Central New York Magazine - March/April 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

David Lafata dlafata@advancelocal.com Susan Santola ssantola@advancelocal.com

CUSTOMER SERVICE 315-282-8622

SUBSCRIPTIONS

Contact Jennifer Queri or visit readcnymagazine.com

ON THE COVER

We’re all clover it. Oxalis tetraphylla at Ballantyne Gardens in Liverpool. Photo by Alaina Potrikus. Cover design by Susan Santola. See story page 44.

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, publisher 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.

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©2022 BMW of North America, LLC. The BMW name, model names and logo are registered trademarks.

This bud’s for you

In the words of T.S. Eliot “April is the cruelest month, breeding Lilacs out of the dead land, mixing Memory and desire, stirring Dull roots with spring rain.”

I don’t think March is too far behind. These two months out of the year, so indecisive. With winter storms and pushy crocuses, blown out umbrellas and sunny breaks through the clouds, spring’s swing between cold and dark and warm and light is a test of patience.

But we’re used to it, aren’t we? And when those first buds appear on the trees, they make the wait worthwhile.

Doesn’t mean we couldn’t use a little consoling until the warmth comes. We hope this issue brings you some cheer during this in-between season with features that focus on growth and renewal. For those who need spring now, area plant shops and greenhouses offer some creative ideas for houseplants. To get you outside (in all kinds of weather), we highlight eight local trails to take you into nature and allow you to warm up with near-

Corrections

by cafés and eateries. To coincide with the season of renewal, we profile six area businesses and individuals who found fresh purpose during COVID. We also spotlight Narratio, which gives local former refugees a creative voice, and the CNY Chapter of the National League of American Pen Women, which celebrates more than 95 years.

In other departments, we check in with the new BeSure Juicery, which offers healthy smoothies and more, offer a spring-y recipe from Saint Urban and show you how to mix natural products for spring cleaning. We also talk to an independent, Syracuse-based fashion designer who embraces sustainability in the fashion world. Finally, catch up with newspaper columnist Sean Kirst, grand marshal of this year’s St. Patrick’s Parade. All good things that make springtime just a bit warmer in CNY. Cheers.

MJ

mkravec@advancemediany.com 315-766-7833

In our January/February Caught Doing Good, we mistakenly said Anju Varshney has twin grandsons born out of state; she has twin grandchildren born downstate, and one grandchild born out of state. Also, her husband’s first name is spelled Pramod. In addition, The Seen incorrectly identified Robert Wilson of Henry Wilson Jewelers as Henry Wilson; Henry was Robert’s grandfather. We regret the errors.

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.

Taurisano

“Every person I spoke to emphasized the need for connection with other human beings. It was exciting to learn how people are meeting the needs of their customers in new and creative ways.”

On writing about CNY businesses and individuals who pivoted during the COVID crisis

“Behind the glamour of fashion lies a complex industry intersecting not only with culture but also critical humanitarian and ecological issues. Profiling Chloe Schnell provided an intimate look into how an artist can also be a changemaker.”

On writing about Syracuse fashion designer Chloe Schnell

Becca

Katherine Keissling

Contents 52

Happy Trails

Eight nature walks with nearby eateries that’ll put a spring in your step in all kinds of weather. 44

House of Planty

Area plant shops and greenhouses show us their favorite ways to ring in spring.

Raising Voices

Narratio offers former refugees an artistic outlet to tell their stories.

Embracing Change

These CNY businesses pivoted during the pandemic and found new purpose.

Write On

CNY Chapter of American Pen Women celebrates more than 95 years of supporting artists.

Nursing. This Is

This is your next step.

At St. Joseph’s Health, we know that nurses are exceptional people. Whether your path keeps you close to patients at the bedside or steers you to leadership, education or expansion of your skill set, we provide the collaboration, resources and support to guide and grow your career. We’re looking for passionate, driven nurses to join our Magnet® designated team. To become part of the team providing Central New York with a higher level of care, apply now.

To apply, text 41411 to SJNURSE or call 833.SJNURSE.

A HIGHER LEVEL OF CARE | jobs.sjhsyr.org

© 2022 St. Joseph’s Health. © 2022 Trinity Health. All rights reserved.

It ’s all good

POSITIVE VIBES • OUR TOWN • MARKET TRENDS

CAN WE GET IT TO GO?

BY MJ KRAVEC

What’s that purple emerging from the snow?

Could it be winter’s time to go?

A patch of grass, wet and flat. Birds a-twitter. Wind at your back. It’s early spring, or late winter.

A fickle time this so-called sprinter.

Here’s how to make the most of this in-between season now.

It ’s all good

WHAT SAP?

Maple Weekend takes place at sugar shacks all over CNY. From sugarbush tours and tree tapping to pancake breakfasts and maple candy, happenings at these events promise a true taste of the season. March 19-20 and 26-27. For more information, visit mapleweekend.nysmaple.com.

NATURE MADE

Taste the seasons (spring and maple) with this tasty salad. Make a dressing from New York State Maple by blending ¼ cup New York state maple syrup, ½ cup balsamic vinegar, 2 tsp. Dijon mustard, 1 cup of olive oil and salt and pepper to taste. Drizzle over spring greens.

HELLO, YELLOW

With forsythia in bloom all over CNY, make use of its anti-inflammatory properties by mixing a spring face wash with this recipe from unrulygardening.com. Combine forsythia flower petals and herbs like thyme and sage (which are naturally antiseptic and astringent) in a mason jar. Pour hot water into the jar and let steep. When cool, dip washcloth into tea and gently wash over face to cleanse and soothe skin.

GREAT CRATE

Look for vintage wooden crates at area flea markets. Fill with houseplants and display atop a cabinet or shelf for a naturally rustic look.

CLOSET CLEAN OUT

Thin out your wardrobe and donate any items you no longer use. Keep a basket labeled “donate” in a prominent spot in your home as a visual reminder to sort on a regular basis.

FRUIT LOOPIN’

Toast the spring equinox on Sunday, March 20 with a light and healthy start to the day. Mix one cup of orange juice, a handful of strawberries and one banana in a blender with ice. Pour into a tall glass and think thoughts of spring.

APRIL FRESH

Refresh linens and add lavender essential oil to your laundry detergent. As a natural antibacterial, lavender helps fight mold and mildew, too.

DAWN ON YOU

Practice mindful dishwashing to destress, decompress LET IT

BY MJ KRAVEC

Believe it or not, but that mundane chore that no one looks forward to after dinner has health benefits. Time.com, Huffpost.com, Marthastewart.com and other sources cite the benefits of one very banal regular task. According to a 2014 study, washing the dishes can help reduce stress.

Researchers at Florida State University asked 51 participants to wash dishes. They instructed half the subjects to first read a passage describing the act of dishwashing, while the other half read text by Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh describing being present in the moment during the act of washing dishes. The study found that the group who read the text about be -

ing present in the moment before washing dishes reported reduced stress levels, while those who read the text that simply described the task reported no such feeling.

Researchers said they were curious to see how life’s mundane chores could serve as opportunities to practice mindfulness and contribute to overall wellbeing.

To practice: The next time you’re the lucky one to do the dishes, focus on being present in the moment. Notice the scent of your dish soap, the temperature of the water, the sound of water running and gentle splashing. Stare out the window if you feel the urge. And let the stress wash away.

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. “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.”

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.

“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 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.

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 spark to do something that’s bigger than yourself… say yes to that impulse. Say yes to life.”

Daniel with his grandchildren

“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

Tipperary Hill

BY KATE REYNOLDS

The Tipperary Hill neighborhood in the City of Syracuse is deeply rooted in Irish culture and history. Tipp Hill, as locals call it, is known for its Irish background as many immigrants from County Tipperary settled in the area to work on the Erie Canal in the 1800s. Many Ukrainian and Polish immigrants settled here as well, and active and passionate residents have led the area’s renaissance. The neighborhood has a close-knit feeling where all are welcome to be a part of the high-spirited community.

GRAB A BITE

Taste Mexican and Southwestern-inspired dishes at Steve’s Cantina and Grill. Try pizza, subs and char-grilled wings at Original Italian Pizza. Stop by Champ’s Pizzeria & Fish Fry, especially on Fish Fry Friday. For giant sandwiches and homemade soups, go to New York City-style deli, Brooklyn Pickle West. Join the crowd that knows it’s worth it to stand in line at nearby Harrison Bakery

SHOP LOCAL

Shop imported Celtic and Irish gifts at Cashel House Ltd. Visit BeeKind for hand-poured candles and a selection of gifts, many made locally.

PHOTOS BY CHARLIE MILLER

The Caprese Classic sandwich with a Middle Ages single-batch 45 beer at Now & Later.

HAVE A DRINK

Stop for a cup and conversation at Recess Coffee. Listen to live music or attend the many festive events at Coleman’s Authentic Irish Pub. Try a new brew at bottle shop and tap room Now & Later. For a pint, pub fare and a good time, discover the neighborhood spot that suits you best: Blarney Stone, McAvan’s Pub, Nibsy’s Pub, Steve’s Restaurant and Wheeler’s Tavern

THINGS TO DO

Visit the animals at Rosamond Gifford Zoo. Learn a new way to step at The Francis Academy of Irish Dance. Visit the distinctive St. John the Baptist Ukrainian Catholic Church and Taras Shevchenko monument. Learn to make pyrohy at the Ukrainian National Home Look back on the neighborhood’s history at the Tipperary Hill Memorial Park, which many call Stone Throwers’ Park The statue there of the immigrant family includes a young boy with a slingshot in his back pocket, representing the young lads who shot out the red light on top with a slingshot before the green light was placed on top. View the iconic upside-down Tipperary Hill Green-on-Top Traffic Light. Take out a book from the Hazard Branch Public Library a few blocks away.

PHOTO BY SCOTT TRIMBLE, ELLEN M. BLALOCK

“Tipperary Hill truly has an incredible community between the residents, businesses, and unique events that draw you in and keep you coming back.”

Jillian Barrett, co-owner of BeeKind

Top, snow leopard mama Daania with her cub at the Rosamond Gifford Zoo. Above, the Tipperary Hill Memorial Park, also known as Stone Throwers’ Park, on the corner at the “Green over Red” traffic light.

It ’s all good OUR TOWN

ANNUAL EVENTS

On the last Sunday in February, go to Coleman’s for its annual Green Beer Sunday. Partake in the four-mile Tipperary Hill Shamrock Run in March. Watch the Flag Raising Ceremony in Stone Throwers’ Park on St. Patrick’s Day. The Ukrainian Festival features traditional food dancing, crafts and live music. The St. Patrick’s Irish Fest includes local musicians, Irish dance performances, raffles and games. During the holiday season, visit the Tipp Hill Memorial Park for the annual Tree Lighting and compete against neighbors in the Light up Tipp Hill Contest for the best holiday-lit house.

GET OUTSIDE

Go to Burnet Park for its golf course, pool, athletic fields, playground or for movie nights in the summer. Walk through the peaceful James Pass Arboretum. Visit the 11 flower gardens and green spaces lovingly tended to by the Tipperary Hill Neighborhood Association and volunteers.

It ’s all good MARKET TRENDS

GETTING WARMER

BY AMY BLEIER LONG PHOTOS BY AMELIA BEAMISH

Set your style ahead with trends for this transitional season: home fragrances to evoke spring scents, a graphic take on insects and an update for your timekeepers. Plus, spring clean your makeup bag and renew your efforts to make choices that benefit the planet and yourself.

HERE COMES THE SUN: Terra cotta-look 26-inch metal sun, $134, The Station 603, 603 E. Seneca Street, Manlius, 315-682-8741.

s all good MARKET TRENDS

Scents of spring

REED MY LIPS

UP TO SNUFF

Candle snuffer, $9.99, The Station 603.

SPARK SOMETHING

Zippo USB rechargeable lighter, $35, Synple, 70 Main Street, Camillus, 585-615-3934, shopsynple.com.

Demerara & fig reed diffuser, $15 or two for $25, Cuppa Candles at Wildflowers at the McCarthy Mercantile, 217 S. Salina Street, Syracuse, 315-546-4919, wildflowersarmory.com.

SMOLDERING LOOK

Vetiver incense cones in vetiver, $10 or three for $25, Cuppa Candles at Wildflowers at the McCarthy Mercantile.

AIR SPRAY

Peony scented room spray, $10.95, Colorful Inspirations, 170 Township Boulevard, Camillus, 315-320-4364, colorfulinspirations.com.

WAX ON

Like Sunbeams wax melts, $8 for six, Yellow Wallpaper Co. at Olive + Fern, 19 North Street, Marcellus, 315-200-2464, facebook.com/ shopolivefern.

A STICK UP

Cherry Blossom incense sticks, $14.99, red origami crane holder, $9.99, Paola Kay Gifts, 105 Brooklea Drive, Fayetteville, 315-632-2192, paolakaygifts.com.

SULTRY SCENT

Cashmere Plum 16-ounce vegan soy candle, $25.50, Luna Jane, 25 Syracuse Street, Baldwinsville, 315-638-1955, oliveseaterybville.com.

CANDLE IN THE WIND

Windows Wide Open 14-ounce candle, $20 or $38 for two, Witty Wicks, 190 Township Boulevard, Camillus, 315-672-3110, wittywicks.com.

ON THE BRIGHT SIDE

Elevate Yourself 9-ounce soy candle, $14, bug, bear & bean, 2721 James Street, Syracuse, bugbearbean.com.

TROPICAL TEASE

Blood Orange and Coconut 9-ounce soy candle, $30, Forge Co., etsy.com/shop/forgecandleco.

EARTHY OFFERING

Olive Branch 9-ounce crackling wooden wick scented soy blend candle, $16 each or two for $30, Glory Felt at Wildflowers at the McCarthy Mercantile.

DRIFT AWAY

Lavender Driftwood 9-ounce soy wax candle, $30, Soul Love Candle Co. at 20|East, 85 Albany Street, Cazenovia, 315-815-4540, 20-east.com.

FRESH FRAGRANCE

Fig and Lemon 9-ounce vegan soy candle, $20, The Savage Homestead, 3 Fennell Street in the Old Stone Mill, Skaneateles, thesavagehomestead.com.

MASCULINE MUSK

Nickel Shave 8-ounce vegan soy candle, $16, Raven’s Nest Candles at Gallery 54, 54 E. Genesee Street, Skaneateles, 315-685-5470, gallery54cny.com.

LOVELY LILAC

Lilac 12-ounce soy candle, $12, BeeKind, 118 Milton Avenue, Syracuse, 315-299-6073, beekindsyracuse.com.

It ’s all

good

MARKET TRENDS

We’re buggin’

CHAIN GANG

Butterfly rain chain, $36.99, The Station 603.

STRAND AND DELIVER

Dragonfly earrings, $10, and necklace with Ultrasuede cord, $24, The Rose Cottage, 214 S. Manlius Street, Fayetteville, 315-637-1330, therosecottageny.com.

SINKING FEELING

Butterfly sink strainer, $14, Fringed Benefits, 6825 E. Genesee Street, Fayetteville, 315-802-4353, fringedbenefitsdesign.com.

‘FLY ON THE WALL

Dragonfly Museum Bee, $52, Paola Kay Gifts.

INSECT ASIDE

Insect planter, $14, BeeKind.

BUTTERFLIES IN MY STOMACH

Butterfly serving utensils, $48.95, Enjoy, 419 E. Genesee Street, Fayetteville, 315-637-3450.

FLEW EDITION

Garden Allies, $24.95, Drooz + Company, 36 E. Genesee Street, Skaneateles, 315-920-8888, droozandcompany.com.

BUTTERFLY EFFECT

Vera Bradley Butterfly

By recycled cotton weekender travel bag, $120, Bev and Co., 18 E. Genesee Street, Skaneateles, 315-685-5064, bevandco.com.

PRESENTING THE BEETLES

Beetle pillow, $159, Nest58, 58 E. Genesee Street, Skaneateles, 315-685-5888, nest58.com.

MAKE A SPLASH

Baby Bogs, $44.98, Roland’s Men and Boys Store, 14 E. Genesee Street, Skaneateles, 315-685-7389, rolandsofskaneateles.com.

$25, Susman Designs at Salt City Artisans, 226 Hawley Avenue, Syracuse, 315-479-0400, saltcityartisans.com.

LIGHTING BUG

Butterfly nightlight, $25.98, Colorful Inspirations.

ACE OF VASE

Louis C. Tiffany Dragonfly 3-inch by 6-inch suction-cup flower vase, $8.50, Dazzle, 119 W. Seneca Street, Manlius, 315-682-7499, thedazzlestore.com.

It ’s all good MARKET TRENDS

Healthy choices

SOBER SWIG

Fauxmosa alcohol-free mimosa, four flavors available, $4.50, H. Grey Supply Co., 53 Albany Street, Cazenovia, 315-815-5016, hgreysupplyco.com.

DRY RUN

Busy Bees wool dryer balls, $28 for a set of 6, The Savage Homestead.

HEART OF GLASS

Glass water bottle with bamboo lid and silicone sleeve, $32, Emma + James, 25 Jordan Street, Skaneateles, 315-685-2747, shopejclothing.com.

PUT A WRING ON IT

Sea wool sponge, $10.99, Salt City Artisans.

GOTS certified organic cotton voile, $168, Ecodessa, 321 S. Salina Street, Syracuse, 315-802-2762, ecodessa.com.

PODS, PEOPLE

Laundry Detergent pods in Clean & Crisp scent, $12 for 32 pods, The Savage Homestead.

RUNNING LIGHTS

Night Owl rechargeable LED beanie, $15.98 for kids’ size, $19.98 for adults’ size, First National Gifts, 2 E. Genesee Street, Skaneateles, 855-810-9076, firstnationalgifts.com.

BRUSH ASIDE

Truthbrush bamboo brush with plant-based bristles, $6, The Savage Homestead.

RELAXED AND RECYCLED

Men’s Acorn Parker Hoodback slippers, $49.98, Roland’s Men and Boys Store.

WOODN’T YOU KNOW

Woodchuck real wood journal, $30, Dazzle.

GIVING SHADES

ROOT Sustainably sourced wood sunglasses, $80, The Wandering Kind, 46 E. Genesee Street, Skaneateles, 315-291-7177, thewanderingkindshop.com.

TO

BEAR FRUIT

Woven produce bags, $24 for set of three, 20|East.

It ’s all good MARKET TRENDS

Fresh look

NAILED IT

BKIND vegan nail polish in Bichon and Nutrition, $15 each, Ecodessa.

GOOD TO THE LAST DROP

Beauty Spatty set, $12, Paola Kay Gifts, 105 Brooklea Drive, Fayetteville, 315-632-2192, paolakaygifts.com.

BLUSHING BEAUTY

Pixiglow Cake 3-in1 luminous transition powder, $28, Skinterest Spa, 68 Main Street, Camillus, 315-663-4043, skinterestspa.com.

SPIN CYCLE

Makeup Brush Washing Machine, $14, Olive + Fern.

PIGMENTED PEEPERS

Moira Berry Blast Smoothie Series eyeshadow palette, $22, Olive + Fern.

CLEAN SWEEP

The Original Makeup Eraser, $20, Fashion Rescue 911 Boutique, 52 Oswego Street, Baldwinsville, 315-857-6690, fashionrescue911.com.

SET IT AND FORGET IT

Moira Loose Setting Powder in 04 Deep, $14, Olive + Fern.

BRUSH UP

REALHER makeup brushes, $12.50 to $18.50 each, H. Grey Supply Co.

LASHING OUT

Rude eyebrow gel mascara, $4.50, Skinterest Spa.

LIP SERVICE

Gold Bullet lipsticks in Cupid, Fire Engine and Merlot, $20 each, H. Grey Supply Co.

LEADER OF THE PACK

Makeup Junkie bag, $42, Dazzle.

THE WIPE STUFF Cotton makeup towel, $6, Salt Point Shop, 100 Brooklea Street, Fayetteville, saltpointshop.com.

BALMS AWAY

Slay Away the Day makeup removing balm, $28 for 3-ounce bottle, H. Grey Supply Co.

It ’s all good MARKET TRENDS

Time for a change

ALL IN GOOD TIME

Men’s Seiko Prospex watch, $525, Skaneateles Jewelry, 106 Brooklea Drive, Fayetteville, 315-632-4801, cnydiamond.com.

IT’S

WOUND TO HAPPEN

Pocket watch wall clock, $145.99, The Station 603.

CAUGHT

BAI

HANG TIME

Narrow black pendulum copper/steel clock, $155, Leonie Lacouette at Gallery 54.

TIME FLIES

Rocket ship clock, $52, Mixed Methods, 215 E. Water Street Rear, Syracuse, 315-399-1766, letsgetmixed.com.

RED, HANDED

retro round clock, $36, Paola Kay Gifts.

STAR BRIGHT Star clock, $50, Cool Clocks by Duane Scherer at Gallery 54.

OFF THE CUFF

Tortoise shell bracelet watch, $19.95, Two Twisted Sisters, 25 Syracuse Street, Baldwinsville, 315-638-1955, oliveseaterybville.com.

LOOKING SMART

Leopard and metallic leather smartwatch straps, $28 each, Emma + James.

PUT YOUR FACE IN THE WATER

Wateresque Seneca Lake watercolor and gold watch with leather strap, $399, Imagine, 38 E. Genesee Street, Skaneateles, 315-6856263, imagineskaneateles.com.

TINY TIMEPIECE

Two and a half-inch metal alarm clock, $14, Synple.

i s i t r e a d c n y m a g a z i n e . c o m t o s u b s c r i b e

Good news

BEHIND THE SCENES • CAUGHT DOING GOOD • THE SEEN

SAY CHEESE

When perhaps comfort food was needed more than ever (i.e. late 2020), Sharrone and Anna Sofer opened The Compound in Clinton. The restaurant took off very quickly, as demand for their gooey grilled cheeses and house-made compound butters outpaced their expectations. Now, less than a year and a half after opening — and with a fully funded Kickstarter — the Sofers have expanded to a second, larger space in Utica.

The original spot will become more of a satellite location, offering grilled cheese sandwiches, soups and rolls of their sweet and savory flavored butters. The Baggs Square neigh-

borhood-based eatery will carry these options, plus much more: hamburgers with compound butter-fried buns, loaded baked potatoes, more vegan dishes and ingredients and buildyour-own charcuterie lunch plates. Sharrone is most excited about the addition of a cheese counter featuring a range of cheeses produced in New York state and around the country.

The Sofers will host pop-ups for artists and makers in a dedicated alcove of the new location and feature a selection of goods with an emphasis on those from CNY and the Mohawk Valley.

For more information: visit thecompoundcny.com

POETIC PROMENADE

BY CHRISTINE DUNNE

Local creatives Syracuse Poster Project Civic pride displays

When the poster kiosks installed in Syracuse in the early 1990s fell into disuse a few years later, Jim Emmons was frustrated. Back then he was a Post-Standard reporter, and he had always been interested in poster art, graphic design and advertising from early 20th-century Europe. This led him in 2001 to approach then-Syracuse University illustration professor Roger DeMuth about enlisting DeMuth’s students to illustrate posters based on haiku. The inspiration for using the three-line poems came from the Syracuse New Times Syr-Haiku Contest popular at the time. They pitched the endeavor as a way to liven up the city to the Downtown Committee, which controls the kiosks, and it approved.

Each year, community members submit verses about the city or its surroundings. Led by co-founder Emmons, coordinators review the submissions, then allot each participating artist — only 30 percent of whom are professional artists — four poems from the winnowed-down selection. Each artist then chooses and illustrates their preferred haiku. From this pool, 16 finalists are honored with recognition and large-format production. This year, other short forms of poetry were welcomed in an effort to appeal to more potential participants.

A new set of posters is released each April. The winning posters decorate double-sided panels on Salina and Warren streets for one year and are displayed in different downtown exhibit spaces. The designs are also sold as 11- by 17-inch prints and note cards.

While the nonprofit does receive charitable grants, corporate sponsorships and funds from the sale of prints, it is not making enough to cover nominal pay for two part-time workers or Em-

mons’ full-time work. Proceeds received go toward poster production and basic operational costs.

The project has also introduced a traveling electronic flatscreen that presents a rotating selection of posters at different businesses.

“It’s a way to distribute the art more broadly and try to make more money for it,” Emmons says, noting the businesses pay to show the art temporarily. Businesses with existing flatscreens can have content uploaded and displayed on those, as well.

Another challenge has been a reduction in available display space, with panels out of commission due to car crashes and area construction; some of the remaining kiosks have been reclaimed by the Downtown Committee for advertising campaigns. This prompted Emmons and his staff to apply for Tomorrow’s Neighborhoods Today (TNT) funding for permanent poster installations downtown. There are now permanent displays that showcase artwork outside the Erie Canal Museum, inside the Central

A large-format poster illustrated by Tong “Amy” Su hangs outside the Erie Canal Museum.

The Syracuse Poster Project persists, brightens and evolves

Library and along the Creekwalk between the Nancy Cantor Warehouse and the Courtyard Marriott hotel.

Syracuse University graduate Ali Grant was pleased to have her 2019 Erie Canalthemed poster chosen for the Creekwalk installation. She describes the work as being influenced by Art Nouveau and stained-glass, evident in the flower bed depicted at the bottom of the piece. Shari Hemsley is the author of the haiku she chose.

“There’s just something about adding color and little bits of art around the city that makes it more interesting,” Grant says. “It’s almost like an Easter egg hunt.” Though Grant now lives in Vermont, she continues to submit art to the poster project and feel a connection to the Syracuse community.

For Syracuse resident R. Paul Lilly, participating in the Syracuse Poster Project is a way for him to connect to his inner artist and help others link with Syracuse’s history and essence — in all its complexity. His 2021 illustration depicts the abandoned freight train platform next to Interstate 690, as well as the diverse people who settle here.

“There was a lot of contrast between the past and the present in this poem,” Lilly says of the source material by Timothy Muir. “It was calling up a lot of our history as a city, which I love.”

As Emmons thinks about the future of the Syracuse Poster Project, his priority is to develop a succession plan. Handing off the project to another director will involve developing new revenue streams to ensure the next leader is paid and not an unpaid volunteer like he has been all these years. He also wants to make sure the project evolves with the times.

“Another goal would just be to think more broadly of how to keep the project relevant, how to keep it fresh and how to keep it appealing to diverse corners of the community,” he says.

more information or to buy a poster print: visit posterproject.org.

Above, past poster designs from 2018 and 2016 adorn the music section of downtown’s Central Library. Left, a bird’s-eye-view canalthemed triptych was installed at the Erie Canal Museum in 2018.

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THERE’S JUST SOMETHING ABOUT ADDING COLOR AND LITTLE BITS OF ART AROUND THE CITY THAT MAKES IT MORE INTERESTING.”

Ali Grant, poster illustrator

TEACHABLE MOMENTS

BY SUSAN KENNEDY

When 22-year-old Syracuse University senior Denise Magny tutors young refugee and immigrant students she draws on her past to empower them for their future.

When they are struggling with a concept, Magny tells the students what her Haitian immigrant father tells her: “I know it’s hard, but you have all that you need within you to become better.”

Once or twice a week, Magny encourages young students through the Refugee and Immigrant Self Empowerment (RISE) Advance Tutoring program. “As a student you want immediate gratification — you just want to get that A or wake up and finally understand physics,” laughs Magny. But that is not how life happens. “So, I break it down for them. Baby steps,” she says. “I try to empower them, remind them that I know it can be hard, but you’re doing good!”

Magny appreciates the struggles of her students. They reflect the struggles of her immigrant parents who came from Haiti and worked hard to learn a new language, a new culture and build careers and a family. They focused on education to succeed in the United States. “It took grit and perseverance and love. It wasn’t an easy life for them,” reflects Magny, who was born in Boston.

On a trip to Haiti in 2007 to visit her extended family, Magny saw a young boy asking for money. “He looks like me and has the same skin tone as me, and we are in completely different worlds.” She embraced the love, prosperity and generosity of her Haitian relatives, alongside the country’s extreme poverty. “I recognized that my reality is not someone else’s reality and if things were different, I could have been that little boy.” She gave the boy money and decided on that trip that she has a responsibility

PHOTO BY SHERYL PERCY, MILLER STUDIO

Syracuse University senior Denise Magny is a tutor with the Refugee and Immigrant Self Empowerment (RISE) Advance Tutoring program.

Supporting and giving back to our community has always been high on our priority list. By volunteering our time and contributing financially we hope we’ve made, and will continue to make, a difference in our Central New York home.

As a landscape architect and community design educator (Maren) and an estate planning attorney (John) we have seen firsthand what the Community Foundation does to support organizations that are doing good work in our neighborhoods and how it provides estate and tax planning opportunities that are also beneficial to prospective donors.

Our new King Family Springdale Fund at the Community Foundation honors our family’s history and supports educational programs, the arts, our church and environmental projects. We plan to expand the causes we support and increase our giving as our fund flourishes.

John an Maren King at their home.

Good news CAUGHT DOING GOOD

what her Haitian immigrant father tells her.

to honor her Haitian history while helping others.

And help she does. While studying for biology and public health degrees and planning for a career as a pediatrician, Magny has advised first-year minority students at SU as a WellsLink Peer Advisor. She’s the President of SU’s Haitian American Student Association, volunteers at St. Joseph’s Health Hospital and, when COVID forced RISE tutoring to go virtual, she created and hosted a series of public health workshops for the students discussing self-care, budgeting and the importance of social distancing to help students understand this pandemic world.

Why work so hard? Magny says her elders have instilled in her the belief that inner strength comes from helping others. And so, while she juggles a busy schedule, she tells herself what she tells her RISE students: “Nothing you are doing right now is small. It’s the little things that really help you become who you want to be.”

Left, Magny holds the Haitian flag. She is president of SU’s Haitian American Student Association. Above, Magny as a young child with her parents.

PHOTOS BY SHERYL PERCY, MILLER STUDIO PHOTOGRAPHY.

COURTESY DENISE MAGNY

“I know it’s hard, but you have all that you need within you to become better.”

SU senior Denise Magny tells the students she tutors

Good news

Syracuse Auto Expo Charity Preview

Hundreds attended the charity preview for the Syracuse Auto Expo at the Oncenter in Syracuse. The Syracuse Auto Expo, a four-day event and one of the longest-running automobile shows in the country, returned in February after taking a year off. The annual charity preview party kicked off the event with a goal of raising $350,000 for Central New York charities. Cars and trucks from local dealerships were displayed across three floors totaling 135,000 square feet. The 2021 show was postponed from February until September last year because of COVID-19, then canceled altogether. The only other time the show was canceled was in 1945, during World War II. The expo is one of the five oldest auto shows in the U.S. The first one was held in 1907 and included the unveiling of the Syracuse-made Franklin automobile.

1. A Toyota Supra was one of dozens of cars that drew hundreds to the charity preview for the Syracuse Auto Expo.

2. Bianca Desellems and Anthony Rinaldi enjoy hors d’ouevres at the charity preview.

3. A 2022 Ford Bronco was one of the most popular automobiles at the event.

4. Braylon Miles, 8, of Syracuse tries out the feel behind the wheel of a pickup.

5. Brian Rapp and Rich Burritt, with wife Britanee Burritt, served as preview co-chairs.

6. A 2022 Corvette sits on display at the event.

7. Closeup of a 2022 Corvette.

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“The spring came suddenly, bursting upon the world as a child bursts into a room, with a laugh and a shout and hands full of flowers. ”

HENRY WADSWORTH LONGFELLOW

PHOTO BY ALAINA POTRIKUS

HOUSE OF PLANTY

Area plant shops show us their favorite houseplant displays

BY MJ KRAVEC

PHOTOS BY ALAINA POTRIKUS

You can use a variety of plants to make Kokedama (Japanese moss balls), shown here at Ballantyne Gardens in Liverpool.

Sweet, sweet spring. She certainly takes her time coming into CNY, doesn’t she? For winter-weary Central New Yorkers, it can be a long wait. For those anxious to put some (you know what) in their step, an indoor garden project is just the kind of therapy we all need.

“It’s such a long season here in CNY, so having that life and greenery indoors with us really makes such a big difference,” says Sarah Hardy-Czornig, owner of Found Things in Eastwood. Here are some suggestions from CNY plant pros on how to get your vernal fix.

Off the wall

Hardy-Czornig’s version of a living plant wall offers an easy solution for DIY. “This will really give people the ability to create a lush living wall in their home but on a smaller, affordable and doable scale,” she says. The project can take anywhere from an afternoon to a week or more to complete, depending on scale, but it’s an ideal way to spotlight growth and life inside the home while the weather’s still cold. “A living wall project is perfect for this time a year, as most of us are spending more time indoors. Then when spring emerges, we can celebrate by adding to it, or even switching out a few plants for a refreshing new look,” she says. “This wall will be ever growing and changing. Not only is it a huge visual impact on any space, but it’s mentally stimulating as well, and we all need that this time of year. It’s a whole vibe in itself.”

ITEMS NEEDED: power drill, wall pot holders, potted plants and your imagination. Start with a vision or inspiration. Each plant will grow a certain way, so it helps to keep that in mind, Hardy-Czornig says.

TO MAKE: Start with one plant holder. Mark your drill points on the wall with a pencil, then drill in screws. (You may need a stud finder to avoid damaging walls.) Repeat with remaining pot holders. Attach pot holders, positioning trailing plants higher and climbing plants lower.

Grow up

For climbing plants such as Monstera and Pothos, Hardy-Czornig likes moss poles that support and guide new growth. “I have a couple very mature plants that are attached to moss poles in the shop to really showcase what this can do in a space visually, and also what a plant can mature into,” she says. Moss poles allow you to shape your plant and train it to grow vertically, rather than haphazardly.

ITEMS NEEDED: Moss pole, twine, yarn or plant Velcro, climbing plant.

TO MAKE: Simply insert the moss pole as close to the stem as possible. Secure stems to pole with twine being careful not to tie too tightly. As the plant grows, continue attaching new stems to pole.

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Found Things, 111 S. Collingwood Ave., Syracuse, 315-726-4018, foundthingsco.com

Face plants

“A lot of people have been doing houseplants for a while now,” says Carol Watson, owner of Carol Watson Greenhouse in LaFayette. “This is for people who want something different.” Face planters offer an avant-garde look, so no rules need to be followed. “Planting a container is a creative spring project — you get to select a container that speaks to you and then a complementing plant. If I’m planting a head pot, I like a houseplant that looks like hair,” Watson says. Most ferns or Philodendron will work in this pot. Watson likes Blue Star Fern, Spider Plant and Philodendron Micans. “You want something that grows upright and out, with some cascade and not too much coverage that will hide the pot’s expression,” she says. You can also use colorful plants for extra interest.

Right, Blue Star Fern in a face planter at Carol Watson Greenhouse. Below, a cloche terrarium brings Victorian vibes. Far right, a spider plant adds a little bang to an oversized face pot.

Oh, the terrar (ium)

“Planting a cloche or terrarium transports me back to England in Victorian times. They feel so elegant. I want teatime,” says Watson. Terrariums and cloches planted with springy green plants like ferns and moss and adorned with miniatures can imitate a garden landscape and make you feel like you are in it, she says. “These make a great spring table centerpiece. Put a miniature bunny or bird’s nest inside.”

ITEMS NEEDED: A terrarium or cloche container, drainage stones, activated charcoal, moss, soil, stones or miniature figurines and plants.

TO MAKE: In potting dish, add a layer of stones, top with charcoal and moss and add an inch of potting soil. Select your plants and gently arrange with pebbles, stones and miniatures to create your garden scene. Water when dry and prune plants as needed

2980 Sentinel Heights Rd., LaFayette, 315-677-0286, carolwatsongreenhouse.com

Carol Watson Greenhouse,

ITEMS NEEDED: Face pot, plant, soil. TO MAKE: Select your pot and plant. Check for drainage holes. If the pot doesn’t have drainage, add shards of pottery to the bottom. Use a top-grade potting soil for good drainage and fill pot. Insert plant, backfill with soil but do not pack. Water the plant to settle soil.

Have a ball

At Ballantyne Gardens in Liverpool, co-owner Lisa Ballantyne likes Kokedama, or Japanese moss balls, for their unique visual appeal. “It is very pleasing to the eye, and you can use an array of plants,” she says. “This is a creative way to display plants for almost anywhere such as a table, desk or windowsill. It can also be tied with macrame and hung.”

ITEMS NEEDED: Sheet moss, sphagnum moss, potting soil (Ballantyne likes FoxFarm), bowl of water, plants and twine.

TO MAKE: Work on a flat surface that can handle a little dirt. Soak sheet moss in warm water for a few seconds so it’s easier to work with. Gently loosen existing soil from roots of your choice of plant. Moisten fresh soil with water and add to the plant roots to form a ball. Gather a large enough piece of sheet moss to cover your soil ball. You can add more as needed. Wrap twine around the soil and moss ball leaving one loose end to tie off when finished. Be sure to use enough twine to secure plant ball but avoid securing too tightly. Tie twine ends together. Keep Kokedama plant moist and check for watering often as they tend to dry out faster than potted plants. Display on a tray or saucer or affix to a hanging twine or macrame hanger.

This page, Japanese moss balls, or Kokedama, require little more than potting soil, water, sphagnum moss, sheet moss, plant and twine to create. Opposite page, a fairy garden featuring spring lambs.

Wing it

Ballantyne also likes fairy gardens for an indoor plant project. “Fairy gardens continue to be popular. People have changed how they use and display these tiny worlds. One this small is fascinating to look at and very changeable with the seasons. With a little imagination you can create these tiny worlds and place them anywhere in your home or garden,” she says.

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ITEMS NEEDED: Container, miniature plants, potting soil, sheet moss, stone, seashells, sea glass, fairy figurines.

TO MAKE: Fill clean pot with soil, leaving enough space for plants. Position miniature plants where you like, leaving space for rocks and fairy figurines. Remove plants from containers and place into fairy garden. Fill space around plants with soil until pot is full, nearly to the brim, making sure plants aren’t too deep. Tamp soil and plants gently and cover remaining surface with sheet moss, pebbles and sand according to your liking. Add large rock, seashells and fairy figurines. Water as needed.

Ballantyne Gardens, 4825 Hopkins Rd., Liverpool, 315-453-0621, ballantynegardens.com

Air plants can be displayed in a variety of unique containers you pick. Shown here, tillandsia in sea urchins at Carol Watson Greenhouse.

Contain yourself

“One thing we’ve learned is there’s no way to rush in spring,” says Jennifer Cox of Crazy Daisies Flowers & Garden Café in Syracuse. “Replanting in new, fun containers is always an option when getting ready for spring.” Cox likes to use unexpected containers in new ways to give plants a fresh look. “The vibe it represents is optimism for what is to come, the possibilities are endless. Using nontraditional vessels to home our houseplants just elevates the whole process,” she says.

ITEMS NEEDED: plant of your choice, potting soil, fertilizer, unique container, such as Down Under Pot (shown below). For air plant display, you’ll need a jellyfish container (sold on Etsy and Amazon), air plant and string or hook and wire. For display featured this page, Cox chose a Down Under Pot a hanging pot that allows the plant to grow through the bottom with an inside reservoir to retain water. Cox says she’s also used a fondue pot, high heels, even chipped martini glasses as containers. “So instead of throwing [the glasses] away, we make planters out of them.”

TO MAKE: For Down Under Pot with Monstera, turn pot upside down and insert plant. Backfill roots with soil. Turn plant upside down and hang. Water once a week as needed. For tillandsia (air plant), make sure air plant fits inside jellyfish container. String thread or insert hook through air plant. Thread string or wire through top of jellyfish container and pull air plant flush to container. Tie a knot at the top of jellyfish and hang.

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Crazy Daisies, 4693 Kasson Rd., Syracuse, 315-498-5525, crazydaisiesflowers.com

This page, Crazy Daisies’ Jennifer Cox chose a Down Under Pot for a Monstera Deliciosa (downunderpotsusa.com).

HAPPY TRAILS

Eight nature walks with nearby eateries that’ll put a spring in your step — in all kinds of weather.

STORY AND PHOTOS BY ALAINA POTRIKUS

Still cold. Still snowy. Bundle up the kids anyway for a late winter walk or early spring hike and warm up after with a hot drink or cheery fire. Smiles guaranteed.

GREEN LAKES STATE PARK, FAYETTEVILLE

The glacial lakes and their wooded trails are a winter wonderland for walkers, cross-country skiers and snowshoers. Watch for fog rolling off the blue-green waters of the meromictic lake, where the glass-like surface doesn’t fully freeze.

Warm up at the Craftsman Wood Grille & Taphouse, where an outdoor patio with heaters, fire pits and a bar will draw crowds as the weather warms up. Order the Wood Grille Half-pound Burger topped with Yancey’s cheese; it was named one of the top ten burgers in the state by the New York Beef Council.

CLARK RESERVATION STATE PARK, JAMESVILLE

The 365-acre state park surrounding a glacial lake is open year-round. The Cliff Trail offers amazing views from the top of the 175-foot-tall limestone cliffs; younger hikers will enjoy the half-mile Mildred Faust Trail. Meet for brunch at Brian’s Landing in downtown Jamesville, where the menu includes breakfast mac & cheese, steak & greens burritos and fried chicken & churros. Pair it with a mimosa flight or build-yourown Bloody Mary cocktail.

From the wooded forest to the open meadow, Clark Reservation houses more than 300 plant species.

Very few lakes in the United States have the same unique characteristics as Green Lakes.

No matter what the weather brings, photographers and birdwatchers of all ages gather daily to observe bald eagles on the shore of Onondaga Lake.

ONONDAGA CREEKWALK, SYRACUSE

The paved 2.6-mile trail starts in Armory Square and ends at the southern shore of Onondaga Lake. Pull out your binoculars when you reach the lake and you’ll be able to observe dozens of bald eagles that take up residence near Murphy’s Island and Destiny USA each winter.

Stop by the new Meier’s Creek Brewing Co. taproom in the city’s Inner Harbor, where local brews are served with Neapolitan pizzas crisped in a brick oven.

CAMILLUS ERIE CANAL PARK, CAMILLUS

The main trail along the banks of the historic Erie Canal is wide enough for strollers, and more scenic wooded paths and walkways are also accessible year-round. It’s a part of the Empire State Trail, a 750mile route for cyclists and pedestrians that connects Buffalo to Albany and New York City to the Canadian border.

On your way home, drop into the Township 5 complex for a sweet treat at Exhale Cafe and Bake Shop. The menu includes blends from Salt City Coffee Roasters, yogurt parfaits and mini lava cakes topped with blackberries and huckleberry drizzle.

Ducks and other migrating waterfowl are regular visitors to the Erie Canal landing.

CHARLIE MAJOR NATURE TRAIL, SKANEATELES

The mile-long trail along Skaneateles Creek includes remnants of the structures from the Skaneateles Short Rail Line, which operated for 150 years. A small playground near the Mottville trailhead is perfect for younger children. Three picturesque wooden bridges cross the creek.

Veer off the trail to Last Shot Distillery, built on creekside property that was home to a distillery in the mid-19th century. Co-owner Chris Uyehara won Discovery Channel’s “Moonshiner: Master Distiller” competition in 2021. His winning Four Grain Japanesestyle malted whiskey is available at the distillery, along with Chocolate Crème Brûlée Bourbon.

Finn the collie takes a walk with his owner along the Charlie Major Trail.

LABRADOR HOLLOW UNIQUE AREA, TULLY

The state park’s 2,000-foot-long boardwalk isn’t shoveled during the winter months, but it still makes for a tranquil hike through the 1,400-acre conservation area in southern Onondaga County. The trails around the frozen pond are perfect for snowshoeing and crosscountry skiing; a short drive along Route 91 will take you to Tinker Falls, where ice climbers rappel the 50foot ice floes.

Grab dinner and a drink at Heuga’s Alpine, located at the base of Song Mountain Ski Resort. Wall-to-wall windows frame the panoramic views from the rustic lodge; outdoor patio fire pits are a perfect place for a cocktail and a slice of S’mores pie.

In warmer months, an accessible fishing pier is located on the west side of the pond at Labrador Hollow.

HIGHLAND

FOREST, FABIUS

Nicknamed the “Adirondacks of Central New York,” Highland Forest is home to 40 miles of cross-country ski trails, as well as trails for hiking and snowshoeing. A dedicated 500-foot sledding hill is fun for kids of all ages, and the rustic Skyline Lodge is perfect for warming up between activities.

Even though the orchards are closed, Beak & Skiff’s 1911 Distillery on Route 20 is open. Look for live music on weekends, where you can enjoy a cocktail and take home hard ciders, CBD products and small-batch spirits, including vodka, gin and bourbon whiskey.

Horse-drawn sleigh rides in the winter months are followed by hour-long horseback trail rides in the spring, summer and fall.

BEAVER LAKE NATURE CENTER, BALDWINSVILLE

The county park offers separate tails for snowshoeing and cross-country skiing, as well as guided nature hikes. Warm up inside the nature center, where an observatory window allows visitors to get up close with the birds that call the 200-acre glacial lake home.

End your hike with a protein shake or power tea from Bee You Nutrition, located in the heart of the village of Baldwinsville. Flavors include strawberry cheesecake, Oreo salted caramel and banana French toast.

Three-month-old Karson Wayne Busse takes a brisk hike with his parents, Krystal (not shown) and Kody Busse of Solvay.

RAISING VOICES

The Narratio Fellowship elevates former refugees’ stories to works of art

BY SARAH TIETJE-MIETZ

When former refugee Ahmed M. Badr began putting pen to paper, he not only found his voice through the power of storytelling, but a means to empower and connect other young former refugees through sharing their experiences and distinct viewpoints.

At the age of 8, Badr and his family fled Baghdad in 2006 after their home was bombed by militia troops, first to Syria and then to the United States. It was after these experiences, at the urging of a family friend, that he began to process his experiences through storytelling.

“As a young person, a resettled refugee in the U.S., I was trying to grapple with what it meant to be part of these multiple identities at once,” says Badr. “I didn’t really think that I had a story to tell that was any different from anyone else’s. I was in high school, and you don’t want to be any different from anybody

else…Writing was one of the ways that I started to explore that.”

What started out as a personal blog quickly bloomed beyond Badr’s own story and into Narratio: “a global platform for youth empowerment through creative expression, publishing content from over 18 countries across three continents,” with a focus on displaced populations, as stated on its website. The expanse of Narratio’s impact further grew when Badr and Brice Nordquist, associate professor and dean’s professor of community engagement at Syracuse University’s College of Arts and Sciences, established the Narratio Fellowship program in 2019.

Badr first linked with SU when Professor Eileen E. Schell invited him to lead a workshop as part of a nonfiction writers’ series at the North Side Learning Center (NSLC) in late 2018. When over 50 people of all ages from the resettled refugee community

The 2019 Narratio Fellowship cohort partnered with the Metropolitan Museum of Art in creating “Intertwined Journeys,” which they performed at the Met’s Royal Assyrian Court.

“Intertwined Journeys”

filled the NSLC facility for the opportunity to work with Badr, he and Nordquist saw the unique need they could help meet in Syracuse’s vibrant and diverse resettled refugee community.

That summer, 11 high school and college-aged former refugees from the Syracuse area embarked on a more than year-long journey as Narratio’s inaugural fellowship cohort. The program partnered locally with SU’s Humanities Center and the NSLC, along with collaboration and support from The Metropolitan Museum of Art, The United Nations, Squarespace and The New York Times. As the program’s first artist-in-residence, Badr led the fellows on an exploration of their experiences, linking multiple artistic practices, research and performances as a means to amplify their personal narratives.

“The fellows who participate are already leaders in their communities, they’re already leaders in community organizations and in their schools,” says Nordquist. “The fellowship program is a way of convening this group of young artist leaders, who already have voices and the expertise and knowledge to bring to the table, so that they can mutually support each other and have a sense of a kind of collective identity in addition to developing a sense of themselves as artists and cultural producers.”

As part of the program, fellows delved into the collection at The Met’s Department of Ancient Near Eastern Art under the guidance of associate curator Sarah Graff. Each participant selected objects from the collection

Above, fellow Khadija Mohamed connected with this artifact from the Met’s Ancient Near Eastern Art collection. Right, the collection served the fellows as inspiration for their

project.

“The fellowship program is a way of convening this group of young artist leaders, who already have voices and the expertise and knowledge to bring to the table, so that they can mutually support each other and have a sense of a kind of collective identity in addition to developing a sense of themselves as artists and cultural producers.”

Above, the eighteen Narratio fellows in the 2021 cohort, alongside the Narratio founders, artists, and team members.

Brice Nordquist, associate professor and dean’s professor of community engagement at Syracuse University’s College of Arts and Sciences

Above,

Left and below, fellows collaborated throughout the Narratio Fellowship program to explore multiple means of storytelling.

Left, 2021 fellows attend a workshop with Sarah Graff, the Met’s associate curator in the Department of Ancient Near Eastern Art.

Narratio founder Ahmed Badr, empowers fellows to connect with their life experiences as inspiration for art.

PHOTOS BY EDWARD GRATTAN

that inspired poems based on their own experiences and memories, which acted as reinterpretations of the object’s traditional labels. This anthology of poetry, titled “Intertwined Journeys,” was performed by the fellows at the Metropolitan Museum’s Royal Assyrian Court in July 2019 and at Syracuse’s ArtRage Gallery as a compliment to its exhibition “Recreating Home: Photographs of the Refugee Experience” in October 2019.

For her poem, fellow Khadija Mohamed selected an ancient copper figure, titled “Foundation Figure of King Shulgi of Ur, Carrying a Basket” from Mesopotamia, 2094–2047 B.C. This object elicited memories of her grandmother, but also served as a means for challenging the idea of women’s roles; she wrote, “‘Naag iska dhig’ / Play the role that women have played / but they don’t know / ‘Naag iska dhig’ are words of encouragement.”

“The exchange that happened between Khadija and Sarah, the curator, was remarkable because all of a sudden, it wasn’t that there was one correct version and a wrong version. It was just a different interpretation,” says Badr. “And that type of activation of the collection had really not ever happened before.”

The 2021 cohort comprises eighteen fellows, divided into two focus groups; photography, led by Colombian American photographer Stefano Castro, and poetry, led by aforementioned 2019

alum Khadija Mohamed. Performances and presentations from the 2021 cohort took place at the Met last November, with more planned this year around New York City and locally at various venues across Syracuse. An exhibit for the 2021 fellows opens on May 5 at La Casita Cultural Center on Otisco Street in Syracuse.

While the Narratio Fellowship so far has been based in the CNY region, Badr and Nordquist are in the process of expanding the program to Richmond, Virginia. There, Badr says, they will again connect the program with local community centers, university programs and resettlement agencies. It is a first step to see how the Fellowship can be scaled up without compromising the core values and support systems that have made these first three cohorts so meaningful for the community, beyond the fellowship students.

“At times it seems there is a narrative being pushed about our experience as refugees and Narratio gives us the platform to share our stories and take that narrative back,” says Mohamed. “The language of art is multidimensional. Through the artist’s tone, pictures, video and words we are healing, inspiring, connecting each other. We are more than our broken lands and our unpromised futures, and Narratio makes sure we know that… No story is insufficient.”

2021 Narratio fellows Abdiaziz Aden, Abdi Habseme, Zakariye Sambul, Ladan Farah and Sadiya Ahmed on the Syracuse University campus.

Left, Abshir Habseme and Eid Ahmed, 2019 fellows, have had their cohort’s project, “Intertwined Journeys,” performed and exhibited at multiple locations in New York City and Syracuse.

For more information about the 2022 Narratio Fellowship, visit narratio.org/ fellowship or contact them at fellowship@ narratio.org. Each fellow in the program receives funding for their participation.

Narratio Fellowship co-founders Brice Nordquist and Ahmed Badr. The duo celebrates what this partnership and program has created for young former refugees and resettled youth in CNY, and hopes to expand it to other areas.

“The language of art is multidimensional. Through the artist’s tone, pictures, video and words we are healing, inspiring, connecting each other. We are more than our broken lands and our unpromised futures, and Narratio makes sure we know that…No story is insufficient.”

Khadija Mohamed, fellow

EMBRACING CHANGE

Six local businesses adapted their models due to COVID and thrived

BY BECCA TAURISANO

March 2020 ushered in a time of uncertainty for everyone. Two years after COVID-19 began, we wondered how Central New Yorkers have adapted their business practices and what those changes mean for their future plans and goals. These six innovative business owners pivoted in ways they may never have if it weren’t for the pandemic, and in doing so found new opportunities to connect with their customers and build a stronger way forward for their businesses and our community.

CAFE KUBAL

Multiple locations

In 2004, Matt Godard started roasting coffee beans in his parents’ basement and by 2020, he had five Café Kubal locations. “Our model is based on people hanging out and drinking coffee together, which was not safe during COVID,” Godard says. He pivoted quickly to offer mobile ordering for coffee and food to-go, bagged beans for home brewing and local delivery. When workers went remote and fewer customers were downtown, he moved his Marriott Syracuse Downtown and Marshall Square locations out to Manlius in December 2020 and Sweetheart Corners in June 2021. Earlier this year, the cafés began using a self-ordering kiosk for a completely contactless experience. Looking toward the future, Godard is thinking about an unstaffed fully automated vending option and plans to serve alcohol and light fare at the Salina Street location in the evenings for the theater crowd. “The pandemic challenged me to think critically and to leverage resources differently. People are receiving these changes very well and it’s more efficient for us to operate this way,” he explains. “For us, there is no turning back.”

For more information: visit cafekubal.com.

Top, owner Matt Godard. Above and left, the cafe location in the village of Manlius.

PHOTOS BY JASON BOSCO

ARLINGTON ACRES

LaFayette

Arlington Acres owner Katie Jerome thought 2020 would be her busiest season, hoping to hold 22 weddings between June and October. The LaFayette farm has been in her family for generations and was reimagined as an event space when Jerome held her own wedding in the barn in 2016. When COVID prevented large gatherings, Jerome had to get creative. She built a 30-foot screen on the side of her barn and showed kid-friendly movies as an option for families seeking safe entertainment. Once Jerome could host events inside the barn again, the screen was in the way. She installed a retractable screen for the 2021 season and began offering the drive-in on a rental basis, hosting birthday parties, company movie nights, church events and moving-up ceremonies for schools. Renting the drive-in costs $750 for up to 75 cars. “It is a great option for nonprofits who want to hold a fundraiser in a cost-effective way,” says Jerome. Arlington Acres also completed an expansion to meet the demand for indoor events once gatherings resumed. “Before COVID, we would do one wedding a weekend, and in 2021, we did three or four every weekend. In 2022, we are starting our season early in May to meet the demand.”

For more information: visit arlingtonacresevents.com.

Top and above, the event venue hosted private parties and nonprofits for drive-in movie nights. Left, owner Katie Jerome.

GUZMÁN’S DANCE STUDIO

Fayetteville

Founded in 1999 by Michael Guzmán, Guzmán’s Dance Studio prides itself on being a community of caring dancers, supporting each other in good times and bad. At first, the studio offered virtual classes and then in-person classes with social distancing. “We lost that feeling of community during COVID,” says secondgeneration owner, Marisa Colegrove. “We want this to be a safe place where your issues don’t follow you.” When an area dancewear vendor closed, Colegrove was offered the chance to take on the remaining stock and provide a much-needed service for the dance community. Expanding the business during a pandemic seemed risky, but Colegrove says everything fell into place.

Dance teacher Orresta Paddock volunteered to manage the store and fit dancers for jazz, tap, ballet and pointe shoes. As a former professional dancer with the Moscow Ballet, Paddock knows a properly fitted shoe is essential, explaining that a shoe shouldn’t be painful, but rather highlight what the dancer is capable of. Paddock calls on his 22 years of dance experience to provide the right fit and watches product trends and new developments. “Our approach is for dancers, by dancers,” says Paddock. The dancewear store at Guzmán’s Dance Studio is open Monday through Thursday from 3 to 8:30 p.m. and Friday through Sunday by appointment only.

For more information: visit guzmansdancestudio.com.

Top, Marisa Colegrove and Orresta Paddock. Above, dance shoes in the boutique. Left, Colegrove teaching a socially distanced flamenco class.

PHOTOS BY AMY BLEIER LONG AND COURTESY MARISA COLEGROVE

EMMA + JAMES AND HAP + MAIN

Skaneateles

Lisa Dietz, owner of clothing store Emma + James, was concerned about staying afloat during the pandemic. With two small children at home (due to their daycare’s closure) and her store temporarily closed, she had to adapt an in-person shopping experience to a virtual one. Initially, she went on Instagram as a way to connect with her customers who were also home with their families. Dietz started modeling new styles for her followers and found she was selling out quickly. Soon her online sales were up 30 percent, attracting local folks and shoppers out of state. Dietz says customers like seeing her clothes on a real person and they can message her with product questions. Doubling down on her success, Dietz opened a second Skaneateles store earlier this year: Hap + Main is the preppier sister store to trendy Emma + James and she plans to offer shopping videos for both concepts. “I am so grateful to this community for supporting small business,” Dietz says, “and I am glad to see they are continuing to support us.”

For more information: visit shopejclothing.com and shopthehap.com.

Top and above, accessories and apparel at Emma + James. Right, owner Lisa Dietz.

SYRACUSE YOGA AND SOFLEA

Syracuse

The word yoga means to yoke or to bring together. When COVID disrupted our ability to gather in person, Syracuse Yoga owner Sophie Tashkovski says she had to turn on a dime to bring her community together. Offering virtual classes and going outside when the weather cooperated, she was able to stay connected through what was a lonely time for many clients. Through a truly interactive yoga platform, Tashkovski says the communication between students and teachers was a lifeline for some clients who were too scared to leave the house but would attend class online. “Our sole purpose as humans is to live in connection with each other,” she says. “Connecting virtually was pure joy in a time of darkness.” Syracuse Yoga offers in-studio classes virtually Monday through Friday and she does not see that changing anytime soon. “We can reach so many more people virtually,” Tashkovski says.

Tashkovski was looking for another revenue opportunity and in September 2020, she launched Soflea, a curated collection of vintage home decor, textiles and clothing within the McCarthy Mercantile on South Salina Street. Tashkovski’s interest in vintage items and decorating began in early childhood and she continues to scour thrift shops and flea markets for items that bring whimsy and joy. By repurposing items that would otherwise be thrown away, Tashkovski is doing her part for environmental conservation. “This is my calling,” she says of both businesses, “building community, helping people and doing good for the world.”

For more information: visit cuseyoga.com and sofleasyracuse.com.

Top right, owner Sophie Tashkovski at Syracuse Yoga. Right, interesting finds at Soflea in the McCarthy Mercantile.

PHOTO, ALICE PATTERSON AND SOPHIE TASHKOVSKI

LIEHS & STEIGERWALD

Syracuse

A prime lunch spot for the downtown work crowd, Liehs & Steigerwald’s Fayette Street location was impacted when people began working from home. Third-generation business owner Jeffrey Steigerwald thought a food truck would be a great way to reach new customers, have some flexibility and try out recipes. He closed the downtown restaurant and focused on the food truck rollout. The original Grant Boulevard butcher shop — opened by his great-uncle Ludwig Steigerwald and Curt Liehs, Sr. in 1936 — flourished as people cooked at home more. “We saw a lot of new faces at the butcher shop as a product of COVID,” Steigerwald says. “People want to know where their food comes from, talk to the people involved and support local businesses.”

Partnering with local breweries and corporations, his food truck launched in July 2021 to great success, catering business lunches, providing concessions at high school football games and participating in the Syracuse Food Truck Association’s Food Truck Battle at the Fairgrounds. Steigerwald has plans to expand the food truck’s offerings this year and allow customers to order meat from the butcher shop and pick it up from the food truck’s large-capacity refrigerator. He is looking for additional locations across the region so customers have more places to find the truck each week. Steigerwald anticipates a busy spring and summer ahead catering private parties, especially during graduation season, and hopes to add additional trucks in the future. “We appreciate our customers so much,” he says. “To connect with them in this new way is huge.”

For more information: visit liehsandsteigerwald.com

Above, the new food truck at an event. Left, co-owners Jeff Steigerwald, left, and Chuck Madonna.

WRITE ON

CNY Chapter of American Pen Women celebrates more than 95 years of supporting women in art

BY JEANNE ALBANESE

When local poet and author Nancy Dafoe studied a work by a fellow artist, it moved her to write a poem called “Red.”

Her flaming red hair catching every room on fire. Intense cobalt eyes, yet she always looks away. Mystery is her aspect.

Dafoe’s ekphrastic work was inspired by a quilt made by artist Carol Miraben and displayed in the Schweinfurth Art Center’s annual exhibit last fall, and as part of a project that involved the Central New York branch of the National League of American Pen Women.

The Poetry & Quilts project paired Pen Women poets such as Dafoe with quilts in the exhibit that inspired them. Each day in December the museum shared a quilt and accompanying poem on its web site.

The Pen Women did a similar project at the Edgewood Gallery last summer, with 10 writers from the group celebrating the work of 10 of its artists by writing poetry based on their work. It was part of the group’s celebration of their chapter’s 95th anniversary in 2021.

When Pen Women writers create ekphrastic poetry, poetry inspired by artwork, it marries all of the ideals of the Pen Women — women supporting each other in the arts, inspiring each other to create more art and sharing art with the community.

The National League of American Pen Women started in 1897 in Washington, D.C. with three women looking to address workplace inequalities for female journalists. The group grew to include female artists of all types, from writers to artists to choreographers to composers. Now there are 63 chapters across the country with a total of 1,200 members.

It is the oldest women’s arts organization in the country.

“The historical value within women’s history, that this organization has existed for this long, both our chapter and the national organization, fuels my commitment,” says local poet and author Georgia Popoff. “One of the reasons I joined was to continue to sustain this organization. Within women’s history I think it is very important and a lot of people don’t know anything about it.”

To become a member, a woman must be a professional artist and be paid for her work, even if it is a side endeavor. New members must be sponsored by an existing member and vetted by the national membership chair.

Local chapter members say the connections, the role models and the collegiality are priceless.

PHOTO BY GEORGE MIRABEN

“Teal” by Carol Miraben, 2020

national letters chair

“I am inspired by my association with creative, intelligent, and like-minded women throughout the U.S., women who are now my good friends.,” says Sheila M. Byrnes, a professional genealogist, who will soon take over as the president of the national organization.

While the group has grown and evolved, some of the core issues women faced when it started in terms of workplace parity still exist today, and the chapters give women valuable opportunities they may not get elsewhere to network and collaborate.

“It started as an opportunity for professional women writers, originally journalists, to have that kind of community men had had for a long time,” says Dafoe, a long-time educator and author. “It is not entirely untrue today, sadly. There’s still networking that takes place outside of work that isn’t always welcoming to women. I think this is an awesome opportunity for women to support each other in their professional careers and what they do.”

Members of the CNY chapter, founded in 1926 by genealogist Nellie Zada Rice Molyneux, say their branch is having a resurgence of late. Membership is up and outreach is on the agenda. The group ran a local art and writing contest for 60 years, but that ended more than five years ago. For the first time since that contest ended, the group is again engaging budding artists in the community. Members have been working through the challenges of COVID-19 to bring a poetry workshop to Syracuse City school children and adults. The program, called “Teaching Poetry, Swapping Memories,” is funded by a CNY Community Arts grant and will involve seven poetry instructors from the chapter. Some sessions have taken place on Zoom while others have been pushed back in hopes of conducting them in person.

“Our mission as Pen Women is to encourage, recognize and promote the production of creative work,” says Karen Hempson, one of two local members who wrote the grant. “We hope to provide educational, creative outreach and professional

support to members of our community.”

The group also published an anthology as part of its 95th celebration, edited by Dafoe, titled “Art Speaks, The Catalogue: An Anthology of Artwork and Ekphrastic Writing by the CNY Branch of the NLAPW,” which is available on Amazon.

In addition to Byrnes, the incoming president, many CNY members also play key roles at the national level. Joan Applebaum is the national art chair; Janine DeBaise is the national letters (membership) credentials chair and Dafoe is the national letters chair.

“Our Central New York branch is really a key to the whole organization because we have so many people heavily involved at the national level,” Dafoe says.

And most impressively, CNY boasts the last two winners of the Vinnie Ream Award in Letters, the organization’s top award, given out every other year in art, letters and music. Popoff won the 2021 award with excerpts from her recent poetry book “Living with Haints” and the 2019 award went to DeBaise for her essay “The Space Between.” DeBaise, a poet and author, teaches writing at SUNY ESF.

Both women will be honored at the national 50th Biennial convention, scheduled for later this spring in Washington, D.C.

Byrnes, who is chairing the biennial, says the event has been postponed four times because of COVID, and each time it gets rescheduled she has to start all over again like she’s planning a brand new event. Four Central New York chapter members are on the schedule to lead workshops.

“We are a very vital chapter in terms of involvement,” Dafoe says. “We are also very talented. I’m not just bragging; we have independent confirmation of that [through the blind judging of the contests]. It’s pretty cool, I have to admit, and it’s exciting. It’s exciting for all of us. We spur each other on because you don’t want to be a slug in this chapter. Everybody is pretty dynamic and vital and you want to be part of that. We definitely spur each other on to do more things.”

“Everybody is pretty dynamic and vital and you want to be part of that. We definitely spur each other on to do more things.”

Nancy Dafoe, American Pen Women

Author and genealogist Nellie Zada Rice Molyneux founded the CNY Chapter of the American Pen Women in 1926.

#goodlifeCNY

We live in an amazin community, with unique restaurants with their own menus of special foods, stunnin outdoor parks and trails and so many thin s to do. Our four beautiful seasons brin different adventures and influence how we dress, eat, travel, shop, exercise, ather and celebrate.

It’s also a place with many job opportunities. Like other communities in the U.S., CNY has companies stru lin to fill open positions. That’s why CenterState CEO, alon with Ononda a County and several local companies, are workin to ether to make sure more people outside our re ion know about what makes CNY a reat place to build a life, career and family.

CenterState CEO has partnered to market our community, showcasin its low cost of livin , easy commutes, all its attributes and the many job opportunities and career paths our local companies have to offer. We need to make sure people outside Central New York know what a reat place it is to live their best lives.

CenterState CEO, the re ion’s business leadership or anization, is leadin several initiatives to help address Central New York’s rowin shorta e of available workers. They’ve partnered with Ononda a County and several other companies to underwrite a campai n to market Central New York to candidates who live outside the area. They have also partnered with Advance Media New York to create an all-in-one resource for those companies to help sell the area.

The project includes a multimedia marketin effort and a website that provides potential new Central New Yorkers everythin they need to know about the re ion and to entice them to join us in the Good Life. Check out the website at www. oodlifeCNY.com. It’s filled with

stunnin videos, photos and enticin stories about our home. Share it with friends or family who are considerin relocatin , and employers lookin for their next new hire.

Advance Media New York is tellin the CNY story throu h a multimedia marketin campai n, illustratin the beauty of our area, its abundance of jobs, easy commutes and countless entertainment and recreational options in a central location.

Amon the website’s many features is a job board for hirin mana ers and job seekers that pulls jobs from rapidly expandin companies in Central New York. It lets job seekers share information about their experience and career interests, ivin participatin employers access to a qualified pool of candidates interested in findin employment in the re ion. It can be accessed from the Good Life CNY site or by linkin directly at https://careers. oodlifecny.com.

In February, SUNY Upstate Medical University Hospital and SOS Syracuse Orthopedic Specialists joined the marketin initiative, so we can market CNY to healthcare professionals across the Northeast.

These local companies are workin to ether with CenterState CEO and Ononda a County to support this initiative and promote CNY to row our community:

Join

Making good

CNY SCOUT • FARM TO TABLE • ART PROFILE

FELT CUTE

Skaneateles-based crafter Jo DiCarlo’s hand-sewn felted food and toys are the ultimate in pretend play. Her Etsy shop, Tanimals & Lanimals, features faux sweets like a slice of ombre cake and French macarons, as well as a jar of pickles and a sushi set. This sign of spring — an adorable take

on the iconic Easter candy — is one of her latest creations. DiCarlo draws and cuts all of her original designs, inspired by photos of real food — “The fancier, the better!” — and her family’s lifestyle. DiCarlo also makes accessories, wood signs and shirts and other items with heat-press designs.

Marshmallow Bunnies in a Basket, $38, tanimalsandlanimals.etsy.com

Making good

Smoothie operator

Entrepreneur Janae Greene’s creative juices are flowing

BY AMY BLEIER LONG

BeSure is a brand, a lifestyle and a feeling. It speaks to an investment in one’s health and wellness, and a level of consumer confidence.

Founder Janae Greene, like many, has taken a more natural approach to her family’s health. She’s researched the benefits of whole foods, herbs and roots and implemented them in her diet. Marketing on items labeled natural can be misleading or inaccurate, she says. “There’s so many loopholes; I just wanted to be sure.”

A ginger-based remedy she made, which successfully alleviated her son’s discomfort from an ear infection, has become a multi-faceted business venture. All Things BeSure, Greene’s wellness brand, comprises BeSure Juicery and BeSure Sport.

Starting a business hadn’t been on her radar until the pandemic. The Syracuse native teaches math at Brighton Academy in the Syracuse City School District. When school was closed, she wanted something to keep herself busy. Surrounded by a network of entrepreneurs, she thought she could go that route, too.

Along with her original concoction – now known as a Cure-all Shot – she developed pressed juices, smoothies and ginger lemonades. Packed with a daily serving of fresh fruits or vegetables, the drinks provide needed nutrients, plus the accompanying energy boost and digestive and anti-inflammatory benefits. Greene makes her own coconut and almond milks from scratch. She grates whole ginger root instead of using pre-packaged and doesn’t add protein powders. By controlling the process from raw ingredients to finished beverages, she ensures quality and safety. “Unless I can physically get [it from] the dehydrator and chop it up myself, it won’t be on the menu,” she says.

The first few to try her juices were hooked and interest started coming from outside her circle. In June 2021, she filed a business certificate and moved juice production to a commis-

All Things BeSure founder Janae Greene at her juicery inside Natur-Tyme on Erie Boulevard in DeWitt.

PHOTOS BY AMY BLEIER LONG

sary kitchen on Salina Street.

As word was spreading, her brother called to tell her that a man in the area was selling a smoothie cart. She jumped on the opportunity, buying the cart and setting up shop at the well-trafficked corner of James Street and North Collingwood Avenue in Eastwood throughout summer 2021. Greene planned to run the cart for the summer and manage online orders in the evenings and during the school year.

In August, Wendy Meyerson, owner of Natur-Tyme in DeWitt, read a story The Daily Orange published about Greene. Meyerson reached out with a proposition: She was phasing out the existing café at her store and hoped a small business could take advantage of the space. With BeSure selling an average of 50 juices per day (then; now it’s closer to 85), perhaps Greene could take over the café.

Greene and Meyerson agreed BeSure would operate on a trial period during January and February. BeSure Juicery opened in Natur-Tyme on January 8, selling Greene’s blends made to order. As of press time, she expects the juicery to be open daily starting in March and will continue selling individual juices and bundles online.

Greene’s commitment to fitness, and prompting from her brother, led her to launch an athleisure line. BeSure Sport will offer men’s, women’s and kids’ apparel, with a planned spring collection release in March.

She works with an apparel factory in China that allows her to customize pieces and curate collections; if it doesn’t have quite the right piece, she can provide a design to the factory. She orders samples when needed to check construction and fit.

“Everything is app-based now,” she says, “so between Upwork and Fiverr, you can literally construct a team per project,” rather than having a creative team on retainer for logos or design work. This lean approach means that anyone can start a business, even with fewer resources and connections.

Her mission is to get people back to the basics of health, “especially in my community,” she says. High rates of diabetes and arthritis in her own family have pushed her to stay active, educate herself on healthier choices and check the ingredients of what she purchases.

She wants to help inform others that expensive vitamins aren’t necessary and that the needed nu-

For more information: visit allthingsbesure.com @besurejuicery and @besuresport on social media. 

trition can be found in fruits and vegetables, but also in herbs or roots people may be less familiar with. There’s a reason ginger ale is made with ginger: “These things really work. You don’t have to take a pill if you don’t want to. So, just really informing people and giving people options [so they can] feel good about the things that they’re purchasing,” Greene says, especially when the cost of a filling juice is equal to or less than a fast-food meal. Greene doesn’t plan to give up teaching as she grows BeSure. The flexibility of her schedule allows her to manage the business and be present for her two toddler sons. For now, she’s strategizing how to scale BeSure and establish it in more physical locations, perhaps at the mall.

We’ll be seeing more from Janae Greene; we’re sure of it.

The Sunrise Smoothie and strawberry ginger lemonade are two of the fruitpacked beverages available at BeSure Juicery.

Making good

French kiss

BY MJ KRAVEC PHOTOS BY ALAINA POTRIKUS

Saint Urban Wine Bar & Restaurant offers a taste of spring with Watercress Purée paired with Loire Valley wines

Making good

Saint Urban Wine Bar & Restaurant in the Westcott neighborhood of Syracuse, Manager Keri Levens is setting up details that will enhance the experience for tonight’s dinner crowd. She arranges centerpieces consisting of wooden trays of coarse butcher’s pepper, Syracuse flake salt, a sprig of Charmelia in a tiny vase and a pencil.

When a CNY Magazine writer asks her what the pencil is for, she points to a paper menu featuring the restaurant’s carefully curated list of wines and offerings for the day. “This is so guests can make notes on our wines,” she says. It’s an attention to detail and emphasis on wine that’s unique to Saint Urban, which is named after the patron saint of those who work in the wine industry.

The dining area is also carefully curated and designed by Chef Jared Stafford-Hill. A raised concrete ceiling with exposed steel beams, lounge lighting and white oak tables with steel supports (also designed by Stafford-Hill) create an open, industrial mood that’s warm. On the walls, artwork featuring the chef’s “spiritual homeland” depict satellite vineyard maps of two villages in Burgundy (Pommard and Volnay) each of which produce a different style of Pinot Noir based on the territory’s unique soil properties. On the same wall, a shelf holds French cookbooks, wine bottles and three Miles Davis albums (a nod to the chef’s love of jazz) titled “Workin’,” “Cookin’” and “Relaxin.’”

At Saint Urban, every detail is meaningful, intentional and meant to translate into the menu, says Levens. Now in its third year, Saint Urban features French and Italian cooking along with a “highly curated wine list” and an ever-changing menu inspired by the freshest ingredients of the seasons.

Early spring offerings at Saint Urban center around the traditional wine regions of France, says Stafford-Hill. March features Northern Rhône and white wines made from Marsanne/ Roussanne Viognier served with cooked fish, scallops, salmon, almonds, fennel, fish stews like bouillabaisse, artichokes, green olives and apricot. Red wines like Syrah are paired with lamb, beef, black pepper, "smoked things," some darker fruit like huckleberries or prunes and caramelized onions.

In April, the mood shifts to the Loire Valley and features Muscadet, raw oysters, scallops and sea urchin; Chenin Blanc with peas, green and white asparagus, fresh cheeses (especially goat), green almonds; Pinot Noir paired with chicken, rabbit, root vegetables, morels, chanterelles, mousserons and Cabernet Franc served with lamb, ramps, veal and duck.

Popular at Saint Urban is the tasting menu, which gives guests the opportunity to taste all the highlights on the menu.

But tastings change with the seasons, because Stafford-Hill designs the restaurant’s menu to show off seasonal ingredients at their peak of flavor while pairing his creations with the best wines in the world.

“For example, January is California. Since there is no local produce at the moment, we offer the best ingredients from California, paired with sunny, refreshing wines, as a way of escaping the winter conditions of the area. In May, when weather starts to change and we have access to local produce, we start to incorporate local produce but use it in a way that honors the culinary traditions of Tuscany [and the] South of France,” he says.

For March/April, Stafford-Hill chose a Watercress Purée, a condiment with fresh green flavors that can be used as a chilled soup appetizer, a sauce for fish or layered over goat cheese mousse. “It’s versatile,” he says. “Very spring.”

Chef Jared Stafford-Hill prepares his Watercress Purée, a versatile condiment that can be served as an appetizer, sauce for fish or layered over goat cheese mousse.

at 124 Dell St.

To drink? We recommend Loire Valley wines

WATERCRESS PURÉE

Olive oil 2 cloves garlic, peeled and thinly sliced ½ small onion, thinly sliced 1” leek, thinly sliced

Potato, preferably fingerling, peeled and sliced 1 bunch watercress, tough stems removed, roughly chopped.

» In a very small amount of olive oil sweat the aromatic vegetables over medium heat with a pinch of salt for 2 minutes; softened but without color.

» Add the potatoes and cover with water or light chicken stock. Cover and simmer without reducing for 10 minutes or until potatoes are very tender. Raise heat to boiling and add the watercress.

» Let boil for 1 minute then transfer immediately to a blender, preferably high speed, and blend for minute. Chill in a bowl over ice to retain a deep green color. Season with salt.

HOW TO USE

As an appetizer

Serve the purée as a chilled soup with raw oysters and a touch of whipped cream or crème fraiche. Pair with an austere style of Muscadet like Pepiere.

As a fish course (as shown)

Serve the purée hot as a sauce for roasted scallops & cauliflower. Pair with a full-bodied Chenin Blanc like Savenieres from Nicolas Joly.

As a cheese course

Serve the purée layered over goat cheese mousse (equal parts heavy cream, fresh chevre, salt, set in a glass)

Pair with an off-dry Chenin Blanc like Huet Vouvray demi-sec Clos de Bourg.

Saint Urban is located in the Westcott area of Syracuse

Making good

April alchemy

BY MJ KRAVEC

Spring and cleaning go hand in hand. And when it comes to creating a fresher, healthier house, products homemade from natural ingredients are just the thing (and a heck of a lot cheaper than store-bought) to freshen up the home. We tested some simple DIY natural cleaners from a variety of online sources. We’re not experts — just moms. Who clean everything. We think that qualifies. Just sayin’.

WHAT YOU’LL NEED

BAKING SODA: mild cleanser, grease cutter

CORNSTARCH: natural deodorizer

WHITE VINEGAR: gentle acid that cleans coffee stains and prevents mold

LEMON JUICE: acidic with antibacterial properties and fresh scent

NATURAL DISH SOAP: degreaser; try Mrs. Meyer’s Clean Day, Seventh Generation

OLIVE OIL: natural cleaner/duster with antibacterial properties

ESSENTIAL OILS: scent enhancer for cleaning products. Tea tree oil is also naturally antibacterial.

VODKA: natural disinfectant

OTHER ITEMS: microfiber cloths, scrub brushes, plastic spray bottles, mop, etc.

WHAT TO CLEAN

DISHWASHER: To clean dishwasher of gunk, grease and leftover food particles and help it work more efficiently, try this method from cleanmama.com: Wipe door seal and outer edges with a microfiber cloth dipped in white vinegar. Remove filter at the bottom of the washer and rinse with hot water. Scrub away extra gunk with an old toothbrush if needed. You can also try soaking the filter in water and dish soap for 10 minutes. Replace filter and pour one cup of distilled white vinegar into bottom of dishwasher. While the dishwasher is empty, run one cycle with hot water.

TOILET BOWL CLEANER: From mindbodygreen.com. Pour two cups of vinegar and one cup of baking soda into toilet bowl. Allow the ingredients to fizz for a few minutes. Scrub bowl with toilet brush and flush.

CARPET FRESHENER: From diynatural.com. Combine two cups of baking soda and 20-30 drops of essential oil of your choice. Mix in a cheese shaker jar and attach lid. Sprinkle over carpets and leave on for 30 minutes to allow mixture to absorb odors before vacuuming.

STAINLESS STEEL CLEANER: From thespruce.com. Clean off those fingerprints and stuck on food with white vinegar. Spray appliance with vinegar and use a microfiber cloth to wipe in direction of steel grain. Wipe again with a cloth dipped in water to remove excess vinegar and clear streaks.

WOOD FLOORS: From cleanmama.com. Pour half cup of vinegar into one gallon of warm water. Add 10 drops of essential oil. Mop floors being sure to absorb excess water and allow to air dry.

WOOD FURNITURE POLISH: From thespruce.com. Mix two parts olive oil with one-part real lemon juice. Pour into spray bottle. Spritz on a microfiber cloth and polish in direction of wood grain. Make only as much as you need, as mixture won’t keep fresh.

ALL-PURPOSE CLEANER: (Avoid using on granite surfaces.) From goodhousekeeping.com. Combine one cup vinegar, one cup water, lemon peel and fresh rosemary sprigs. Allow to infuse in a spray bottle for one week. When mixture is ready, spray on surfaces and wipe down.

WINDOW CLEANER: From heloise.com. Pour one cup of vinegar into one gallon of water. Spray on windows and wipe clean using newspaper.

SINK CLEANER: From heloise.com. Pour ½ cup of baking soda down the drain and follow with one or two cups of white vinegar. Allow mixture to fizz for about five minutes, then flush with plenty of fresh water.

AIR FRESHENING SPRAY: From homesteady.com. Combine one cup of water, one cup vodka and about 20 drops of essential oil in a spray bottle. Shake to combine and spray as needed to refresh air.

Fashion is a notoriously difficult industry to “make it” in, especially for independent designers like Schnell who take on every role in the design and production process.

Compassion on her sleeve

Fashion designer Chloe Schnell embodies a mission of integrity and sustainability

BY KATHERINE KIESSLING

After learning of the 2013 garment production factory collapse in Bangladesh, which killed more than 1,100 workers, Chloe Schnell gathered up every piece of clothing she owned from H&M, the largest producer of garments in that country.

“I couldn’t look at them anymore,” says Schnell.

The fashion designer hasn’t shopped at a department store since. She couldn’t after realizing what she describes as fashion’s negative humanitarian and climate effects. Since then, Schnell has exclusively thrifted or bought from smaller, women-owned businesses.

And while she said she was tempted to toss her H&M clothes in the trash, she donated them instead. Schnell refuses to throw out any clothing besides worn-out socks and underwear, preferring to re-donate or repurpose her thrifted wardrobe instead.

Her current work in progress a floor-length strapless gown with a pleated, corseted bodice embodies sustainability. The creamy, embellished satin is a former curtain transformed into glamour through imagination and meticulous draping.

Fashion is a notoriously difficult industry to “make it” in, especially for independent designers like Schnell who take on every role in the design and production process. She makes it harder on herself by refusing to comply with what she considers problematic industry standards like relying on cheap, overseas labor and contributing to the climate crisis.

Even her label’s name, “Schnell Mode,” is a cheeky, satirical finger up at the industry. Although her last name means “fast” in German, Schnell loathes fast fashion and is intent on dismantling the worst aspects of the fashion industry. Her mission is a

Schnell’s label name, “Schnell Mode,” is a cheeky, satirical finger up at the worst aspects of the fashion industry. Her personal studio is at The Gear Factory in Syracuse.

Shown here: Suit by Learbury Suit Company in Syracuse, boots by Circus NY and kitchen gloves.

PHOTO BY SOLON QUINN

Making good

For Schnell, unconventional inspirations are the most exciting. She’s shown here at her mother’s studio in Cazenovia.

striking, serious undercurrent of her exuberant designs and commissions.

“Fashion is who she is,” says Pamela Schnell, her mother. “It’s the fabric of her being since she was young.”

Examples of this can still be found behind the mirrored closet doors in her parents’ dim basement, nestled in the quiet hills of Cazenovia. Garments of electric yellow neoprene, hand-woven ruby burlap, and a startling number of gigantic googly eyes narrate the chapters of Schnell’s life from high school, the Fashion Institute of Technology and beyond.

“For me, fashion is an expression of self without having to speak,” Schnell says. “It’s a way of telling an entire room who you are without having to say a word.”

Her work is a playful experience. A flashy fishtail train made with color-shifting sequins begs to be touched. Her “All Eyes on Me” A-line dress delightfully clinks as she shows off the careful hand application of the eyeballs.

One of her favorites is a structural, mod yellow mini that floats around the body like a yolk. It’s from the first collection she made

entirely by herself, when she was a senior in high school. She found inspiration talking to her brother, a chef, about all the different ways to prepare eggs. “And then me with my, like, designer brain, I’m taking the words, textures and seeing fabrics,” she says.

That Schnell, whose mother is a seamstress, would one day work in the industry herself was never a question. Pamela Schnell remembers when Chloe demanded to dress herself almost exclusively in dresses at the tender age of 2.

Schnell’s own earliest fashion memory comes a year later. After seeing an episode of “Fat Albert,” 3-year-old Chloe was enamored with tomboy Penny. Schnell decided she would only wear pants for the following two years. “Some sort of fashion entity possessed me as a child or something,” she says.

The family moved from sunny San Diego to Central New York when Chloe was 8. She says the move deepened her understanding of fashion. In California, she would wear summer clothes yearround, but New York had seasons, which meant layers. Chloe began thrift shopping when she was 9 to expand her wardrobe.

When she was old enough, she worked after school in her fam-

ily’s screen-printing shop, Coast to Coast Screen Printing and Embroidery, in Manlius. Schnell vividly remembers the physical toll of some of the tasks, like setting baseball caps for printing. Her gunmetal-taloned fingers grip and click imaginary machinery over and over as she describes the grueling process of printing orders of 500 hats.

“It hurts your shoulders. It hurts your hands,” Schnell says. “The fact that there are people in the world that do this and don’t get paid for it is not right. Something has to change here.”

Schnell isn’t interested in finding inspiration in other fashion. Sure, she watches Fashion Week shows and “Project Runway” to keep up on trends. But to her, the unconventional inspirations are the most exciting. They give her more room to create, resulting in a boundary-pushing aesthetic that is distinctly hers.

She describes her relationship to the industry as complicated. She had planned to focus her personal studio in Syracuse on custom gowns for proms and weddings, but the pandemic, along with her disenchantment with fashion, prompted her to take a two-year break.

Schnell pays close attention to fashion’s labor abuses, dangerous work conditions and pay inequities. She understands that the industry is one of the primary contributors to the climate crisis, effectively killing the planet with its waste and pollution. She envisions a dystopian possibility where clothing becomes merely functional to protect humans from extreme heat and poisoned air.

When these topics come up, she takes off on long, impassioned speeches full of examples, sources, data and empathy. Her voice strains with emotion, and her wide, blue-green eyes brim with tears. Fashion is hurting human beings.

“Wherever she steps in, you know her,” says Alamo Mora, Schnell’s go-to model and good friend. “Her passion and compassion are on her sleeve. Even when first meeting her, you can just see her pure heart.”

Mora says Schnell has been known to offer models snacks or help designers finish last-minute alterations backstage at fashion shows even when she is there to present her own collection. She makes sure her models feel comfortable in the outfits and their hair and makeup designs, and she isn’t afraid to speak up on their behalf.

Schnell admits that it’s frustrating to watch her peers surpass her on the success scale. While she continues to work alone, hand-constructing pieces from fabrics she can find and afford from the local Jo-Ann Fabrics, others outsource garment pro -

Schnell aims to eventually open a fashion house that employs workers hurt by the fashion industry.

duction to another company, often in China, so that they can mass-produce and sell their designs more widely.

“I am, you know, putting my heart and soul into this,” Schnell says. “I wish I could let myself do the same thing, but I can’t because I have been preaching this stuff for so long. It would be wrong of me to go back on it now.”

She knows that if she sticks to her mission of ethics and sustainability, like-minded people will find her. Eventually, Schnell aims to open a fashion house that explicitly hires workers damaged by the fashion industry. “I think that there’s so much potential for fashion to be centered around self-love and love for others.”

Katherine Kiessling is a graduate student in the Goldring Arts Journalism and Communications Program at Syracuse University’s Newhouse School of Public Communications.

“For me, fashion is an expression of self without having to speak. It’s a way of telling an entire room who you are without having to say a word.”

Chloe Schnell

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.

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 through March 19.

CAZENOVIA ARTISANS

39 Albany Street, Cazenovia. 315 655-2225, info@cazenoviaartisans.com. Open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily.

Sharon Bottle Souva’s Fabric Handworks. Cazenovia Artisans showcases visiting artist, Sharon Bottle Souva’s Fabric Handworks. Souva uses fiber as an artform, creating abstract, multimedia landscapes and botanically themed works that include hand-printing and thread painting on fabric. In addition, she creates art quilts as well as functional quilted items. Artist reception, 2 to 5 p.m., Sat. April 2. Runs April 1 through 30.

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.

Terrestrial Mimicry. Brendon Flynn’s paintings create a world that blends science fiction, horror and fantasy, while also intertwining familiar historical and literary characters and archetypes. Vartan Poghosian ceramic series is a tribute to a snake god “Mehen,” exploring ways of achieving snake-like trails creating labyrinths on wheel-thrown stoneware vessels. Dana Stenson creates metalsmith jewelry including insect forms and other iconographic imagery. Runs March 4 through April 15. Due to COVID, no public reception.

Annual High School Seniors’ Exhibit. Students within a 30-mile radius of Syracuse are selected by their art teachers to exhibit their work. CNY Art Guild juries the exhibit and gives awards to the students. Runs April 22 through May 6. Due to COVID, no public reception.

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.

Forever is Composed of Nows. Whether artists respond to history or look to the future, creativity exists in the moment. Drawn from the Everson’s permanent collection, Forever is Composed of Nows examines a multitude of snapshots of the present moment, grouped by theme, image or idea across different time periods and media. By examining how artists spanning three centuries have approached their present — their now — using similar topics and motifs, this exhibition is a visual exploration of values, societal customs and art. Through Dec. 31.

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. Combining elements of realism and

Left, Brooks Oliver at Everson.

Bottom, Arlene Abend, Copper Landscape at Everson.

abstraction, Abend’s sculpture addresses topics ranging from social justice to family dynamics to the natural world. What unites her body of work is the artist’s constant drive to experiment with methods and materials, always asking herself, “what if?” as she approaches each new project. Featuring work made across five decades, Arlene Abend: Resolute explores Abend’s innovative nature as well as her strength and resilience as a woman and an artist. Through April 17.

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 shifts 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. This work aims to both dissect and affirm one’s relationship to music as a stimulant and as an art form. Soundtracks for the Present Future explores ideas around decentralization and diversity through the multiplicity of distinct instruments. Through April 10.

Curious Vessels: The Rosenfield Collection. Louise Rosenfield is among the most voracious pottery collectors in the world. To celebrate the opening of the Everson’s new restaurant, which will be stocked with objects from the Rosenfield Collection, the Museum will present a unique hands-on exhibition that allows the public to get up close and personal with the Rosenfield Collection. To view the collection, visit www.rosenfieldcollection.com. Opens March 12.

Dawn Williams Boyd: Woe. The sheer size of Dawn Williams Boyd’s “cloth paintings” adds 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. The work informs and connects people, and is as humorous and generous as it is unflinching and gut-wrenching. Be it accounts from the past or warnings for the future, Boyd’s paintings bring an overwhelming sense that struggle is timeless. Through April 10.

Laura Reeder: Now More Than Ever. Now More Than Ever, the inaugural exhibition for the CNY Artist Initiative, is an evolving installation of over 2,000 digital images captured over the past 10 years as artist Laura Reeder moved through her everyday life. The photos were taken everywhere — at work, in cities, in nature, while housekeeping, at meals and as pauses or interruptions in a moment. During a pandemic, digital images connect us to each other. By presenting images in a physical space, Now More Than Ever offers respite and resistance to our sense-dulling digital lives. Through March 13.

Sharif Bey: Facets. Over the past two decades, artist and educator Sharif Bey has created a body of work in ceramics and glass that explores the visual heritage of Africa and Oceania. Since accepting a teaching position at Syracuse University in 2009, he has become a vital part of Syracuse’s social fabric. Coming on the heels of an exhibition at the Carnegie Museum of Art in Pittsburgh, where he was born and raised, the Everson presents a survey of Bey’s work, starting with the functional pottery that has served as a touchstone throughout his career, and continuing through his most recent body of large-scale figurative sculptures in clay. Runs April 30 through Aug. 14.

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.

SYRACUSE UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES

222 Waverly Avenue, Syracuse, library.syr.edu. Open to the public 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday-Friday, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. 6th Floor is open Monday-Friday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and until 7 p.m. on Wednesdays.

Student Voices in Print. Syracuse University Libraries’ Special Collections Research Center (SCRC) spring exhibition, Student Voices in Print, will be on display on the sixth floor of Bird Library. The new exhibition features Syracuse University’s rich history and variety of student voices and student publications, which have been part of the fabric of the campus since its early days. Curated by University Archivist Meg Mason, the exhibition will include articles, poetry, fiction and other writings as well as illustrations, cover art and cartoons. Newspapers, magazines, newsletters and other publications, all from the University Archives, will offer a glimpse into the history of Syracuse University’s student voices, expressing humor, art and class solidarity as well as documenting student activism, campus news, student organizations and the voices of underrepresented communities on campus. The exhibition is open to the public during regular SCRC hours, Monday through Friday, 9 am to 5 pm, throughout the spring semester.

Student Voices in Print at Syracuse University Libraries.

Flashback

A GROWING TREND

BY TOM HUNTER

As Central New Yorkers eagerly anticipate the imminent arrival of spring, many will contemplate nature’s renewal. While temperatures warm and snow melts, floral colors and aromas again will abound in beautiful gardens to enliven our senses. Picturesque gardens of Central New York include the private oases enjoyed by property owners and public places appreciated by all others.

Within a relatively short growing season, CNY gardeners have become adroit at growing exquisite and vibrant flowers, plants, shrubs and trees. Gardening has been a local hobby for several generations. In May 1899, a Post-Standard journalist wrote, “Private gardening is getting to be quite the thing in all enterprising cities and Syracuse is making a good showing along with the rest.”

Wealthy Syracusans spent considerable money decorating their estates with lush floral gardens, fastidiously managed by professional gardeners. The Burlingham Memorial Garden, now the Dr. James P. Burlingham Memorial Park and the E.M. Mills Memorial Rose Garden on the edge of Thornden Park, are two Syracuse public gardens enjoyed by countless enthusiasts.

The Syracuse Rose Society, whose volunteers lovingly care for the roses, is just one of many garden clubs that once were, or still are, beautifying CNY’s urban and suburban landscape.

The Garden Center Association of Central New York was founded in 1934 to coordinate the work of several separate garden clubs and horticulture societies: Syracuse Garden Club, Home Garden Club, Onondaga, Hill ‘n Dale, Solvay, Skaneateles, Sun Dial, House and Garden of Liverpool and many others. By 1960, the Garden Center Association grew to represent 58 regional garden clubs. Club members planted a sycamore tree along Onondaga Lake in 2016 to commemorate more than 80 years of promoting horticultural activities in CNY; unfortunately, the group disbanded later that year.

Several Central New York garden clubs also are represented in District VI of the Federated Garden Clubs of New York State. So, when looking forward to another spring season, consider how your life is enhanced by the splendor of CNY’s beautiful floral surroundings.

Thomas Hunter is curator of collections at Onondaga Historical Association.

CNY has a history of garden appreciation

PHOTO COURTESY OHA

E.M. Mills Memorial Rose Garden in Thornden Park, circa 1931.

Last word

SEAN KIRST

BY MJ KRAVEC

Saturday, March 12 marks the 40th anniversary of the Syracuse St. Patrick’s Parade. After the last two parades were canceled due to COVID, the 2022 comeback is especially celebratory. We chatted with one of this year’s grand marshals, writer Sean Kirst, to find out what he’s doing to prepare for the parade and why he’s inviting everyone he’s ever wrote about to come march with him (and yes, he’s totally serious).

What time do you get up in the morning and how do you take your coffee? In the last 10 years, I became an early riser. I’m usually up between 5 and 6 a.m. I take my coffee black, love to make it in a percolator on a stove, though I miss the aroma because my sense of smell was fouled up by COVID.

Favorite season in CNY? I love all the seasons, seriously. There’s ‘leaf day,’ [an] incredible day in April or May when all the maples come out in that stunning green. I love the sun in summer, going barefoot on warm sidewalks, swimming outdoors. Winter has its own staggering beauty, and all the snow is part of this almost mystical cycle involving when and why things in this valley get so green. But I guess, put to the test, I’d go with autumn, and the way the hills look from Route 20 on a sunny afternoon in mid-October, just as good as it gets.

What’s your favorite spot to enjoy the great outdoors? I run. It helps me connect, in a big way, with every season. It can be 5 degrees and you throw on a few layers and a mile in, you’re too warm. It helps me with memory, with prayer, with love and humor, with thanksgiving. And one of the great joys in life is running far on a hot day and then throwing yourself at the end into a pool or lake. That’s sheer pleasure. But my absolute favorite spot? I think the trails and old stonework in Elmwood Park in Syracuse.

What are the duties of the grand marshal of the parade? Do you have to wear anything special? There’s a Mass we’ll attend. They give you a sash. I hope to carry the walking stick of the late Pat Ahern, a great man and a former grand marshal who not only changed countless lives but helped define what it means to be Gaelic in this town, at least for me. My dad

was Irish. My mother was part of Clan Innes, her parents and siblings immigrants from Buckie, near the North Sea in Scotland. I’ll wear or carry things that would have mattered to both, because the parade would have meant a lot to them.

What are you most looking forward to? Almost hard to put to words. I’ve asked anyone I ever wrote about in Syracuse, if they want to do it, to walk with us. So to be on that route with [wife] Nora and the kids and others in our family, carrying Pat’s stick and physically leaning on his legacy, surrounded by people whose stories are so important, alongside fellow grand marshal John McCarthy and Gael of the Year John Tumino both incredible human beings. And then there’s the dinner and painting the green stripe and everything at the Hotel Syracuse, whose restoration was one of those moments when a building’s revival takes on spiritual civic importance. And to know what this would have meant to my folks? I mean, in a way, there it is. It’s one of the greatest honors of my life, and it only happened because so many wonderful people trusted me with their stories.

Above, Kirst at Elmwood Park in Syracuse, 2015.

Left, Kirst with, from left, niece Meg, wife Nora and brother Mike at the Tipp Hill Shamrock Run in 2014.

WITH Grand marshal of Syracuse’s St. Patrick’s Parade

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