EE FR
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2017
COMEDY IS THE CREATIVE OUTLET FOR THE GAL PALS OF
ESTROFEST ALSO INSIDE WOMEN & WINE Meet female vintners who are crushing it
• • • • • •
Yelp-recommended wineries What’s your creative outlet? RESOLVE reminds us “Domestic Violence Stinks” Karen Tuccio’s Hollywood ... in Rochester My tween is growing up too quickly Clearing the clutter with a daily whirlwind RocParent.com September/October 2017 1
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WRITERS IN THIS ISSUE BREANNA BANFORD is the Yelp Rochester community director. She brings the online community offline, connecting people to great local businesses through collaborative events and marketing partnerships. As a Rochester native, Breanna lives, breathes, and eats for this city. When she’s not hosting events for the Yelp community, you’ll almost always find her with rosé in one hand and french fries in the other. ELIZABETH CRONY is a woman of action, whether executing a marketing plan or mastering the de-cluttering and cleaning of a house. With a degree and background in fashion and merchandising, she is a founding member of Femfessionals Rochester and COO of Big Thinkers LLC, as well as the former president of Blacktie Colorado. She is a happily married mom of two young girls. ROBIN FLANIGAN pounded beats as a newspaper reporter for 11 years before starting a freelance business, where she produces copy for magazines, newspapers, and websites. Her essays have been published in various anthologies. She is currently working on a mindfulness-themed alphabet book for children and a manuscript about a woman she met on the way to the Mount Kilimanjaro summit.
DAWN KELLOGG is the communications manager for Geva Theatre Center. She has been in the arts for most of her life and considers herself very lucky to work in an industry that she loves.
After a more than 30-year career in community journalism, LINDA QUINLAN likes to say she is “semi”-retired. She is now a freelance writer, serves more than one cause as a volunteer, is a caregiver for her mother, and a proud grandmother. She is married, has three grown children, a granddaughter, a cat, and a dog. When not writing, she likes to read and garden. DANTE WORTH is a success mentor and author based in Rochester who released his book Free to Be Me in 2014. He holds a bachelor’s degree in PR and communications from SUNY Brockport. In the community he has organized and hosted motivational seminars, the Black Authors Expo, and three installments of ROC Mastery Writing Seminars. Each spring he hosts the Audacious Believer’s Ultimate Women’s Conference, where he brings together women and men to enable, empower, and inspire them to live life with a victorious freedom.
CONTENTS FEATURES
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Cover Story Comedy troupe EstroFest is the creative outlet for these funny girls Women & Wine Three female vintners talk about the fun — and science — of winemaking
17 18 20
Hollywood in Rochester Karen Tuccio stages silver-screen classics “My tween is growing up — too quickly” An essay by Robin Flanigan Community Spotlight RESOLVE educates us that “Domestic Violence Stinks”
COLUMNS 9 Help from Yelp A harvest of wineries via Yelp reviewers 14 The Organized Clutterbug Control the clutter with a daily whirlwind 16 The Audacious Believer Reignite your dreams Winemaker Paige Vinson of Rooster Hill Winery, located on the shores of Keuka Lake. PROVIDED PHOTO
ON THE COVER
The ladies of EstroFest dressed as some of their audience-fave characters. From top right, clockwise, is Dresden Engle, Allison Roberts, Andrea Holland, Freyda Schneider, and Norma Holland. PHOTO BY BRIAN STEBLEN
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ESTROFEST
‘The show is the star’
The members of EstroFest are close friends. From left is Norma Holland, Andrea Holland, Allison Roberts, Dresden Engle, and Freyda Schneider. PHOTO BY RENEE VENISKEY
Comedy is the creative outlet for these five busy women, sharing humor that’s funny as well as smart
By LINDA QUINLAN
It’s no wonder these ladies are such a success. Recent research, reported in Psychology Today, finds that people in a lighter mood experience more “eureka!” moments and greater inspiration. In other words, humor is important when it comes to encouraging creativity and problem solving. Spend even a couple of hours with the five women of Rochester’s sketch comedy troupe EstroFest and you’ll understand what the research means — if you can stop laughing long enough. The five women — Allison Roberts, Freyda Schneider, Dresden Engle, Norma Holland, and Andrea Holland — not only perform in EstroFest, but also write, direct, and produce their own shows. They certainly live full and busy lives. Some might be bowled over by all they do. Four of the five women are married with children, and four of them operate their own businesses.
“But this (EstroFest) is my release from reality,” Norma said. “It’s what I do for fun ... our creative outlet,” echoed her sister, Andrea. See for yourself during the Rochester Fringe Festival in September, as EstroFest returns to the Geva Theatre stage. They will be doing five one-hour shows they’ve titled “EstroFest Comedy: Cinderella, Sci-Fi & Drones.” You might say EstroFest is their hobby, though all of the troupe members have multiple interests and talents. Doing comedy creates a lens for each of them in living their lives, Freyda said. Allison recalled when she went to school to study visual arts and writing — before also taking up acting at 30 — a professor finally told her she had to choose from among the disciplines. She asked him, “Why?” “Some people think they have to focus on just one thing,” Allison said. “My career and life have been proof that you can do many things that make you happy.”
BALANCING FAMILY AND FUNNY
And a shared goal of the EstroFest ladies is simple: To make people laugh. But that isn’t always easy. See ESTROFEST, Page 6
ESTROFEST LIVE AT THE FRINGE FESTIVAL WHAT: EstroFest Comedy: Cinderella, Sci-Fi & Drones WHEN: 9 p.m. Friday, Sept. 15; 5:30 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 16; 2:30 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 17; 5:30 p.m. Friday, Sept. 22; 8 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 23 WHERE: Geva Theatre Center’s Fielding Stage, 75 Woodbury Blvd., Rochester TICKETS: $18. Order online at rochesterfringe.com
, SO, WHAT S YOUR CREATIVE OUTLET? Three Roc women tell all …
GINA KING
Receptionist at Paychex House projects like painting and redecorating. I’ve laid my own hardwood floors, put siding on my shed, installed tile in my kitchen, put in a drop ceiling, and made shelves out of old wooden doors. When it’s time to decorate, I get ideas from Pinterest and shop for new pictures and flower arrangements. Outdoors I created a stone walkway to my front porch and finished the look with mulch and flowers. So fun!
ESTROFEST, from Page 5
“We’re judged all the time,” Dresden said. “People say you shouldn’t be doing this or that when you have kids.” “But we’re teaching our kids to embrace things they love and care about,” Allison said. Allison is an actress, writer, visual artist, and trainer. She is cofounder of Impact Interactive, a theater-based training company. She has a daughter, Story, age 23, and is married to Eric Cady. Freyda is the artistic director and co-founder of TYKEs (Theater Young Kids Enjoy), now in its 14th season and based at the Jewish Community Center. She and husband, Chuck Schneider, have two children: Macey, 14, and Hayden, 12. Dresden — who apparently doesn’t sleep — not only is founder and director of Dresden Public Relations Inc. but also is managing editor (a relatively new role) of Roc Parent/She Rocs magazine, and also teaches public relations at area colleges. She continues to work on extending her original play The Cougar and the Cabana Boy into a full-length musical, which she created with composer J. Daniel Lauritzson. She and husband, Paul Olcott, have two daughters: Aria, 11, and Aurora, 10. Norma is perhaps best known as an earlymorning TV news anchor and reporter on 13WHAM and Fox Rochester. She and her husband, Matthew, have one daughter. Andrea is the youngest in the troupe, which ranges in age from their late 30s to early 50s. She is owner of Holland Communications, where she serves as a public speaking and media coach to executives and entrepreneurs. When she’s not coaching, she brings her creative vibe to local radio commercials as a voiceover artist.
TWENTY YEARS OF LAUGHS
The Holland sisters are the newest members of the EstroFest troupe, which will
mark its 20th hilarious year in March 2018. EstroFest was Allison’s brainchild – and you can thank a traffic jam in Fairport for being the inspiration. “I was stuck in traffic and I looked over and saw these women walking along the street just losing it (laughing) over something,” she said. At the time she was in a co-ed improv comedy troupe called Sketchy Details, and she recalled thinking, “There is no all-female comedy troupe around.” She got home and called Schneider and Adele Fico, with whom she had appeared in “Joey and Maria’s Comedy Wedding,” and they started brainstorming and thinking about casting. By coincidence of timing, Dresden attended a birthday party Freyda was hosting and Allison was attending. “And Dresden was wicked funny,” Freyda recalled, so they invited her to join them in the new venture. Fico remained with the troupe for a few years, departing to create and perform her own one-woman show. Kate McLean performed with the troupe for more than a decade, and when she moved to the Southern Tier, the Holland sisters were invited to audition seven years ago. “We’re living room performers … we always have done shows and skits for our family,” Andrea said. Now they have a much bigger “family.” The troupe performed in the Toronto Fringe Festival in 2002 — where they were listed among the top 10 shows “not to miss” by The Toronto Sun — and made their Off-Broadway debut the following year at the 55 Bleecker Street Theatre. But their home base is Rochester, where they play to full houses. “But it’s not just hometown people – or just women – who support us,” Andrea said. They all have stories of people, from every walk of life, coming up to them in restaurants, on airplanes — wherever — and laughing about a sketch they remember.
The EstroFest gals laugh together on and off stage. PHOTO BY RENEE VENISKEY 6
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She Rocs Magazine
, SO, WHAT S YOUR CREATIVE OUTLET? Three Roc women tell all …
EstroFest hit the beach, dressed as some of their stage characters. SELFIE BY ESTROFEST.
THE ROOT OF ALL HUMOR
All the members write sketches, either solo or in teams. One collaborator is Brian Steblen of Fairport, who has written several sketches and has shot and edited many of their videos. Another collaborator is longtime stage manager Kate Sweeney, who they call MacGyver. But where do these sketches originate? “Our sick minds … and also all the people we know,” Freyda quipped. “So if you see a character on stage who seems familiar, it just may be you.” Their brains do become attuned to finding humor in everything. They’ll each hear something and think, “That’s a sketch; I’ve got to write that down,” Andrea said. Letting their onstage silliness bleed into their lives is “healthy and necessary,” Norma added. By way of example, Dresden recalls that when her daughters were younger and she was reading them the Mother Goose tales, she was struck by the brutality of some of the rhymes (such as “beat them all soundly and put them to bed” and “grind your bones to make my bread”). That sparked the question: What can we do to show the insanity of these original fairy tales? The characters Mother Moose and her sidekick, Johnny Hoecake, were born, and the troupe was off and running, taking the characters and the sketch to lofty levels for laughs. The troupe’s shows are composed of a cleverly woven mix of live skits and projected videos. The upcoming Fringe shows, which are one-hour shows by nature, will include six live sketches and eight videos.
“Usually what we can’t put on a stage becomes a video,” Dresden explained, noting that a number of local actors join them in their videos. Using their own houses for many of the video shoots, they do wonder what their neighbors think. Take, for instance, the video that required a whole SWAT team to move in on Dresden’s neighborhood, to stop a woman from forcing her neighbors to sing Christmas carols. One can only imagine the over-the-fence gossip that incident stirred up. Yes, of course they have more material than makes it to the stage or screen. They vote democratically for the sketches and videos that are the funniest, what the audience ultimately will find the funniest. “It’s the show that’s the star,” Dresden said. “We always choose what is best for the show, egos aside,” Norma agreed. They each bring their own life experience and knowledge. “We work together on multiple levels, including the performance level and incorporating each person’s business expertise,” Freyda explained. It’s not only the running of the troupe that has sorted itself out; it’s also the casting in various sketches. “We usually instantly know who will do a particular role,” Andrea said, with Allison noting that they work to ensure all have a range of roles per show. Asked about their comedic inspiration, Allison and Freyda both mention Lily Tomlin, and the time they got to meet her after having front-row seats to her show in New York. Dresden said she honed her comedic skills doing Gilda Radner impersonations on the cheerleading bus in high school.
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SARA HICKMAN-HIMES
Design & Marketing Coordinator at Foodlink I’m really lucky that I get to be creative every day in my job. But there are times when, between the 9-to-5, the sidebusiness greeting card company, and growing freelance work, I just can’t look at a screen anymore. When I get burnt out, I power off the tech and make something with my hands. That’s when I turn to more classic pursuits — handlettering and book binding. It’s almost meditative.
, SO, WHAT S YOUR CREATIVE OUTLET? Three Roc women tell all …
“I think my comedy comes from watching cartoons as a kid,” Andrea said. “I guess I’m a big fan of inanimate objects coming to life.” Norma said her sense of humor is more dry, rather than slapstick. She remembers being mesmerized by seeing a live show f eaturing Bill Cosby, but she also liked seeing Elaine Stritch on Broadway and thinking she was “wickedly funny and bawdy.” “I love insightful, accurate humor,” Freyda said. Truthfully, they feel honored to watch each other perform. And they agree that sticking with “smart” humor is the only way they’ll go. “There’s no way we’d jeopardize who we are professionally,” Dresden said. “We try to be more clever and intelligent,”
with their humor, Freyda added. “It doesn’t take a lot of brain power to be crass,” Norma pointed out. Perhaps because each one of the troupe members is equally accomplished, “that depth of experience makes the comedy that much sweeter,” Andrea said. They trust each other, their friendship and their professionalism. “I’ve never found a group of women I feel so at home with,” Norma reflected. “There’s no competition or jealousy. It’s just about making people laugh – and that’s awesome.” Freyda sums it up in a few words: “I think this works because we all genuinely like each other.” You likely will, too. Be sure to put EstroFest on your “to do” list in September!
ESTROFEST ANSWERS SILLY QUESTIONS
JENNIFER HINTON Assistant Director of the RIT Center for Media, Arts, Games, Interaction and Creativity (MAGIC) and MAGIC Spell Studios I enjoy teaching and inspiring others by tapping into who they are as leaders. I teach courses and design (create!) curriculum and facilitate workshops for leaders on topics including teamwork and group dynamics, communication skills, and emotional intelligence.
The members of EstroFest can be offthe-cuff funny, not to mention insightful, too. We asked a few “silly” questions, just to see what they’d say: What do you think about when you’re alone in your car? Freyda: Pizza. Often I’m really hungry and just thinking about what to put on my pizza. Dresden: Two things, actually. First, all the freaking phone calls I need to make … so I just tuck my phone in my bra and start calling. Second, I’m deciding whether to play the ‘80s or Broadway channel on Sirius radio. Allison: How angry Rochester drivers are! Andrea: Oh, I ponder the depth of life … when I’m not one of those angry drivers. Norma: How sleepy I am … but then I remember, “I chose this.” (She has to report for work by 4 a.m.) What’s the funniest thing that has happened to you recently? Andrea: I was opening a water bottle on an airplane, and apparently because of the change in pressure, I sprayed someone behind me in the face. Norma: Life has been sort of serious lately, but when I do laugh, it’s often at my daughter and her burgeoning sense of humor; the fact that she does things to make us laugh. Hopefully, she’ll end up just as zany as me! Dresden: I recently got together with some high school friends at my mom’s cottage and for three days we laughed ‘til we cried! Freyda: This was some years back, but as a present, I was sent this enormous — live — lobster. It was shocking. We could 8
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hear something moving in the box and didn’t know what to do with it, so we took it upstairs and put it in the bathtub. Allison: My husband is very good at sound effects and we do weird dances to them. If you could be any animal, what would you be? Allison: A cat. They’re great — and they just do what they want. Andrea: My dog, because I take such good care of her. Freyda: I was going to say my dog, too. We feed her this fancy food. On any given day, I think she may eat better than we do! Norma: A bird — because I could soar above all the mess. Dresden: A unicorn (The others all agree: “You win.” She does have a fullsize painted [by Allison], carousel-style horse-turned-unicorn in her office.) If you had a superpower, what would it be? Andrea: I want the ability to “edit undo” – an infinite number of times. Flying would be cool, too … but then people would want rides. Freyda: I’d desperately like the ability to know what my dog is thinking. Allison: I’d like to move into one of these mansions (on Rochester’s East Avenue) and not be questioned. Norma: I actually have a super power: It’s putting on all my makeup in record time — say, less than 10 minutes. And this is TV makeup, I’m talkin’. Don’t ask (how) … I’m just that good! Dresden: Compartmentalizing. It’s the only way to stay focused on the good things.
She Rocs Magazine
Love the wine Reviews of 8 favorite spots you’re with Hermann J. Wiemer Vineyard
Whether you’re on the hunt for a romantic getaway or a leisurely day excursion, there are a number of nearby wineries that offer a fabulous sipping experience. Here are eight Yelp-recommended wineries, pressed together by Breanna Banford, Yelp’s Rochester community manager. Come for the wine, stay for the view at these wineries within an hour’s drive of Rochester.
3962 State Route 14, Dundee, Seneca Lake (607) 243-7971 | wiemer.com
“These wines are consistently award-winning, with selections of mostly dry whites and reds. They have a few tasting rooms available, and the atmosphere is more upscale than most. My personal favorite wine is their Gewurztraminer.” — Natalie S
JD Wine Cellars 1339 Eddy Road, Macedon (315) 986-4202 | jdwinecellars.com
Succulent grapes on the vine at JD
“They offer a variety of reasonably Wine Cellars. PROVIDED PHOTO priced red and white wines along with blends and 100% fruit wines ... Their Spring Lake Winery ‘Case Club’ includes bulk discounts 7373 Rochester Road, Lockport and perks such as free bottles and (716) 439-5253 invitations to special events.” springlakewinery.com — Peter G “I loved this winery! It’s on the Niagara Wine Trail and is a Barnstormer Winery must-stop. You are able to try 4184 State Route 14, Rock Stream, four wines for $5. The best thing Seneca Lake | (607) 243-4008 is they have wine ice cream! barnstormerwinery.com They use their wine and an ice cream from Syracuse and make “This is a newer vineyard, they do their own blend.” not sell their wines in any liquor stores and they have a small — Andrea production. Their winery was in a cool barn with rustic furnishings.” Billsboro Winery — Samantha S 4760 West Lake Road (State
Inspire Moore Winery 197 Main St., Naples | (585) 374-5970 inspiremoorewinery.com
“Great people pouring and fun trivia about the place that they share with you in a little booklet at the tasting bar, locals popping in, fun gift shop, and gorgeous views on the deck.” — Pamela W
Route 14), Geneva, Seneca Lake (315) 789-9538 billsborowinery.com
“Solid wine list with a range of options (though tending towards the dry end of the spectrum) ... In addition to the regular tasting, they have a number of special and regular events.” — Kate M
Hector Wine Company 5610 State Route 414, Hector, Seneca Lake (607) 387-1045 hectorwinecompany.com
“When you’ve been to a bunch of wineries in this area they can all start to blend together, but Hector sticks out in my mind because the whites here are particularly flavorful and well crafted.” — Cody Y
Serenity Vineyards 930 Davy Road, Penn Yan, Keuka Lake | (315) 536-6701 serenityvineyards1977.com
“The staff was incredibly courteous and knowledgeable — it was so nice to get some background and pairing suggestions on each wine.” —Nicole T
help from
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Wine, Women, and cheers Meet three fabulous female vintners from wine trails along Lake Ontario, the Finger Lakes, and (coming soon) Rochester By DRESDEN ENGLE
With fall foliage and the fall grape harvest on the horizon, the popularity grows for wine tours in and around Rochester and the Finger Lakes. To prep our palates for all the swirling and sipping, She Rocs ventured out into the field of winemaking. We pressed the sweet-smelling story down to focus on three outstanding winemakers who shared info about their careers and thoughts on our impressive Finger Lakes/ Lake Ontario grape-growing and winemaking region. Tia DeMartino is associate winemaker with the new Living Roots Wine & Co., an urban winery and tasting room opening in October in Rochester on University Avenue. Paige Vinson — who studied viticulture and wine technology at Finger Lakes Community College with Vinson — is winemaker with Rooster Hill Vineyard in Penn Yan on Keuka Lake. Fumie Thorpe is owner/operator and winemaker of Thorpe Vineyards, located near The Bluffs on the shores of Lake Ontario. These vintners share three
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themes in their own personal vintage: Winemaking is their second career. The science and math behind winemaking is among their fortes. They are seeing a crack in the grape ceiling as more women take leadership roles in this male-dominated field. The Wall Street Journal recently estimated that women account for only 10 percent of the vintners in the Napa Valley. We have estimated the Finger Lakes region percentage is about the same. Vinson told She Rocs that many of the hardest-working colleagues (both physically and mentally) she has worked alongside have been women. She noted her pride in being part of a winemaking and grape-growing region that boasts so many standout women. “As with many other maledominated industries, winemaking is largely made up of strenuous, physical labor and quite a bit of math and science,” Vinson said. “And while trends like that take a long time to reverse and even-out, we can see it happening in leaps and bounds. “Women working in winemaking and viticulture is quickly becoming more common, and I think the reasons for that are far more compelling,” she noted, citing greater attention to detail, and along with
She Rocs Magazine
more acutely developed sensory abilities. With her original studies being in meteorology, she noted she is used to being the lone woman surrounded by male professionals. “Wine has a rosy and sexy image so a lot of people, women especially, think there is some magic to wine,” Thorpe said. “But I tell them the basis is farming, and then chemistry and physics, and then retail. There are a lot of layers to winemaking.” DeMartino said the issue of why the field is still male-dominated is “a tricky question to answer.” “Winemaking is often viewed as hard, physical labor, and some days, it really is!” she said, noting that many hiring managers still believe only a man can perform the manual tasks to a high enough standard. “I also believe this is part of the larger trend where math and scienceheavy industries simply do not attract a large female contingent” she added, “luckily, I have never encountered any resistance to my aptitude and my ability to get the job done, and at a high level, simply because I am a woman.” Let’s now look past the male vs. female vintner conversations, and take a closer look at these three fabulous vintners.
Tia DeMartino
Associate Winemaker
Living Roots Wine & Co. 1225 University Ave. Rochester, NY livingrootswine.com WHAT ATTRACTED YOU TO WINEMAKING? This is actually my second career. After working as an electronics assembly technician for years, I decided to try to make a new career out of something about which I was excited and passionate. I theorized that winemaking was something that could involve my love for technical pursuits while providing me with something more intertwined with my daily life and my love of wine. TELL US ABOUT ROCHESTER’S NEW URBAN WINERY. Living Roots Wine & Co. will be opening in the fall of this year. We are sourcing all of our grapes from vineyards in the Finger Lakes, but we will be making wine IN the city of Rochester right on University Avenue! The urban setting is very intriguing. It offers different challenges for the technology side of my personality to enjoy while still offering traditional winemaking tasks and processes that I really enjoy. FAVORITE PART OF THE WINEMAKING PROCESS? The hard, physical labor on long days. Yet you’ll never see a bigger smile on my face than during harvest in the fall! This is true even when it’s the 28th straight day of long 12-16 hour workdays (if you’re lucky!). But, make no mistake, it’s also a hell of a lot of fun! HOW DO FINGER LAKES WINES STACK UP AGAINST NAPA VALLEY AND THE REST OF THE WORLD? We have some world-class wines that can easily hang with West Coast or international heavyweights. HOW HAVE YOU BEEN ABLE TO LEVERAGE TECHNOLOGY IN YOUR WORK? One of the first tasks that I have taken on at Living Roots is learning to integrate a winemaking tracking software into our processes. I will be able to perform tasks remotely, such as monitoring a fermentation tank from anywhere in the world. Software like this enables us to be better and more efficient winemakers. It also helps to ensure that the entire winery staff is always on the same page. PROVIDED PHOTO
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Fumie Thorpe
Thorpe Vineyard 8150 Chimney Bluffs Blvd. Wolcott — Lake Ontario Thorpevineyard.com
Owner/Operator and Winemaker
Her website asks this question: How does a star-gazing native of Tokyo end up growing grapes and making wine in a remote corner of rural Wayne County? OK, well, I’m intrigued. Thorpe Vineyard — touted as “The Little Winery on the Great Lake” — is the oldest winery in Wayne County, operating for 29 years on the shores of Lake Ontario. Her father purchased the land while visiting Thorpe at SUNY Oswego, where she studied meteorology. This took her career in a new direction, but one that has brought her much success. WHAT ATTRACTED YOU TO WINEMAKING? My introduction to winemaking was one of family obligation, but I encourage people to try it and see what they can do. If you work hard you can accomplish a lot, especially here in America, where you have a lot of freedom to choose the career you want. WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON THE CURRENT ROSÉ CRAZE? Over the years, trends happen and trends come and go … like the white zinfandel craze a few years back, riesling before that. I myself would like to see if the dry rosé craze will continue or fizzle out. Social media drive many of these trends today. I have people come in and say,” Hey, I hear dry rosé is trending.”
PHOTO BY RANDY TAGG
HOW DO FINGER LAKES WINES STACK UP AGAINST NAPA VALLEY AND THE REST OF THE WORLD? We have a unique climate — cool with more rain than Southern California and parts of Europe. White wine, for one, is better from a cooler climate, as the coolness retains the fruitiness. The Finger Lakes and Lake Ontario wine trails do a superb job.
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She Rocs Magazine
SPECIAL EVENTS AT THE WINERY? Visit Thorpe Vineyard in late summer and early fall to watch the sunset, the stars, and to sip wine … as Thorpe blends her two passions of star-gazing and winemaking with Sunset Tasting and Starry Night events, offered for their fifth season. Sunset Tasting begins at 6 p.m., immediately followed by Starry Nights (complete with a talk and star charts). There is no extra charge. The dates are Aug. 26, Sept. 9, and Sept. 23.
Paige Vinson
Winemaker
Rooster Hill Winery 489 Route 54 South Penn Yan — Keuka Lake roosterhill.com
WHAT ATTRACTED YOU TO WINEMAKING? My original educational background is in fine art, sculpture specifically, and I’ve always had a fascination with the process by which something is created. Winemaking affords one of the few opportunities available to work with a very raw ingredient and follow the process through in its entirety. FAVORITE PART OF THE WINEMAKING PROCESS? I love the long hours and the array of tasks that come with harvest. One of the best parts is experimenting with different yeast strains and fermentation techniques and then tracking those trends when assembling final blends later in the year. PLEASE DESCRIBE AN AVERAGE DAY AS A VINTNER DURING HARVEST. During harvest, my days are balancing acts between vineyard visits, chemistry and lab work, fermentation management, and physical crush pad and cleaning work. Samples are collected and we run lab analysis to see how the chemistries are progressing. The day finishes with a great deal of cleaning to make sure all fruit, juice, and wine are processed properly. HOW DO FINGER LAKES WINES STACK UP AGAINST NAPA VALLEY AND THE REST OF THE WORLD? Many of the wines from the Finger Lakes hold their own on a world scale; we as a region are absolutely competing in that arena. We’re establishing ourselves well as a cool-climate, aromatic white and medium-bodied red wine-producing region and we’re making compelling wines that hold their own against wines from many areas.
PROVIDED PHOTO
HOW DOES OUR CLIMATE HELP OR DETRACT FROM THE GRAPES AND WINE? Our climate is what makes the Finger Lakes such an interesting wine region in the first place. Our generally cool growing seasons with warm days and cool nights are the reason that acid-forward varieties like riesling and cabernet franc thrive. The lakes help to moderate temperature extremes allowing grape vines to grow successfully — a geographical “trend” that is found in most of the great wine regions in the world.
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A daily whirlwind can clear the clutter Can you relate to any of these scenarios? The beautiful antique dining room table covered with papers … Legos underfoot on the living room rug (ouch!) … the hard-to-close overflowing junk drawer … and my favorite, the evergrowing pile of trinkets atop the dresser. Clutter sneaks up on us, like fog. And it takes over, weighing us down mentally. It can also rob you of time and energy, as you spend time moving things that need to be cleaned and vacuumed around. And, oh, the wasted time you’ve spent looking for things (where’s my gym pass?). For me, I feel better and more focused on the task at hand after I have done one of my “mini-whirlwinds.” I know I’m not the only one who dreams of magazine-worthy clean countertops and tidy rooms. Here are some organizing tips:
15 to 20 minutes of each day to concentrate on clearing clutter. Focus and work with a purpose, clearing up the chaos (coffee helps me with this task!). My “whirlwinds” are simply putting things back in their places. Dishes in the dishwasher, coats hung up, sorting mail to recycle/file it. If you have the luxury of half an hour, sort through a closet or the junk drawer.
Homes for hobbies
Whether you garden, sew, run, cook, golf, or have pets, your hobbies require you to actually own stuff. And this stuff can end up being more clutter. Be proactive to identify or create a place to house all the accessories that accompany your leisurely pursuit and you will be able to enjoy them even more (perhaps with the extra time this decluttering will bring you).
Kid involvement
You know these spots all too well — kitchen counters clogged with bills, the weekend paper as a permanent fixture next to the couch, the kids’ rooms “decorated” with their treasures. Yes, you can pull these papers and treasures together and house them in attractive baskets/containers. However, remember these catch-all containers can contain the chaos but, in reality, we need to acknowledge most items need to be purged.
Remember, this chaos is a family event. Kids come with a lot of accessories, so be vigilant to stay on top of it. Sit down with your kids once a month to sort through what they have. Decide together to keep or donate what is no longer being played with, but also keep in mind the sentimental value or usefulness of the toy or trinket. Make sure the storage unites you choose for the kids’ items are at their height and are safe and easy to access. Even a toddler can put away soft toys into a bin if it’s at the right height.
This may be the hardest tip to follow, but it’s by far the most important. Take
Dedicate a specific place for giveaways. When you come across something you
Identify clutter hotspots
The daily whirlwind
Let it go
no longer need or want, put it in a box immediately, rather than setting it back down and forgetting about it. Plan a monthly trip to your favorite charity donation location. Someone else will treasure it. As the fog lifts, smile and enjoy your magazine-worthy clean house! Even if it’s just until the next day’s whirlwind …
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September/October 2017
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Reignite your dreams Three simple ways to reclaim your power through vision What I know for sure is that every success story started with a dream. Most of us think that if we do more, we’ll have more so we can do more. The problem is, you can’t hit a moving target, so as you’re doing more, it’s important to know where you’re going in life and business. You must have a vision and a plan so that every step moves you in the direction of your vision. The road to success is always under construction because life has its share of challenges. However, how one responds to those challenges determines if life is lived in a defeated manner or with victorious freedom. As children, our dreams are big and limitless as we allow our imagination to run wild with possibility. As we grow older, our dreams, goals, and aspirations lose priority as we began to conform to who our families, friends, and society say we should be. One of the best pieces of advice I ever received from my middle school teacher was to “never allow others to should on you.” Can you remember who you were before the world told you who you should be? You’re more powerful, talented, creative, and have more potential than you give yourself credit for. It’s time to stop being a people pleaser, get your dreams off the back burner, and start making them happen. Here are three simple ways to reclaim your power through visualization: AFFIRMATIONS Creating affirmations is as easy as it is powerful. If you haven’t been using 16
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have, and moments you are grateful for. Billionaire media-mogul Oprah Winfrey has been journaling since the age of 15 and continues to record moments of gratitude daily and encourages everyone to do the same. Whenever I feel uninspired, I grab my journal and reread my own moments of gratitude, which causes me to bounce back and produce results in my life and business.
Dante Worth in Hollywood in spring 2017 … living the dream. PROVIDED PHOTO
words intentionally to make your life better, you’re probably using them to make it worse without even knowing it. The good news is that you can stop now. Write down three affirmations starting with “I AM” and recite them every day. Here are a few affirmations you can start saying today: 1) I am free to love and be loved; 2) I am bringing value to my family and business; and 3) I am worthy of living the life of my dreams. JOURNALING If it’s not written, it’s not real. Journaling is an incredible tool that you can use to get your vision out of your head. Grab a notebook and start recording quotes that inspire you, ideas that you
She Rocs Magazine
VISION BOARDS Most business owners create a mission statement or vision statement, which details the direction they expect the company to move in. It’s full of details like customer service experience, ideal client profile, 5- and 10-year goals, etc. Once it is written, this document is usually filed away and never looked at again. I challenge you to get clarity about what you want in life/business and create a vision board based on what you want to accomplish. By creating a vision board and placing your vision in front of you, you create a trigger for small meditative moments throughout your day. This will enable, empower, and encourage you to chase and follow your dreams. Creating a vision board isn’t simply pasting pictures on a board. There is a formula to help you make your vision on your board a reality. Looking for a fun project for you, your family, or team? Grab your step-by-step instructions for creating the perfect vision board, for your life or business, for free at DanteWorth.com/visionboard.
Bringing to Rochester one play at a time … By DAWN KELLOGG
From as far back as she can remember, Karen Tuccio has loved movies. She remembers watching film and TV as a child, being particularly impressed by the physical comedy of Lucille Ball. She would create and perform skits for the neighbors in her family’s garage. Although she went on to earn a degree in business management from St. John Fisher College and had a successful business career for many years, she followed her passion in 2013, going back to school to earn her master’s degree in theater management from the University of Buffalo.
Bringing Hollywood to her hometown A trip to the 2011 TCM Film Festival in Los Angeles planted a seed for an idea of a new type of theater company, one that would marry film and theater. The following year, her trip to the 2012 TCM Film Festival resulted in the chance to meet and interview TCM host Robert Osborne. She told him of her plan to form a theater company that would bring some of the most-beloved classic movies to life on stage. In fact, many of the classic films began as stage plays. Osborne was very encouraging. Tuccio first tested the Rochester waters five years ago with The Desk Set in 2012. Originally a play by William Marchant, The Desk Set was adapted into a film in 1957 starring Spencer Tracy and Katherine Hepburn. “Rochester has a love affair and a long history with movies,” she said. “It was amazing to see how quickly audiences took to this marriage of film and theater.” Blending her business acumen with her creative passion, she founded Screen Plays – Hollywood’s Golden Age on Stage. She also saw an opportunity to raise the bar of Rochester’s community theater scene. “I wanted to improve the production
values of each show by compensating every actor, designer, stage manager, and technical artist who work on my shows,” Tuccio said. “Let’s face it, there are many starving artists who are extremely talented in their trade and should be both recognized and appreciated for their expertise.” Authenticity is also important to Tuccio. “I stage authentic set pieces, props, and costumes, to totally immerse the audience in the setting of the show.”
Celebrating film in film city
With Screen Plays rooted firmly in classic films of the past, she has staged productions locally of Parfumerie, The 39 Steps, The Man Who Came to Dinner, Holiday, Meet Me in St. Louis, and The Cat’s Meow, as well as a one-woman play about the legendary Vivien Leigh, starring local actress Marcy J. Savastano. Screen Plays productions have been presented at the Dryden Theatre at George Eastman Museum, Geva Theatre Center, Lyric Theatre, and MuCCC. Screen Plays is a member of TheatreROCs, a consortium of Rochester professional and community theatre groups. Tuccio has won awards for her direction from TANYS (Theatre Association of New York State) and also has worked with Penfield Players and Black Sheep Theatre Coalition. Her plans include forming a Rochesterbased group centering on women in theater with the goal of raising awareness for and collaboration among Rochester women business owners, producers, artists, and designers. She also envisions a museum dedicated to Rochester’s contribution to the film industry, which would contain a performance space. Finding her niche here in our culturally rich city, Tuccio has found a way to celebrate Rochester and its role in the history of the silver screen — from the talent that once lived here to being the city that made the film on which these classic films were created.
Karen Tuccio on the set of The Desk Set. PROVIDED PHOTO
RocParent.com
Screen Plays 2017-2018 Season screenplaysonstage.org Lady Philosophy on Trial: A Live Radio Play Lyric Theatre Sept. 15, 17 & 21, 2017 (Rochester Fringe Festival) Meet Me in St. Louis: A Live Musical Radio Play Lyric Theatre Dec. 1-17, 2017 Titus Andronicus In collaboration with DVC @ MuCCC Dec. 8-17, 2017 The Royal Family Lyric Theatre Feb. 2-17, 2018 Hamlet Lyric Theatre May 11-27, 2018
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Non-Ficton
My tween is growing up — too quickly By ROBIN L. FLANIGAN
My 10-year-old daughter wanted to make the angel food cake for Easter. She doesn’t care for recipes, but to appease me on a holiday, when my mother will be visiting from Maryland, she has consented to use one. I want her to be interested in what the Betty Crocker cookbook says about angel food cake — it is thought to have originated in St. Louis in the mid-19th century … and that some people believe the recipe was brought there by slaves from the South, slowly, up the Mississippi River. But she is not. She is busy mixing the flour and powdered sugar. So much powdered sugar. She doesn’t like to measure either. When she starts to separate the egg whites, I stare into the mixing bowl and can’t keep my mouth shut. “You put this in too fast,” I say, pointing to the sugar. “We need to take some of it out.” Annalie says it doesn’t matter, I say it does, and we volley opinions until she runs into the living room. I’ve lost my appetite. The egg whites look like mucus. My daughter’s pants skim her ankles and she has a sudden need for camisoles. She fashions off-the-shoulder shirts with scissors before we run errands; we get tangled in arguments that make me feel hungover, head aching and mouth parched from trying to get her to understand — but she doesn’t think I understand.
Pretty soon we’ll be clashing over curfews and touring colleges, and then she’ll leave, and where does that leave me? Saudade is a Portuguese word that honors the profound emptiness and melancholic longing for someone or something now absent — and unlikely to return. It makes me think about ancient times, when people mourned the dead by capturing their tears of sorrow in small bottles, sometimes worn around the neck. It makes me think I could use a bottle to hold some of this mourning, these tears that rupture my afternoons when I’m writing or pumping gas. I would wear it strung on a thin leather cord, glass against bone. And when people asked what was inside, I would tell them it’s just the past, melted. In my memory, she is skipping in the blueand-white calico dress my mother made her for Laura Ingalls Wilder Day at the Genesee Country Village & Museum. She was in third grade then and still woke up singing. On the sidewalk, up the street from our house, the white apron
The swings she used to ride are still moving, but she’s long gone, and I realize it’s only the wind.
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She Rocs Magazine
and bonnet strings bounce as she gallops beside a friend from school. They are singing a verse they learned in music class. “Ostinato! Ostinato! A pattern that repeats itself!” I follow with the dog, jealous that time stands still for them as they leap through the air. I don’t think it’s too late, but sometimes I wonder if it is. On her way to the bathroom, Annalie spots me at my desk. Without a word she walks to my chair and I swivel to face her. She turns around, sits on my lap, grabs my wrists and wraps herself in my arms. The quick gesture lands my palms on her chest, but this child, the one who shouts, “Don’t come in!
I’m getting dressed!” when she hears my footsteps near her door, doesn’t notice my hands are against a part of her body she tries so hard to keep private. I nuzzle the top of her head and give my little girl a squeeze. I wish I could remember what it was like to be a tween. (When I was growing up, that word didn’t even exist.) If I did, I could better relate to the mood swings. Back — she slams her door. And forth — she blows me a kiss. Instead, it can seem as if I’m lost on an empty playground. The swings she used to ride are still moving, but she’s long gone, and I realize it’s only the wind. We feed the ducks on the Erie Canal while nibbling
on chocolate biscotti and remembering the time the pigeons ate out of her hand. I shiver in my cardigan; Annalie moves comfortably in a sleeveless dress. I no longer need to remind her to stand back from the water’s edge. When we have run out of corn kernels, still hungry ourselves, we stop at Trader Joe’s. Annalie dashes to the back of the store for free samples of coleslaw and tea while I replenish our favorites: bananas, goat cheese, frozen chana masala. We meet up by the register, where she talks me into buying a tin of green tea mints, then sleepily leans her head against my shoulder.
“I wish I could stay here forever,” she says. The cashier scans a box of butternut squash soup. I pull my daughter tight, wishing I had more items in my cart. I whisper into her hair: “You can stay here as long as you want.” This personal essay by Rochester-based writer Robin Flanigan was first published in Motherwell digital magazine on March 20, 2017.
She Rocs magazine is collaborating with Writers & Books to share a short story or essay in every issue, written by students or instructors. Writers & Books is a nonprofit literary center based in Rochester that fosters and promotes reading and writing as lifelong activities. The programs are numerous and varied, reaching more than 25,000 people per year. Learn more at wab.org.
COMMUNITY SPOTLIGHT
of Greater Rochester “Each year Domestic Violence Awareness Month comes and goes with little fanfare. There’s virtually no purple merchandizing, no purple cleats on the NFL gridiron, no public outcry demanding solutions, and no celebration of domestic violence survivors. Why? Because domestic violence is ugly; it makes people uncomfortable.” — ALLI O’MALLEY, RESOLVE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
women by men. Out of our discussions, we realized that working together we could have a greater impact and indeed, open eyes and change lives.
What is RESOLVE?
RESOLVE of Greater Rochester Inc. develops and delivers innovative solutions to bringing an end to domestic and sexual violence, with a focus on the suburbs of Greater Rochester. At RESOLVE we are dedicated to preventing domestic and sexual violence. Most organizations working in this field focus on the crisis. RESOLVE instead focuses on breaking the cycle by helping survivors to heal and rebuild. We do this by engaging with a diverse cross-section of organizations — schools, colleges, healthcare, and the faith community — to deliver adaptable prevention programming that challenges the paradigm that allows this devastating violence to persist at such alarming rates. As RESOLVE works to support survivors, it is also working to change cultural norms that condone domestic violence. While some think of domestic abuse as a “city” problem, the reality is it is happening every day in the suburbs as much as in the city. In Monroe County, intimate partner violence was reported slightly higher in suburban neighborhoods (51 percent) than urban (49 percent).
Why and when did RESOLVE get started?
RESOLVE of Greater Rochester Inc.
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What kinds of programming and services does RESOLVE offer to local families?
Alli O’Malley, executive director of RESOLVE, with a student — and an eye-catching purple outhouse — at SUNY Brockport reminding people that “Domestic Violence Stinks.” PROVIDED PHOTO
began as two separate organizations, Safe Journey, and Stand Up Guys. Both organizations were searching for ways to make a greater difference in the fight to end violence against women. Safe Journey was focused on intervention with female survivors, and prevention education with youth and the general community, while Stand Up Guys focused on prevention by engaging men in conversations about the violence done to
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Our services help people move from surviving to thriving. Healing and rebuilding after an abusive or violent relationship is one of the hardest things a person will ever do. Our services empower people to heal and move forward with their lives. We believe you can move on and create a life for yourself and your children that is stable, joyful, and peaceful. We serve people in Monroe, Ontario, Wayne, and Livingston counties from our secure location in southeastern Monroe County. RESOLVE services are provided at low or no cost. All clients are invited to “pay as you can” but nobody will be turned away for non-payment. Services are confidential and provided by NYS licensed practitioners with expertise in trauma. Services include individual counseling, support groups, empowerment workshops, and financial and career counseling. At RESOLVE we believe that everyone deserves to and can live safely, free from
physical, emotional, sexual, verbal, financial, or any other type of abuse. RESOLVE can help whether you have concerns about your relationship or feel stuck and alone, or even if you are presently out of the abusive relationship.
What are the statistics regarding domestic abuse?
They are pretty startling: One in three women will experience intimate partner violence. One in four men will experience intimate partner violence. One of two of LGBTQ will experience intimate partner violence. However, American women and girls continue to be victimized at higher rates than men. One in five women will be raped. One in four women on a college campus will be raped. Three women die each day at the hands of their partner. Countless women are harassed or threatened at work, on the street, in school, or in their homes every day. Children are the silent victims. Being exposed to intimate partner violence — as witness or victim — creates numerous developmental challenges for kids. Children who live with intimate partner violence are at the greatest risk for transmitting violence to the next generation. Working together as women and men we can eradicate intimate partner violence.
Tell us about your eye-catching, awareness campaign featuring purple outhouses that say “Domestic Violence Stinks.” For our third year RESOLVE is raising awareness in the community and on college campuses throughout the month of October by declaring “Domestic Violence Stinks” across the front of six-foot, purple-painted wooden outhouses. Bottom line is, domestic violence does stink. It happens behind closed doors and is seldom talked about openly. So we are putting this uncomfortable
SUNY Brockport students help promote RESOLVE’s “Domestic Violence Stinks” campaign on their campus. PROVIDED PHOTO
topic in your face, on front lawns and at businesses and on campuses. This campaign forces us to talk about domestic violence, as we learn more about what to look for when one is in trouble. In our first two years, we’ve heard stories of survival, as well as fear, from friends and family of victims. Many men responded with compassion and some with anger. One visibly agitated father said, “Yeah, it stinks! It happened to my daughter. A man that hurts a woman is a coward.” Another man comforted his partner as she made a donation; then lovingly took her hand as they walked away. While another reflected on his violent father and how helpless he felt when he couldn’t protect his mom. One of the most poignant responses came from a woman working a drive-thru window, who saw the outhouse in the back of a volunteer’s truck. When she handed the driver his order, she couldn’t stop the angry tears when she said, “What you are doing is so important! It happened to me and I felt so alone.” If you want to became involved with the “Domestic Violence Stinks”
campaign, as a volunteer or donor, please contact us at RESOLVE.
If someone is in need of help, or has a friend in need, how should they contact RESOLVE? Those in need should call (585) 425-1580, and speak with a counselor who will help you decide if our short term, counseling program is right for you. Since we do not provide emergency or crisis response, we may not be the right provider for everyone; but we strive to respond to every call with compassion and to support you in finding solutions.
Does RESOLVE need volunteers?
Yes! RESOLVE is an ideal volunteer opportunity for those looking to help women and girls. With a small staff and budget, volunteers are the heart of our organization. Volunteer projects include help with fundraising, offering prevention and awareness education, staffing a booth at community events, mentoring a client, babysitting during client events, or working in the office. Contact us at (585) 425-1580 or info@resolve-roc.org. She Rocs magazine thanks Alli O’Malley for her help with this Community Spotlight. She is executive director of RESOLVE of Greater Rochester and a domestic violence survivor.
Congresswoman Louise Slaughter pledges to help RESOLVE domestic violence. PROVIDED PHOTO RocParent.com
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