Central New York Magazine - January/February 2022

When you’re expecting, expect the best.

Crouse Health’s family-centered maternity care goes beyond the expected when you’re expecting, providing around-the-clock care and support throughout all phases of pregnancy — before, during and after delivery. That’s why our diverse team of highly regarded OB/GYN physicians, nurses, midwives and doulas delivers more babies than any other hospital in Central New York.

Along with 24-hour in-house OB and anesthesia coverage, Crouse offers the most comprehensive resources and services to make your birth experience special — from an array of pre-birth classes, lactation support and integrative therapies, to personalized post-delivery care for both mom and baby.

Thankfully, most births go as planned. Yet it’s reassuring to know the region’s highest level of specialized newborn care is only available in our Neonatal Intensive Care Unit.

For the health of you and your baby, choose a provider who delivers at Crouse.

CROUSE Kienzle Family Maternity Center

PRESIDENT Tim Kennedy

ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER OF THE GOOD LIFE

Annette Peters 315-282-8527 apeters@advancemediany.com

SENIOR DIRECTOR OF MARKETING

Lindsay Marlenga lmarlenga@ advancemediany.com

CIRCULATION DIRECTOR

Thomas H. Brown 315-470-2053 tbrown@acssyr.com

MAGAZINE/EVENTS SALES MANAGER

Jennifer K. Queri 315-282-8622 jqueri@advancemediany.com

EDITOR

MJ Kravec 315-766-7833 mkravec@advancemediany.com

CONTENT EDITOR

Amy Bleier Long 315-282-8553 ableierlong@advancemediany.com

DESIGNERS

Fran Genovese fgenovese-finch@advancelocal.com Susan Santola ssantola@advancelocal.com

CUSTOMER SERVICE 315-470-6397

SUBSCRIPTIONS

Contact Jennifer Queri or visit www.readcnymagazine.com

ON THE COVER

Brrring it on. Walking in winter wonder at Green Lakes State Park. Photo by MJ Kravec. Cover design by Susan Santola.

The Good Life, Central New York Magazine (ISSN 1931-194X) is published six times a year by Advance Media New York, 220 S. Warren St., Syracuse, New York 13202. The Post-Standard © 2022. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic/digital, mechanical photocopying, recording or otherwise, without written permission.

All material submitted to Central New York Magazine becomes the property of Advance Media New York, publishers of The Post-Standard and Central New York Magazine. It will not be returned. Such a submission, to name a few examples, may be a letter to the editor, a cartoon, a picture, a poem and the like. Any such material may be excerpted, edited for length or content, and may be published or used in any other way. For example, on Syracuse.com or in The Post-Standard.

IF YOU’RE FACING CANCER, YOU’RE NEVER ALONE

At the Upstate Cancer Center, you don’t have one doctor, you have a team — with you for your entire cancer experience. Your highly skilled specialists — doctors, nurses, technicians, therapists — have expertise in multiple forms of cancer treatment. They offer the most advanced technology, cutting-edge targeted therapies and advanced national clinical trials.

Treatment is in state-of-the-art facilities. Right here in CNY. Close to home.

Locations include Syracuse, Oneida, Oswego, Auburn and our newest site, Upstate Community Hospital.

Want more?

Check out our website at readcnymagazine.com for seasonal features, stories, recipes, past issues and more. And don’t forget to drop us a line at info@ readcnymagazine.com.

And now, a word from our contributors:

Getting cozy

The walls are never so bare as they are in January. Kind of makes everything feel colder.

Best to think cozy thoughts. Make soup.

Snuggle under blankets. Embrace the season. Even if it’s winter. During the coldest, darkest time of the year, we hope our January/February issue brings you a little comfort and joy. To start the new year on a positive note, we talk to area wellness professionals who offer simple ways to feel good and be well.

If you need a break from winter, we offer an escape from the cold and spotlight six unusual Airbnbs in CNY. For those who want to hunker down at home, we highlight area businesses that bring their services right to your door. We also check in with three local ski clubs that uphold a tradition of bringing local families together to share in winter fun.

In other departments, market trends looks at the beautiful ways to send your thoughts on paper with greeting cards available in locally owned shops, CNY Scout sheds light on a local neon sign maker, Art Profile talks to Redhouse’s new Artistic Director Temar Underwood, Down to Earth checks in with National Grid on easy ways to conserve energy and Farm to Table offers a comforting recipe for Honey Maple-glazed Ham from Miss Prissy’s at Salt City Market.

Also in this issue, our annual wedding guide features the unique style of one local couple’s big day and highlights what’s new in area wedding venues and specialty services.

To cap off our winter edition, we caught up with Chocolatier Adam Mazzoni on what it’s like to work with all that sweet temptation.

All good things to warm you up during the coldest time of the year. Cheers!

Riley Utley

“I’m new to Central New York so writing about all these Airbnbs showed me the region in an incredibly unique way. It was a pleasure to tell these owners’ stories.”

On writing about CNY’s Airbnbs

MJ

mkravec@advancemediany.com 315-766-7833

Christine Dunne

“I enjoyed hearing how CNY residents are taking their passions and identifying unmet needs to create unique and successful businesses in our community.”

On writing about the reemergence of house calls in CNY

It’s All Good

Ways to embrace the season.

Positive Vibes: Slow living movement.

Our Town: Skaneateles.

Market Trends: Stationery.

Good News

The Landmark’s lit.

Behind the Scenes: Syracuse Mets’ new Metropolitan Club. 34 Caught Doing Good: Knitting caps for newborns. 38 The Seen: A pictorial review of CNY’s social gatherings.

Making Good

83 TV pilot shot in Syracuse. 84 CNY Scout: The Neon Shop. 87 Farm to Table: Miss Prissy’s Honey Maple-glazed Ham. 90 Down to Earth: Conserve energy this winter.

Art Profile: Redhouse’s new Artistic Director Temar Underwood.

Adam Mazzoni

Go with your heart.

You trust your heart to make all of life’s biggest decisions. And when something’s not right with your heart, you can trust the hospital with the most advanced cardiac care experience in Central New York. Our team has been ranked among the top 15 hospitals in the country for heart surgery by Consumer Reports — and we have been recognized by U.S. News & World Report as a High Performing Hospital in Heart Attack, Heart Failure, and Heart Bypass Surgery treatment and expertise. St. Joseph’s Health is safe and ready to care for you and your number-1 decision maker. Cross our hearts.

A HIGHER LEVEL OF CARE | gowithyourheartsjh.org

© 2021 St. Joseph’s Health. © 2021 Trinity Health. All rights reserved.

It ’s all good

POSITIVE VIBES • OUR TOWN • MARKET TRENDS

SPARKLE TIME

BY MJ KRAVEC

A freshly blanketed winter ‘scape, Of sky blue highs And covered shape. Frosts and flakes, And glimmering branch and snow capped trees a winter’s trance

Here 8 ways to relish the here and now.

It ’s all good

LET’S DANCE

Disco balls are having a moment — again. Ride that wave and display on a shelf or in the middle of your indoor garden. Place in a sunny window to cast sparkling light all over the room.

GO ORANGE

Chapped winter lips need extra TLC. Show ‘em some love with homemade lip scrub. Combine 1 ½ tsp. sugar, ¼ tsp. coconut oil and 1–2 drops of orange essential oil. Mix until consistency is similar to wet sand. Rub in a circular motion over lips. Remove with warm wash cloth. Store in an airtight container.

CREATE A STIR

Studies show cinnamon has anti-inflammatory properties and may help reduce the risk of heart disease. In addition, its cozy scent can also help sharpen your mind. Add a half teaspoon of cinnamon along with a teaspoon of honey to your morning coffee.

ALL WHITE NOW

Put up a warm glow all winter long. Decorate a mantel with cut birch logs and candles. Add white string lights to complete the wintry display.

MARKET-ABLE

For fresh local foods, go to the indoor Fayetteville Winter Farmers Market 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on the first and third Thursdays of the month at Fayetteville Towne Center (Jan. 6, 20, Feb. 3, 17). Forage farm-grown fruits and veggies, local meats and cheeses, eggs, dairy products, baked goods and more.

FLAKIN’ OUT

After last year’s event was canceled due to the pandemic, Syracuse Winterfest is back with its chili and chowder cooking competitions, cocktail mixers, ice sculptures, live entertainment and more. Runs Feb. 17 through 27. Visit syracusewinterfest.com.

ZESTFULLY CLEAN

Start the new year with a coffee maker cleanse. Wash away mineral deposits in your machine by running boiling water and a half cup of lemon juice through one cycle. Brew one more cycle with plain water to rinse thoroughly. Wipe down the exterior with white vinegar to keep your machine looking new.

FOR SCORE

Happy birthday, John Williams. Symphoria salutes film composer John Williams’ 90th birthday in this special concert featuring scores from the legendary composer. 7:30 p.m., Feb. 5 at Crouse Hinds Concert Theater. Visit experiencesymphoria.org.

It ’s all good POSITIVE VIBES

POKEY, MAN

BY MJ KRAVEC

You’re so slow. We get so offended when we hear that, don’t we? In the fast-paced world of high-speed internet, DoorDash and social media apps, going slow isn’t a good thing. But there’s a lifestyle movement that touts the benefit of slowing down and living more intentionally. And it’s not just about the speed at which we perform a task. The goal here is to live life with more appreciation by being present in the moment, focusing on quality over quantity and staying more in tune with the task at hand.

A quick (sorry — habit) search on Google for slow living movement brings up images of candlelight, steaming cups of tea, an

open book, plant life and freshly baked bread. The website calmmoment.com describes slow living as allowing yourself time to appreciate life’s simple pleasures and moments.

To practice: Step away from the phone, the computer, Facebook, Hulu. Light a candle, go outside for a short walk, marvel at nature’s beauty, relish a hot cup of soup. Appreciate the here and now by living in the season you’re in, rather than pining for spring. Take the time to make your own meals at home using seasonal produce and/or ingredients. Then, eat dinner by candlelight — even on a weekday.

The slow living movement is a lifestyle trend that encourages mindfulness, being present in the moment.

Daniel with his grandchildren

Inspirations to give can come from unpredictable places. For Daniel Grannis, of Syracuse, it was literally a fash in the darkness.

“Several years ago, I was at a local theater watching commercials before the movie started, when I saw a promotion for the opening of the children’s hospital at Upstate,” said Daniel.

Inspirations to give can come from unpredictable places. For Daniel Grannis, of Syracuse, it was literally a fash in the darkness.

“I have a special place in my heart for kids, so I picked up the phone and left a message with the Upstate Foundation that I would be happy to lick stamps or do whatever was needed.”

“Several years ago, I was at a local theater watching commercials before the movie started, when I saw a promotion for the opening of the children’s hospital at Upstate,” said Daniel.

The next thing he knew, Daniel was chairing a speakers bureau for the capital campaign for the then-new Upstate Golisano Children’s Hospital. Following that positive experience, he became a member of the Upstate Legacy Society by including the Foundation in his estate plans.

“I have a special place in my heart for kids, so I picked up the phone and left a message with the Upstate Foundation that I would be happy to lick stamps or do whatever was needed.”

The next thing he knew, Daniel was chairing a speakers bureau for the capital campaign for the then-new Upstate Golisano Children’s Hospital. Following that positive experience, he became a member of the Upstate Legacy Society by including the Foundation in his estate plans.

“It feels very humbling because this is something that will be happening after I leave this world.”

“It feels very humbling because this is something that will be happening after I leave this world.”

To read Daniel’s complete story, visit www.UpstateFoundation.org/LegacyGiving, or to create your own legacy gift, call Upstate Foundation at 315-464-4416.

To read Daniel’s complete story, visit www.UpstateFoundation.org/LegacyGiving, or to create your own legacy gift, call Upstate Foundation at 315-464-4416.

Our mission: Impacting patient care, education, research, and community health and well-being through charitable giving.

Our mission: Impacting patient care, education, research, and community health and well-being through charitable giving.

“If you have a to do something that’s bigger than

“If you have a spark to do something that’s bigger than yourself… say yes to that impulse. Say yes to life.”

Daniel with his grandchildren

It ’s all good OUR

TOWN

Skaneateles

BY KATE REYNOLDS

Known for its beautiful lake, the town of Skaneateles has a rich history that dates all the way back to the early 1800s, when tracts of land promised to Revolutionary War soldiers were settled on. Skaneateles and its captivating village have become a major destination for people from all over who come for local shopping and restaurants as well as the serene setting and activities on the lake. The welcoming atmosphere makes Skaneateles feel like home to anyone who visits.

GRAB A BITE

Patisserie and Skaneateles Bakery are the perfect spots for breads, desserts and breakfast. Visit Blue Water Grill for a lakefront view and American-style foods, or follow your nose to Doug’s Fish Fry Elephant and the Dove serves a modern take on Mexican. Rosalie’s Cucina offers Tuscan dining and homemade pastas. Find French with Moroccan influences at Joelle’s French Bistro. Good Eats and Sips has healthy bowls and smoothies. Try Valentine’s Pizza & Deli’s assortment of creative pies or Gilda’s artisanal pizzas. Moro’s Kitchen serves fresh house-made pasta. Experience fresh seafood and Italian specialties at Mandana Inn. Spend the morning at the Willow Glen diner. Skan-Ellus Drive-In serves up grill favorites and ice cream. Order a fresh pizza at Mike’s Pizzeria Enjoy Skaneateles’ rich history and fine dining at the Sherwood Inn and The Krebs. Choose from an assortment of pies at Heart ‘n Hand. For something sweet in the summer, stop by Skaneateles Skoops

Above,

PHOTO BY DAVID LASSMAN, JARED PAVENTI

Top, the lakeside gazebo in Clift Park.

the dining room at Moro’s Kitchen.

SHOP LOCAL

Discover style, comfort or both at Bev & Co, Covet Thrift Emporium, Emma + James plus sister shop Hap + Main, opening in late January, Roland’s Men and Boys Store, Sakran & Shaw, Sea Culture, Skaneateles 300, The Local Branch and The Wandering Kind. Find gifts for everyone at Brown Dog Boutique, Chestnut Cottage, Drooz + Company, First National Gifts, Fleur de Lis Floral Design, Nest58, Pomodoro, Skaneateles Town Square and White Sleigh Ltd. Stock your kitchen and bath at Rhubarb Kitchen & Garden and The Savage Homestead. For babies and kids, visit HABA USA, Hobby House Toys or Pride & Joy; for fur babies, try Aristocats & Dogs or Lucky Dogs. Browse antiques, fine art and jewelry at Skaneateles Antique Center, White & White Antiques, Gallery 54, Imagine, S.J. Moore Jewelers and Fine Art Gallery and Skaneateles Jewelry. To get out on the water, buy or rent from The Sailboat Shop Gee June Bridal is a full-service bridal boutique.

HAVE A DRINK

Pair your morning coffee with a gourmet chocolate at Vermont Green Mountain Specialty Co Stop by Finger Lakes on Tap to try more than 60 taps, many featuring local brewers. Listen to live entertainment as you sip at a copper-topped bar at LakeHouse Pub Skaneateles Brewery, which uses fresh water from Skaneateles Creek, also hosts music and food trucks; try the creative spirits of Last Shot Distillery located in the same building. Spend time at Anyela’s Vineyard tasting the wines made from grapes grown in Skaneateles soil. Pick up a bottle of wine from Village Bottle Shop or taste the house-made Riesling and more at White Birch Vineyards Tasting Room

THINGS TO DO

Skaneateles Artisans showcases more than 30 eastern Finger Lakes artists. Study portrait and landscape paintings at the John D. Barrow Art Gallery. Relax with a facial or massage at Mirbeau Inn and Spa. Learn to sail or race your boat with the Skaneateles Sailing Club. Take Tabata, Pilates, Yoga or lift classes at Symmetry Wellness Club. Book a boat tour at Mid-Lakes Navigation Co., Ltd. Read a book or have your kids enjoy crafts or story time at the Skaneateles Library. Find your zen at Sky Yoga and Wellness. Rejuvenate and rebalance at Porta Alchemica. Play golf, tennis or host a special event at the Skaneateles Country Club. The Skaneateles YMCA & Community Center offers family-friendly events and wellness programs. Plan a fun night at Mr Pudder’s Miniature Golf and Ice Cream. Pick delicious fruit and walk through the summer sunflower maze at Strawberry Fields Hydroponic Farm & Florist

MICHAEL GREENLAR

The Monet-inspired gardens at Mirbeau Inn and Spa.

Above, boats on exhibit at the annual Antique and Classic Boat Show.

Right, Finger Lakes Lavender Festival at Lockwood Lavender Farm.

GET OUTSIDE

Hike, walk or mountain bike along the Charlie Major Nature Trail. Take the walking tour of Skaneateles history, starting at The Creamery, which is the town’s historical society and research center. Peruse the Skaneateles Farmers Market May through October. Breathe in the fresh air at Clift Park, Thayer Park or Davey’s Park. Honor our veterans at Shotwell Memorial Park. Stop to smell the flowers at Lockwood Lavender Farm Carpenter Falls will leave you in awe of nature. Bring your kids to the Skaneateles Falls Playground or to Austin Park. Partake in winter adventure at the Skaneateles Ski Club. Don’t forget to walk along Skaneateles Lake, which can be enjoyed during any season or visit the fishing access site or Town Boat Launch

ANNUAL EVENTS

Winterfest, put on by the Skaneateles Sunrise Rotary Club, is the last weekend in January. The event features ice sculptures around the village, a polar bear plunge for nonprofits, a scavenger hunt and the Taste of Skaneateles, where tasting passes to participating restaurants benefit the Skaneateles Ecumenical Food Pantry. Participate in the Skaneateles Downtown Passport shopping event with raffles. The Easter Egg Scavenger Hunt allows children a chance to win prizes donated by local businesses. Shop the sidewalks sales as your kids watch balloon art and juggling during the Curbstone Festival weekend. Skaneateles Lake becomes home to the Antique and Classic Boat Show and the Skaneateles Festival hosts a slew of musicians. Meet the characters from “A Christmas Carol” walking the streets during Skaneateles’ annual Dickens Christmas, which runs from Thanksgiving to Christmas.

“We love our community because it offers a strong sense of well-being, prosperity and neighbors supporting neighbors.”

Marie Gringas, owner of Good Eats and Sips

PHOTO BY DENNIS NETT, KATE COLLINS

It ’s all good OUR TOWN

It ’s all good MARKET TRENDS

If you’ve resolved to send more handwritten correspondence and stay in touch offline (or simply love stationery), look no further than our local shops for your snail-mail needs. Find letterpress, embossed, hand-painted, recycled and clever cards for every occasion or sentiment.

BY AMY BLEIER LONG PHOTOS BY AMELIA BEAMISH

Le Pen in black, $2.10, and The Art of the Handwritten Note, $16, Paola Kay Gifts, 105 Brooklea Drive, Fayetteville, 315-632-2192, paolakaygifts.com. Pewter hand letter opener, $18, Inspired, 7468 Oswego Road, Liverpool, 315-622-3000, inspired-vhd.com.

1 | Blank inside, $5, Skaneateles 300, 2. W. Genesee Street, Skaneateles, 315-685-1133, skaneateles300.com.

2 | Flat card, $5.95, Enjoy, 419 E. Genesee Street, Fayetteville, 315-637-3450.

3 | Blank inside, $4, The Wren’s Den, 2756 W. Seneca Turnpike, Marcellus, 315-9525954, thewrensden. business.site.

4 | Flat card, $7.50, Emma + James, 25 Jordan Street, Skaneateles, 315-685-2747, shopejclothing.com.

Birthday

1

| Inside: You’re not old, you’re a classic! Happy birthday, $3.95, The Rose Cottage, 214 S. Manlius Street, Fayetteville, 315-637-1330, therosecottageny.com.

2 | Inside: with lots of love, $3.50, Enjoy.

3 | Inside: And who you are is wonderful. Happy birthday, $3.95, Pomodoro, 61 E. Genesee Street, Skaneateles, 315-685-0085.

4 | Inside: You look like a million bucks! Happy birthday, $4.25, Paola Kay Gifts.

5 | Blank inside, $5, Synple, 70 Main Street, Camillus, 585-615-3934, shopsynple.com.

6 | Inside: I double-dog dare you to have a great birthday!, $3.95, Chestnut Cottage, 75 E. Genesee Street, Skaneateles, 315-685-8082.

7 | Blank inside, $5, Mixed Methods, 215 E. Water Street Rear, Syracuse, 315-3991766, letsgetmixed.com.

8 | Blank inside, $5, The Wren’s Den.

Congratulations

1 | Inside: There’s so much to celebrate! Congratulations, $3.95, Pomodoro.

2 | Blank inside, $4.25, The Station 603, 603 E. Seneca Street, Manlius, 315-682-8741.

3 | Blank inside, $4.50, Witty Wicks, 190 Township Boulevard, Camillus, 315672-3110, wittywicks.com.

4 | Blank inside, $4.50, Breathe, 6823 E. Genesee Street, Fayetteville, 315-446-4141, syracuse. breatheyoga.com.

5 | Inside: … for you! Congratulations, $3.75, First National Gifts, 2 E. Genesee Street, Skaneateles, 855-810-9076, firstnationalgifts.com.

6 | Blank inside, $6, Skaneateles 300.

7 | Blank inside, $5, Breathe.

8 | Inside: But today, we celebrate!, $4.49, Dazzle, 119 W. Seneca Street, Manlius, 315-682-7499, thedazzlestore.com.

Encouragement

1

| Blank inside, $5, Breathe.

2

| Blank inside, $4.50, Breathe.

3

| Inside: And be brave together, $4.49, Dazzle.

4

| Blank inside, $6, Skaneateles 300.

5

| Blank inside, $6.50, Mixed Methods.

6

| Blank inside, $6, The Local Branch, 4 Jordan Street, Skaneateles, thelocalbranch.co.

7

| Die-cut flat card, $6, Breathe.

Get Well

1 | Inside: Thinking of you and hoping you feel better every day, $3.29, The Gift Box Shoppe, 4317 Fay Road, Syracuse, 315-487-9099, thegiftboxshoppe.com.

2 | Blank inside, $4.50, Breathe.

3 | Inside: Hope you’re feeling chirpy again soon, $4.25, Paola Kay Gifts.

4 | Blank inside, $5.50, Mixed Methods.

5 | Blank inside, $5, Synple.

6 | Blank inside, $4.50 BeeKind, 118 Milton Avenue, Syracuse, 315-299-6073, beekindsyracuse.com.

7 | Inside: Hope you’re on your way to feeling better. Get well soon, $3.95, The Rose Cottage.

Just Because

1

| Blank inside, $12, handmade fiber art card by Sharon Bottle Souva, at Salt City Artisans, 226 Hawley Avenue, Syracuse, 315-4790400, saltcityartisans.com.

2 | Blank inside, by Kara Daviau, $5, Wildflowers at the McCarthy Mercantile, 217 S. Salina Street, Syracuse, 315-546-4919, wildflowersarmory.com.

3 | Blank inside, $6, Skaneateles 300.

4 | Blank inside, by Mary Padgett, $3.95 or three for $10, Cazenovia Artisans, 39 Albany Street, Cazenovia, 315-6552225, cazenoviaartisans.com.

5 | Blank inside, by Lori Portka, $3.95 or three for $10, Cazenovia Artisans.

6 | Blank inside, by Donna Atwood, $4, Gallery 54, 54 E. Genesee Street, Skaneateles, 315-685-5470, gallery54cny.com.

7 | Blank inside, $5, Mixed Methods.

New Baby

1 | Blank inside, $4.50, Breathe.

2

| Inside: The best, most crazy person you’ll never stop loving, $4.49, Dazzle.

3 | Blank inside, $5, Synple.

4 | Inside: We’ll do something fun in 18 years, $4.50, Witty Wicks.

5 | Inside: Wishing you all the little joys that babies bring. Congratulations, $4.95, The Rose Cottage.

6 | Blank inside, $4.50, BeeKind.

7 | Inside: We are so happy you are here!, $3.95, Enjoy.

Sympathy

1

| Blank inside, $6, The Local Branch.

2 | Blank inside, $6, The Local Branch.

3 | Inside: Sweet dreams to a beloved friend. So sorry for your loss, $3.95, The Rose Cottage.

4 | Inside: Wishing you peace and comfort, $4.25, Paola Kay Gifts.

5 | Inside: And they speak right to our hearts, $4.49, Dazzle.

6 | Inside: We keep them written in our hearts. Deepest sympathies, $3.95, Pomodoro.

7 | Inside: …is a friend. Here for you, $3.75, First National Gifts.

1

Thank You

| Blank inside, $5, Breathe.

2 | Blank inside, $6, The Local Branch.

3 | Blank inside, $4.25, The Station 603.

4 | Blank inside, $5, Synple.

5 | Inside: I just wanted to drop you a note and let you know how truly thankful I am. Also, I really, really want you to keep doing things for me, so I bought you this card, $3.50, First National Gifts.

6 | Blank inside, $5.50, Skaneateles 300.

| Inside: From the bottom of my heart, by Stacianery Squared, $4, Nest58, 58 E. Genesee Street, Skaneateles, 315-685-5888, nest58.com.

7

1

Wedding

| Inside: celebrating your love & wishing you both the very best. Congratulations, $3.75, First National Gifts.

2

| Inside: You’re engaged! Congratulations, $3.75, First National Gifts.

3 | Blank inside, $4.50, Breathe.

4 | Blank inside, $4.99, Paola Kay Gifts.

5 | Blank inside, $5.50, Enjoy.

6 | Inside: and it was just the beginning…, $4.49, Dazzle.

Social Stationery

1 | Flourish notecard box (blank inside), $36 for set of 8, Skaneateles 300.

2 | Lollipop Tree note cards (blank inside), $8.99 for set of 14, Pomodoro.

3 | Artists to Watch Dan Wiemer card set (blank inside), $12.95 for set of 8, Enjoy.

4 | Norway’s Lofoten Islands watercolor card set by Lucie Wellner (blank inside), $18 for set of 6, 20|East, 85 Albany Street, Cazenovia, 315-815-4540, 20-east.com.

5 | Mixed Florals Essentials card set (blank inside), $30 for set of 15, Synple.

PHOTO BY JULES STRUCK

Good news

BEHIND THE SCENES • CAUGHT DOING GOOD • THE SEEN

UPPIN’ LIGHTS

The lights on Broadway (in Syracuse) are back on. The 93-year-old Landmark Theatre shines again with a new “updated” replica of the original marquee that graced the venue when it opened as Loew’s State Theater in 1928. The new sign replaces the old “box” marquee that was built in the 1950s and better complements the theater’s interior décor. Workers began installing the new marquee in two phases, starting in late October with the front signage

reading “Syracuse Landmark Theatre.” The second phase, which consists of construction of the ceiling under the overhang and installation of digital screens and other accents is nearing completion. The renovation is part of a $2 million state grant awarded to the theater in 2019. State Assemblyman Bill Magnarelli was key to helping the theater secure the grant, which was supplemented with support from the community. Shine on.

New retro marquee puts the shine on Salina Street once again

A HOME RUN

BY MJ KRAVEC

Floor-to-ceiling windows, exposed brick, industrial-style lighting, high ceilings, a full-service bar, skylights and garage-style doors that open to expansive views of the pristine greens of the newly renovated baseball field. Welcome to the new Metropolitan Club, an upscale private hospitality venue at NBT Bank Stadium.

The new space, which debuted May 4, is part of a $25 million renovation that included a new stadium entrance, revamped field, renovated luxury suites and party areas, open berms with artificial turf, upgraded lighting, signage and terrace-style seats with tables and more.

“The whole stadium was renovated. The whole vibe is much better, the colors, the paint, the graphics bring it together,” says Syracuse Mets General Manager Jason Smorol.

The Metropolitan Club replaces the Hank Sauer Room; Syra-

cuse hall-of-famer Sauer now has a gate named for him.

“This Metropolitan Club is way bigger and completely brand new,” says Smorol.

Open year-round, The Metropolitan Club offers 6,250 square feet of open space that accommodates up to 221 people. The club offers guests plenty of room to roam, with interest points that pay tribute to the ballpark’s history, and indoor and outdoor seating that allows guests to comfortably sit back and enjoy the game.

“Guests can go and hang out at the bar and they can sit and socialize at one of the tables. They can go outside and have a drink…” says Smorol. “It’s a unique place.”

The venue is open to private parties of 50 or more. There are two buffets for hot and cold foods, six big-screen TVs, a new upgraded sound system, a wireless microphone and Bluetooth system.

The Metropolitan Club is a new upscale hospitality venue at NBT Bank Stadium.

Syracuse Mets’ new hospitality room offers a unique venue for entertaining

“So if someone has a party playlist, they just Bluetooth it to the system,” Smorol says.



For more information: Contact Bill Ryan at 315 474-7833 or email bryan@syracusemets.com

Just around the corner from the Metropolitan room, a wall of mounted baseball bats acknowledges Syracuse’s most celebrated baseball players, and newly renovated restrooms feature sleek, modern lighting, wall murals and touchless motion-sensing bathroom fixtures.

Jason Smorol, Syracuse Mets General Manager

Since its opening, The Metropolitan Club has hosted events that include a wedding, a prom, private and corporate parties, a celebration of life ceremony, nongame day events and a watch party for the World Series. The venue has also caught the attention of visitors from outside Central New York, Smorol says.

“We draw [people] from quite a ways. We’ll get parties from the North Country, we’ll get parties from the Southern Tier.”

Guests also have access to the ballpark’s multiple areas of interest including the Syracuse Baseball Hall of Fame room on a lower level. The Syracuse Baseball Hall of Fame room features wall murals, photos, jerseys, newspaper pages, seats from the ballpark’s predecessor MacArthur Stadium, baseball cards, bases and other memorabilia that serve as a tribute to Syracuse’s baseball past.

The new space with private restrooms is ideal for smaller gatherings, says Smorol. “It’s a great spot that accommodates 25 to 30 people for hors d’oeuvres and a bar.”

For parties with larger crowds, Salt City Deck is an outdoor entertainment space that can accommodate up to 450 people. There are also 20 new spacious luxury suites that feature indoor and outdoor balcony viewing, cable TV, access to private restrooms, wait service, new flooring, air conditioning, heating, kitchen appliances and sound system.

Smorol says the Mets’ new hospitality options have been booking frequently as the pandemic wanes and venues begin opening up.

“It’s significantly better. There’s more space, a bigger bar, the ambience, the general design is very popular with people,” says Bill Ryan, manager of suites and hospitality. “There’s more sound and life.”

Top, the Metropolitan Club’s garage-style doors open to the stadium. Above, the Syracuse Baseball Hall of Fame is a tribute to the city’s baseball past.

Booking at the Metropolitan Club includes game day tickets, welcome messaging on the scoreboard and the Fielder’s Choice menu of tavern-style fare options including grilled hamburgers and cheeseburgers, BBQ pork ribs, pulled pork sandwiches, oven-roasted chicken, baked beans, assorted salads, salt potatoes and more.

In addition, Smorol says his staff can accommodate any dietary preferences — including vegan, gluten free and healthier fare.

“

THE WHOLE STADIUM WAS RENOVATED. THE WHOLE VIBE IS MUCH BETTER, THE COLORS, THE PAINT, THE GRAPHICS BRING IT TOGETHER.”

BY SUSAN KENNEDY

Every three weeks Anju Varshney sits in a hospital chair hooked up to a machine that infuses medicine into her body to keep her brain tumor from growing.

She’ll do this for the rest of her life.

And every day, whether she’s at the hospital getting treatment or relaxing at her Fayetteville home, Anju sits and knits one tiny cap for a newborn baby.

She’ll do this, too, for as long as she can, for the rest of her life.

A cap a day, every day, for newborns at Crouse Hospital in Syracuse — 30 plus caps a month, 365 caps each year.

“Knitting keeps me calm,” says Varshney, a woman who wears many hats herself: retired science teacher, Indian folk dancer, gardener, quilter, wife, mother, grandmother and friend.

Varshney began knitting caps for Crouse newborns in 2016

when her twin grandsons were born out of state. They sported tiny hand-knit caps on their heads upon release from the hospital and she wanted Central New York newborns to receive the same birthday gift. She bought yarn, gathered friends, and together they started knitting. Over the years the group has dispersed, yet Varshney keeps knitting. Reading and concentrating have become a little difficult due to her treatments, she says, but knitting makes her feel good. Even on days when she feels not-so-good.

“You can do it, I believe in you,” she tells herself on difficult days. It’s a mantra her mother used on her when growing up, and one Varshney used to motivate her former students in Syracuse City School District’s “Violence Is Not The Answer” program. Students in her class had been caught with weapons at

“The babies don’t care whether I make a mistake knitting,” says Anju Varshney, who knits caps for newborns.

While I had always been charitable, I credit Elaine for inspiring my generosity and perspective in many ways. We enjoy donating both our time and money to several local organizations and are grateful to know that we are making a difference in our community. We have found that it’s not important to worry about how much you give, but rather to just get started.

Our fund at the Community Foundation will receive a contribution through our estate after our passing, continuing support to our favorite causes long after we’re gone. We hope our dedication to generosity will transfer to our children and grandchildren, carrying forward our legacy of giving for many years to come.

Elaine and Steve Jacobs at the CNY Philanthropy Center.

school and were close to dropping out, yet with Varshney’s encouragement they passed her class and the Regents exams, too. “I believed in them,” she says.

Varshney’s husband believes in her, too. “She’s the engine that is running this whole enterprise called family,” says Promad Varshney, “while finding ways to give back to society, to humanity.” Cradling knitting needles with her lap covered in yarn, Varshney smiles at her husband’s compliment. “It gives me joy to knit these hats.”

Varshney doesn’t get to meet the newborns who wear her caps, but Crouse Hospital Clinical Nurse Supervisor Valerie Acker does. “The parents are so appreciative. It’s a treasured keepsake, that extra touch of something that someone has especially done.” Acker says the nurses love the caps, too. “They get [the newborns] freshly clean, get them all cute, and go through the bag to pick the perfect cap,” says Acker.

Gazing at the day’s cap-in-progress, Varshney sends good wishes and loving advice to the newborn who will soon wear it. “You can make a good citizen in this world; you can make a good life, little one.”

To donate yarn to Varshney’s efforts, or to help knit caps for Crouse newborns, email Anju Varshney at anjuvar4972@gmail.com.

Anju Varshney finds joy in the process of knitting small caps for newborns to receive at Crouse Hospital. She’s been knitting the caps for about five years.

“The parents are so appreciative. It’s a treasured keepsake, that extra touch of something that someone has especially done.”

Valerie Acker, Crouse Hospital Clinical Nurse Supervisor

Good news

Ms. Orange Fan Luncheon

Nearly 500 women gathered at The Oncenter in Syracuse for the 30th annual Ms. Orange Fan Luncheon, a ladies-only fundraiser featuring the Syracuse University Men’s Basketball Team in support of MakeA-Wish Central New York. After a virtual pivot last year, the luncheon was held in person for vaccinated attendees only. Highlights included a video tribute to Head Coach Jim Boeheim, whose idea led to the creation of the event three decades ago. The most popular activity of the luncheon, as always, was the player and coach auction with attendees bidding to have their favorite players and coaches sit with them. Other activities included preevent tailgating in The Oncenter parking garage, poster autograph session, silent auctions, a Henry

Wilson Jewelers diamond necklace auction, basket raffles and event merchandise. The Baldwinsville High School Marching Band, Syracuse University Dance Team and Otto the Orange provided entertainment. The Ms. Orange Fan Luncheon has raised nearly $2 million since its inception in 1991, with proceeds supporting wishes for local, critically ill children. Generous sponsors ensure the event continues year after year, including the following 2021 sponsors: Manny’s, Henry Wilson Jewelers, Wegmans, Sugarman Law Firm, IBEW 43/NECA, Alex Lyon & Son, Syracuse Orthopedic Specialists, Nicole Brown, LMHC & Sabrina Capozza, LMHC, NCC, Visual Technologies, Avalon, Corso’s Cookies, Dunkin’ and Your Image Squad.

2. Having a blast at Ms. Orange Fan. Pictured front row, from left: Sue Bauer, Jennifer Fuller, Jennifer Linder, Laurie Searle, Lynne Jones and Michele Allen. Pictured back row, from left: Adrianna Ramirez-Owens, Laurie Kraus, Melanie Burke and Laura Conroy.

PHOTOS BY BILL HERLOSKI, YOUR IMAGE SQUAD

1. Avalon Account Manager Liz Smith, left, with friend Jennifer Notaro. Avalon served as a sponsor of the 30th Annual Ms. Orange Fan Luncheon.

4. Henry Wilson, of Henry Wilson Jewelers, was a sponsor of the 30th Annual Ms. Orange Fan Luncheon. This year, he donated a .78 CTW Simon G Diamond Necklace to be auctioned. The necklace was valued at $2,860.

3. Pausing for a photo with Syracuse University Mascot Otto the Orange are, front, Leslie Petty and back, Anne Gillis, Lynn Dowler and Karen O’Neil.

5. Juli Boeheim and Syracuse University Men’s Basketball Head Coach Jim Boeheim at the 30th Annual Ms. Orange Fan Luncheon.

Good news THE SEEN

Rockin’ the Redhouse

Redhouse Arts Center held its ninth annual Rockin’ the Redhouse event at the Landmark Theatre. Six bands from local corporations battled in front of a panel of judges to raise money for Redhouse programming and education scholarships. Judges included Maria DeSantis, singer of the DeSantis Orchestra; Jeff Gordon, lead singer and guitarist for the band Hard Promises and musician Mark Fleming of local favorite Ponytail James, whose band also opened and closed the show. This year’s event also featured a surprise visit from actress and Syracuse native Siobhan Fallon Hogan, who has appeared in “Forrest Gump” and “Men In Black.” Fallon Hogan jumped in to take over hosting duties part way through the event. First place for Most Rockin’ band went to Six Pack from Anheuser-Busch. Second place went to Advanced Automation’s The Tyler Band and third place went to Lockheed Martin’s Defense Mechanism.

1. Anheuser-Busch’s Six Pack wins Most Rockin’ Band.

2. Adon Allen performs with Six Pack.

3. Patty Tyler performs on stage.

4. Judges included, from left, Jeff Gordon, guitarist and lead singer of Hard Promises, Mark Fleming of Ponytail James and Maria DeSantis, singer of the DeSantis Orchestra.

5. University Hospital’s band Bronze Puppies performs.

6. Actress and Syracuse native Siobhan Fallon Hogan hosts part of the event.

Opening of the Brewseum at Heritage Hill

Amidst the festivities of CNY Beer Week, Onondaga Historical Association opened their sixth museum, the Brewseum at Heritage Hill Brewhouse. The grand opening in November featured a ribbon cutting and BBQ buffet as OHA, Heritage Hill and their guests celebrated the debut of the new beer-themed museum, which explores the rich brewing history of the region. The Brewseum is now a permanent feature at Heritage Hill Brewhouse, an active brewery and working farm in the scenic hills of Pompey.

2022 Schedule

We will be Open by Appointment Only During January - February Please contact us at: 607-299-4185 or info@cnylivinghistory.org During March - April, we will be Open Thursday - Saturday 10 AM - 5 PM

Regular Hours

resume on May 3, 2022 Tuesday - Saturday 10 AM - 5 PM Last Admission is at 4 PM Groups of 10 or More are Welcome Anytime by Appointment

Guests at Heritage Hill can tour the Brewseum for free anytime during the brewery’s businesss hours. Visit heritagehillbrewery.com.

Hope & Heels Fundraiser

The Hope & Heels Fashion Show & Brunch was held at the Marriott Syracuse Downtown to raise ovarian cancer awareness across the community. The event featured shopping from local vendors and artists, raffles, silent auction, cocktails, brunch and beautiful spring fashions modeled by community cancer survivors and CNY celebrities, including actor Stephen Baldwin (pictured upper right with Gary Weeks, founder of Hope for Heather). Organizers presented a check for $55,000 to Hope for Heather, a nonprofit group founded in memory of Heather Weeks, who died at age 24 after being diagnosed with an aggressive colon cancer. During her battle with cancer, Heather worked at the Ovarian Cancer Research Fund. Today, Hope for Heather’s mission is to raise money for ovarian cancer research, promote awareness and education and patient support.

SPIRITED RETREATS

CNY Airbnbs offer unique stays in homes away from home

STORY AND PHOTOS BY RILEY UTLEY

From farm stand to farmland to vacation destination An 1850 farmhouse complete with a sauna. A hobbit house in a backyard. A family home-turned-glamping paradise. Tucked in among Central New York’s more strictly functional listings on the popular vacation rental site Airbnb are these one-of-a-kind places owned by passionate, artistic residents.

Clockwise from left, handmade Hobbit House in LaFayette, The Roost in Pulaski, Chez’ Tree Rest Treehouse in LaFayette and Frank’s Farm in Marietta.

Taking glamping to a new level

Brooktondale, New York

THE SCOTT FAMILY originally built Scottland Yard Farm as a small log cabin home off the grid. A few years later, they decided to build a glamorous tent in their backyard for fun. In 2012, they started renting out that tent on Airbnb.

Now, almost 10 years later, their Brooktondale property has grown to include eight accommodations, an event space for weddings and yoga retreats, a swimming pond and two small shops.

Upon arrival, guests are greeted by the sight of a house that looks like it’s made out of Lincoln Logs. As Duane Scott, one of the owners, walks guests back into the property, they are transported into the magical world of glamping.

The Scott family travels all over the world, and Andrea Scott, co-owner of Scottland Yard and Duane’s wife, uses those adventures to inspire the design of each accommodation, making sure everything is cohesive but not too matchy, matchy, she says.

Everything is built and designed by the Scott family. Duane built the buildings, his dad lumbered all the wood and Andrea did all the interior design.

The care and detail that Andrea puts into each glamping experience is a big reason why many travelers return to Scottland Yard, Duane says. “When you travel, you know what you like and what you would expect, but you also know what you don’t like,” he says. “She takes that experience and brings it here.”

What started as a side project for Duane and Andrea is now their only job. During their months of operation, from May to October, they work on the grounds, keep up with maintenance and do laundry. During the colder months, they travel around the world, especially to places warmer than Central New York.

“I’m doing what I like to do and working at my own place doing it,” Duane says. “We enjoy sharing it with other folks and meeting new people. It’s a perfect fit for us.”

Andrea and Duane Scott, owners of Scottland Yard Farm.

Thinking outside the box and creating a round house Pulaski, New York

LARRY ATTKINSON always wanted a round house. In 1976, he decided to act on that dream.

The Roost, his 32-square-foot silo, started as the Attkinson family home. Larry and his wife, Kay, raised six kids in the silo, and now that their kids have grown up, they rent out the extra rooms. Plenty of fishermen come to the silo in Pulaski for its proximity to Lake Ontario, but many other guests have stayed at the Roost as well.

Larry fondly remembered a couple from Turkey. “We got to the point where we would fix meals for each other,” he says. “They were Kurds, and they would fix us their dishes. We taught them how to play board games because that’s something we like to do. The fellow came back here a few weeks ago and said it was like coming home and was asking if we could play board games.”

Both Attkinsons work on top of running the Airbnb: Kay is a registered nurse in Syracuse, and Larry is a machinist. They say the workload is pretty manageable — most of the time.

“Sometimes, when we’re flipping a room in the same day and I had to work the night before and again the next night, pretty much all the work falls on Larry,” Kay says. “He has just jumped right into that.”

Larry says they will give guests all the privacy they want if they prefer to be by themselves. But their preference is to get to know The Roost visitors a bit, whether over a board game or on a tour around the property.

“It’s nice to spend time and hear where they have been and what interests them,” Kay Attkinson says. “People are interesting.”

Larry and Kay Attkinson, owners of The Roost.

Building a fantasyland in the backyard LaFayette, New York

A TRIP TO THE SHIRE typically requires “Lord of the Rings” fans to travel halfway around the world to New Zealand. But nestled in the Vercillo family’s backyard in the small town of LaFayette is a handmade hobbit house, complete with a crackling fireplace, a round door and a handmade bed created out of poplar trees from the Vercillo property.

Vincent Vercillo, the owner and builder of the house, encourages guests to turn on a CD that plays the “Lord of the Rings” books in an old wizard-y voice. He has also filled the house with prop replicas: a One Ring, an Aragon helmet, a six-foot tapestry of a Middle-Earth map hanging on the wall.

“I built this with no real intention of Airbnb,” Vercillo says. “I didn’t have a concept of it. I built it about five years ago just for my family, my two daughters.” Not long after, he decided to gauge interest during that summer’s New York State Fair. “I didn’t think anything would really come of it,” he says. “We’ve been booked about every weekend since.”

Vercillo says he just saw the house in his imagination, and it wouldn’t leave his head until he built it. “I beat it into shape,” he says. “I build things very organically.”

And lots of things: He built just about every item in the house. The chairs and bed are made out of trees from his

backyard, and the walls are decorated with handcrafted figurines and plaques of characters like Gandalf the wizard from the original trilogy and Tauriel the wood elf of Mirkwood from the “Hobbit” films.

People come from all over the country to visit the house, armed with cameras and hobbit outfits. One couple brought the Vercillo family food from “Recipes From the World of Tolkien: Inspired by the Legends.” A self-described professional ninja ballet dancer did a photo shoot with a sword outside the house.

“People here write in elvish and dwarvish,” Vercillo says. “We have to sort of decode it, and it’s always a very sweet comment. It’s so positive and wonderful. That’s what makes us feel the best — the stuff they write in here.”

Vercillo said his family does not rent out the Hobbit House for the money. They do it because they love meeting new people who are passionate about the same things they are.

“It really transports you to another time and place,” Vercillo says. “Which a lot of people need, especially when you’re stuck in your house. This was a godsend to a lot of people because it’s a real fantasy world.”

Vincent Vercillo, owner and builder of a handmade hobbit house in LaFayette, with his wife Sara Vercillo and daughter Vienna Vercillo.

Get away from the ground at a getaway in the trees

LaFayette, New York

T OM WALLACE

JR. and his wife, Lisa Wallace, meet their guests at the top of a hill and drive them down through a trail of trees. There they find Chez’ Tree Rest Treehouse, a little woodland wonderland in a small valley near a babbling creek in LaFayette.

“The forest is what sold me on the land,” Tom says. “When you walk down here, you get some nice really old hardwood trees, and just the way we were able to integrate this into the forest is pretty cool.”

Wallace had always dreamed of building a camp-like getaway, and when he found the land he decided a treehouse fit the property best. He says he was always inspired by the TV show “Treehouse Masters.” When he was ready to try building his own, he bought plans off the show’s website and emailed people from the show before he started.

Wallace, who has a background in construction, says the hardest part was just getting all the pieces up in the air.

“Working off the ground, I would drop a tool, and I would be up there on ropes and have to come all the way down and back up,” Wallace says. “It was maddening. I got really good at holding on to tools and not letting them fall.”

The interior of the treehouse features lots of little wood-

land knickknacks, like elves in the trees or small figurines, along with paintings from Wallace’s daughter, Audrey Wallace.

Audrey painted a sign with the house’s name on it along with a detailed painting of the treehouse. She also designed the stencils for the wood trees that are on all the windows in the house.

Since building the house in 2016, Wallace has added a sky deck that extends out into the forest as well as an outdoor shower. He said he doesn’t plan on adding more — but he has said that before.

The treehouse has been open to the public since May 2020, and the Wallaces say they have been booked solid through the last two seasons. They rent the treehouse from the third weekend in May through the third weekend in October.

“When we had the treehouse just for ourselves, we would stay here pretty frequently, and you kind of get used to it,” Tom says. “When we started the Airbnb, we got to see it from a different perspective. Every time we brought somebody down, they would say it’s crazy and looks so much better than the pictures. So we get to see it through other people’s eyes and gain a new appreciation for it.”

Tom Wallace, co-owner and builder of Chez’ Tree Rest Treehouse.

“The whole place is furnished with family heirlooms. I’m an antique dealer, so when something comes in that I can’t live without, it goes in either of these.”

Frank Ireland

Frank Ireland (opposite page) opened his first rental almost two decades ago. The property consists of two barns, a small cabin, a glamping tent and a small apartment.

Keeping the family farm forever wild

Marietta, New York

FRANK IRELAND was destined to inherit his family’s farm from the day he was born. The Marietta property was a dairy farm at the time, but when Ireland inherited it, he turned one of its barns into first an antique shop, then an Airbnb.

The property is made up of two barns, a small cabin, a glamping tent and a small apartment. He opened the first rental almost 20 years ago.

The two barns — one dating back to the 1840s and the other to the 1930s — were originally homes for the Ireland family’s cows and grain. Each took about a year to convert into apartments. The inside walls and a lot of the furniture are made out of wood that used to be parts of grain containers and cow stalls. The history behind the buildings, as well as the little antiques inside them, emphasize the history of the farm.

“The whole place is furnished with family heirlooms,” Ire -

land says. “I’m an antique dealer, so when something comes in that I can’t live without, it goes in either of these.”

The property sits on a 150-acre ecological reserve that is filled with trails for walking, snowshoeing or cross-country skiing. Ireland says the abundance of land also attracts a particularly large audience of dog owners.

Guests come from all over: families who stay for a long time, fishermen needing a place to stay between Skaneateles and Otisco, writers and academics looking for a quiet place to work, birders and “adventurous elders,” as well as younger people from New York City.

These guests get to experience a farm setting that otherwise might not have existed. “The idea of converting the barn into apartments was an economic one,” Ireland says, “just to be able to pay the taxes and to not have to sell it. To keep it forever wild. It’s not forever farmland, but now it’s something else.”

From farm stand to vacation destination

Red Creek, New York

NATHALI NEAL’S FARM pretty much fell into her lap. Now the ecologist-turned-farmer hopes to expand both the Red Creek farm and its accommodations to make her 38-acre property a destination.

Built in 1850, Neal’s Airbnb farmhouse is still a bit worn on the outside, with raw siding around it. But as guests enter the house, they are greeted with a comfortable, chic and welcoming atmosphere — and a basket of goodies from her farm.

Neal has worked off and on at the farm stand she now owns since she was 15. She moved on to Union College to study biology and ecology and worked for a few years doing vegetation surveying, traveling across the country for ecological research in Washington state and Oregon.

She eventually went back to school for her master’s at Cornell University, but took some time off when she learned she had Lyme disease. During that hiatus, the opportunity to buy the farm and move back to Red Creek arose.

Neal grows most of what is sold at her stand, including vibrant seasonal flowers and a rainbow of vegetables. She also sells spices, coffee and sauces from various Central New York businesses. The Airbnb helps her family pay their mortgage and taxes while also weathering the unpredictability of life on the farm.

“It’s really important as a farmer to diversify,” Neal says. “With the ups and downs and weather patterns and stuff, it’s difficult some years. Having some kind of baseline consistent income makes it a little less volatile in the long run.”

Neal is growing her accommodations every year. She added a sauna in the bedroom this year, and she plans to put in another unit on the other side of the house and turn one of the barns on the property into an event space.

“I’m trying to create a destination, really,” she says, “a place where people can come stay and have a lot they want to do right here.”

Nathali Neal is owner of Nathali’s Nursery and Farm Market in Red Creek.

Rooted Wildlings owner Liz Andrianos in her new Manlius-based plant shop.

THE RETURN OF THE HOUSE CALL

A modern take on an old service provides convenience for Central New Yorkers

BY CHRISTINE DUNNE

Some readers may recall a time when a doctor would come to the home to attend to a sick patient. The practice declined in the 1960s but is finding new footing, and not just for medical care. Five local businesses are making it easier for customers to get the services they need, offering house calls in fields that predominantly rely on in-store or in-office visits. This strategy has been a good one during the pandemic, when many of us are at home, but its staying power is very real given the convenience, comfort and flexibility provided by at-home assistance. Learn about these cutting-edge mobile providers.

ROOTED WILDLINGS

In addition to sharing her knowledge about plant care on Instagram and running a seasonal storefront at The Yard in Manlius, Rooted Wildlings owner Liz Andrianos travels to people’s homes — in Syracuse and surrounding areas within 30 minutes — to repot their plants.

There has been a clear market for this service, especially with the pandemic getting more people interested in caring for houseplants.

“Typically someone’s got a plant in their house that’s just been sitting there two or three years and it’s overgrowing, so they need it in a bigger pot and they don’t really know how to tackle it,” she says.

She receives a good number of requests for large plants like Monstera deliciosa that may be considered intimidating. She helps customers prepare the

plants for the winter season, making sure they are pest-free, repotting them with the right soil and drainage, sometimes adding moss poles and ensuring they are receiving the proper amount of light.

“Plants are truly a learning curve,” says Andrianos, joking: “You can never truly know a plant until you kill it three times.”

When her store, which is located in a greenhouse, is open in the warmer months, she can help people pick out plants and repot at her full potting station. She generally does not do house calls when the store is open, saving this service for the colder months.

“I bring everything with me, I clean up, I dispose of all the soil we don’t use,” she says. “It’s a very full service.”

For more information: hippityhoppeds.com

For more information: facebook.com/tmccd

HIPPITY HOP PEDS HOUSE CALL SERVICE

When Dr. Tashika Gomez received her doctorate in pediatric clinical practice in 2019, she knew she wanted to fill an unmet need in the community.

“I always wanted to have my own practice, but I wanted to do it in a way that would stand out and be different,” says Gomez, who has been working in healthcare for over 15 years.

She met another nurse practitioner who does house calls in Manhattan; that sparked her idea to do the same in Central New York. She saw a demand for “in between” care, or care for families who may not be able to see their primary doctor right away.

“It’s about families having another resource to have their child seen, as well as the convenience,” she says, noting that she covers Onondaga, Cayuga, Oswego and Fulton counties, parts of Oneida County (the Rome area primarily) and areas beyond for a small extra fee.

She started Hippity Hop Peds House Call Service, a pediatric provider that goes to patients’ homes to diagnose, treat and administer preventative health care services. Gomez started out treating sick patients, and now also provides child well visits, as well as physicals for sports and camps.

Hippity Hop Peds is serving a real need, as there is no pediatric-specific urgent care currently in the area. Gomez believes that her home health service not only provides high-quality care to children, but adds convenience for families that may not have childcare or have challenges associated with getting out of the house.

TOM’S MOBILE CAR CLEANING & DETAILING

About 10 years ago, college professor Tom Pilewski decided to start a mobile car cleaning and detailing business during the summer to earn some extra money and keep busy. He had always enjoyed detailing his car; having the business be mobile just made sense.

“It’s very inexpensive to start a business the way I did,” he says. “All I had to do was get cleaning supplies because I already know how to do the work.”

Customers value the convenience — particularly not having to worry about dropping their vehicle off at a garage. This has been especially true during the pandemic. Because people are working from home and available, “I’ve been able to spread the work out to seven days a week,” Pilewski says.

The business, Tom’s Mobile Car Cleaning & Detailing, operates daily May 15 through August 20, and on weekends in the off-season weather permitting. Serving Madison, Onondaga, eastern Cayuga, southern Oswego and northern Cortland counties, it has achieved a solid customer base thanks to connections made through Facebook, Nextdoor and word-of-mouth recommendations. Pilewski’s services include washing, drying, shining, dusting, waxing, removing minor scratches and blemishes, vacuuming, spot cleaning, shampooing and air purging the interior. The average job takes about three and a half hours; a big job (a large or very dirty vehicle) may require up to six hours of work.

No matter the size of the job, he says, “I assume every call I go on could be my last, so I have to delight the customer with more than they expect.”

For more information: facebook.com/ jennasupholstery

For more information: facebook.com/carms. bville.5 or search “Carms Cicero”

JENNA’S UPHOLSTERY SHOP

Over time, upholsterer Jennifer Haines — who goes by Jenna — saw a growing demand for furniture repair in the comfort of customers’ homes, driven by smaller needs that didn’t necessarily merit hauling the items to her workshop.

“A lot of people were calling for little fixes or just needed foam in their back cushion stuffed,” she says. “We used to have a pickup truck [but] not a lot of people have them. Instead of trying to transport stuff we decided, ‘Well, we’ll just go over there. What’s the big deal, you know?’”

Three years ago, house calls became a part of Jenna’s Upholstery Shop. Haines averages four or five house calls a day, all over New York State, handling services such as fabric and leather furniture repair, automotive and boat interiors, cleaning and conditioning, and foam and cushion replacement. She’ll fix anything that’s broken, including straps and wood.

According to Haines, a lot of furniture doesn’t last like it used to — requiring more fixes here and there.

“Back in the ‘80s, stuff lasted 50 years,” she says. “There wasn’t even a need to go fix anything. Now stuff isn’t lasting six months before it’s broken.”

And with so many people still home frequently due to the pandemic, furniture is being used more than ever.

“Everybody’s sitting on the couches now,” says Haines. “The kids, the dogs… The kids [being] home has been the worst. They’re jumping around on the furniture. They’re bored.”

CARM’S DOG HOUSE MOBILE GROOMING

For dog owners with scheduling challenges, anxious pups or those who do better without other dogs around, mobile grooming makes a lot of sense. Carm’s Dog House Mobile Grooming buses, which include bathtubs with hot running water, electricity and grooming tables, go right to customers.

“We are so busy with the mobile grooming, at this point, we don’t have enough groomers,” says company vice president Jamie Rosecrans, noting they are eager to hire more.

Carm’s Dog House Mobile Grooming, which has physical locations in Cicero and Baldwinsville (and plans to open another in Liverpool), receives so many calls about mobile grooming a separate number (315-800-7623) was created for this purpose.

The buses will head to customers throughout Onondaga County, and sometimes beyond, for everything from a simple nail trim to a full grooming job. They can accommodate dogs of all sizes and types, including elderly pooches, thanks to ramps and hydraulic tables for getting dogs into the tubs.

In the new year, the business will unveil Carm’s Canine Cardio bus, which will include special treadmills for keeping dogs active.

While mobile grooming has been a popular business model for a number of years now, the pandemic heightened interest in the service.

“With something like that, you’re not going into a big facility with all these people and staff,” says Rosecrans.

IT’S ALL DOWNHILL

At area ski clubs, members hit the slopes and gather for close-knit winter fun

BY KATE REYNOLDS

A cocoa shack for warmups. A winter picnic on the deck. A firepit surrounded by Adirondack chairs. These are just a few of the ways smaller ski clubs bring winter sports lovers together in the towns of Camillus, Cazenovia and Skaneateles. For years, these clubs have served as a community hub where parents pass on a local tradition to their children, and families can bond over their love of time spent on the slopes.

Tubing at Camillus Winter Sports Association’s ski hill.

CAMILLUS WINTER SPORTS ASSOCIATION

Run by volunteers, the Camillus Winter Sports Association has been operating since 1965. Today, the association offers affordable lessons, skiing, snowboarding and tubing and is open to anyone in the Town of Camillus and surrounding areas. The site has two ski hills, rope tows and six tubing lanes. There’s also a cocoa shack and lodge where members can warm up while enjoying the snack bar and a small ski shop that sells donated and consignment skis and boots.

During the pandemic, the Camillus Winter Sports Association continued operating the hill for all to enjoy, while following COVID guidelines, but put lessons on pause and visits to the ski shop were by appointment only. This winter, those health guidelines still apply.

Member Andrew Arbital says he’s looking forward to welcoming new and returning members this season. The community-run organization is always in search of new volunteers to work a few hours on weekends “to help this hidden gem in Camillus continue to be enjoyed by everyone,” he says. Volunteers are needed to help run the lodge, ski shop and tubing park and serve as ski instructors. The association also offers free skiing and tubing to members and their families. For more information: camillusskihill.com

CAZENOVIA SKI CLUB

Cazenovia Ski Club was founded in the 1930s by a determined group of residents who wanted a place of their own to ski. During the early days, these founding members were so committed to their winter sport, they rigged a rope tow powered by the motor of a Ford Model-A to ascend the hills.

In the 1960s, the club obtained a ski lift and in the 2000s, its own snow-making equipment. Now entering its 85th season, Cazenovia Ski Club comprises about 65 families.

Longtime member Russ Brownback describes the charm of the small ski club as “a rustic private ski venue that is laden with tradition [and] multigenerational families.”

Members bring their own food, drink and equipment and volunteer their time to maintain the terrain, which varies in difficulty and includes steep, casual, groomed and ungroomed trails on about 100 acres.

Not only is the club a place to spend winter days, but it’s also a place where people can

come together and enjoy each other’s company.

On the club’s website, an article by Brownback describes some of the atmosphere: “See families enjoying picnic lunches on the deck or friends gathered around the woodstove in the rustic wax hut for après ski.” Brownback says there is a sense of kinship among the members, which has resulted in strong social bonds. Even in the off-season there are parties and get-togethers. He says it’s all about bonding “with kindred spirits of winter adventure. It is really quite a fraternal collection of people.”

The close-knit club is never crowded and at most has a three-minute wait for a lift ride on busy days.

Brownback says to become a member of the Cazenovia Ski Club, a “come one, come all” organization, it’s a simple two-step process: simply check out the facility and sign up.

The club is located behind Chittenango Falls in Cazenovia.

For more information: skicaz.com

Cazenovia Ski Club offers trails on about 100 acres.

SKANEATELES SKI CLUB

Located just south of Skaneateles and Marcellus, the Skaneateles Ski Club is entering its 62nd season of providing a place for locals to enjoy skiing and snowboarding. Volunteers, a small paid staff and local sponsors help keep the club running. Skaneateles Ski Club President Brian McManus says the club has no trouble getting help from its members since it’s a big part of the community. “All people who love the place, who love the land, want to see it succeed,” he says.

Chas Hinds, Les Harvey, Arve Wilkstrom, Sig Wuerslin, Brad Arnold, John Davidson, Tip Lipe, Don Cross, Clif Shane and Jack Berning founded Skaneateles Ski Club in 1959, purchasing and clearing the land and constructing trails. Today, there are more than 100 group members.

Situated on 33 acres with a 350-foot hill and three lifts, the site also has a lodge where members can get in from the cold and store their gear. Snow-making equipment and night lights help stretch the opportunities to ski, and outdoor seating and a new fire pit offer a spot to warm up and relax. “[It’s] charming in its simplicity,” McManus says.

With so much to do and rising membership numbers, the club has created a very close community. McManus says the club’s appeal is that “people don’t just come and go and forget it. They come and they get involved. [They become] part of the very fiber of the place.”

Individual, family and social memberships include access to skiing, sledding, hiking and snowshoeing. A secondary membership is available for those who have ski passes at another mountain. Having a membership will also allow you to take ski lessons and bring guests.

For more information: skiskan.com

Top, night skiing at Skaneateles Ski Club. Above, members take a break outside the lodge.

GOOD FEELS

Tips for a healthier, happier, more peaceful new year

BY MJ KRAVEC

You’ve probably heard the song “Feeling Good,” sung by Michael Bublé. Think of those lyrics: “It’s a new dawn. It’s a new day. It’s a new life and I’m feeling… good.” In reality, you might not feel all that good come 2022. Post-holiday blues, Seasonal Affective Disorder, the pressure to eat less, move more and get organized can be overwhelming and make the start of the new year, well, not so good. So we asked area wellness practitioners for some easy ways to be well in the coming year. Here are their suggestions to feeling good in 2022.

RENEW WITH THE NEW YEAR

Coming off the holidays, January can be a difficult month. It’s cold and dark, the celebrations are over and getting back into a routine can seem daunting.

Dr. Marcelle Haddix, registered yoga instructor and founder of zenG Wellness, which specializes in yoga and mindfulness for underrepresented groups and community-based organizations, advises participants in her yoga classes to think of January as a time to renew yourself.

“It is really time for renewal, to come out feeling like this is a new season, this is a new time. We don’t have to look at January as the 13th month — that’s what it becomes, you go through this busy year and then January — instead of it being a time to renew, it feels like ‘ugh.’ That’s what I try to incorporate thematically into the wellness work that I do. You have to go into these seasons as seasons change intentionally, setting an intention,” she says.

RETHINK THE RESOLUTION

R s arch shows that 80 p rc nt of r solutions fail in th first two months of th y ar. Y t v ry Jan. 1, so many of us s t our b st lofty ambitions to fix what w think n ds fixing in ours lv s. That’s a doom d outlook, says Mary Riposo, R iki mast r and co-own r of Infinit Light C nt r for Yoga & W lln ss.

“Typical r solutions, such as losing w ight, g tting a b tt r job or finding your soul mat , t nd to focus on th n gativ , involv goals that ar too big and fail to includ practical t chniqu s to nsur succ ss. And b caus most r solutions ar outwardly focus d, th y t nd to b bas d on f ar or oth r p opl ’s opinions. Pr tty soon, w b gin to think th r ’s som thing wrong with us and nd up f ling lik a failur . That’s why you s a surg of p opl start going to th gym in January, only to stop by th nd of F bruary.”

Haddix agr s, saying that p opl oft n s t th ms lv s up for failur with lofty goals. Sh says it’s mor productiv to think of th r solution as a way to build on what you’v alr ady accomplish d in your lif , rath r than what you hav n’t.

“Tak stock of what your habits of mind ar , your physical habits, your rituals, your practic s and honor thos and giv gratitud for th things that you ar , that you ar doing v rsus starting from a plac of what you don’t do, or what you lack. I think that that is a mor positiv way to fram it,” Haddix says.

SET AN INTENTION

Inst ad of a r solution, start th n w y ar with a mor positiv int ntion a guiding principl for how you want to liv “B caus r solutions imply that som thing is wrong and n ds fixing, th y t nd to inspir n gativ thoughts,” says Riposo. “Int ntions, on th othr hand, focus on cr ating som thing positiv and can inspir you to liv a b tt r lif .”

To s t a pow rful int ntion for th N w Y ar, d cid what you want to attain. Th n start with on small adjustm nt.

“For xampl , l t’s say you want to r duc your str ss l v ls in th N w Y ar. Think about on small thing you can do on a r gular basis to achi v that goal som thing that’s practical and asy to fit into your busy lif ,” says Riposo. Start by cr ating an int ntion with m asurabl st ps to achi v your goal. For xampl : “I will rduc my str ss l v ls by sp nding fiv minut s a day focusing on my br athing.” N xt, mak a positiv stat m nt that ncompasss your int ntion, says Riposo. To r duc str ss, r p at th affirmation, “I am p ac ful and calm,” says Riposo. Finally, simplify your int ntion into a k y word in this xampl , “p ac .”

Onc you’v cr at d your int ntion, stat your affirmation r gularly and us your k y word as a mantra.

“Writ it down, sav it on your phon and r p at it to yours lf during th day. Soon, you’ll b on your way to cr ating positiv chang that will last through th n w y ar and b yond,” Riposo says.

COPING IN YOUR CABANA

What so many of us found helpful while isolating at home during the pandemic can be carried over into the new year. When it comes to adopting a more positive mindset, Donna Farchione, yoga instructor at Breathe Yoga in Fayetteville and marriage and family therapist, says she favors the writings of neuroscientist Rick Hanson, Ph.D. Hanson is the author of “Buddha’s Brain” and “Just One Thing,” among others. His stress-reducing technique, which “amplifies the good” by regularly acknowledging what’s good in your life, helps rewire the brain to think in a more positive way.

“What we notice, we amplify, at least internally,” says Farchione. “So, actively noticing what is good — or even just ok — will begin to shift your experience by shifting neurological connections. It can be as simple as pausing and noticing the

sky, the trees. Seeing beauty. Noticing small kindnesses, or the smell of that first cup of coffee in the morning.” Other ways of seeing the good include beautification of your space at home whether it’s a room, a workspace, a garden or landscape. It could be as simple as cleaning or painting, says Haddix.

It’s also helpful to spend time with the people in your life — inside and outside your home, she says. Play a board game with the kids, watch a movie together, get outside, get to know your neighbors, volunteer in the community.

“There’s a power in the collectiveness,” Haddix says. “Volunteer, do something for the community and get outside yourself… Ultimately that’s what you want. Your own health and wellbeing is connected to others.”

MAKE YOUR MOVE

With so many of us living sedentary lifestyles, we know it’s important to incorporate movement at regular intervals throughout the day. Make starting those habits easier and consider what type of movement comes most natural to you, Haddix says. If you’re not the running type, don’t think you have to be. A more natural activity might be going for a morning walk with a neighbor.

“Movement comes in many forms… I think everybody has to take stock of what they like to do. Some people love to dance, some people love to do outdoor sports,” Haddix says.

Farchione agrees, saying that pairing movement with something you naturally enjoy doing will make you more likely to stick to that activity.

“For me, moving has to pair with something I love to do, with something I know how to do. I love the actual practice of yoga it touches my heart and my mind, and I love being in the space with other people practicing. It doesn’t feel like exercising,” she says.

RELAX, JUST DO IT

When it comes to destressing, try to do one thing for yourself each day that brings you joy. Haddix says you shouldn’t be afraid to ask yourself, “Did I do something for myself today?” It could be savoring a cup of tea, reading a book, talking to a friend any simple act that brings you happiness. Think about what self-care is for you, and commit to sprinkling it in your week, ideally at least one small thing each day, says Farchione.

“For me it’s a short, 20-minute nap to reset my brain, going home and taking the dog for a walk before heading back to the studio to teach, a hot bath or hunkering down with a good book. Find out what feeds you and add it to your schedule as a ‘must do,’ not a luxury.”

When it comes to destressing, try to do one thing for yourself each day that brings you joy.

GET OUTSIDE

Central New York’s winters can make it challenging to get outside and be with nature but doing so — even for just a short time — has health benefits. It also helps to embrace the mantra: There is no bad weather, only inappropriate clothing. “You do better when you embrace the season and the elements. Living through all seasons, what I have learned and appreciate is to really move through [them]. We have beautiful summers, but then we have beautiful winters and so again finding the beauty in that… you just have to dress for the weather,” says Haddix.

“You do better when you embrace the season and the elements.”

Dr. Marcelle Haddix, registered yoga instructor and founder of zenG Wellness

PHOTO BY GARY WALTS

WANT TO EAT BETTER? SLEEP BETTER? STAY CALM? TRY THESE MINDFULNESS TIPS

BY MJ KRAVEC

Savor the flavors

If your intention is to eat more healthfully, consider mindfulness, says Farchione. Being mindful takes practice, and you can take that practice into every aspect of your life from driving to grocery shopping and eating.

“Slowing down and taking in the visual presentation and smell of your food, taking one bite at a time and really tasting it, not only add to the pleasure of eating — because you’re actually registering it in your conscious experience — but will have you eating less, since it takes the brain about 20 minutes to register a feeling of fullness,” says Farchione.

As a vegan, Haddix says she eats for sustenance, health and pleasure and sees food as medicine. She also says it’s important to be a “conscious eater,” knowing what you put into your body by reading labels and ingredients. Haddix says it’s also important to think about where your food comes from and being conscious about eating more local foods and products, supporting local farms and small businesses.

“I think there are ways [to] make choices about our food to not only support us individually, in our health, but also the health of the collective community.”

Sleep well

Research shows poor sleep quality increases your risk of developing serious health conditions including heart disease, diabetes and obesity. According to sleephealth.org, 70 percent of American adults report having trouble sleeping at least once a month. It’s an ongoing struggle for many, but a few simple habits could make a difference in how you wake the next day.

Haddix advises establishing a nighttime ritual. Set a regular bedtime and stick to it. Remove technology from the bedroom, take a shower or bath, read or practice mindfulness or yoga before going to sleep — anything that helps quiet the mind.

“I teach yoga in the evening and I find people often say that if they do a yoga practice at 6, 7 o’clock in the evening that it sets them up for a really nice bedtime — because you have that time to decompress and release whatever you carried throughout your day.”

In addition, try to create a better sleep environment.

“We talk about this in restorative yoga that you want to prepare your nest. So what that means is taking the time to think about what your bedroom, wherever you sleep, what it looks like, what it feels like, what it smells like, what it sounds like… the lighting, if you do aromatherapy…those are things that can help.”

Farchione says she suffers from insomnia and has “tried nearly everything” to help herself stay asleep, often waking up in the middle of the night with a worry. To help lessen the likelihood of waking, she’ll make a written list of things to do or concerns the night before.

“This helps me a lot in letting it go, so my brain doesn’t get stuck on a fruitless hamster wheel of thinking. As worries pop in, I literally tell myself ‘not now; right now is the time for rest and stillness,’” she says.

It’s worth noting she avoids the word “sleep” and instead uses the word “rest.”

“When I tell myself I should be sleeping I start to worry about not sleeping and the impact of not sleeping on all the things I have to accomplish the next day,” she says.

Once that conversation is over, Farchione says she tries a mindfulness technique to put herself in a more relaxed state. “Noticing the softness of my pillow, the warmth of my blankets, the comfort and support of my mattress. Often, this has me drifting off.”

When all else fails, Farchione says she reminds herself that “there’s never been a day I couldn’t get through, regardless of sleep.” She also tries to plan for a short nap the next day, sleeps in a cold room with heavy blankets and ear plugs and reduces alcohol intake the night prior.

Be calm, carry on

To induce feelings of calm, research shows that slowing down your breathing can have immediate results. Farchione advises trying this non-deep breathing technique that slows down the breath by making exhales longer than inhales.

“Sit and notice the feeling of breath coming in and out of your nose. Begin to lengthen the exhale cycle relative to the inhale. Breathe this way for 90 seconds or longer. Notice how you feel.”

A rain storm created a picture perfect memory at Julia and Dan Ostaszewski’s reception.

A REFLECTION OF LOVE

BY AMY BLEIER LONG PHOTOS BY KAYLEIGH TARBET PHOTOGRAPHY & DESIGN

the summer of 2015, Julia Freeman and Dan Ostaszewski attended the K-Rockathon. It started to rain and when headliner Shinedown played their power ballad “I’ll Follow You,” as concert lights reflected around them, the still-new couple — who had recently graduated and were about to depart for separate colleges — realized they were serious about each other. Last June, they danced for the first time as husband and wife to the same love song.

Julia and Dan started hanging out during sophomore year at Bishop Grimes. Family, mutual friends, similar interests and participation in their church youth group drew them together and by fall of se -

nior year, they were an item. Through college and Julia’s six-month study abroad they remained committed to each other.

A sunset proposal at Southwick Beach in August 2019 kicked off a nearly two-year engagement to allow Dan, an engineer, to earn his master’s degree; a month earlier, Julia had taken a position as a marketing assistant. The long engagement meant even though they married in the midst of COVID-19, their plans did not have to be altered because of it. “We kind of just had this stubborn belief that it was all going to go fine,” Dan says. Despite some restrictions, 130 guests joined Julia and Dan for a ceremony at Holy Family Church in Fairmount and reception at The Sinclair of Skaneateles.

Above, two floors of The Sinclair featured tables with white linens and gold chargers. Julia used Monstera deliciosa leaves for centerpieces and painted each table number on a leaf. Right, Dan and Julia Ostaszewski.

Her aesthetic vision was crisp, modern and organic with an emphasis on monochromatic neutrals. The pair began touring venues, ultimately visiting The Sinclair. The historic site was still being renovated at the time, but immediately appealed to them, thanks to its white walls, wrought iron and mix of indoor and outdoor spaces. It set the tone for a white wedding with gold accents and greenery. Photography, food and music were Julia (who runs local foodie Instagram account @savorcuse) and Dan’s top priorities. They booked Kayleigh Tarbet Photography & Design early on, capturing engagement photos in Downtown Syracuse. The caterer — Rosalie’s Cucina — came with the venue and the couple was wowed by their tasting. For the musical selection, the two mined their favorite songs to curate a very danceable playlist.

Most of the decorative elements were created by Julia herself in both an effort to save money and as a creative challenge. With her sister’s help, she designed and printed invitations on marble-patterned paper, which she also used for the seating chart. She hand-wrote glass signs and the table numbers, which were on glossy monstera leaves. The favors were personalized marble tile coasters Julia bought at Home Depot and edged in gold paint. Her pièce de résistance was a faux-boxwood photo backdrop she and her father built; she wove Glow Wire through to spell Always & Forever.

Clockwise from top left, the menu included a caprese salad (shown), sage brown butter gnocchi, asiago bowties, chicken piccata, braciole and fresh Rosalie’s bread; Julia wove Glow Wire through a faux boxwoodcovered pegboard she built with her father to create a photo backdrop; The couple’s signature drinks incorporated their favorite summer fruits into cocktails they regularly enjoy.

Above, at the Catholic Mass ceremony, Julia and Dan’s bridal party stood on the altar with them as they recited their vows. Far left, the pair were caught kissing by a Syracuse. com photographer at their 2015 high school senior prom. The couple recreated the picture on their wedding day.

“[To] finally get to see everyone in the celebration environment of the wedding was just fantastic.”

Dan Ostaszewski

PHOTO BY SCOTT SCHILD

Julia found her stunning fit-and-flare lace dress at Mirror Mirror, Inc. Following her preference for monochromatic looks, Dan selected a black-onblack look from Giovanni’s Tuxedos. The groomsmen’s champagne paisley ties complemented the bridesmaids’ champagne cowl-neck dresses. Dan, a comic book fan, selected special socks for each of his men based on their personalities.

The Catholic Mass was important to them both. Although they chose Holy Family over their home parish for its proximity to Skaneateles, Julia’s childhood pastor concelebrated and gave a personalized homily. The music director played some of the contemporary Christian music from their youth group days and their bridal party encircled them as they recited their vows. Potted monstera plants decorated the altar and were later transported to the reception.

When they walked back up the aisle as Mr. and Mrs. Ostaszewski, it hit them how special it was to have their loved ones there, especially in light of the pandemic. “[To] finally get to see everyone in the celebration environment of the wedding was just fantastic,” Dan says.

During the cocktail hour, guests enjoyed a bruschetta bar with different toppings as local acous-

tic duo the Noisy Boys played. They created the custom buffet-style menu with Marc Albino from Rosalie’s. Fresh fruit purees flavored the refreshing signature cocktails, a watermelon mojito and a blackberry whiskey sour, a summery take on the couple’s go-to concert drink.

Julia’s DIY efforts weren’t limited to the décor: she baked the entire dessert display. Bite-size brownies, cookies, mini cheesecakes and meringues were sprinkled with edible gold luster dust.

Guests spent a lot of time on the dance floor, enjoying the early 2000s vibe Dan and Julia had created with their playlist. “Our wedding was one of the first ones back from COVID that people got to go to, so I think people had this pent-up urge to party and we were there for that,” she says.

Julia and Dan lucked out because in the days leading up to their wedding, the forecast called for rain, but they had a sunny, warm day. In the final hours of the celebration, the skies opened up creating one of their favorite moments of the night: A slow song was playing, the rain hit the glass and the lights from the dance floor reflected on the wet ground outside. Julia says it was like something out of a movie. “It was very romantic. I couldn’t have planned [it] better myself.”

Opposite, the dance floor was packed all night as guests enjoyed one of the first in-person weddings since the pandemic began. Above, the bridal party, outside The Sinclair of Skaneateles, included Dan and Julia’s siblings and friends from high school and college.

SITES TO BEHOLD

BY ALAINA POTRIKUS

TIMBER BANKS GOLF CLUB & MARINA, BALDWINSVILLE timberbanks.com

With a ballroom that can accommodate up to 350 guests, a private deck overlooking the 18th hole of a Jack Nicklaus-designed golf course and a one-of-a-kind bridal suite, Timber Banks has all the elements for a stylish and elegant wedding. An in-house planning team helps couples plan their big day from start to finish. Couples can have their ceremony on the Seneca River. The venue also offers a pastry chef to create a delectable dessert course to remember.

PHOTOS BY JENNIFER VROOMAN PHOTOGRAPHY, DAN THOMPSON NYSGA, JUSTICE & CO. PHOTOGRAPHY, OPPOSITE

HARTLOT HAPPENING, ELBRIDGE hartlothappening.com

Cathedral ceilings with exposed beams, rustic concrete walls, steel doors and sleek windows give Hartlot Happening a modern and industrial look. Just a short drive from Syracuse or Skaneateles, the former bean processing plant has been transformed into a unique venue by Keith Traub of Unite Two Design and Katie Peck of She Rents Vintage.

The venue’s outdoor patio is designed for mingling during cocktails or dancing under the stars. Simple lighting illuminates the indoor reception space that can be styled with tablescapes, lounge areas and other elements from the She Rents Vintage inventory.

THE LOOKOUT AT HOPE LAKE, CORTLAND greekpeak.net

The newly built reception space at the Lookout at Hope Lake is bright and airy, with long farmhouse-style tables and chairs beneath a vaulted ceiling. Large glass doors open to a covered patio overlooking the mountains of Greek Peak resort and Hope Lake Lodge, which offers accommodations and four-season activities for guests. The venue can accommodate up to 300 guests, with on-site catering options and a 20-foot full-service bar.

HEUGA’S ALPINE, TULLY heugasalpine.com

Located at the base of Song Mountain, Heuga’s Alpine will begin promoting weddings in the spring. Couples can plan their weddings at the summit of the 1,940-foot mountain and ride the chairlift down to their reception at the cozy lodge-like restaurant, which specializes in modern American fare. Floor-to-ceiling windows inside the rustic dining room and an outdoor patio space offer panoramic views of the eastern hills of Onondaga County.

MAKING BEAUTIFUL MEMORIES

BY ALAINA POTRIKUS

PAINTOGRAPHER

Hetty Easter

WEBSITE: paintographer.art INSTAGRAM: @paintographer.art

A white tent glowing under a moonlit sky. A first dance with a dramatic dip. A father walking his daughter down the aisle.

Professional fine artist Hetty Easter preserves moments like these in wedding watercolor paintings, collecting inspiration for her dreamy vignettes and painting throughout the ceremony and reception.

It’s a type of painting known as “plein air.” Artists leave their studios and surround themselves with an inspirational landscape.

For Easter, part of the fun is interacting with guests, who can watch her creations take shape throughout the evening.

Easter typically spends about five hours at each wedding and begins sketching during cocktail hour. She develops a page of color notes to help her remember the ambiance and takes photos of details that inspire her.

She completes her series of paintings in her home studio, including some that document smaller scenes: a buffet filled with desserts, a pair of sparkling high heels, a table setting, complete with chargers, cutlery, candles and floral arrangements.

“Everyone has put so much work into the details,” she says. “This is a nice way to remember those moments.”

She purposely paints her scenes on clean, white backgrounds, which she hopes helps her couples “remember their own memories.”

“It is an honor that I am asked to do this,” she says. “I get to distill the joy and love and all the feelings from their wedding and create a piece of art that will hang in their homes forever.”

DELICATE PETALS DESIGNS

Gabriella Krichevsky

WEBSITE: delicatepetalsdesigns.com

INSTAGRAM: @delicatepetalsdesigns

Gabrielle Krichevksy fell in love with her wedding bouquet, an earthy array of white roses and lush greenery created by Alchemy Blooms of Syracuse.

But when the pandemic prevented her from inviting guests to her Lake Placid winter wedding, her desire to preserve a piece of her elopement turned into a business venture.

“I became almost obsessed with finding a way to save something from that day,” says Krichevsky, who launched Delicate Petals Designs to help others create one-of-a-kind keepsakes.

Krichevsky deconstructs each bouquet into its elements a cluster of baby’s breath, a singular peony, a sprig of lavender and preserves the arrangement in a 10-by-10-inch block of clear resin, the flowers floating magically in a state of perpetual bloom.

She shares time-lapse videos of the process on Instagram. It isn’t the most glamorous job Krichevsky wears protective gloves and a mask for proper ventilation while pouring resin.

But she finds peace in preserving each petal for her clients.

“It is a piece of art that they can treasure forever,” she says.

BAR FIORE

Jessie Weiss

WEBSITE: barfioreflowercity.com INSTAGRAM: @bar_fiore_flowercity

A mint-green horse trailer-turned-flower bar is spreading joy across Upstate New York, one bouquet at a time.

Bar Fiore owner Jessie Weiss began traveling to bridal showers, weddings and other pop-up events last year, bringing bunches of flowers in galvanized steel buckets for guests to turn into whimsical arrangements.

Weiss stocks her flower bar with locally sourced blooms, including some grown in her own garden. Guests leave with a custom bouquet wrapped in paper and instructions on how to make the arrangement last longer at home.

“Part of the fun is to give something new a try and learn while doing so,” says Weiss, who trained at the New York Institute of Art & Design. “I truly thrive on educating my customers about some of the basic principles of floral design and am happy to offer colors input or adjustments if they ask me.”

#goodlifeCNY SPREAD

It’s a new year — a year we hope w ll draw people back or attract new employees to Central New York. We l ve n an amazng commun ty, w th un que restaurants, ts own menu of spec al foods, stunn ng outdoor parks and tra ls and so many th ngs to do. And, let’s not forget our four seasons, when we get to do everyth ng d fferently — from how we tend our yards and how we dress to where we go and what we do for fun.

It’s a place w th so many job opportun t es. Just as n other communt es across the country, many Central New York compan es are struggl ng to fill open pos t ons. That’s why CenterState CEO, along w th Onondaga County and several local compan es, are workng together to make sure more people outs de our reg on know what makes CNY a great place to bu ld a l fe, a career and a fam ly.

CenterState CEO has partnered w th these organ zat ons to market our commun ty, showcas ng ts low cost of l v ng, easy commutes, all ts attr butes and the many job opportun t es and career paths our local compan es have to offer job cand dates.

We need to make sure people outs de Central New York know what a great place t s to l ve the r best l ves.

CenterState CEO, the reg on’s bus ness leadersh p organ zat on, s lead ng several n t at ves to help address Central New York’s grow ng shortage of ava lable workers. To market Central New York, they’ve partnered w th Onondaga County and several other compan es to underwr te a campa gn to market Central New York to cand dates who l ve outs de the area. They have also partnered w th Advance Med a New York to create an all- n-one resource for those compan es to help sell the area.

The project ncludes a mult med a market ng effort and a webs te that prov des potent al new Central New Yorkers everyth ng

they need to know about the reg on, and to ent ce them to jo n us n the Good L fe. Check out the webs te at www.goodl feCNY. com. It’s filled w th stunn ng v deos, photos and ent c ng stor es about our home. Share t w th fr ends or fam ly who may be cons der ng relocat ng and employers look ng for the r next new h re.

Advance Med a New York s tell ng the CNY story through a mult med a market ng campa gn, llustrat ng the beauty of our home, w th ts abundance of jobs, easy commutes and countless enterta nment and recreat onal opt ons n a beaut ful central locat on. Many Central New Yorkers are play ng a key role n tell ng our story through v deo test mon als.

Among the webs te’s many features s a job board for h r ng managers and job seekers that pulls jobs from rap dly expandng compan es n Central New York. It lets job seekers share nformat on about the r exper ence and career nterests, g vng part c pat ng employers access to a qual fied pool of canddates nterested n find ng employment n the reg on. It can be accessed from the Good L fe CNY s te or by l nk ng d rectly at careers.goodl fecny.com.

These local compan es are work ng together w th CenterState CEO and Onondaga County to support th s n t at ve and promote CNY to bu ld our commun ty:

PHOTO BY BLACK CUB PRODUCTIONS

Making good

CNY SCOUT • FARM TO TABLE • ART PROFILE

A CLOSER LOOK

Artists and community activists Aldea Gerard and Laura Thorne want to celebrate the cultural and economic impact a vibrant creative class has on Syracuse and similar cities and use that spotlight to draw attention to the country’s next best places to live.

They founded Hey Alec Productions in 2021 and developed an arts and culture travel show, “Off the Wall & Up Close,” inspired by the success of foodie travel shows. Episodes will feature guest artists sharing their creative paths and walkable itineraries of locally owned restaurants and shops — all

in lesser-explored American cities with demographics similar to Syracuse.

Guided by the Visit Syracuse Film Office, they filmed a pilot with Upstate Down in Downtown Syracuse last August. The production, which Gerard and Thorne bootstrapped, has raised more than $15,000 to date solely from private donors, including Café Kubal. The co-hosts continue to fundraise and look for investors to help them enter and attend film festivals to attract a big-name outlet to pick up the show. Stay tuned for mini episodes coming soon on YouTube.

For more information: heyalecproductions.com

Making good

A noble craft

Neon craftsman keeps CNY glowing

BY SARAH TIETJE-MIETZ

Neon signs are the Instagram eye-candy that light up the walls of the hippest bars, bakeries and restaurants in our region. For Syracuse’s Neon Shop owner and craftsman Camille Sleilati, capturing this noble gas in glass means much more than a job. For him, it has been a lifeline to the American dream.

His work in neon exists at the intersection of sculptural art and commercial design, and Sleilati sits with an easy confidence in his workshop, the weight of his 73 years hardly evident on his small frame. He is surrounded on all sides by signs in various stages of construction and repair. His desk and workbench are islands amongst the organized chaos of glass and metal, while the few free spaces on the walls display posters of American flags.

“This is my daily bread. This is what kept me in this country,” says Sleilati. “I make my living from it. I sent my kids to school…

and I’m my own businessman.”

In 1980, Sleilati, his wife, and four-year-old daughter immigrated to the U.S. from Lebanon. They had a comfortable life there, with a successful family business and Sleilati serving as appointed mayor in their town of Kab Elias for almost a decade. But the ongoing Lebanese Civil War magnified inter-religious divides, and after threats to his family and an attempt on his life were made, the decision to leave his home country became clear. Sleilati recalls, “I had no choice; I had all the money or my life.”

They settled in Binghamton where his wife had some family. In many ways, Sleilati was starting his life over at the age of 35, and while his faith in his decision was steadfast, the days were difficult. He found work as a janitor at a local Catholic school but remembers feeling the sideways glances and hearing the

Camille Sleilati showcases the range of colors available for the signs he creates at the Neon Shop in Syracuse.

whispers from the nuns and priests about how this former mayor was now scrubbing floors and cleaning their toilets.

“You know, I was so sad. I used to go home after the second shift at night, crying. I said [to myself] this is how I’m gonna end? Mopping the floor? But finally, step by step, step by step, step by step…here we are,” he says, chuckling softly and gesturing to his workshop.

At his workbench, his hands work nimbly as he weaves and writes in three dimensions. Sleilati twists and bends the delicate glass tubes over torch flames while simultaneously blowing into the small rubber hose clenched between his teeth to keep interior of the tubes from collapsing in.

When the design is finished, he fills the glass with gas — either neon or argon — which are responsible for the characteristic luminosity of the signs. Each gas glows a distinct color: neon, a vermillion and argon, a violet, which when combined with an array of colored glass tubing, produce a rainbow of technicolor options for use in everything from humble beer brand signs to one-of-a-kind designs.

This was a career Sleilati learned from the ground up. He first began working in the general sign trade for a regional company with offices in Binghamton. He was in every way a novice, but his willingness to learn eventually led to being trained by the company’s neon technician. It was hard work and long days, made longer still when the company directed all work to its Syracuse location.

“He balanced a lot,” his daughter, Mira Sleilati, recalls. “We relied on him at that time when we were younger. My mother was not working — she couldn’t. We needed him for school, we needed him for appointments, we needed him for driving us around. So, he was doing it all and commuting to Syracuse and coming back every night.”

He left the company and opened the Neon Shop in 1992 after finding the perfect space to lease for his own workshop at 909 North Avenue. Three years later he received American citizenship, a full 15 years after immigrating to the U.S. By 2006, he had purchased the workshop and property, and has built a small-but-mighty empire within. Mira speaks proudly of what this work has meant to her father and her family, as well as what a true art form it is that he practices.

“He is not somebody who is an artist; he was not

born an artist. He did not become an artist. He literally learned this to support his family,” says Mira. “And here he is with more artistic skills than anybody in the family.”

Sleilati’s talents are in high demand for new designs for local bars, shops and home decor, not to mention repairing iconic vintage signs, evident by the backlog of repairs and rolled-up schematics of signs yet to be crafted. He is a one-man outfit, each project a product of his two hands.

Sleilati smiles humbly and says, “You’ll see me behind this table, every day,” assuring us there is no sign the glowing is slowing.

Each project, like this vintage original Mobilegas sign, is crafted or repaired expertly by Sleilati.

Making good FARM TO TABLE

Saucy, yay

BY MJ KRAVEC PHOTOS BY ALAINA POTRIKUS

Miss Prissy’s offers a comforting soul food staple made with local honey and maple syrup

Making good

Dreamer Glen, owner of Miss Prissy’s

I t’s a cold day outside the Salt City Market in Downtown Syracuse and visitors are coming in from the city streets to warm up with a bite to eat or a hot drink.

Inside the Market at Miss Prissy’s, it’s almost closing time. Owner Dreamer Glen comes out to the counter with the dish she chose to share with a Central New York Magazine writer and photographer — a sweet and salty glazed ham dressed with a side of kale. It’s no exaggeration to say that the ham is turning heads.

“Oooh,” says one passerby.

“Wow,” says another.

And “Look at that — so pretty,” says a third, a Salt City Market staff member pushing a cart.

“Make sure you stop back and get some,” Glen says. Then, to the writer and photographer, “Are you going to take some of this home? I can’t eat it all by myself.”

The aroma of salty ham and sweet maple glaze is irresistible. So yes, we absolutely would love to, we tell her. Glen smiles and offers ham to more staffers. There’s a feeling of family here, which is exactly the vibe Glen is going for when she serves her food.

That feeling is evident on the walls of Miss Prissy’s, which hold photos of Glen’s grandparents — a tribute to her family and upbringing.

“That’s my grandmother at different stages of her life. She taught me everything I know about cooking and family and love and about reaching people,” says Glen.

The menu at Miss Prissy’s features the classic soul food cooking that Glen learned from her grandmother. Items include fried chicken, collard greens seasoned with smoked turkey, candied yams and Glen’s signature mac and cheese.

“It’s comfort food that’s good for the soul. It’s all those things that your granny cooked — it’s food that makes you feel good — good homecooked food,” she says.

Popular dishes include mac and cheese, fried chicken and sassy shrimp. “Those are our top sellers... If I don’t have [the mac and cheese] I think they’d burn the place down,” she laughs. “People really seem to love the mac and cheese.”

While Miss Prissy’s serves soul food year-round, the menu changes with the seasons. During the summer, she’ll serve baked beans and mac salad, and in winter replace those items with chili, chicken pot pie, honey corn bread and roasted turkey wings. “It’s on the heavier side because it’s colder,” she says.

For our January/February issue, Glen chose her version of Honey Maple-glazed Ham. It’s an ideal dish to combat the cold of a Central New York winter and a dish that can be enjoyed by the family, just like it was a holiday.

“It’s comfort food — the kind of food you can sit around and talk and eat and share.”

Dreamer Glen, owner of Miss Prissy’s in Salt City Market.

“It’s comfort food that’s good for the soul. It’s all those things that your granny cooked – it’s food that makes you feel good – good homecooked food.”

HONEY MAPLE-GLAZED HAM

from Miss Prissy’s Glaze

½ cup local maple syrup ½ cup softened butter ½ cup brown sugar

½ cup local honey 3 Tbs. brown mustard 1 spiral-sliced fully cooked ham

» Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line roasting pan with foil for easy clean up. Place ham in the prepared pan, pour maple syrup over ham.

» Beat remaining ingredients until blended and pour ¾ cup over ham. Bake uncovered for 1 ½ hours. Spread remaining mixture over ham and bake for 30 additional minutes, basting occasionally.

Any special preparation tips?

Do a last-minute basting just before you serve.

Left, Miss Prissy’s at Salt City Market.

Above,

What does it pair well with?

A Sauvignon Blanc pairs nicely since it cuts through the salt and fat of the ham. A California red would pair well with this, too. For side dishes, try roasted Brussels sprouts or green beans.

photos of Glen’s grandmother hang on the walls at the food stall.

Making good DOWN TO

Take charge

EARTH

Easy ways to reduce usage and save on home energy costs

BY MJ KRAVEC

Ever open the fridge and just stare? You’ve done it. We all do it. How about leaving a light on upstairs when no one’s there? Or leaving the cellphone charger plugged in?

Waste of energy.

We don’t often think about these habits, which can all rack up fuel costs over time. Jared Paventi, strategic communications manager at National Grid, admits he didn’t think about energy zapping habits like the ones mentioned above until he started working for National Grid. But embracing simple, less wasteful practices can all add up to help conserve energy, protect the planet and reduce over-

all energy costs.

Start with one simple rule: Turn off any appliances, TVs, computers or printers you don’t need and avoid leaving cellphone chargers plugged in when not in use, says Paventi. Even when the device is turned off, it’s still using energy.

“You can tell on your computer that the electrical is on – it has that light. That electricity is coming from somewhere to keep that light lit,” he says. “When you unplug it from the wall you can prevent that electrical use.”

Follow these other reminders for conserving energy during the winter from National Grid:

LIGHTING

» During the day, turn off lights and make use of sunlight by opening blinds, shades and curtains.

APPLIANCES

» Run the dishwasher when it’s fully loaded. Same with washer and dryer. Make sure to clean filters between each use to maximize efficiency.

“When you run the dishwasher three-quarters full, you’re using the same amount of water, the same amount of electricity for every load. So, when you have a full machine, you’re not using needless resources,” says Paventi.

» Try to avoid opening and closing the refrigerator and freezer doors needlessly.

“Go to the fridge with a plan… rather than just standing there and staring,” he says. Know what you need to take out of the refrigerator to avoid letting too much cold air escape, which makes your appliance work harder.

» Keep your refrigerator’s temperature at an optimal 38 degrees.

» When heating meals, use a toaster oven rather than a traditional oven. “It’s a smaller space, it utilizes less energy, it has less volume. It’s more energy efficient,” says Paventi.

» Use your ceiling fan, even in winter. Remember the saying heat rises, cold air sinks? Use your ceiling fan to move warmer air around the room by flipping the switch located near the top of your fan. Running a ceiling fan is more efficient than cranking up the thermostat, Paventi says. “We’re always thinking about ceiling fans for cooling. It’s not necessarily the case. It’s actually spinning in a way that pulls hot air up… If you flip [the switch], it changes the direction of the fan and it changes the air flow. It can push that hot air down.”

GOING ON VACATION?

» If you’re leaving home to go on vacation, unplug your television, DVD, sound system, etc. because even while off, these devices are still taking a charge in standby mode, Paventi says. It doesn’t take much of an effort to plug them back in and you’ll save energy by unplugging.

» Turn down the thermostat three or four degrees. “Why heat a house when no one’s home? If you turn it down a few degrees those savings start to add up.” Paventi says National Grid encourages the use of smart thermostats that read into peak usage and adjust automatically. One of National Grid’s many energy saving programs, the High Efficiency Gas Heating Equipment Program offers rebates to customers who purchase smart thermostats.

HEATING

WAIT, WATT?

Turning off a light you don’t need will help reduce consumption of fuel that burns to create that kilowatt-hour of energy — whether the source of the fuel is fossil, nuclear, coal or alternative. Appliances such as fans, TVs and other electronics that are powered off actually help conserve energy and help protect the environment.

» Keep your water heater temperature at 120 degrees to save energy and reduce the risk of getting burned.

» If possible, turn down the heat supply to any rooms that aren’t in use. “Make sure you have heat going where you want it,” Paventi says. “Consider moving furniture around. Some rooms may have more sun coming in. Move the chair you like to sit in near a sunny spot, or away from the window if there’s a draft.

» Turn down the thermostat one or two degrees when leaving your home during the day and again at night. “Studies have shown that people will sleep better when in a cooler environment. You don’t want to shut the heat off for safety reasons, but your body at rest does better in a cooler environment. Turn the heat down at night. It isn’t just good for the environment, it’s good for your health.”

And if you get cold?

“That’s what blankets are made for.”

From helpsavenature.com 

National Grid has an online survey to assess your home’s energy use and offers customized tips on how to save money. Visit ngrid.com/uny-assessment

Start with one simple rule: Turn off any appliances, TVs, computers or printers you don’t need and avoid leaving cellphone chargers plugged in when not in use.

Director’s cut

Redhouse’s new artistic director Temar Underwood finds purpose opening doors to other artists

BY JEANNE ALBANESE

In the world of professional performing arts, Temar Underwood has pretty much done it all.

As a playwright, he has had four plays produced and published. As a singer, he recorded and released an album including the song “Inside Out,” which hit No. 1 on the Billboard Hip-Hop and R&B single sales chart.

As an actor, he has performed in dozens of plays, musicals and off-Broadway shows in New York City and in regional theater, including Redhouse Arts Center in Syracuse. In fact, his first professional musical role was the lion in a Redhouse production of “The Wiz.”

And as a director, he has directed more than a dozen productions, including several for Redhouse.

Underwood has enjoyed and excelled in each of these roles, but he says none ever quite fulfilled him.

“I really believe in finding what your purpose is,” he says. “Often times you’re doing the grind and sometimes there’s a voice in your head that says, ‘This is kind of it, but this isn’t really your purpose.’”

Last winter, when theaters went dark during the height of the pandemic, Underwood was directing a virtual production for Redhouse’s New Works Festival. Redhouse was without an artistic director at the time, so Underwood was hired in February as the associate director of artistic programming to oversee virtual productions for the rest of the season.

In March, when New York state announced that live theater could resume in a limited capacity, Underwood shifted his focus to planning the 2021-2022 live performance season. For the first time in his career, Underwood was planning performances and hiring actors and other artists — and he found that purpose he had been looking for.

“That voice said, ‘That’s it. That’s what you want to do.’ All of those things I did help me understand the theater in a way so that I can facilitate other artists doing what artists do,” he says, “which is giving human beings a sense of what it is to be a human being.”

So when the search for a permanent artistic director began, Underwood seemed like a natural fit. Despite his long history with the Redhouse spanning more than a decade, he was interviewed three times like he was a complete stranger among the pool of high-caliber national candidates.

“He won this position because he’s the right person for the job,” says Executive Director Samara Hannah. “His artistic and creative vision is incredible, but it’s also his heart. And we are at a time right now where the need for sensitivity and compassion is extraordinary and he just brought that really incredible balance to Redhouse.”

When the curtain rose at Redhouse for “Sister

Executive

Temar Underwood as Tom Collins in the Redhouse Arts Center production of “RENT.”

“He won this position because he’s the right person for the job. His artistic and creative vision is incredible, but it’s also his heart. And we are at a time right now where the need for sensitivity and compassion is extraordinary and he just brought that really incredible balance to Redhouse.”

Director Samara Hannah

Making good ART PROFILE

Act” in December, it was the first live show on the theater’s main stage with a live audience in almost two years.

Getting audiences back to live theater after the COVID shut down is crucial, says Marguerite Mitchell, Redhouse director of education. She adds that the need for human connection has never been more important.

“Getting people to come back out. Getting people to hear different stories. Getting people to connect with one another and support one another and just remind everybody the importance of community,” she says. “That is one of Temar’s strengths. He really is being very thoughtful about making sure that he is bringing everybody back, but in a way that is going to make everyone feel reconnected not only with the arts but each other.”

Underwood’s priority is to program diverse and inclusive shows and to bring to Syracuse shows people want to see and shows people don’t yet know they want to see, he says.

His sensitivity to the impact theater can have is rooted deeply within his own experiences. Growing up in the suburbs of Cleveland, Ohio, he knew from a young age that he wanted to perform, but he was painfully shy. As a young boy, he would cry when he had to speak at church. As a high school student, he sat alone at lunch.

The youngest of five boys, he would come home from elemen-

tary school and while his parents were at work, he would create his own theatrical world from his imagination.

He played cassettes of Michael Jackson and other favorite singers and lip synced and danced around his house. In the blank space in between the songs, he created dialogue and scenes.

“So, all of these songs that don’t tell a story, I created a story,” he says. “I was doing a juke box musical in my basement.”

He never performed for his brothers or parents, though sometimes they would catch him in the act.

When he was in seventh grade, his parents moved just a few miles down the road to another suburb called Shaker Heights. There, a nationally known theater program at the high school offered theater courses every period of the day. When Underwood met one of the teachers in the program during an orientation his freshman year, he heard that internal voice.

“‘This man seems nice,’” he recalls. “‘I can audition for him.’ I did. That voice said, ‘Just do it. Just go to the audition.’”

Underwood auditioned for “Oliver” and got a part in the ensemble, playing the knife grinder in the song “Who Will Buy.”

“That moment definitely changed my life,” says Underwood, who later performed the role of Fagin in Redhouse’s production of “Oliver.”

“Sometimes you just have to put your head down and do the

PHOTO BY GENEVIEVE FRIDLEY

PHOTO BY BLUEHAT

work. So that’s what I did.”

He studied acting at Ohio University and within months of graduating in 2002, he moved to New York to begin building his career.

His first interaction with Redhouse in 2009 was serendipitous. Stephen Svoboda, a friend from college, was the artistic director at the time, and he had written a play in college that included a role based on Underwood. Although Underwood had workshopped the part, he had never performed it professionally. So, when Svoboda called to cast him in the production, Underwood jumped at the chance. The play is called “Odysseus DOA” — DOA stands for Dies of Aids. Underwood says when performing such heavy material, actors must make deep connections with other actors quickly. Once he made these connections, they trickled out into the community and continued to grow each year when Underwood would return for performances.

He plans to continue building on that connection to meet his goal of increasing diversity and inclusion with a balance of national and local talent. He says this will take hard work and time.

“I think it would be very easy for me to have a diverse season by contracting in artists of color from New York,” he says. “It’s more difficult to make a connection with people of color in the community that have talent but don’t know their talent translates to theater. You might dance, you might sing, you might rap, you might do poetry. It takes individual conversations with people to help them come to the conclusion that, ‘Oh, my skill set translates to theater.’ And this includes carpenters and electricians and IT people. You can’t achieve that through press releases and social media. I have to go out into the community.”

To work toward that goal, Redhouse held a Diversity, Equity and Inclusion event last summer that brought people into the theater space to see the various aspects of production. Underwood said he hired four local actors from that event for this season’s productions.

When Redhouse’s production of “MacBeth” takes place later this spring, it will include input from Syracuse City School District students, thanks to a grant that he and Mitchell worked on. The program included Zoom sessions with Redhouse professionals that exposed the students to careers in theater beyond acting and then allowed them to submit

ideas on costumes, lighting and set design, some of which will be worked into the production. The students will also attend the performance for free.

In addition to being the face of the artistic department, Underwood will still direct from time to time, including “Sister Act” and “MacBeth” this season. He’s already at work planning next season.

And sometimes, the most mundane tasks of his workday are deeply satisfying.

“There’s a lot of desk work as an artistic director, which is not my favorite part,” Underwood says. “[In the fall] I was sending an email to a designer asking if they would design a production. I sent the email and I stepped back, and I said, ‘Wow, I got so much joy from that.’ Just sending an email. Because I realize I want to create opportunities for other artists to do their art.”

Opposite page: Underwood as Fagin in Redhouse’s production of “Oliver.”

Above: Underwood hosts Redhouse’s Ain’t it Grand fundraiser last fall.

Galleries

ARTRAGE GALLERY, THE NORTON PUTTER GALLERY

505 Hawley Avenue, Syracuse, artragegallery.org. Open 2 to 6 p.m., Wednesday, Thursday & Friday, noon to 4 p.m. Saturday and by appointment for groups. Reservations required.

Robin Holder: USA - United States of Anxiety/We’re In It Together. Robin Holder is a biracial contemporary artist based in New York/New Jersey. Her research-based, mixed-technique works are saturated with cultural references that reveal the conflicts of our human experience. Holder’s work, exploring societal access alongside lack of empowerment, provides unique opportunities for challenging discussions about socio-economic imbalances and the complexities of identity, class, cultural inequity, race and religion. Runs through Jan. 15.

The Struggle to Connect: A Call and Response Conversation on Race and Gender by Women Artists. This exhibition was developed from conversations between exhibit curator Vanessa Johnson and the late Marie Summerwood, local activist and ArtRage volunteer. While all women are oppressed as women, there has been an uneasy “her-story” between women of color and white women in the feminist movement. From the Women’s Suffrage Movement to modern-day voting patterns, there is a continuing divide based on an intersectionality of race, gender and class. Runs Feb. 5 to March 19.

EDGEWOOD GALLERY

216 Tecumseh Road, Syracuse. 315-445-8111, edgewoodartandframe. com. Open 9:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday - Friday, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday. Closed Sunday - Monday. Free. Please wear a mask, observe proper social distancing. Hand sanitizer, gloves and masks are available in the gallery.

Organic Abstraction. Mary Giehl: Framed wall hangings of beading work on fabric inspired by microscopic images of brain activities and water-borne organisms. Also exhibiting her cast bronze series “Candy,” an installation of brightly colored children’s shoes on white silk pillows, meant to represent our individual happier childhood memories. Davana Robedee: Silk wall hangings dyed with home-grown indigo, using Japanese stitch resist shibori techniques. The images’ shapes and patterns were directly inspired by the artist’s dreams. Judi Witkin: Hand bead work including bracelets, necklaces and earrings, also showing whimsical beaded boxes and other small works. Jan. 14 through Feb. 25. Due to COVID, no reception is planned. Please wear masks when coming in the gallery.

EVERSON MUSEUM OF ART

401 Harrison St., Syracuse. 315-474-6064, everson.org. Open noon to 5 p.m. Wednesday and Friday, noon to 8 p.m. Thursday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and noon to 5 p.m. Sunday. Closed Monday -Tuesday. $5 suggested donation.

Mutual Affection: The Victoria Schonfeld Collection. Victoria Schonfeld (1950-2019) was a prominent New York lawyer,

Left, Dawn Williams Boyd “Peaches and Evangeline” at Everson.

Above, Davana Robedee at Edgewood Gallery.

collector and philanthropist whose discerning eye was matched only by the fierceness of devotion to her family and friends. From the time she began collecting ceramics in the 1990s, Schonfeld developed lasting friendships with the artists who caught her eye. Schonfeld was particularly devoted to championing female artists, including Betty Woodman, Alison Britton and Carol McNicoll, as well as younger artists like Lauren Mabry and Rain Harris. Her taste encompassed everything from classical beauty to pointedly political works, all linked by her boundless curiosity. Through Feb. 20.

Charley Friedman: Soundtracks for the Present Future. An immersive auditory installation that combines over 70 second-hand guitars, mandolins and basses to create a singular instrument. Suspended from the ceiling in a cluster, the instruments form a labyrinth of sounds and vibrations that perpetually shift as viewers navigate the work. By weaving a sound tapestry through one’s response to different sounds and music, Friedman explores the relationship between humanity and music by activating the senses while straddling the line between one’s private experience and a collective musical experience. The compositions played conceptually explore the diversity of the medium and the imprint it can make. Music has the power to stimulate a full spectrum of emotions and memories, which, in turn, can build empathy and transcend political discord. Jan. 29 through April 10.

Dawn Williams Boyd: Woe. Dawn Williams Boyd’s cloth paintings’ sheer sizes add to their larger-than-life, often brutal subject matter. Her exhibition, Woe, is a collection of works that reflect a lifelong critique of social injustices and racial violence, epic battles with misogyny and physical and psychological abuses of power. There is no such thing as neutral history. Using scraps of fabric, needles and thread as her tools, Boyd painstakingly “paints” the entire surface of her quilts, layer upon layer, cutting, sewing, endlessly repurposing, building the surface into a formidable, authoritative source that pulls no punches. Boyd charges seamlessly between a myriad of narratives, both distant and recent, collaging together monumental moments of American history that are so often ignored or lost. Jan. 29 through April 10.

Arlene Abend: Resolute. With endless determination and unwavering commitment to her craft, Syracuse-based

sculptor Arlene Abend has developed a body of work in steel, bronze and resin that effortlessly moves between whimsy and gravitas. Arlene Abend: Resolute explores Abend’s innovative nature as well as her strength and resilience as an artist. Jan. 22 through April 17.

ONONDAGA HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION

321 Montgomery St., Syracuse. 315-428-1864, cnyhistory.org. Open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesday-Friday, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Free but donations encouraged. Check their website for updates.

The Colors of Keck. Henry Keck was an accomplished stained-glass designer, lending his artistic vision to residential windows and Gothic revival churches across the country. He apprenticed with Louis Comfort Tiffany and went on to open his own stained-glass business in Syracuse in 1913. The pieces on display in this exhibit are from the era of Keck’s own company, which produced windows until it closed in 1974. Keck’s Arts and Crafts-style designs set them apart from traditional stained-glass. This made him a perfect fit for 1913 Syracuse, where furniture designer Gustav Stickley and architect Ward Wellington Ward’s influence had solidified the city as the center of the American Arts and Crafts movement. On display in the second-floor gallery until summer of 2022.

Framed Faith: Churches of Onondaga County in Artwork. From the early- to mid-nineteenth century, various religious denominations within Onondaga County organized to build houses of worship after years of services held in shops, stores and barns. Framed Faith: Churches of Onondaga County in Artwork features depictions of the buildings that were central to these religious communities as they made their homes here and left their mark on history. The religious and architectural diversity that these groups worked to establish is still present in Onondaga County today.

A Pocket Full of Progress: A Retrospective Look at the Machines Found in our Smartphones. Even in his wildest dreams, Alexander Graham Bell never imagined that in the not-too-far distant future, billions of people would be carrying his invention in their pockets. Pocket Full of Progress illustrates the march of technology by exhibiting a wide range of machines from the last 150 years, many of which were built right here in Syracuse.

Arlene Abed at Everson Museum of Art.

Flashback

A SUPERSTAR FROM SYRACUSE

BY GREGG TRIPOLI

Edna May was a Syracuse girl who became one of the biggest stars in theatrical history. Born in the Salt City in 1878, Edna was a regular on local stages throughout her childhood.

By 1895, she headed to Broadway in New York City, and two years later, landed the role of a lifetime as the lead in producer George Lederer’s musical, “The Belle of New York.” The show went on to London where it played for an astounding 699 performances and made Edna the toast of two coasts.

Supply of glossy photos and postcards of Edna could not keep up with demand and hundreds of thousands were sold. She became the most sought-after musical actress of her time and starred in numerous shows on Broadway and the West End. Fans threw everything from flowers to property deeds and jewels at her feet during her many curtain calls.

In 1907, at the peak of her fame, she retired from the stage and married a handsome, younger, wealthy American, Oscar Lewisohn. They settled into domestic bliss at their English estate, Cranborne Court.

During WWI, Edna made a silent film version of “Belle” and donated her entire astronomical $100,000 salary to the Red Cross. In 1917, Oscar died from complications in surgery and Edna began to travel extensively.

She came back to Syracuse frequently to visit family and friends, and newspapers covered her last trip in 1935 when she was honored at a luncheon at the Hotel Syracuse. Edna died in Switzerland on New Year’s Day, 1948, but she is forever immortalized in the annals of theatrical history.

Gregg Tripoli is executive director of OHA.

Syracuse native became “The Belle of New York”

Poster for “The Belle of New York.”

PHOTO COURTESY OHA

WITH OHA

ADAM MAZZONI

WITH Chocolatier from Sweet on Chocolate

BY MJ KRAVEC

Hot chocolate, milk chocolate, white chocolate, heck, any chocolate. When it’s cold and dark and we need a little comfort (and with Valentine’s Day coming up), chocolate’s just the thing to get us through winter. We thought it would be fun to chat with chocolatier Adam Mazzoni from Sweet on Chocolate in Armory Square to find out what it’s like to work with all that temptation.

What time do you get up in the morning and how do you take your coffee? I am up by 7 a.m. and my coffee is either hot or iced depending on the season, but always black!

Favorite season in CNY? Honestly, I enjoy all the seasons in their own way. I think it’s incredible that I live in an area that has four distinct seasons.

Favorite spot to enjoy the great outdoors in CNY? Baltimore Woods in Marcellus. It’s nostalgic, it’s diverse, it’s one of my happy places.

What’s it like to work as a chocolatier? It’s messy!

Do you have a favorite holiday to make chocolate for? My favorite holiday to make chocolate for is Mother’s Day. We get to be super creative and come up with inspired chocolates to celebrate Mom.

What’s the most difficult confection you’ve worked on? Believe it or not but conceptualizing our Hot Chocolate Menu was rather trying. We drank a lot of hot chocolate, taste testing different variations of all our flavors until they were just right. It may not sound so bad, but there came a point where we were sick of cocoa. (laughs) That stage didn’t last long, though.

Any interesting facts about chocolate that many people don’t know? Here’s an interesting fact: It’s the rigid crystalline structure of cocoa butter molecules that give chocolate its shine and snap. That’s why chocolate needs to be tempered properly, and why it’s so temperamental.

“Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory.”

We understand that three of the “Charlies” from “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory” came into your shop last October when the show was here at the Landmark. What was that like? It was amazing to have all three “Charlies” in the shop. We promoted the show in collaboration with Famous Artists’ Broadway in Syracuse and made special chocolate bars with “golden tickets” inside. One day these kids came into the shop with some “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory” logos on. We asked how they were involved in the show, and they responded with, “We play Charlie!” We were blown away! They were so gracious and excited to be in a chocolate shop. They all signed a poster that we will hang in the shop.

For Valentine’s Day — got any suggestions for serving or pairing with wine? My suggestion for Valentine’s Day chocolate is to serve it at room temperature too cold and the flavor may be dulled a bit, and too warm and… you know. If pairing with wine, consider what you’re drinking. Red wines have a wide range of flavor profiles. Some big full-bodied reds may be nice with dark chocolate and sea salt, fig and pistachio bark and raspberry truffles. Whereas some milder reds may work well with our dried cherry clusters and caramel truffles. Don’t count out white wines! I think Rieslings and Sauvignon Blancs are great paired with our lemon creams, pineapple creams and our Thai ginger chocolate bar.

Oh, we’ll try them all — chocolates and wine!

That other famous candy man, Gene Wilder in