to know which and whose stories/cases didn’t make it into the books. It’s as important to understand our personal health histories as it is to clearly describe our aches and pains. It’s important for health professionals to understand group health histories to help identify related individual health issues. ACES, or adverse childhood experiences is a cross-cultural model linking childhood injuries and experiences to health problems in adulthood.

The AMA/AAMC document includes Race Forward’s depiction of a pyramidical “Narrative Ecosystem.” This symbol suggests that all narratives develop from the bottom continued on pg 4

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TABLE HOPPING

Belief continued from pg 2 up. Message and talk are most common and form the first level of the pyramid.

From this foundation, we step up to story, which includes common stories and related messages.

Story is then followed by a step up to a yet narrower level: narrative which the document defines as “collection of stories/ messages that represent an idea or belief. Narratives highlight values, define the problem/causes, and determine the solutions/ action.” Deep narrative at the pyramid’s pinnacle includes ‘“deeply held values that have been repeated and reproduced over time. They are “baked in.”’

Pyramidical, hierarchical and authoritarian institutions have long guided and misguided healthcare, especially women’s healthcare.

The 2021 book, “Unwell Women – Misdiagnosis and Myth in a Man-Made World,” provides a deep history of how males have diagnosed female conditions from ancient times until today. I try

“...provides a deep history of how males have diagnosed female conditions from ancient times until today.”

not to speak or write in terms of male/female because some past realities of survival cast men as more competent and assertive in the outer world while protecting women and children who stayed at home. That “baked in” narrative is giving way to more gender flexible vocations and roles. Still, it is girls and women who get pregnant in a world still driven by its own love/hate stories about purity, marriage, relationships, love, pregnancy and, more recently discussed, the dopamine reward system that accompanies sex. And, even now, women are judged both for wanting to keep and raise born infants they’re told they shouldn’t have conceived, and for not wanting to bear children they may not be able to raise.

Another 2021 health history, Lawrence Wright’s 2021 book “The Plague Year – America in the time of COVID,” provides a narrative picture of Dr. Deborah Birx. Dr. Birx was the Trump Whitehouse’s Coronavirus Response Coordinator who sat shrinking down, looking pained while the president, standing, looking down at Dr. Birx, sought her confirmation that disinfectant injections into COVID patients could eliminate infection.

The interaction hasn’t reflected well on Dr. Birx who, behind the scenes, traveled state to state by car to convince reluctant governors to encourage mask-wearing, social distancing and other COVID preventing measures. Dr. Birx’s life work includes fighting AIDS in Africa.

Symbols can sometimes reflect style over substance.

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The Write Stuff

by Nancy Roberts

A Little Reading Lesson I was playing the piano the other day, and reviewing mentally a conversation I’d had with another person who also plays the piano. She was saying she’d been trying to play more of the music she had committed to memory, and I realized that most of what I play is by reading the music. Hence, the piles and piles – and piles – of music I have, from classics to sheet music to instructional books to compilations.

One of my favorites of the latter is a book called The Family Music Book. It’s a cloth-bound book, a deep red with black lettering, and comprises about 600 pages. It contains everything from Wagnerian opera to jigs and reels to Beethoven and popular songs of the era. We had this book on the piano when I was growing up, and I played much of it through the years. But the book had become worn and the pages were crumbling – it was the soft, yellowish paper found in very old books of its type.

On a whim one day, I checked eBay to see if another one existed, and lo and behold someone had one in “very good” condition for sale. I bought it, and imagine my delight when it arrived, in very good condition, and better yet, containing an inscription on the inside cover facing page: “To Clarence from Etta, 1916.”

But back to “reading” music. When I was a kid, reading music was taught in school. I have no idea if this is done any more, or if so, how. But back then, the teachers had a wonderful tool which consisted of a wooden bar fitted out with wire holders for chalk. The teacher would insert a piece of chalk into each of the 5 holders, and then draw a musical staff on the blackboard. She (it was generally a “she” then) would then add musical notes to the staff she’d drawn, indicate sharps and flats, and would lead us in singing the notes – based on a scale that she would play for us on a recorder.

It was pretty basic stuff, and certainly not as complex as learning to play a musical instrument, but it introduced the concept of “reading” music to young kids.

Playing from this wonderful book of music brought back many memories, but it also made me wonder about “reading” music – or other forms of notation. Not too long ago (well, actually, 2005) there was a game called “Guitar Hero,” that involved “playing”

“Back then, the teachers had a wonderful tool which consisted of a wooden bar fitted out with wire holders for chalk.”

continued on pg 6

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TABLE HOPPING

Reading Lesson continued from pg 5 a guitar by matching colored “frets” and strumming in time on a “guitar” that was really an electronic input device. Lately, I’ve seen music offered for download by the composer, written in a program that has a “keyboard” notation, left to right, and you match the notes by hitting the matching piano key or keys as the music scrolls up, holding the note for as long as the note is shown.

There’s an app called Magic Piano that does basically the same thing, but with just two or three fingers, and is more of a game mode – what can you score?

I recall when a relative had a stroke, he suffered aphasia – the loss of the ability to understand and express speech. It locks the victim away from communicating, though the brain is still “thinking.” A therapist recommended asking the man to “sing” his thoughts. She explained that the “music center” of the brain and the language center are connected, especially in anyone who took an interest in music (if you doubt this, try singing a song you learned decades ago – you’ll likely remember the words, even if it was a silly old commercial or nursery song). If the person tries to sing his or her thoughts or wishes, that may create a new connection that allows the person to recover lost speech. For this man, it worked, and though he was never as

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fluent and verbal as he’d once been, he was able to talk again – and when he needed a word, he’d try singing it.

Scientific American tells us that music, both listening to it but more specifically reading it and playing an instrument, is a great workout for the brain. “Neuro plasticity is the brain’s ability to change throughout life. The Hebbian principle (neurons that fire together wire together) is what underlies it. The more you engage in any activity, the more consistently neurons are firing together, which results in stronger connections.

What is unique about music training is its capacity to induce neuroplastic changes in all areas of the brain.

You use your occipital lobe to read and interpret pitches and rhythm; your temporal lobe to process sound; your frontal lobe to attend to the music, inhibit distractions and remember what you just played; and your parietal lobe to integrate all of the incoming sensory information.”

What’s interesting about this is, unlike most “brain workouts” such as chess or sudoku or crossword puzzles, playing an instrument by reading the musical notations is a complete workout for your mental faculties.

So I began to wonder what other types of “reading” can you do for your brain. How about cursive writing? It’s becoming a lost art, to the extent that many young kids can’t read it at all, other than perhaps picking out a capital letter here or there. I realized many years ago that while I could type really, really fast, and that it was therefore quite efficient for writing a story or taking notes, I didn’t remember what I’d typed anywhere near as well as I remembered what I had hand-written. Not printed, by the way – written. As a school child, I took copious notes in cursive. This included taking notes as I read a textbook. I found, when I went to study for a test, that I could recall with great clarity anything I had written – in cursive. Later, For a while there was a craze for “speed-reading”

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when I began taking notes on a laptop, that recall was greatly reduced. Psychology Today affirms my self-discovery: “Data analysis showed that cursive handwriting primed the brain for learning by synchronizing brain waves in the theta rhythm range (4-7 Hz) and stimulating more electrical activity in the brain’s parietal lobe and central regions. ‘Existing literature suggests that such neuronal activity in these particular brain areas is more important for memory and for the encoding of new information and, therefore, provides the brain with optimal conditions for learning.’”

For a while, there was a craze for “speed-reading.” The idea was to train your eyes and use a finger (this was somewhat important) to scan the page of a book. You didn’t read “word for word,” but in groups of words to “grok” (no, that’s not actually the word, but if you “grok” something you get the whole idea – no need to go into the details – see Robert Heinlein’s Stranger in a Strange Land) the meaning of the passage.

I had a friend who swore by it – I found it boring. Eye tracking studies done years later by website analysts detected how the eyes moved

“I found, when I went to study for a test, that I could recall with great clarity anything I had written – in cursive.”

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“It was over.” And she said she always wanted to read a book before watching a movie created from it. I agreed, though I also said that whenever I wanted to “visit” a bookworld again, if I picked that same book up again, even years later, I would “see” my same brain-movie in my mind. Interestingly, that same experience doesn’t occur with an actual movie! I might remember having seen it, and a particularly good one will come back to me, or I’ll remember really enjoying it, but it’s not the same as revisiting the world of a book that I created in my mind. But the Harvard Crimson disagrees: “Watching a motion picture is an inherently more passive experience than reading a book. Yet it imparts content in a much more easily consumable way than a book of commensurate length. Movies are more tangible, visual, and compact than comparable written works, and therefore easier to remember.”

I’ll have to remember that.

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to right, top to bottom “reading” that most people are accustomed to. I am convinced there is some relationship to this dartingand-scanning way we approach digital material, no matter the device, and the way we hop from subject to subject, easily distracted and not immersed in the subject, and speed reading. Do you find it harder to pick up a book and settle down into reading it than you used to? It takes me a few pages to get lost in a book these days, where once upon a time I’d be gone in seconds.

And speaking of that, someone mentioned to me not long ago that she always felt sad when she reached the end of a book.

“I left that world,” she said.

PAGE 8 • December 2021 •

TABLE HOPPING

Business of Interest

by Nancy Roberts

Modern Malt

A Classic Diner with a Modern Twist What do you get when you combine classic and modern, diner eats and haute cuisine, crafted cocktails with malted milkshakes, decadently delicious burgers, poutine and milk shakes with salmon salad, and a turkey burger on a gluten-free bun in a chrome and “order up” diner atmosphere that’s filled with bright and beautiful color?

Answer: one of the most friendly and flavorful dining experiences possible for all ages and styles.

thin mint shake

“‘Let’s give them all something to love,’ was the “concept” of Modern Malt.

And by all accounts, they’ve succeeded.”

Modern Malt prides itself on being family friendly. But that doesn’t mean mom, dad, teens and young adults aren’t going to be right where they want to be, too. It’s not easy for a restaurant to be a “something for everyone” place, but Modern Malt has hit the

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sweet spot, from offering comfortable tables for ten (or more), to specializing in artisanal cocktails (including a range of Bloody Mary’s and Mimosa flights for your sampling pleasure), to a menu that has not just “something” but “something delicious” for every age and taste.

Established in 2014 in its Clinton Street location, owners and partners Robb Bidwell and Douglas Balle confronted the problem of “family meal at a restaurant, especially in downtown Syracuse.” If you aim just at kids, the adults will grin and bear it, while the kids chomp on chicken tenders and mac ‘n’ cheese and maybe romp in a play area. If it’s the candle-lit ambiance of a fine dining establishment, the adults can try to enjoy an evening of delicate palate-pleasers and fine cocktails, but the kids are bound to be bored and are notoriously picky eaters. And somewhere in the middle, the teens and young adults might be looking for a late Sunday brunch, or a really great burger, or even a vegan alternative. “Let’s give them all something to love,” was the “concept” of Modern Malt.

And by all accounts, they’ve succeeded. I looked over the menu, and was immediately stopped by the “Barney Rubble.” I knew two kids who would love nothing better than Fruity Pebble Crusted French Toast – and dad would appreciate the Strawberry-Ginger Jam and Crème Anglaise garnish.

Later in the day, the kids can dig into a grilled cheese sandwich, and if they’re very good, an Oreo Cookie shake, while the adults might favor a Lobster Grilled Cheese, with Cheddar, brie, lobster, cream cheese, and bloody egg bread. In fact, the menu itself gives you a clue to mary cock tail a the main ingredient in Modern Malt: class with a hint humor and fun. “Bluto,” “Angry Bird” and “Canadian Gold” all have a little fun with a recipe that is part

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grandma, part gourmet, 100% good.

It would be easy to wax lyrical about the menu, as it offers such a creative variety. But the Modern Malt team are equally proud of the wild ambiance. It’s American diner be rry – a unique blend of hearty, pop-tart plenty, and friendly – and shake colorful. “Think of Howard Johnson’s,” said Robb. “Those are the colors – mid-twentieth century modern.” And indeed, the feel is fun, colorful, and at the same time, classic.

The Cicero location was established just as the pandemic hit, but opened in September, with about twice the seating of the downtown location, with easy parking and a convenient suburban setting.

Diners are invited to review their meals, and can join the VIP club, with the benefits of posting their reviews to the website, special offers and VIP only menu offerings. If you take a photo of your meal and post it to Instagram, it can be displayed right on the in-store displays.

The Syracuse location offers catering for large or intimate events, and also offers pickup orders to go.

“Our aim is to take this concept and keep exploring it and taking it as far as it can go,” said Robb. “We’ve expanded from our Syracuse location to Cicero, and now that that location is open and operating, we want see what’s next. We watch food trends, look for ways to expand the menu and still stay with the classic American diner theme.” https://www.eatdrinkmalt.com/

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Word on the Street

by Bill McClellan

Doomsday or End Bribery “Your Choice”

I am going to deride with grave disgust, first the American System, then Trump and Biden. Until you are clear with our realities and how far off we are, there is virtually no hope. The problem is our system of Government not only does not work; it destroys.

Trump and Biden are not the problem, they are the result. The complete failure of both is “not recognizing” and addressing the systemic nightmare we live with. The cause is

“The complete failure of both is “not recognizing” and addressing the systemic nightmare we live with.

The cause is clear and glaring, “Bribery.”

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clear and glaring, “Bribery.”

To be very clear. I say “not recognizing” with great trepidation. The fear being that they do recognize this grave systemic difficulty for what it is. Yet refuse to address it. A system rooted in bribery that destroys all possibility of the people being cared for. A system whereby self-interest and greed for money and power rule absolute.

The root design being altered to keep power and money where it is, at virtually any expense, including the system itself, initially designed to be the greatest force for good on earth. They have greedily destroyed it. The question is: What is it that causes leaders to completely ignore the one thing that if fixed could return course?

That is to: Remove money, favor for favor and any loophole that provides an avenue for bribery or greed to cause decisions.

When you look at the Republican Party today you see horror. But don’t be fooled. The system makes Democrat leaders the same way. Republicans are voting on everything to protect themselves without an iota of concern for the people. They want their power at any expense including human life. They experienced Jan 6th. If Mike Pence, Nancy Pelosi, or Alexandria Ocasio Cortez were found that day they surely would be dead. This does not move Republicans to condemn that day as keeping power is far more important to them than America or democracy. To be very clear in any situation where their power would be similarly endangered, Democrats also would embrace themselves over the people. Honorable people rarely run for office.

(Those willing to sacrifice for the Country – True patriots American success and pride moved to other lands that would sacrifice their

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damn job and work from the outside for Patriotic change). This is a systemic tragedy. With money and bribery thriving from that pool of Americans willing to sacrifice honor for self-gain.

It is baffling that a land guided by documents with clear human respect and moral clarity has allowed such grave departure into a system based on glaring bribery. The problem from the beginning has been no adhering guidance or rules. The private domain discovered they could bribe anyone in government. Lust for power overwhelmed all moral considerations for the people. Leaders have discovered that they could do anything they want with our bounty and there was nothing in the system to stop them. And the well off discovered how willing they are.

Throughout the working years of my life, I watched this country deteriorate. For a brief time, you would go to jail for accepting money for favor. Then they created loopholes to make it look good and accepted bribery anyway. Then, finally it evolved into acceptance, whereby everyone knows that politicians suck up to those that give them money. The people have not mattered for a very long time. This kind of glaring bribery and systemic fault is a deterrent to those with honor and an attraction to the very worst among us. And with false face and deceitful smiles the worst of us have led us on the path of social deterioration...and perhaps the end days of human social structures.

If there was a single American tragedy that caused massive change of heart within American culture it was the cruel, relentless, and unregulated movement of our work.

The very heart of American success and pride greedily moved to other lands. The business world saw an avenue whereby exploitation of the resources and people of other lands would make individuals super wealthy at the expense of American work.

They chose to make themselves rich. So, they exercised their tried-and-true method and successfully bribed politicians into silence wherever necessary to allow the destruction of communities throughout the country.

It is this kind of suffering that has caused half of our people to choose a scumbag (not name calling...it’s just what he is) like Trump. They will choose anyone or anything that derides the current form

“Nuclear disaster is far more likely today, intentional or accidental, than ever before and it is treated like a non-serious problem.”

of government. They are not wrong.

When your house is burning down you will try anything to save it. We have allowed the dispassionate and greedy to run amok and we have a land where very little is right. The other half of the Country chooses a Party that is equally complicit in causing and allowing our downfall. The standards and intent Democrats profess have been worthless in a system ran by bribery.

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Our corroded system is the bottom-line problem that will destroy the world. It is broken and no one is looking at it. It is not Republican or Democrat. They are false symbols.

As our people don’t “get it” they take a side in these useless parties and ignore what is really wrong. “BRIBERY.” Thus, misdirecting energy and providing the path for untouched decline. In the meantime our earth is in danger from climate change. Our resources are being depleted by individual greed with over population. And we could wake or “not” to nuclear disaster on any given day.

I urge you to all find the 1964 movie “FAIL SAFE.” Roko has it for one. It will awaken you.

Nuclear disaster is far more likely today, intentional or accidental, than ever before and it is treated like a non-serious problem. This movie shows the clear likelihood of a nuclear exchange and was brought before the United Nations 57 years ago.

Two decades post WWII was the closest we made it with the American ideal. Strong comradery was derived by all of us working together to defeat an evil we all understood could not be allowed to gain power and come to our shores. This was our greatest, albeit brief, era. Today, “We” are the enemy. Our own government is destroying us. And as they have destroyed their own quality, we can no long lead the world and as such the world has lost respect and is running amok. With bribery went our moral high ground that could save the world. Instead, Russia is experimenting with missiles to destroy satellites. China is blowing up mock aircraft carriers and experimenting with missiles to target nuclear submarines.

THANK Meanwhile, our people are YOU in fear of mass disturbance For Voting or civil war and cannot agree For Us! on vaccinations. For God’s sake. The danger is more than real and more than frightening than ever before.

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Streaming Flicks by MILLER byBRIAN debra Merryweather

Succession Brian Cox

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The beauty of SUCCESSION lies not in its gorgeous settings and exteriors, or its glimmering glimpses of a societal life that most of us can only dream of, but its innate ability to make horrible people endearing. Now in its third season, the savagely hilarious and searingly dramatic HBO series continues to amaze and somehow get stronger as it goes.

When you take a look at some of the most influential anti-heroes that television has ever had to offer, you find names like Walter White, Tony Soprano, and (the newly

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These three gentleman, in all of their villainous wonder, possessed qualities that made them, at times, feel more than straight villains. Though each of them were responsible for the death and destruction of virtually everyone around them, they had certain attributes that made them at least project a slice of humanity that allowed them to appeal to our better nature. Despite their faults, they were relatable, and because of this, we were capable of ignoring some of their more horrific transgressions.

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When it comes to the characters in SUCCESSION, there isn’t much redeemable with any of them. Cousin Greg (Nicholas Braun) is probably as close as it gets, but this is more due to his goofy and amiable nature than anything else. He is as close as this show gets to relatable, but at the end of the day, he lives in a high-rise apartment in New York City, and purchasing a $30,000 watch is more of a burden than a deal breaker. Like everyone else in this season, however, even Greg shows that at the end of the day, there is no one more important than himself. In fact, as family members are forced to chose sides in the battle between patriarch Logan (Brian Cox) who is set on retaining his spot at the top of the company that he helped build into a global media conglomerate, and Kendall (Jeremy Strong) the eldest son willing to send his father to Federal prison in an attempt to take over the company, Greg sums up virtually every character’s true feelings when he innocently asks, “What’s it worth in terms of the me of it all?”

The rest of the Roy children, Shiv (Sarah Snook), Roman (Rory Caulkin), and Connor (Alan Ruck) possess lofty aspirations and refuse to publicly choose a side (even to one another) without calculating their own personal risk. Sure, turning on their father may literally kill them, but if Ken can help them attain their goals, is that worth it? Or, if they side with Ken, will his despicable and unflappable ego burn them all to the ground? It is a question that isn’t solved with dollar signs, because to the Roy’s, money doesn’t even exist. At one point in season three, Greg and Shiv’s husband, Tom (the never better Matthew Macfadyen) go to a local diner, seemingly eating “normal” food for the first times in their lives. It’s not that this was the only place that was open, but, an attempt to get used to what prison food must be like. To them, that’s what life is like in the lower/ middle class. It’s like prison.

SUCCESSION remains impossible to define or pigeonhole because there simply isn’t anything like it. When someone asks me what it’s about, I always find myself struggling to

“Now in its third season, the savagely hilarious and searingly dramatic HBO series continues to amaze and somehow get stronger as it goes.”

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“It’s a series that is categorized as a drama, yet funnier than most comedies can ever dream of being.” explain. I usually start off with something like, “Well, it’s about this family that owns a media company.” At this point, interest immediately begins to wane. I mean, how exciting could a show about that actually be, right? Yet when you watch it, you’ll find yourself at the edge of your seat as characters walk through a lobby, or enter a meeting, or give a press conference. It turns things like board meetings into scenes of such visceral savagery that even though there are no bullets or death, you still feel like there’s a body count. It’s a series that is categorized as a drama, yet funnier than most comedies can ever dream of being. The cast is impeccable, with each performer totally engrossing as their own despicable selves. Each one of them, from main stars to side characters (J. Smith-Cameron, Peter Friedman, Fisher Stevens and David Rasche are particular stand outs), have their own moments of ruthless hilarity and withering failure. Their ability to make me physically cringe (any time Logan belittles Shiv) or literally want to crawl into my own couch as a result of secondhand embarrassment (pretty much any time Kendall interacts with someone) really illustrates how incredible of a show this is. I am genuinely disappointed every time the end credits begin to roll, not only because the episode is over, but because we are one unfortunate step closer towards the end of yet another perfect season.

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Tales from the Vine

by Cassandra Harrington

by Katherine Chase

Guide to Older Mature Wine The best wine tasting experiences I’ve had the pleasure of enjoying have all been from older, mature bottles of wine.

Depending on the producer, the vintage and the region, the definition of older and mature ranges from 10 to 100 years.

Not every wine lover is going to agree. In fact, the majority of younger wine lovers just discovering their passion for wine, most often prefer fresh, up front fruit and the primary aromatics enjoyed in young wines.

But similar to the changes that take place in aged, mature wines, most wine lovers and collectors also mature and change with time. The same thing happens to their palate preferences. Eventually, many, if not most passionate wine lovers develop a fondness for properly aged, mature wines.

In today’s modern, fast paced, instant world, the concept of buying wines to drink 10, 15, 20 or more years later is an archaic concept to most people. There are countless inventions in the marketplace all claiming to age a wine in minutes, right before your very own palate. Trust me. They do not work.

There is no substitute for time. That is why the auction marketplace places such a massive premium on properly cellared Bordeaux or other wines. People buying those wines understand that with time, a wine becomes more than what was when originally placed in the bottle. Older, properly aged and cellared wine is more than bottled history, although there is value in that as well.

For experienced wine tasters, the magic in the bottle does not truly display its complexities until it has become properly cellared and aged. The palate texture, flavor profile and levels of aromatic complexities experienced in older, mature bottles of wine offer unequaled tasting experiences that cannot be replicated in younger wines.

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How to buy older, collectible wines. There are three ways to accumulate older, mature, properly cellared wines. First, you can inherit a wine cellar from a relative. If you’re lucky, that is a great way to start.

Second, you can buy older vintages of wine. This is a good idea, if you have the money and are guaranteed good provenance, which looks easier than it really is.

Lastly, you can follow in the footsteps of all the previous generations of wine lovers that bought young wines and aged them to perfection.

WIne Cellar. If you are going to seriously collect wine, properly cellaring your wine is imperative. 99% of the world’s wine does not need cellaring. Most wines are in fact at their peak the day they are released But the wines that improve with age require proper care and cellaring to show their best qualities.

Wine is a living thing. It changes with time in the bottle. Depending on the wine, it can take from years to decades for the molecular structure to change, but changes do occur. If you have any doubts about this, simply open a young bottle of wine along with the same wine from a previous vintage, perhaps from 15-20 years ago and you can easily see, smell and taste the difference.

What happens when wine ages? The first thing tasters notice is a change in color.

Depending on the grape varietal, depth of color can be an indicator of quality.

How to visually look at a wine to buy for cellaring. Depth of color is related to the amount of anthocyanins and pigments in the wine. For young wine made from Bordeaux varieties, in other words, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot based wines, if the wine in the glass is inky, possibly showing dark purple or deep blue tints, the wine is going to be powerful, concentrated and made from ripe fruits.

The wine will probably be lower in acid and higher in Ph. For an example on the other side of the coin, young Bordeaux wine that is lighter in color will be less ripe. The wine will also be more acidic and lower in pH. As I mentioned, darker, deeper colors most often indicate a depth of flavor and concentration in the raw material and flavor.

This alone does not mean the wine is good. It’s simply a potential indicator of quality in a young wine.

However, a proportionate depth of color in a mature wine is a good indicator that the wine can be good, provided the wine has been cellared properly.

It’s important to understand that the color in a wine is going to change after several years or decades in the bottle. With time in the cellar, the color of the wine will slowly morph. The edges of the wine in the glass will gradually begin to lighten.

With time the color of the wine will continue to lighten from a dark red or purple to more of a ruby shade. Additional bottle aging will further lighten the color. The color

“For experienced wine tasters, the magic in the bottle does not truly display its complexities until it has become properly cellared and aged.”

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will continue moving from light ruby to brick to orange. Depending on the wine, that process could take 20, 30, 40, 50 or even 100 years.

What happens to a wine as it ages. As wine ages, the tannins that helped the wine age begin to soften and slowly dissipate. This is because the tannins in the wine change with time.

“The aromas in a mature wine are often off putting to newer collectors. ” This change alters the molecular structure of the wine providing a mellow, soft and pleasurable experience to the taster, that is quite different than what was experienced in the wines youth. The chemistry behind what happens when wines age is due to polymerization.

When polymerization takes place, tiny molecules begin to attach to other small molecules and with time, these new molecular structures become longer.

The size of the tannin molecules can also increase or decrease. When that happens to the tannins in the wine, because the polymers and molecular structures have lengthened, and the size of the tannic molecules has changed, the wine feels smoother and often silkier on your palate.

This is part of the reason older, mature wines are so valued by numerous collectors and wine lovers.

Understanding what happens to wines as they age. The aromas in a mature wine are often off putting to newer collectors. The primary aromas of blackberries, cherry, plum and cassis fade while notes of tobacco, truffle, earth, smoke, cedar wood, cigar box and forest floor begin to emerge.

This happens as the wine shifts from its youth to maturity, when the initial, primary fruit and grapey characteristics shift to the wines secondary or tertiary profile. These earthier, more complex scents are prized by collectors.

Along with the change in texture, flavor and aroma comes the creation of sediment in the bottom of the bottle. Sediment is a good thing. It shows that the wine was sound and has moved from its youth to maturity.

However, sediment does not look good in the glass and it tastes worse than it looks as it imparts a bitter sensation. It is important to avoid pouring the sediment in your glass.

This is accomplished by either by decanting the wine, or standing an older bottle of wine up for a few days prior to opening and pouring gently.

Different wines go through different aging curves and life cycles. Those curves and life cycles are affected by the style of quality of the vintage. The best vintages are going to allow for a long life. Lighter, off or bad vintages must be consumed early in their life.

There are many reasons why red Bordeaux wine enjoys its reputation for aging. The best Bordeaux wine from a great vintage can easily age and improve for decades. For

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example, Chateau Latour and Chateau Haut Brion from 1961 are still young and vibrant, if well stored. Many of the better Left Bank Bordeaux wines from vintages like 1961, 1959 or 1945 can still offer great tasting experiences.

However, wines from vintages not meant for aging, for example, 1991, 1992 Bordeaux should have been drunk up years ago. As a different example, many Right Bank Bordeaux wines, due to their Merlot dominated blends and higher degree of ripeness are often drinkable with less aging, than their Left Bank counterparts.

What happens when a wine is too old.

It’s important to remember, most wines are not meant to age. Wines are living, breathing things and they do not live forever. Wines meant to age gradually move from their youth to maturity and eventually, like all living things, die from old age.

When a wine is past its prime, the color will take on brown or extremely bricky colors.

The wine will not taste of fruit. You can experience tart, bitter or acidic flavors. The wine could smell of vinegar or other unpleasant aromas.

When buying older vintages of wine, a physical examination can tell you much of what you need to know to assess the potential level of quality in the wine.

First, look at the level of the fill in the wine.

Is the amount of wine in the bottle, based Ale ’n’ Angus Gift Certificates on the distance between the cork and the Make GREAT Gifts! wine appropriate for a wine of its age? The shape of the bottle is going to impact your view and the amount of ullage in the wine.

For a Bordeaux wine 30 years old or younger, when well stored, the fill should not be below the bottom of the neck.

A lower fill could be fine, but why take the chance? A fill level into the shoulder is fine for a wine that is 50 years old.

This is natural. As a wine ages, the wine will continue to evaporate. Too much Let Us Cater evaporation for its age is a potential sign of Your Holiday Office Party! an unhealthy wine.

The color of a wine is also a good indicator of a wines condition. There is an easy way to look at a wine in the bottle for a guide as to the wines health and 2018 2019 2021 2012 2013 drinkability based on its color.

Hold either the neck or the bottom of the bottom at an angle under a bright light. Look at the color of the wine. If the 2021-2022 BILASTRATOR Best College Town Burger Award color shows a red or ruby color, that is an indicator of a potentially, sound bottle of 238 Harrison St. • Syracuse, NY 13202 wine. If the color is closer to black or deep 315-426-9672 • www.ALENANGUSPUB.com brown, that wine is probably dead and should not be purchased.

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Computers & the Web

by Nancy Roberts

Robots: Friend or Foe? I got into an interesting exchange with a young man, completely online, in which he posed the question: How would I feel about UBI (Universal Basic Income) presuming all jobs, including STEM jobs, were taken over by robots, which, he claimed, is poised to occur in as few as 25 years?

Forget the UBI part – I was caught up in the “robots will be doing all the work in 25 or so years” premise.

I’ve written before about the astounding leaps in robotics in recent years, with them moving fluidly and with human-like reflexes; about the “friends” you can (right now) acquire that will respond to touch and conversation; about the life-like babies and pets that will interact with you (unless of course, you don’t shut them off when you need a rest) and want to be snuggled, cuddled, changed, fed and otherwise cared for; and of course about the generations of robot intelligence, in which a robot can manufacture another robot without human assistance.

This theme, of course, has been written in many a sci-fi tale, from Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep, a Philip K. Dick novel which was adapted into the film Blade Runner (both the book and the movie are fantastic) and in which neither robots nor humans are quite sure who is in charge – or who should be; to the computer in 2001: A Space Odyssey having a personality (HAL, or one letter off from IBM), and almost tragically “dying” when his power source is cut off at the end; to the robot-controlled world of The Matrix, which uses the human body as a power source, giving those humans an idyllic world of dreams in return. They are all what is considered dystopian fiction, which has been covered in the book column of this paper. Suffice to say, it’s not a pretty world that most writers envisioned when they considered adding robots as a playing character, as opposed to an NPC, in their fiction.

Among other things, much older fiction, like Frankenstein: A Modern Prometheus warned us about creating “life,” real or android. There is an old, I am told, Chinese warning that if you save a life, you Life-like babies and pets that will interact with you are then responsible for it,

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though I can find no credible source for that. The Greek Prometheus story is about the trickster God who creates mortal and then steals fire from the Gods and gives it to his creatures, and is punished for eternity, while the mortals use the fire for both good and ill. In other words, we have been warned about creating, or saving, life, as it carries with it enormous responsibility.

But what is the likelihood that the work of mankind will really be replaced by robots toiling for our benefit, while we’re sidelined to a life of – what? Lifelong idleness?

Robots are already being used in the medical field, performing very specific and detailed surgeries and procedures where no slip of the hand can occur, or Human-like “friends” which take place over lengthy periods of time. The da Vinci system is popularly recognized, and, along with other robotics, can be used for urology, colorectal, gynecological, and other procedures including bariatric surgery.

In addition, Wikipedia reminds us that robots are useful “in many situations ... (such as) dangerous environments (including inspection of radioactive materials, bomb detection and deactivation), manufacturing processes, or where humans cannot survive (e.g. in space, underwater, in high heat, and clean up and containment of

“Robots are already being used in the medical field, performing very specific and detailed surgeries and procedures where no slip of the hand can occur, or which take place over lengthy periods of time.”

hazardous materials and radiation).”

Drones, while not technically “robots,” have also been put to good purpose not only to take spectacular and stable images and films, but to move into dangerous situations like fires and potential armed criminal environments so that firefighters and LEOs can “see” where victims or armed offenders might be.

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Would it surprise you to know that the first reference to a robot (or “automata”) was from around the third century BC, commenting on a much earlier Yan Shi, who was an “artificer.” He supposedly presented the king with a life-size, humanshaped, mechanical “man.” In 420 BC a wooden, steam-propelled bird (a pigeon) could fly; in 1495 the great Leonardo had designs for a mechanical knight; in 1961 George Devol installed Unimate, the first industrially applied robot; and since then, according to the Robotic Industries Association, in the US alone, the automotive industry has Leonardo’s design for mechanical knight become one of the largest consumers of robots, in which they can account for up to more than half the labor, and there is an IBM keyboard manufacturing facility in Texas called “lights off,” as it requires no human on site oversight to operate?

All robots require the following: power, actuation (the “muscles” – and this is a very deep part of what’s new and expanding in robotics), sensing (the eyes and ears and now “skin” and equilibrium), manipulation, and locomotion (and this can include walking, bouncing, skating, driving, hopping, swimming, snaking, flying... it’s a long, long list). Each of these characteristics have been progressing by leaps and bounds (puns intended).

The part that is of great concern to humans is, and should be, human-robot interaction. If you’ve ever tried to communicate with Siri or Alexa you’ll know exactly what I mean. I recall an early interaction with Alexa, when I wanted to increase the volume, and, being completely ignorant of her potential, said, “Alexa, volume ten.” After that, nobody in the house could shout loudly enough to turn the volume down or shut her up. It required removing her power source. It might have required a sledge hammer.

And therein lies at least one of the rubs with a robot: once you’ve launched the thing, you had better have a fail-safe if you ever need to stop it! While a nice robot, like Data on the Star Trek reboot, could sense human emotion, and while the show was “cute” about whether or not Data shared any of those emotions, he could also react to subtle signals – and far more of human communication is via signals other than verbal commands than we realize in day-to-day life. A lift of an eyebrow, a noise or gesture, there are a whole host of things we do or ways we move that will communicate a lot to another human (at least, one of a similar cultural background), and nothing, at least as of yet, to a machine.

This brings me back to the initial start of my robot quest: will we ever end up in a world where robots are doing all the work, and if so, what will humans do? Is idleness what we were made for, or do we live to work as well as work to live? Is challenge our greatest devil or greatest joy? Like many a Greek or sci-fi account, once unleashed, a technology, an idea, a human inquiry, like the mostly dreadful things that were released when Pandora opened her box, can’t be stuffed back inside. But we can hope.

PAGE 17 • December 2021

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Dining Out

by Kerilyn E. Micale

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with Broccoli or Chicken Cacciatore with Mushrooms and Peppers. If you love authentic Italian pasta dishes you absolutely can’t go wrong with the house made Lasagna, three layers filled with meatballs or sausage, mozzarella, ricotta, parmesan, and romano cheese with homemade sauce! Every bite is pure heaven in your mouth!

I also highly recommend the Italian Combo Platter, with generous helpings of Baked

Luigi’s Restaurant It’s the holiday season and with all the hustle and bustle you deserve a night off from cooking! If I can make a suggestion for one of my absolute favorite restaurants: Luigi’s! Luigi’s is one of Syracuse’s absolute gems and considering that they have been owned and operated by the family since 1954, it’s safe to say that I am not alone in this sentiment! Whether you are looking to dine in, take out, or even for catering, Luigi’s has you covered!

Come check them out, where they have been since 1954, at 1524 Valley Drive in Syracuse. They are open for all of your dining needs including takeout and grubhub! Give them a call at 315-492-9997.

Luigi’s truly has something on the menu that everyone will absolutely love! Their wide variety of offerings include gluten free options and even vegetarian choices.

When you go to Luigi’s (or pick it up or have it delivered) be sure to start with one of their many scrumptious appetizer options! All of their appetizers are perfect for sharing around the table, which is, in my opinion, one of the absolute best ways to start a great dinner conversation. Whether you start with a plate of clams casino, fried zucchini, or even a garlic pizza, Luigi’s appetizers are a perfect way to start any meal! At Luigi’s you will always find an awesome selection of pasta dishes, including my favorites Cavatelli

“Come taste for yourself why this hidden gem has been a favorite since 1954!”

Ziti, Manicotti, Lasagna, Stuffed Shells and Ravioli. This dish is basically all of the best parts of Italian cuisine all served on one dish! If you are looking for fantastic pizza and wings Luigi’s is definitely a great choice! If you are looking for something extra special be sure to order the Luigi’s Supreme, loaded up with all of your favorite toppings!

After making plans for a Thanksgiving menu Kyle and I were in no mood to cook so we packed up the family and headed out to Luigi’s on a chilly Sunday. Luigi’s is one of our favorite restaurants so we were excited to bring our son and daughter there

“I was told that the “secret” to all of their dishes is that they only use the freshest ingredients, everything is made daily, and almost nothing is frozen.”

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for a fantastic meal! We were quickly seated in a booth with lots of space for car seats and booster seats and it was easy to make ourselves right at home. The hardest part about a meal at Luigi’s is always trying to make a selection of what to order because everything on the menu is just so darn tasty! We decided to start our meal with an order of the greens which are arguably the best in town! The sautéed greens, Luigi’s extra special recipe of their Italian Greens, are always perfectly tender with just enough spice and they pair perfectly with the fresh Italian bread!

We also ordered the calamari, with a light golden breading and served with warm sauce and fresh lemon. Magnolia was a fan of the calamari with a fresh squeeze of lemon. Our fresh salads were served quickly and Kyle just raved about the homemade ranch dressing!

For an entrée I just had to have my favorite dish Chicken Parmigiana layered with eggplant and ricotta. This dish was a perfect combination of the three amazing ingredients, perfectly combined and topped with sauce and mozzarella, the side of shells with marinara made this dish exceptional. I am told that this particular entrée is a traditional family recipe. I can attest that it definitely is one of the best Italian dishes I have ever ordered and is

PAGE 19 • December 2021

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absolutely one of my cravings! I really like the ricotta mixture because it reminds me of a dish my gram used to make. I was told that the “secret” to all of their dishes is that they only use the freshest ingredients, everything is made daily, and almost nothing is frozen. Kyle decided on the House Special which is linguini with clams, shrimp, and scallops served in white or red sauce.

Kyle decided on the white sauce and he all but licked the bowl clean. I was able to sneak a bite of a super tender scallop and it was just scrumptious! We all had super full bellies and lots of leftovers to enjoy later! We were looking forward to an exceptionally great dinner and, as always, we were not disappointed!

There are some sure fire ways to tell if you are going to have a great meal at a restaurant. Here is what I look for: amazing food at great prices, time tested recipes, and awesome staff that care about every dish and every customer. I am here to tell you that Luigi’s Restaurant checks all three! At Luigi’s you can always expect only the best cuisines because they only use the highest quality ingredients in their dishes! For more information be sure to check out their website at www.luigisofsyracuse.com, call to place your take out order, or better yet, stop by today! Come taste for yourself why this hidden gem has been a favorite since 1954!

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PAGE 20 • December 2021 •

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Brew Time

by Kristin Merritt

Holiday Cheer(s) Once again, the holiday season is upon us, along with dropping temperatures, frozen precipitation, hearty homecooked meals, and curling up by the fireplace. Our palates tend to change with the winter season with more pies, cookies and cakes being sought after, soups, stews and oven-roasted birds dotting our kitchen menus and comfort foods such as mashed potatoes and gravy, meatloaf, mac and cheese, chili, and lasagna being craved more than ever.

Our beer and beverage palates are no different.

There’s a reason why people call this time of year “stout season” and it’s because we tend to crave those warming, thicker, deeper and richer aspects of a darker beer; and while not everyone loves a dark Stout or Porter, even those who enjoy the lighter side of things might be finding themselves searching for a brew with a little more flavor this time of year. That being said, there are so many craft beer options to choose from, so I’ve narrowed them down and have chosen a few – listed from lightest to darkest – for every discerning palate to sample during this festive holiday season. Cheers!

Stormy Weather – Empire Brewing Company (Little Valley, NY) – 6.2%

Empire Stormy Weather & Saranac Winter Lager

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ABV, 0 IBU. This lovely winter ale is light and very effervescent. The brew is made with cranberries and orange peel with a hint of winter spice – I found the orange flavors to be slightly more prevalent than the cranberry, but it was very fruity overall, with little to no “spice;” A perfect accompaniment to a roasted turkey dinner, or perhaps a leftover turkey sandwich with allllllll the fixings inside!

Winter Lager – Saranac Brewery (Utica, NY) – 6% ABV, 26 IBU. Here we have a brand-spanking-new winter lager by Saranac that is brewed with wildflower honey and cinnamon that does NOT disappoint! The brew is light, with mildly distinct notes of honey that add a slight sweetness throughout, but especially pronounced on the finish. I personally did not taste any cinnamon at all, but every palate is different. Easydrinking.

Frosted Sugar Cookie – Southern Tier Brewing Company (Lakewood, NY) – 8.6% ABV, 10 IBU. If you have an insatiable sweet tooth, this brew might just be the cause of your next cavity! While this Strong Ale itself is light, it boasts heavy

“While not everyone loves a dark Stout or Porter, even those who enjoy the lighter side of things might be finding themselves searching for a brew with a little more flavor this time of year.”

flavors of vanilla and confectionary sugar, making this beer exceptionally sweet. It is very unique!

Sam Adams Winter Lager – Boston Beer Company (Boston, MA) – 5.6% ABV, 22 IBU. Everyone is apparently doing a re-mix of their winter lagers this year and this one was also a winner! Light and full of toasted-malt notes, the brew is slightly warming in the mouth and throat with a pinch of light spice added to the mix. This year’s brew is created with orange peels, cinnamon and ginger. It’s quite good and super smooth.

Shiner Holiday Cheer – Spoetzl Brewery (Shiner, TX) – 5.4% ABV, 22 IBU. This may be my favorite discovery of the holiday season. I was quite enamored with this beer from the moment the poured aroma hit my olfactory senses to the very last drop in my glass that hit my tastebuds. The aroma is exactly like peach iced tea. The brew itself is so smooth, malty, with subtly distinct peach notes, a slightly toasted sweetness presumably from the pecans, and a drinkable quality that could last all day long. This Dunkelweizen – a Bavarian-style wheat ale – is brewed with Texas-grown peaches and roasted pecans, malted barley and wheat. It’s truly delicious.

2XMAS – Southern Tier Brewing Company (Lakewood, NY) – 8% ABV, 40 IBU. If there’s anything that Southern Tier is great at for a

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larger scale craft brewery, it’s pushing the envelope a bit with their experimenting, and this winter warmer is no exception. An ode to, and inspired by, the Nordic traditional winter Glögg beverage, (that is, basically a heavily spiced red wine served warm), this beer is brewed with figs, orange peels, cardamom, cinnamon, cloves and ginger root. It is a Christmas potpourri spice explosion! According to my palate, the brew is strong and slightly bitter with prevalent orange peel and very clove forward.

Ohio City Oatmeal Stout – Great Lakes Brewing Company (Cleveland, OH) – 5.4% ABV, 25 IBU. This super satisfying and classic oatmeal stout is dark and super roasty. The smoothness of the brew adds to it’s already high marks. There is not a hint of sweetness in this brew, which would make this extra complimentary to a very sweet dessert such as sugar cookies, Tiramisu, cakes or pies; much in the same

“Basically, a rollercoaster on your palate, the beer starts out strong and boozy from the bourbon barrels.”

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way that a cup of black coffee goes well with any of the aforementioned desserts. Forget the milk, perhaps set out a bottle of this with a plate of cookies for Santa this year!

KBS Cinnamon Vanilla Cocoa – Founders Brewing Company (Grand Rapids, MI) – 12% ABV, 45 IBU. Ready for a mouthful? This is an Imperial Stout brewed with coffee, cinnamon, vanilla extract, and cocoa nibs aged in oak bourbon barrels...and it tastes as complex as it sounds!

Basically, a rollercoaster on your palate, the beer starts out strong and boozy from the bourbon barrels, you’re able to pinpoint all the different flavors labeled as above (and on the bottle) in the middle and it mellows out to distinct dark chocolate notes on the very dry finish. In addition, it’s very warming in the back of the throat, another complexity that we can chalk up to the oak bourbon barreled aging. It is definitely worth the try if you’re a stout lover as Founders NEVER disappoints with their stouts.

Also, I can’t forget about you cider-lovers and those going gluten-free out there!

Cranberry Orange – McKenzie’s Hard Cider (West Seneca, NY) – 5% ABV, 0 IBU. Luckily, there are seasonal ciders from local and regional craft cideries that continue to pop up as hard cider’s popularity increases year-to-year. In this medium-sweet beverage, fresh orange flavors form a base while a pop of tart cranberry rounds out this bubbly cider.

Just the same as the first beer mentioned, cranberry and orange flavors are a lovely complement to festive eats this holiday season!

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Beauty & Fashion by caitlin purvis

The Top 6 Autumn/Winter 2021/2022 Trends The autumn/winter fashion shows that took place in June–September paraded exquisite looks that blend style with comfort in an extravaganza of statement pieces. In the aftermath of the pandemic, this year’s fashion shows were digital and demonstrated creative presentation approaches, such as short films and augmented reality concepts.

Not only that, but they also featured collections that focused more on adaptability than anything else as an echo of the new normal.

So dig out your grandparents’ old photos because this autumn and winter, we’re seeing a fashion comeback of some the most iconic garments in the likes of acid-wash jeans, pleated skirts, and grandad vests with a modern twist.

Avant-Garde Knitwear

Summer 2021 was brightened up by knitwear in groovy colours and versatile shapes, from skirts and dress sets to vests and totes.

The autumn/ winter season will continue celebrating knitted garments in comfy yet flattering silhouettes.

Ulla Johnson and Bevza’s ankle-long sweater dresses make sweater weather fun and sexy, and Fendi’s maxi knitted skirt and crop top in dark grey opens us up to the magic of accessorising.

Pair your oversized knitted dress with chunky women’s boots and a faux fur bag for a more relaxed look, or add a touch of luxe to your tie-dye cable knit sweater with off-white flared trousers and nylon knee-high women’s boots.

Vests are Back

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Perhaps it’s time to dig into your grandad’s wardrobe because knitted vests are making a fashion comeback! But this time around, designers are having a spin on the preppy vintage look to offer a ready-to-wear, versatile look that is a definite Instagram hit.

Some of the designers who pioneered in presenting avant-garde knitwear in New York Fashion Week (NYFW) such as Bevza and PH5, are also rocking the sweater vest.

From eye-catching patterns to unique shapes, the fashion gurus are cueing us in on the best styling trends. ‘70s flares, ’90s band T-shirts, and chunky boots are the perfect match for your staple vest. Layering is also on-trend with this statement piece, from a classic white shirt underneath to a ski chic puffer jacket on top.

Pleated Skirt

Your inner schoolgirl is ready to make an entrance this winter in elegantly tailored, pleated skirts. But this staple businesswoman garment is beyond uniform. A revival of Princess Diana’s timeless taste, the pleated skirt has character, grace, and a touch of sultriness.

During this fashion season, designers showed us how versatile the pleated skirt can be. 3.1 Phillip Lim’s maxi skirt paired with an elegant tie-front shirt exuded royalty, while Dior’s dreamy pleated skirt in night forest hues matched with a blue cut-out sweater was a true enchantment.

These design inspirations should be on everyone’s autumn/winter fashion agenda.

Knitted vests; a fashion comeback

“Designers are taking a nostalgic look at the ‘90s baggy grunge jeans, the ‘80s acid-wash look, and the ‘70s flares, while the oh-so-done skinny jeans are put on pause.”

Ski Chic

Gear up because we’re going back to ski school! Oversized puffer jackets, coats, and parkas are the highlight of this season. If you’ve had the slightest concern you might be cold this winter, fashion designers are here to help. This thermal statement piece transcends the cozy mountain vibe into an urban scenario.

Miu Miu’s readyto-wear collection embraced the ski cool in superb alpine backdrops. Daringly filmed amongst the snowy peaks of the Cortina d’Ampezzo in the Dolomites Alps, the fashion

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show accentuates the contrast between the warm indoors and the cold outdoors in a mixture of layered silk slip dresses, bold knits, and faux fur mittens, topped with outstanding ski jackets in nudes, lilacs, and blues.

Louis Vuitton, Brunello Cucinelli, and Chanel, amongst many others, also didn’t shy away from refashioning the staple puffer jacket. There is no doubt that you’ll be sliding down the urban runaway in style and comfort this winter.

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back! Designers are taking a nostalgic look at the ‘90s baggy grunge jeans, the ‘80s acidwash look, and the ‘70s flares, while the oh-so-done skinny jeans are put on pause.

But it’s not just jeans that are embracing the denim revival. The exciting Japanese label Sacai by Chitose Abe paraded a stellar head-to-toe denim look, and Alberta Ferretti followed in its footsteps. Rentrayage and Erin Beatty reimagined denim in intricate shapes during NYFW. Jeans, vests, and asymmetrical skirts played with the patchwork trend to facilitate an exquisite bohemian look, which you can easily replicate at home as long as you harness your creative flair. Dream jeans!

With these outstanding fashion trends, you are sure to be rocking the street runway in style, comfort, and a smooth groove!

Patchwork & Craftwork

Sustainability meets craftsmanship in this bold, chic, and extravagant fall/winter trend.

As eco-awareness has been a hot topic within the fashion industry and beyond for quite a while now, designers are coming up with

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ways to bring sustainability design practices to the forefront.

This season, patchwork that utilizes unused fabric scraps or past collections are a hit. Of course, the trend was embraced by some of the most extravagant designers in the likes of Jeremy Scott of Moschino, Stuart Vevers of Coach, and Gabriela

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“Pair your oversized knitted dress with chunky women’s boots and a faux fur bag for a more relaxed look.”

Hearst of Chloe. Their upcycled, vibrant collaged garments showed us that prints, geometric patterns, and plenty of color are not to be feared.

From floral dresses to quilted coats, patchwork garments cater for a unique bohemian look that will make you stand out in the crowd. Since it’s such a statement piece, you can tone it down by wearing a pair of classic black Chelsea boots or knee-high boots paired with a mini skirt.

Denim on Denim

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Exercise & Fitness

by Jennifer Nastasi Guzelak

How to Avoid Weight Gain This Holiday Season The holidays are a time when family friends and co-workers gather to enjoy each other’s company – and eat! Everywhere we turn there are indulgent meals, cookie exchanges, holiday parties and family gatherings that encourage overeating, sedentary behavior and the consumption of calorie-rich foods.

It’s no surprise that maintaining a healthy weight is a challenge during the holiday season! Holiday weight gain is a common concern for many adults. In fact, it is one of the biggest contributors to our total annual weight gain.

If we gain an average of 1 pound each year and can’t lose it, it all adds up!

Study suggests you can control holiday weight gain

Is it inevitable? Are we destined to see a bigger number when we step on the scale in January?

A study published in The BMJ sought to find out.

Researchers examined the effectiveness of a brief (four to eight week) behavioral intervention to prevent weight gain over the Christmas holiday period. The researchers randomized two hundred and seventy-two adults into one of two groups.

The intervention group was given a behavioral intervention intended to increase their restraint of food and beverage consumption. The intervention involved three components: encouraging participants to regularly weigh themselves and record their weight; providing specific weight-management strategies; and providing information on how much physical activity would be needed to burn off the calories consumed in typical holiday foods and drinks. The control group received information on healthy living.

Results showed that the intervention group lost an average of 0.3 pounds, while the control group gained 0.8 pounds. This may not seem like much, but research shows that weight gains are not fully lost in the months following the holidays. Although the yearly gain is small, it can add up to an increase of 10 pounds over 10 years!

How much activity would it take to burn off this eggnog?

If you want to lose or maintain your weight during the holidays, it can be helpful

to know the rough number of calories in your favorite indulgences and, in turn, how to tweak your gym sessions to balance things out. Calories aren’t the only important nutritional factor in a food, but they do matter.

Understanding how much physical activity it would take to burn off calories, and possibly considering that information when making choices about what to eat, also played a role in preventing weight gain. In the study, the researchers provided the intervention group with a chart that showed the approximate amount of activity it would take to burn the calories found in a given number of festive foods. For example, you would need to spend about forty minutes walking to burn all the calories in plain eggnog; one hour for spiked. It would take approximately eight minutes of walking or four minutes of running to burn off the calories in five tablespoons of gravy.

“Holiday weight gain is a common concern for many adults. In fact, it is one of the biggest contributors to our total annual weight gain.”

Here are a few strategies to help you keep your weight in check without foregoing your holiday traditions.

• Mark all of the holiday events you’ll be attending on your calendar so that you’ll remember to plan ahead. If the meal is not at your home, eat lighter the day of the event to make up for the extra calories you will consume at the party. This will help you avoid overindulging later.

• If you struggle with tasting while cooking, try chewing sugar-free gum while preparing the meal, or have a small snack before you start cooking. After the meal, send leftovers home with family and friends.

• Weigh yourself regularly. Stepping on the scale once or twice a week during the holiday season can help keep your weight in check. If you see things moving in the wrong direction you can take action before significant weight gain sets in.

• Bring a healthy dish to share with others. Holiday parties can be a common setback in the battle against holiday weight gain. In these instances, you often have little or no control over the food that’s served. The good news is, you can have control over what you eat.

Weigh yourself regularly

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• Start new holiday traditions that don’t revolve around food. Attend a holiday concert, or take a drive or walk to see holiday lights. Catch up with a friend over a yoga or Zumba class instead of meeting for a peppermint mocha latte.

In Conclusion:

Let’s end this article with an important reminder. There’s no need to feel guilty about eating holiday foods. Food is meant to be enjoyed, especially this time of year!

Preventing weight gain over the holidays can be a challenge, but it is possible! You just need to have a plan, stay focused and keep moving.

Keep your eating to the holiday, not to the holiday season. Wishing you peace, joy, and good health always. Good luck to you.

I have been a personal trainer for over eighteen years and I absolutely love what I do.

I honestly feel that I have one of the best jobs out there! The most rewarding part of my profession is helping one of my clients succeed at reaching their personal fitness goals.

Making a difference in someone’s life makes it all worthwhile. I am currently certified by the National Sports Conditioning Association, Apex Fitness Group, and the International Sports Science Association.

• Get plenty of rest. Sleep deprivation, which is quite common during the holidays, can contribute to weight gain. This is because those who do not sleep enough tend to be hungrier, consume more calories and exercise less.

• Go easy on the alcohol. Alcohol can increase your appetite and lower your resolve to resist overeating.

Many holiday drinks have as many or more calories than a dessert.

• Stay active with family and friends. Sedentary activities, such as sitting on the couch and watching TV, are common holiday traditions for many families.

When this is accompanied by the consumption of excessive amounts of food it’s a recipe for disaster.

Make sure you set aside time each day to do seasonal activities the whole family can enjoy even if it is only for twenty minutes.

• Learn to manage stress. Stress associated with the holidays can be a huge trigger for people with little or no self-control. Make sure you set aside some time each day for activities that help you relax.

• The workplace can be hazardous around the holidays; holiday lunches and office parties can make it difficult for even the most health-conscious employee to make smart choices. Try to choose lower-calorie items when you are able and move holiday cookies and candy to a high-traffic area.

“How much activity would it take to burn off this eggnog?”

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to see the level of vitriol spewed forth by some of NOW PLAY my peers. Multiple reviews ING proclaimed that there was too many callbacks, too TABLE

by BRIAN MILLER many easter eggs, too much HOPP ING time spent dwelling in the past, and far too much fan service. All the reasons that they found to hate the production, quite honestly, were the exact reasons that I loved it.

If I were to make a list of the most influential movies of my life, there is no doubt that AFTERLIFE is a direct GHOSTBUSTERS would find itself right near the top. It was one of the first films I truly sequel to the 1984 original, adored, and even in my video store days, I would watch it on a never-ending loop. Even conveniently ignoring the now, I know almost every line of dialogue fact that the not-quiteand every note of music. as-great 1989 sequel When I first began reviewing movies ever existed. Struggling as a teenager, I did so because I thought single mom Callie (Carrie many critics at the time had somehow Coon) discovers that the forgotten that at the end of the day, movies RATED: PG 13 father that abandoned are supposed to be fun. Yes, there are RUN TIME: 2h 4min her as a child has passed important, heavy, dramatic films where “fun” GENRE: Adventure, Comedy, Fantasy away, leaving her and isn’t really the intention. But, when it comes STARRING: Carrie Coon, Paul Rudd, her children, Trevor (Finn to big budget blockbusters and comedies, Finn Wolfhard Wolfhard) and Phoebe entertainment value and audience reactions DIRECTOR: Jason Reitman (Mckenna Grace) as the sole Writers: Jason Reitman, Gil Kenan are far more important than artistic vision. beneficiaries to his estate. When they arrive in the small town of Summerville, Oklahoma I bring this up because after savoring they find a creepy, apocalyptic farmhouse chock full of oddities and quirks. I instantly GRADE: A every minute of the endlessly entertaining was blasted into nerd overdrive in this moment, as there were so many easter eggs GHOSTBUSTERS:AFTERLIFE, I was shocked

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director Ivan Reitman. I’ve read a few other reviews that criticized this latest installment for relying too heavily on retreads from the past, but, oddly enough, this is what I loved about it. It felt like a part-sequel and part-remake, with mirrored elements getting just enough of a twist that I found them to be delightfully endearing. There are so many sights, sounds, and cues that directly play on the original that even superfans like myself are unlikely to spot them all the first time around. At the same time, a new generation of fans (welcome to the club, kids!) are given enough thrills, chills, and laughs that they can at least get an idea what it was like for their dear old dad to be so enamored with the Busters in the 80s. Movies have come a long way since 1984, and while AFTERLIFE may not feel as revolutionary or special as its predecessor, at the same time, it’s the very thing that films are supposed to be; it’s fun.

GHOSTBUSTERS: AFTERLIFE-A

within these initial glimpses of the home that it was all I could do to force myself not to excitedly point out every single one to my kids in the packed theater.

This was no ordinary house, and its owner was no ordinary man. Egon Spangler was one of the founding members of the Ghostbusters, and Phoebe, his highly intelligent granddaughter, is just as brilliant as he was. Approaching life from a scientific point of view, she typically has difficulty making friends, though when she crosses paths with the self-nicknamed Podcast (Logan Kim) the two hit it off. She doesn’t believe in supernatural occurrences, but she does know that constant earthquakes in the middle of Oklahoma aren’t normal. Trevor, meanwhile, isn’t interested in earthquakes, or the secrets hidden within the endless array of trinkets and artifacts in his new home. He only has eyes for Lucky (Celesste O’Connor), a girl he meets on his first day in town. As far as Callie is concerned, she

“All the reasons that they found to hate the production, quite honestly, were the exact reasons that I loved it.”

Tsha‘hoñ’noñyeñ’dakhwa’

Paul Rudd as Gary Grooberson

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just wants to keep a roof over her family’s head, and to forget the father that had never cared about her, though she does seem intrigued by summer school teacher (and secret Ghostbuster afficionado) Gary Grooberson (Paul Rudd.)

As Phoebe begins to understand Egon and the reasons for his isolated existence on the farm, she develops a new appreciation and love for the

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grandfather she never knew. It certainly doesn’t hurt that his spirt (literally) seems to be guiding her in many ways, and by the time the audience learns that Gozer the Gozerian may be gearing up for their reemergence, we already know that the Stay-Puft Marshmallow man and those demon dogs must be lurking around somewhere.

AFTERLIFE was written and directed by Jason Reitman, who is the son of original GHOSTBUSTERS

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Dark Hollow • 8pm

JESSE DAYTON w/s/g Raedwald Howland-Bolton • 8pm

Eric & Meghan from Dirtroad Ruckus

Average Joe’s, Baldwinsville

Harmonic Dirt • 6-8pm

December 9

December 17

December 31

December 9

The Showroom, Turning Stone Casino, Verona

December 26

Motif Bar & Lounge, Turning Stone, Verona

Dirtroad Ruckus

Funk n Waffles, Syracuse

Sawyer Brown • 8pm

Motif Bar & Lounge, Turning Stone, Verona

Dennis Veator • 8pm

December 11

Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, Syracuse

The Westcott Theatre, Syracuse

Travis Rocco • 8pm

Docks Grill at Pirates Cove Marina, Clay

Symphoria presents: Messiah

Mihali • 8pm

featuring: Joe Whiting, Ronnie Leigh, Tas Cru, Rob Spagnoletti, Morris Tarbell, Dirtroad Ruckus Trio Jes Sheldon, Jeff Stockham, Scott Ebner, Angry Garlic, Baldwinsville Dave Liddy, Tom Townsley, Rod Zajak, December 17 Bob Purdy, Mark Yonnick, Mary Ann Keep Up • 7-9:30pm Casale, Dunham Hall, Lenny Milano, Willow Rock Brewing Company, Syracuse Rex Lyons, Irv Lyons, Bob Sherwood, Mike Burns and George Deveny December 17 The Palace Theatre, Syracuse

December 17

Mystyk Groove Machine Band

Sundub • 8pm

December 4

The GREAT Salt City Blues Concert 5 • 7:30pm

December 18

Willow Rock Brewing Company, Syracuse

December 8

Touch of Texas, Binghamton

John Spillett Jazz/Pop Duo • 6-9pm

Sharkey’s Bar & Grill, Liverpool

December 4

Dirtroad Ruckus

KennaDee

December 23

December 2

Amy Grant and Michael W. Smith • 7:30pm

KennaDee

TRANSIENT KICKS + Soul Intention • 8pm

The Million Dollar Quartet: Christmas • 7pm

January 8

The Westcott Theatre, Syracuse

January 21

Umphrey’s McGee • 7:30pm The Landmark Theatre, Syracuse

PAGE 29 • December 2021

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Sports December 1

Syracuse Crunch vs.

Rochester Americans • 7pm Blue Cross Arena, Rochester

December 1

January 7, 8, 9

Funny Bone Comedy Club, Syracuse

The Oncenter War Memorial, Syracuse

Brewerton Center for the Arts of CNY, Brewerton

December 21

December 4 & 5

Lights on the Lake: Last Night at Lights on the Lake Regular Season

Theatre

Onondaga Lake Park, Liverpool

November 19-January 2

Syracuse Men’s Basketball vs.

Cornell • 9pm

The Carrier Dome, Syracuse

Syracuse Women’s Basketball vs.

Siena • 2pm

The Oncenter War Memorial, Syracuse

December 4

Syracuse Men’s Basketball @ Florida State • 4pm

December 4

Syracuse Crunch vs.

Rochester Americans • 7pm The Oncenter War Memorial, Syracuse

December 5

Syracuse Women’s Basketball vs.

Connecticut State • 2pm The Carrier Dome, Syracuse

December 7

Syracuse Men’s Basketball vs.

Villanova • 4pm New York, NY

December 8

Syracuse Crunch vs.

Cleveland Monsters • 7pm The Oncenter War Memorial, Syracuse

December 8

Syracuse Women’s Basketball vs.

Cornell • 7pm The Carrier Dome, Syracuse

December 10

Syracuse Crunch vs.

Charlotte Checkers • 7pm Bojangles’ Colisium, Charlotte

December 11

Syracuse Men’s Basketball @ Georgetown • 4pm

December 11

Syracuse Crunch vs.

Charlotte Checkers • 7pm Bojangles’ Colisium, Charlotte

December 17

Syracuse Crunch vs.

Belleview Senators • 7pm The Oncenter War Memorial, Syracuse

December 18

Syracuse Men’s Basketball vs.

Lehigh • 6pm The Carrier Dome, Syracuse

December 18

Syracuse Women’s Basketball vs.

UMBC • 11am The Carrier Dome, Syracuse

December 12

December 4

Syracuse Crunch vs.

Laval Rocket • 7pm

The Carrier Dome, Syracuse

Syracuse Crunch vs. Wilkes-Barre/ Scranton Penguins • 7pm

TABLE HOPPING

December 18

Syracuse Women’s Basketball vs.

Ohio State • 8pm

December 3

•

December 22

The Carrier Dome, Syracuse

December 22

Syracuse Crunch vs.

Providence Bruins • 7pm

BCA Holiday Art and Gift Fair 2021

Plowshares Craftsfair & Peace Festival Science and Industry Building at

Jason Banks • 7:30 & 10pm

January 9

January 10-14

December 4 & 5

Lights on the Lake: Charity Nights, Lights on the Lake Giveback

St. Elias Church, Syracuse

January 22

NYS Fairgrounds, Syracuse

St. Elias Holiday Bazaar

December 4-19

Festival of Trees & Light The Everson Museum, Syracuse

Onondaga Lake Park, Liverpool

Dancing With The Stars • 8pm The Event Center, Turning Stone, Verona

December 4-19

Art

Syracuse Crunch vs.

Belleview Senators • 7pm

The Village of Skaneateles, Skaneateles

November 1-December 17

The Oncenter War Memorial, Syracuse

Brunch with Santa

The Oncenter War Memorial, Syracuse

December 28

December 29

Syracuse Men’s Basketball vs.

Georgia Tech• 7pm The Carrier Dome, Syracuse

December 29

Syracuse Crunch vs.

Laval Rocket • 7pm The Oncenter War Memorial, Syracuse

December 30

Syracuse Women’s Basketball @ North Carolina • 6pm

January 7

Syracuse Crunch vs.

Hershey Bears • 7pm

Dickens Christmas

December 5

Rosemond Gifford Zoo, Syracuse

December 8

Salina Street Exhibit Final Stroll Tour • 4:30-5:30pm Onondaga Historial Association, Syracuse

December 10

December 10, 11, 12

December 1-January 15

Funny Bone Comedy Club, Syracuse

Erie Canal Museum, Syracuse

Onondaga Historial Association, Syracuse ArtRage Gallery, Syracuse

Jim Breuer: Freedom of Laughter Tour • 7:30 & 10pm

December 14

January 8

The Landmark Theatre, Syracuse

Events December 1

Steve-O Bucket List Tour • 8pm The Westcott Theatre, Syracuse

December 2 - January 9

36th Annual Gingerbread Gallery Erie Canal Museum, Syracuse

December 3

22 & Good 4 U Taylor Swift vs.

Olivia Rodrigo • 8pm The Westcott Theatre, Syracuse

Adult Twilight: Festive Fun Paint-N-Sip Party

December 16

Are You Garbage? • 7:30pm Funny Bone Comedy Club, Syracuse

December 17 & 18 Dave Landau • 7:30pm

Funny Bone Comedy Club, Syracuse

December 19

DDC Holiday 2021 “Land of the Misfit Toys” • 6pm The Palace Theatre, Syracuse

Thru December 24

Crafted Underground • Sat & Sun

Funny Bone Comedy Club, Syracuse

December 4

Virtual Event

December 4

Glo Loko: White Out Edition • 9pm The Westcott Theatre, Syracuse

The Everson Film Series Presents: Kusama: Infinity

The Oncenter War Memorial, Syracuse

Jeff Dunham: Seriously!? • 7pm

Thru December 29

The Palace Theatre, Syracuse

December 2

The Everson Museum, Syracuse

December 3 & 4

Vic DiBitetto– ”The Italian Hurricane” • 8-11pm

Sketching Syracuse: The Syracuse Urban Sketchers Exhibit

December 14

Wildflowers Armory at The McCarthy Mercantile, Syracuse

John Freid • 7:30pm

December 1-January 15

Holiday Sale & “The Bear Tree” Book Talk • 4-7pm

It’s A Wonderful Life • 7pm

The Oncenter War Memorial, Syracuse

Madison County Historial Society, Oneida

Robin Holder: The USA UnitedStates of Anxiety/ We’re In It Together

The Oncenter War Memorial, Syracuse

Syracuse Crunch vs.

Rochester Americans • 7pm

A Madison County Holiday Travel Through Time • 10am-3pm Guided Tours: Nov. 21 & 28 at 1pm Dec. 12 & 19 at 1pm

Syracuse.com Online Job Fair

December 30-January 1 Disney On Ice Presents Mickey & Friends

The Oncenter War Memorial, Syracuse

December 31

Jessimae Peluso • 7:30pm Funny Bone Comedy Club, Syracuse

December 2

Rosemond Gifford Zoo, Syracuse

December 2-9

Family Holiday Crafts with Tom Franco and the Grateful 8-10 The Everson Museum, Syracuse

Matilda The Musical

Syracuse Stage, Syracuse

December 2 - January 6

ACME Mystery Company presents: A Dickens of a Death The Spagetti Warehouse, Syracuse

December 3

Jr. Stars: On Stage Merry-Go-Round Playhouse, Auburn

December 3-19 Sister Act

Redhouse, Syracuse

December 4

Syracuse City Ballet presents The Nutcracker • 11am & 3pm The Oncenter War Memorial, Syracuse

December 4

Vic DiBitetto –”The Italian Hurricane” • 8-11pm The Palace Theatre, Syracuse

December 5

Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer: The Musical • 3pm The Landmark Theatre, Syracuse

December 5

Syracuse City Ballet presents The Nutcracker • 2pm The Oncenter War Memorial, Syracuse

December 7-12 Waitress

Landmark Theatre, Syracuse

December 11

Getting to Know...

Footloose the Musical • 7pm The Palace Theatre, Syracuse

2021 Light Work Grants: Carla Liesching, Jessica Magallanes Martinez, Paul Pearce

December 12

Light Work, Syracuse

The Palace Theatre, Syracuse

December 2-9

James Henkel: Object Lessons Exhibition Light Work, Syracuse

December 2 - January 2

AbStranded: Fiber and Abstraction in Contemporary Art The Everson Museum, Syracuse

December 2 - January 2 From Soup to Nuts

The Everson Museum, Syracuse

December 2 - January 9 Cheryl Dunn: Licking The Bowl The Everson Museum, Syracuse

December 4

Sketch and Paint Along with Robert Carsten: Travel Sketches The Everson Museum, Syracuse

Deadline is december 22nd for the january issue

Getting to Know...

Footloose the Musical • 4pm

January 19-February 6 Yoga Play

Syracuse Stage, Syracuse

January 24 & 25 RENT • 7pm

The Landmark Theatre, Syracuse

January 28 & 29

Sebastian Maniscalco: Nobody Does This Tour • 7pm The Landmark Theatre, Syracuse

January 29 & 30

Citizen James, or The Young Man Without a Country Syracuse Stage, Syracuse Virtual Event

PAGE 30 • December 2021 •

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TABLE HOPPING

Preventive Medicine

by Dr. Barry

Health Gift Giving Well, it’s been a long and strange year and we can only hope that next year will restore some normality but I am not holding my breath. Instead let me focus on getting you through the holiday with some healthy advice. No, I am not going to remonstrate you about your eggnog habit or the wassail bowl. Those Xmas cookies and candy studded fruitcakes get a pass in today’s article. I have the whole rest of the year to chide you about your diet.

Rather, I am going to give you some gift giving advice.

They have made much in the news about the supply side issues and making sure you can get your presents shipped in time for the holidays. No worries, I have you covered. I always favor the local guy when I can.

Of course you can always start with massage certificates. Either you like massages or you don’t but there are many different types of massage and we have lots of massage therapists in Central New York. Luckily, if you give a person a gift certificate and they are not into massage there is always regifting. If you want to give something a little different why

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not get a certificate to the Red Light Spa in Camillus. They offer hot yoga, heat wraps, hot saunas, infrared treatments etc. Surely this is better than another tie or bundt cake.

Better to sweat out the toxins than another ugly sweater.

How about something on the literary side? Dr. Gundry’s newest book the Energy Paradox is a great gift for someone who feels run down and worn out. Frankly it’s a great book for anyone who wants to improve their health. Sure, he sells a lot of supplements but that’s absolutely not the focus of the book at all. Dr. Chris Knobbe also has a great book entitled Omega 6 Apocalypse that will interest any of your friends who are health conscious. It’s a stunning exploration of the seed oils that are ruining our health one donut, one french fry and one salad dressing at a time.

On a budget? Give the most important thing...the gift of time and companionship.

Take someone for a walk...a tour of the MOST...a trip around the Zoo...check out the Christmas tree display at the Everson.

Get out with a friend and do something active like snowshoeing at Highland Forest or ice skating downtown. Ok, maybe not take grandma ice skating but you can take the grandkids. How about bringing the family or a friend to the Desantis Holiday Show at St. Charles Church, Sunday December 12th at 5 pm? This is always a great show for the holidays.

It’s also time to start making your plans for your health next year...if you don’t make plans and have goals you are just drifting through your health care.

You are not just some leaf in the gutter swirling around in reaction to the rains. Like it or not your health depends on your diet and environment and you control this. Make a plan about weight loss, make a plan regarding your exercise, alcohol use, etc. Plan it, track it, change it. It’s great to give gifts to others but what about gifting yourself a plan for better health. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. Until next year...get well and stay well.

JT BARRY MD

“Dr. Chris Knobbe also has a great book entitled Omega 6 Apocalypse that will interest any of your friends who are health conscious.”

FOR ADVERTISING INFORMATION, CALL (315) 474-1011

PAGE 31 • December 2021

•

TABLE HOPPING

Originally written by George Ezra and Joel Pott. The music being written is an amalgamation of our two very different playing and writing styles and difference in live tone, guitarically.

CS: As a musician who writes and composes, what do you think about the scope of writers and the original material that comes from the area?

by Chuck Schiele AS: In Syracuse? Dude, yeah! This city is filled with wickedly awesome and talented artists, writers, composers and performers all over. I wish I could have the chance to listen and collaborate with more of them much more frequently. There are some beast players around here that I love and respect the hell out of. It’s like Syracuse is a melting pot of its own and tends to be a really unique place that you will most likely be exposed to a ton of different music genres and sounds that you might have never expected you’d listen to. For example, the Syracuse University students leaving a mark before they head out to wherever it is they travel to next,the people from NYC and other larger cities in a relatively The Dirty Doves is a new duo featuring Syracuse axemen, Jamie Cunningham and close proximity who pass through for a few days and of course, all of the music lovers who Anthony Saturno – who began their collaboration with the onset of the pandemic. While come into town when a really hot act is playing at a notable club or venue in the area. the industry went into hibernation the Doves took flight and got busy with writing and CS: “Pure and Simple.” Please tell us how you came to write it? Is there a story behind it all? recording.

AS: As we were adding songs to this list of an inevitable “album” we came across the title The group considers their of one of Jamie’s tunes and agreed that the process of recording, mixing, mastering, ect... musical journey to be one was rather organic and say, pure & simple. of virtuosity and it is evident CS: What’s coming up for the Doves? in their release this past AS: As far as the next moves, we summer of “Pure & Simple.” are actively writing new material, I caught up with Anthony consistently playing shows in the to tell us about it. greater Upstate region and working on Chuck Schiele: You have a tour or two for 2022 so stay tuned! a new project. Dirty Doves.

CS: How do we stay in touch with the Tell us about it.

Anthony Saturno: Chuck, Dirty Doves?

AS: Absolutely! https://linktr.ee/ thanks for the invite to chat again! Your questions always thedirtydoves Thanks, man. help me dive deeper into Chuck Schiele 858 663 9612

Sounds Of Syracuse

Dirty Doves Take Flight

any project I’m working on, much appreciated! The Dirty Doves consists of myself and Jamie Cunningham. A blend of Jamie’s acoustic tones and my electric rig with fun effects and spaceyness. Every live show is a new experience, even for us sometimes because we hardly replicate the same song the exact same way twice. It’s quite a musical journey.

CS: How did you and Jamie Cunningham come to initiate the project?

AS: Well, about 5 or 6 years ago, I needed some coffee down in Armory Square, Syracuse and stopped into the Freedom Of Espresso before heading to the original Ish Guitars’ location downtown to shred some really cool guitars. I got talking music and guitars with the barista, known best as Jamie Cunningham. We originally started as completely separate musicians in very different bands in the Syracuse music scene. After consistently crossing paths we decided to join forces and make some music (the Maxwell’s open mic was a great starting point). We started passing riffs and songs back and forth for fun and kept evolving from there, writing new music and having a blast doing it.

CS: This is somewhat of a departure...an aside...artistically speaking from the way Syracuse music lovers might have come to know you.

AS: I love playing music and I love diving into various genres. It’s a challenge and an adventure. Playing in a variety of different groups whilst writing original music definitely keeps me on my toes. Always learning a tidbit here and there, it’s a great experience.

CS: What was the inspiration for the project?

AS: We wanted to incorporate more original material to our setlist. We both had songs that needed a “home,” and they happened to find themselves on the album. The only song we didn’t write, but came up with a different arrangement for, is “Barcelona.”

“Every live show is a new experience, even for us sometimes because we hardly replicate the same song the exact same way twice.”

Joanne Vaughn

was our Lucky WINNER for the

Night on the Town Contest!

She chose EUCLID for dinner!

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Photo does not represent actual winners.

PAGE 32 • December 2021 •

TABLE HOPPING

Golf

by kent osborne

Falling Into, And Getting Out Of, Golf’s Deepest Trap Before golf, my sport was beer-league softball. Our team was brutal, but we sure had fun. After every game, we’d gather in a semi-circle around the tailgate of Terry’s truck, have a beer or two, and decide who’d be the latest recipient of the coveted “trophy” ...a wooden leg adorned with baseball hose and a shoe, given to the player who made the worst play of the night.

I played with the aptly named “Blues” for six laugh-filled seasons until fate threw a curveball. Around my 50th birthday, I injured my throwing arm and had to hang up my glove. A few weeks later – perhaps because I was desperate for something active to do – I jumped at the chance to play golf in a charity tournament with a few of my teammates.

Much to my surprise, I really enjoyed myself. Then and there, I decided to become a regular golfer.

But right from the very beginning, I couldn’t help but notice an obvious paradox – despite their pre-round enthusiasm, my buddies derived little enjoyment from actually

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playing golf. Where Did the Joy Go? No doubt, my pals cracked a smile whenever they rolled in a birdie, and they clearly enjoyed sharing jokes and chirping at each other as we walked down the fairway.

But mostly, when it came time to execute a shot, their happy-go-lucky mood vanished as soon as they stood over the ball.

To be honest, the contrast took me by surprise. On the diamond, we laughed at our gaffs. Of course, you’d hear the occasional cuss after an error, but the bad mood would dissipate almost as soon as it appeared. I guess you could say we all knew how good we weren’t.

But on the golf course, the same guys would act as if a miss-hit carried dire consequences.

They’d make a bad swing, describe the reason aloud, then routinely step to the side and rehearse a “correct” motion. On the putting green, they’d get so sour after missing a short putt you’d think they’d lost a chance to get a tour card. And these emotional storm clouds seemed to linger, and often get darker, as the round went on. At one point, I remember asking myself, “Why are they paying good money to get pissed-off at themselves?”

My Delusional Pledge And so, full of righteousness, I decided to be different. With hindsight, I can see it was self-delusion, but at the time, I actually believed I’d have no problem establishing and maintaining a carefree, fun-filled approach to golf. After all, I was a successful performance coach. I’d worked with All-Stars in the NHL, and I’d been an executive coach to corporate leaders all over the globe. Frankly, I assumed I’d rise above the needless fears and foolish frustrations that regularly plagued my buddies on the links.

But like I said, it was selfdelusion.

Once my game improved to the point where I could break 90 regularly, my focus slowly but surely shifted from playing golf for recreation to performing in a way that would produce a “good” score. In other words, my reason for being on the golf course was subtly but significantly changing – albeit unwittingly – from enjoying the experience of making a swing to making my swing a means to an end.

And continuing to improve my physical ability only made things worse. By the time I was skilled enough to break 80 occasionally, my

“On the putting green, they’d get so sour after missing a short putt you’d think they’d lost a chance to get a tour card.”

PAGE 33 • December 2021

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expectations were so out-of-whack that my dominant on-course mood was frustration.

Good shots left me feeling neutral because, after all, I should be able to make that shot.

And the inevitable bad swings and missed putts left me sour at myself. To sum up, I’d say I was emotionally misaligned to what should’ve been my primary target – the joy at the heart of simply playing a game.

I mean...what is with the game of golf? Why do otherwise contented, successful, rational people invest most of their precious emotional energy into their worst moments on the golf course and put little or no energy into their best?

In my case, there really was no excuse. I was professionally trained to know better and do better.

Yet, I still fell into the trap of allowing negative feelings to diminish my enjoyment and often derail my most promising rounds.

I see three reasons for the error of my ways: First, the nature of the mind. All of us are hard-wired to pay attention to negatives because it gave us an evolutionary advantage.

The ability to notice when something looked or sounded out-of-place at the watering hole kept stone-age hunter-gatherers alive. But that ability can have the average golfer over-focused on mechanical flaws and under-invested in how good it feels to make a good swing.

Second, the nature of the game. To play any sport to the best of your ability, the subconscious mind must be center stage, and the conscious mind needs to take a back seat. But unlike many other sports, golf doesn’t allow us to react to a ball or an angry opponent, thereby automatically engaging the subconscious. In golf, we initiate the action. Not only that, but there’s a lot of time between shots, which equates to your thoughts moving to the forefront of your awareness. No wonder it’s difficult to get into “the zone” and stay there for 18 holes!

Third, mainstream golf psychology’s overemphasis on positive thinking. Look, I’m

“I made a commitment to feeling great when I made a great shot.”

•

TABLE HOPPING

not saying there’s anything wrong with positive thinking. What I’m saying is this – you can’t think your way out of a negative emotional state. As anyone anxious about public speaking will tell you, once fear or frustration really kicks in, no amount of positive selftalk will get rid of it. Something more is required, and believing your emotions are less important than your thoughts doesn’t lend itself to fixing the problem.

Here’s the simple practice that helped me change my habitual on-course emotions from mostly negative to mostly positive – I made a commitment to feeling great when I made a great shot. (And here I’m talking about a great shot for me, not for Mr. McIlroy or his peers on the PGA Tour).

And the keyword here is feeling. I’m not talking about changing my thoughts by saying “great shot” to myself or even saying it aloud. I’m talking about an Ian Poulter at the Ryder Cup chest pump kind of feeling...the kind of emotion that actually comes from such a genuine, heartfelt passion for the game that it imprints itself on your memory.

You have that passion.

Let yourself feel it where it matters most – on the golf course, immediately after you make a great swing or drain a great putt.

Don’t respond to your best moments with a ho-hum attitude. Permit yourself to punctuate a great swing by letting yourself relish the accomplishment.

It’s definitely a better way for me to play the game, and it just might be a better way for you as well.

Let yourself feel passion

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PAGE 34 • December 2021 •

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TABLE HOPPING

Sports Take

by Mike Lindsley

Sean Tucker is Something Special Jim Brown. Ernie Davis. Floyd Little. Joe Morris. Walter Reyes.

You know the names who have played running back at Syracuse who are in the upper pantheon of college football, and in a couple cases, pro football. A few have worn #44.

Who knows if Sean Tucker will wear #44 one day. What we do know is he is set up to join the above group and many others if you would like to toss them in, running backs and fullbacks alike. Larry Csonka, Michael Owens and Rob Konrad to name a few.

Sean Tucker is some kind of special. He hits the hole, has great vision, is quick on his feet, can run North-South or East-West, is hard to bring down and has unbelievable body control. He is the first player in program history to rush for over 1,000 yards in eight games or less. Frankly, he is the Syracuse offense. When #34 goes, they go.

As of this writing, Syracuse has two games left against ranked teams, N.C. State and Pittsburgh, respectively, and still chases bowl eligibility. Perhaps this will be another Dino Babers finish and overall look that we have grown accustomed to around these

parts. Splashes here and there, beat Clemson here, beat Virginia Tech there, win a Camping World Bowl with double digit wins (Eric Dungey!) as well, and of course falling apart in October and November.

The result? A losing record.

Or maybe a bowl and even a bowl victory.

But no matter what this team does, Sean Tucker will be the story of the 2021 season, his second freshman year due to COVID. He is appointment viewing, in-person or on TV. You stop and watch him when he has the ball.

He is electric and fun and strong and humble. He is everything you want in a college running back.

Do I think #44 should be brought down for him?

Sure, why not? Retiring college numbers always seemed weird to me from

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PAGE 35 • December 2021

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the standpoint that if those legends go on to the professional ranks in any sport and become all-timers, that’s when you can retire a number. #7 with the Yankees. #4 with the Bruins. #99 in the sport of hockey. #9 with the Red Sox. #6 with the Celtics. #23 with the Bulls. #32 with the Browns (Yep, him again). The list goes on and on. It just always made more sense from this chair to retire numbers in the pro ranks.

Also, I don’t think the number is a recruiting tool anymore because not many 1618-year olds know the names from the past, and most probably don’t care. They want to go to the NFL and play on big time TV as many times as possible and wear cool colors and uniforms and have a great college lifestyle.

However, bringing the number down would pay tribute to SU legends of the past. It would sell more jerseys. It would jolt the fan base. It would make people talk about the program more nationally.

In other words, FREE marketing! Not even Daryl Gross could pull that one off with “New York’s College Team” on top of city cabs.

Sean Tucker is special. He is a developing legend in front of our eyes. #34 could become #44 before his days are done on The Hill.

Either way, enjoy the ride. Sean Tucker is something special.

Mike Lindsley has been in sports media for 20 years. He hosts the ML Sports Platter Podcast on Apple, Spotify and Google. Follow him on Twitter @MikeLSports.

“Do I think #44 should be brought down for him?

Sure, why not?”

•

TABLE HOPPING

THIS MONTH’S

Lentil Soup with Vinaigrette Ingredients 2 tbsp. olive oil 1 onion, chopped 2 stalks celery, diced 2 carrots, diced 2 cloves garlic, chopped 2 cups baby spinach 2 tsp. kosher salt 3/4 cup tomato sauce 2 cups lentils 2 cups water

from Lauren Brown

4 cups chicken or vegetable broth 1 bay leaf 1/2 tsp. dried thyme 1 tsp. balsamic vinegar FOR VINAIGRETTE 1/4 cup olive oil 2 tbsp. balsamic vinegar 1 clove garlic, minced 1/2 tsp. salt

Directions

Step 1 • Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat, then cook onion, celery, carrots, and garlic with salt, stirring occasionally, until limp and browning, about 10 minutes. Add the rest of soup ingredients and bring to a boil. Turn down the heat to medium low and simmer until vegetables and lentils have softened.

Step 2 • Meanwhile, whisk together all the vinaigrette ingredients.

Serve with a drizzle of vinaigrette over each bowl.

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour

Servings: 6

EUCLID

PAGE 36 • December 2021 •

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