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Photo by Roberto Lagares
Auld lang syne
EDITOR'S LETTER
BY LEAH STACY LEAH@ROCHESTER-CITYNEWS.COM
When I started drafting this editor’s letter, I was working alone on the fifth floor of WXXI, filing stories for our Winter Guide late one Monday night. I love coming into the office when it’s quiet and dark. Looking out the windows at the dotted lights, I was waxing poetic about the views around High Falls — the burned out “D” on Kodak Tower, so it reads “KO AK,” the harsh red neon of the “GENESEE” sign across the river, the quiet roads as one or two lonely cars rumble over Mill Street. A chilly November night tugs at this deep, nostalgic part of me, almost like time travel to winter 2014 when I first moved back to Rochester and decided to put down roots here. Just for kicks, I went back to my Dec. 2023 letter and my Jan. 2024 letter. Turns out I wrote about the same two things then: High Falls and traveling. (You know that feeling when someone repeats the same stories and then all of the sudden you’re the person who repeats stories? Oh yeah… Me neither.)
Maybe it’s this time of year, or maybe it’s just me. I get all George Bailey about life and Rochester and, as I mentioned in my letter last year, goals. (If you’re missing that reference, please watch “It’s a Wonderful Life” immediately.)
In Dec. 2023 I had two goals: “First, I would not relive the same year after what felt like pandemic Ground-
hog Day; and secondly, I would leave downtown Rochester at least once a month, even if it was just traveling to the Finger Lakes.”
Didn’t relive the same year: check. Left downtown Rochester at least once a month: check and check. Lots of road trips, in particular, especially to Toronto for live music. I can’t emphasize this enough — making time for a reset (in any small way) is so important when your daily job is to create.
While we’re on the topic of creating… As 2024 draws to a close, I’m also reflecting on how CITY is entering a completely new era. After 28 years, we welcomed new CEO Chris
Hastings to WXXI; and the magazine gained two new staffers this year: Patrick Hosken and Roberto Lagares, who have been a complete joy and privilege to work with, building on the stalwart team of longtime CITY stars Jacob Walsh, Ryan Williamson and David White. I’m excited about the future of CITY and cautiously optimistic about the future of media as a whole. I think we, as an industry, are going to face even bigger challenges this year (and beyond), but I have hope we will come out stronger.
In the meantime, we need — want! — your help to do that. Every bit of journalism we produce at CITY can
be read, viewed, shared and talked about in your worlds. If the work we do matters to you, please let people know. Or, if you can, become a CITY Champion and support local journalism each month! Take out an ad! Sign up for our newsletter! Local news, from breaking and investigative to arts and culture, makes a direct impact on the people and businesses you know and love. (Just like the ol’ Bailey Brothers Building & Loan.)
We will continue doing that work, and doing it well. Look for the red box. To 2025! L
READING: For magazines and online journals: “Orion;” “Poets & Writers;” “Emergence;” “Anthropocene;” and anything by the Center for Humans and Nature. For books: “Joy is the Justice We Give Ourselves” by my brilliant friend J. Drew Lanham; “Kindred” by Octavia Butler (which I’m embarrassed to say I’m just now reading); “The Complete Language of Birds” by local author Randi Minetor; and “Return to Nature: The New Science of How Natural Landscapes Restore Us” by Emma Loewe.
EATING: Lento, because Art Rogers is committed to sustainable farm-totable and his food never disappoints; Tapas 177, where I can get the best spicy margarita and the Brussels sprouts are *chef’s kiss*; Michaels Valley Grill for the lamb lollipops. My neighborhood favorite though, where I show up too often, is the original Monte Alban. Don’t miss the plantains.
PLAYING: Some of my favorite podcasts include “Golden State Naturalist” — the host is such a fangirl of everything in nature, and she’s able to relay things in nonscience ways so that I can understand them; her enthusiasm is energizing, and the content is mostly transferable far beyond California; “Atlas Obscura” — quick stories about things of which you’ve never heard but quickly become fascinated by; “History that
Doesn’t Suck” — I’m finally learning what I should have learned decades ago; and, of course, “I Weigh” with Jameela Jamil.
OBSESSING OVER: My health and my priorities. When you reach a certain age, you realize a couple things. First, you get *one* body to take with you for your entire journey, and you have an obligation to be as fit and strong as possible to combat whatever lies ahead — because we just don’t know. My dad died at 61; my mother is going strong at 92. I want to be able to throw my kayak on my car and run a 5K for another 20 years, minimum. You also learn that when there are only 20 more times to watch the leaves turn, a lot of things really can be discarded from the “important” category. What remains are the people you love and your purpose in life: what problem you were put on this earth to try to solve.
RECOMMENDING: Nature. It’s free, and it’s everywhere. It’s the air we breathe, and the water we drink. There are red foxes and purple finches and peregrine falcons in the heart of Rochester. Go to Mount Hope Cemetery and watch the red-tailed
hawks hunt, or head up to Gosnell Big Woods or Oatka Creek or any of the incredible green spaces we have here. Sit. Watch. Be quiet with it. Fall in love with the living world. Then work to protect it.
TREATING MYSELF TO: My retail therapy is always a thrift store or one of the amazing consignment stores in our region. My daughter and I can always find something that needs us at The Op Shop. I rarely buy new. This past summer my big indulgence was having hydraulic kayak racks installed on my car so that I could easily use my kayak. It now takes me only 10 minutes to load my kayak by myself, and I take it out whenever conditions allow. During the summer, that was three times a week. During the winter, most weekends you’ll find me out on a trail. And while I hate to ruin my solitude by sharing this, I will tell you that the trails at Iroquois National Wildlife Refuge are vastly
underrated. I also write as much as I can — poetry, and creative nonfiction — and I upcycle things (jackets, sneakers, wooden boxes, furniture) by painting them. I love a quiet day in my creative den with acrylics and ink.
SHOUTING OUT: While it might seem like I *have* to say Seneca Park Zoo, I really mean it, in a couple of ways. Most people in our region have not visited in years, and have no idea the scope of the improvements already made or what’s to come — nor are the vast majority of people aware of how much regional and international conservation work we are directly involved in. The work we do is impressive, and it’s making a difference. And the passion and dedication of my colleagues are unmatched.
Interested in being a CITY R.E.P.O.R.T.S. interviewee? Send an email to leah@rochester-citynews.com.
Family Tree
It’s early morning, and steam rises from your hot cocoa as you bundle up to brave the bitter cold. Today is the day — as it is every year — to head to the U-Cut tree farm. Handsaw in tow (or perhaps provided upon arrival), you’re ready to peruse the seemingly neverending rows of pine green giants, looking for “the one” to
cut down, strap to the top of the car and take home.
The holiday tradition of cutting down a “real tree” shared across families is one that mirrors the generations it takes for places like Stokoe Farms in Scottsville to thrive with an abundance of tree offerings. Growing a successful tree farm starts
nearly a decade before each tree meets its final decorative destination, while the preparation and maintenance for upcoming seasons is a years-long affair.
“It takes about eight years to get your first crop,” said Julie Izzo Niedzwick, customer and staff experience manager at Stokoe Farms.
PHOTO ESSAY
After the previous season's offerings have been picked, the barren rows of stumps are ground down, prepping the land for trees to be planted once more. Each year, as early as March, the next wave of trees — called transplants — are then hand planted and stand at just 18-24 inches tall.
“Larry's on a tractor, Suzanne sits in the back, and she literally drops the trees (in their holes),” said Izzo Niedzwick. “Then, the staff makes sure they're straight, tamps them in by hand and fertilizes them.”
Throughout the year, constant mowing, equipment management and weed control take place to ensure healthy growth.
CONTINUED ON PAGE 10
Starting in the summer months, the trees are trimmed down to the conical shape customers expect. “In the summer, we're shearing,” said Izzo Niedzwick. “We get a group that comes out. They work from seven in the morning to noon, Monday through Friday.” Each tree is hand shorn and, for the more difficult varieties like Douglas fir, Stokoe calls in contract shearing leader Shea Powers, who works with his Carolinas-based crew to take on the task.
Shea Powers, a native of Roscommon, Michigan, returned to cut a section of Douglas fir trees left over from summer 2024 because they were filled with bees.
With a yearly supply of approximately 8,000 trees, Stokoe Farms is also in the wholesale market. Just weeks before the local retail operation opens up, the farm fulfills shipment orders — often in the hundreds — that supplement the demands of smaller farms in the Southern Tier as well as farms in Ohio, Pennsylvania and Maryland.
CONTINUED ON PAGE 12
Wreaths are another tradition at the tree farm. Using basal prunings — the trimmings from the bottom of the trees — a team of eight (all with roots connecting them to the Stokoe family tree, of course) begins an assembly line a few weeks before Thanksgiving to handcraft wreaths for the upcoming season.
“We’ll do about 550 to sell for ourselves at the barn, and another 340 in wholesale,” said Izzo Niedzwick. At the height of production, the small team has been known to produce 100 wreaths in a day.
Stokoe Farms was established by patriarch Thomas Stokoe in 1812 as a homestead for his family after emigrating from Northumberland, England. However, it was not until fifth-generation Larry Stokoe decided to “retire” from the farm life that he began to use the harsher acreage as a tree farm.
“That first year, apparently it was a pickup truck, Thermos of coffee and cash box to see if anybody would come to cut trees,” said Izzo Niedzwick. “And they did.”
No one quite knows when exactly that first year was, but the family agrees it was some time in the early 1980s, marking more than four decades in the tree farm industry.
Libby, part of the seventh generation of the Stokoe family, is expecting the eighth generation to arrive this season. stokoefarms.com
The Stokoe family from right to left: Larry Stokoe (fifth generation); Susanne Stokoe, current owner and Larry’s daughter (sixth generation); Elizabeth “Libby” Marshall, niece to Susanne (seventh generation).
Blackfriars Theatre presents “DOT,” Colman Domingo’s sweet and sour holiday play about family dynamics.
Tidings of discomfort and joy
THEATER
BY PATRICK HOSKEN PATRICK@ROCHESTER-CITYNEWS.COM
Certain holiday staples remain constant despite changing times. Warm family gatherings. Shared meals made with love. And, in playwright Colman Domingo’s world, the dread of coming to terms with a family member’s declining cognitive health.
That’s the central thrust of “DOT,” which Blackfriars Theatre stages from Dec. 1329. While other local theaters present traditional holiday fare throughout the month — “A Christmas Carol” at Geva, a touring “Grinch” musical via Rochester Broadway Theatre League — Blackfriars leans into the familiar aches (and comedy) that can arise when families reunite during Christmastime.
The play follows several adult children as they gather in the West Philadelphia home of their mother, Dotty. The matriarch’s Alzheimer’s diagnosis has compelled the eldest, Shelly, to make the case for her to receive full-time care. The thing is, it’s funny. Not always, but as is the case in any high-stress environment, humor becomes a powerful tool for cutting through the tension.
CONTINUED ON PAGE 16
Carrington Reynolds, Zoe Itoh and Adam Kilgore rehearse a scene from "DOT," which opens Dec. 13. PHOTOS BY JACOB WALSH
Director Eno Okung sees the comedy and gravity of the plot as twin vehicles that deliver the emotional score of the holiday season.
“People are wanting to think about the warm, fuzzy feelings that we get being around our families and the people that we love,” Okung said. “All of that is baked into this being a very challenging piece, but also a very inviting and welcoming piece.”
The comedy largely comes from the intimate, singular way that people who know each other so well can converse, often on top of each other. As the playwright offers in the author’s notes, “They’re the kind of people that speak before they think.”
Okung knows how to helm these characters. A teaching artist and selfdescribed “comedy connoisseur,” they are also an experienced improviser in the local group Ants to God. In 2023, the trio even welcomed their own mothers to the stage in their own show, “Momfestation,” presented at Focus Theater.
Humor is just one aspect of “DOT,” often punctuated by stark silences and a smoldering undercurrent of drama. Okung sees the balance as a welcome challenge.
“Comedy is really difficult. A lot of (seasoned actors) are very intimidated by comedy because there is that nuance to it,” they said. “There are a lot of temperature changes that take place in this, too. So much is rooted in these people needing to be real people, not caricatures.”
Playwright Domingo published “DOT” in 2016 and based it on women he knew in their 40s tasked with caring for their ailing mothers, as well as his own working-class upbringing. (A highlight early in the play finds Dotty likening Shelly, sporting a new hairdo, to “a mean pineapple.”) Domingo is best known for his onscreen film work, including as civil rights activist Bayard Rustin in Netflix’s “Rustin,” for which he received an Oscar nomination earlier this year.
Additionally, Domingo has penned the plays “A Boy and His Soul” and “Wild With Happy”; the Blackfriars team had previously considered producing both. When Brynn Tyszka applied to become Blackfriars’ newest artistic director in 2022, she assembled a hypothetical
season of programs, selecting “DOT” for the holiday slot.
She got the job and took the helm in August of that year.
The Blackfriars selection committee of seven readers, which reads about 60 plays per year, reviewed “DOT” once Tyszka officially came aboard and, as she said, “everybody quickly fell in love with it.”
“It is just a beautiful family story that just about anybody can connect to,” Tyszka said, “although we do love the idea that it is a BIPOC show for a BIPOC audience.”
Tyszka said she saw Okung’s potential when they performed with Ants to God at the Blackfriars space — a tricky three-quarter thrust stage that juts out into the audience.
“I said, I’ve got to get this person in here working with us immediately. It was so clear,” Tyszka said. “That whole troupe, I have to say, really understood storytelling so well. All three of them could tell how to play the space, how to play different angles, to make sure that everybody was receiving what was happening on their faces and in their bodies.”
Blackfriars executive director
Mary Tiballi Hoffman hopes the production of “DOT” represents what the theater can do well: stage lesser-known works rooted in difficult themes but present them with warmth and intimacy for audiences.
“(The show) is going to surprise them,” Hoffman said. “It’s going to make them think about their own lives and their own relationships.”
Okung, for their part, sees the task ahead as a labor of love — much like getting together for the holidays: “In an ideal world, this show will land in a place where we all feel like we’ve been home for a little bit.”
As Dotty, Zoe Itoh portrays a family matriarch with a recent Alzheimer's diagnosis. PHOTOS BY JACOB WALSH
Carrington Reynolds as Donnie and Adam Kilgore as Adam, a married couple sorting through the family drama.
Dog days of winter
CULTURE
BY ELISSA MARRA ORLANDO
It’s a blustery Rochester Sunday, and you’re ready to curl up with your favorite blanket and the Bills game — maybe a nap later. But there at the end of the couch is your dog, with a look that says, “Could we please go do something?”
Winter days are colder and shorter, but a dog’s need for exercise and stimulation doesn’t change with outdoor temperatures or the amount of daylight. Even in winter, dogs need to be dogs.
“It used to be that the mark of being a good owner was that you had your dog under control,” said Jean Donaldson, director of the Academy for Dog Trainers in Northern California.
“The world is different now. I think people want their dogs to be happy and to have normal lives.”
Turns out, “normal life” for a dog means more than kibble, treats, walks and belly rubs. Local veterinarian Isabel Wylie says “dog-normal behaviors” can create problems for humans.
“Things like digging, tearing, chasing — behaviors that are all really stimulating, self-satisfying and genetically driven behaviors that they enjoy that don’t always work in our human lives that we force them into,” she said. “So we have to find ways to accommodate those.”
The effort to give dogs the chance to express normal dog behaviors is called enrichment.
Research shows enrichment activities can decrease animals’ stress, anxiety and fear. Donaldson added that enrichment activities might also
INDOOR ENRICHMENT IDEAS
- Put treats in a muffin tin and cover each cup with a tennis or other ball. Let the dog smell the food and move the balls to get the treats.
- Place treats in cardboard boxes and let the dog forage in the boxes.
- Hide toys around the house for the dog to find.
- Freeze soft dog food or peanut butter in chew toys so it lasts longer.
decrease so-called nuisance behaviors like pestering the owner for attention by jumping and pawing. But primarily, it’s about the dog having activities appropriate to its species and doing them regularly.
“He gets to engage in some of the software that he’s got installed,” she said. “He gets to run that software in a way that’s legal, that nobody minds. He gets to do it every day.”
That “pre-installed software” includes the need to sniff, which is how dogs gather information.
“Kind of like the way we might look at the news or check our phones for texts,” said Donaldson.
“It’s all about cultivating the dog’s independence,” she said. “We want to promote autonomy, choice and freedom from handler control. We teach the dogs by providing them with a safe space for them
make the environment interesting. It doesn’t have to be expensive. onaldson loves tug and fetch to combine enrichment with physical
f the dog wants to chase that toy 50 or 100 times in a row, that’s telling you something about your dog. It can be boring for the owner,” she said. “But think about it. That’s something that the dog would, if he could, do 100 times in a row.”
instinctual preferences.”
Enrichment toys like snuffle mats, stuffed chew toys and puzzles also make dogs work for their food and can be used indoors. The important thing is to provide lots of options and
f a dog is asking for a little action in the snowy weather, Donaldson said it’s good for both human and pet to take some time for a game of fetch or hide-and-seek.
“Put on your outerwear, put a sweater on the dog and get outside.”
Research shows giving dogs “enrichment,” or the chance to express normal behaviors like digging and tearing, can decrease their anxiety and fear. PHOTO PROVIDED
Debra Calandrillo, a dog trainer with Red Bandana Nose Work, combines foraging for food and scent work to help dogs stay stimulated. PHOTOS PROVIDED
Creating space for Black and queer joy
BY SYDNEY BURROWS
When MacArthur Fellowship and Bessie Award winner Kyle Abraham ideates a new work, he draws inspiration from art forms outside of the world of dance in which he lives. He often looks to visual art, literature, music and film. One of his latest pieces, “An Untitled Love,” which will be performed in Rochester this January, pays homage to the soulful sounds of Grammy Awardwinning R&B artist D’Angelo.
“I began with creating a working playlist,” said Abraham. “My dancers and I then engaged with sharing personal stories before diving deeper into the actual steps.”
The production melds modern dance with ballet technique, showcasing the dancers’ athletic and artistic depths and emphasizing the sensual undercurrent of the soundscore.
A native of Pittsburgh, Abraham has established himself as one of the leading voices in contemporary dance over the last two decades. He has acted as a guest choreographer for prestigious companies such as the Royal Ballet, Paul Taylor American Modern Dance, New York City Ballet and American Ballet Theater. In addition to his collaborations, Abraham is the Artistic Director of A.I.M.
Kyle Abraham’s A.I.M. brings
DANCE
(formerly Abraham.In.Motion), a company he founded in 2006. With a mission to explore themes central to Black and queer culture, A.I.M. delivers performances that resonate with both personal and societal narratives.
Abraham emphasizes collaboration in his creative process, working closely with his dancers to craft each piece. This approach is essential to Jamaal Bowman, a current company member of A.I.M.
“I appreciate how I can channel some of the camp that lives inside of the Black experience, like picturing that I’m one of my aunties or uncles,” said Bowman.
“Kyle encourages all of it, and that’s rare.”
Unlike some of Abraham’s other works, which delve into the darker chapters of America’s history and his own personal experiences, “An Untitled Love” radiates positivity. This piece celebrates the joy of Black love and unity, weaving together stories of connection in all forms.
“I tr y to make work that feels as authentically rooted in my experience or vision as possible,” said Abraham.
In his vision for “An Untitled Love,” the dancers invite the audience into an intimate, familiar
space, using music, movement and minimal props. They flirt, joke and feed off one another in a way that exudes confidence both in their individual bodies and in their relationships.
When Missy Pfohl Smith, director of the Program of Dance and Movement at the University of Rochester, saw A.I.M.’s works in progress earlier this year, she decided her students and community needed to experience the work.
“I think audiences will be moved by the risks Kyle takes,” she said. “He hovers on the edges, making art that is visceral, bold and unforgettable.”
Abraham’s emphasis on the visceral is built into his choreographic style, which Bowman describes as a “postmodern gumbo” approach to movement.
“Kyle takes classical ballet and modern shapes and, as he would say, ‘sprinkles a bit of Lawry’s seasoning’ to blend the two worlds together,” he said.
This fusion of styles reflects Abraham’s extensive training, which includes a BFA from SUNY Purchase and an MFA from NYU Tisch School of the Arts. Over his career, he has danced with renowned companies such as
David Dorfman Dance and the Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Dance Company. For Bowman, A.I.M. represents more than just a company with impressive talent; it is a space where his identity is celebrated.
“I remember being overwhelmed by the feeling of home and family when I first saw A.I.M. perform,” he said. “I saw myself in the dancers. I knew that this was a space where my Blackness and queerness would be glorified and not minimized.”
A lecture demonstration performance of “An Untitled Love” will open the UR Institute for the Performing Arts� ARTS + Change Virtual/Hybrid Conference on Wednesday, Jan. 22, at 7 p.m. in the university�s Sloan Performing Arts Center. Tickets available at events.rochester.edu/ SloanPerformingArtsCenter.
An additional per formance will take place at Nazareth University Arts Center on Friday, Jan. 24, at 7:30 p.m. Tickets available at naz. edu/arts-center.
In addition to performances, A.I.M. movement workshops are planned for both campuses and the Rochester dance community.
Kyle Abraham’s “An Untitled Love,” which will be performed in Rochester in January, pays homage to the soulful sounds of R&B artist D’Angelo.
PHOTO PROVIDED
The A.I.M. dance company, founded in 2006, aims to explore themes central to Black and queer culture.
PHOTO PROVIDED
A parent’s survival guide for Rochester winter.
Cure cabin fever
CULTURE
BY VERONICA VOLK VVOLK@WXXI.ORG
“ What are we doing today?”
As the long shadow of winter creeps over Rochester, parents around the region brace themselves for this question.
Gone are the days when the weekend would stretch out in front of you, lazily, tempting you with endless possibilities but holding you to none. Instead, life has now reoriented itself around the entertainment of your seemingly insatiable offspring.
Thankfully, Rochester has you covered.
“ We do have more creative indoor options here than in other parts of the country,” said Debra Ross. She cofounded the web calendar kidsoutandabout.com in the early 2000s, when her own kids were small.
With local institutions like the Strong National Museum of Play and the Rochester Museum & Science Center, the city is already a pretty family-focused area, and the storied Western New York weather makes it an obvious choice for businesses that cater to indoor recreation.
“ We have a hard time in the winter,” Ross said. “Kids climbing the walls is a real thing!”
So whether you are looking for somewhere to make special memories with your kid — or just take a break — here are four places where climbing the walls is practically encouraged.
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Stella Bilak, 3, balances on foam discs at Ladybugs where her grandmother, Deirdre Gunio, takes her to play. PHOTOS BY MAX SCHULTE
Dawson Matison, 1, emerges from a caterpillar at Ladybugs in Fairport.
Carter Rockefeller and Benjamin Mendillo slide down one of the giant inflatables at Bounce Hopper in Pittsford.
LADYBUGS PLAY, FAIRPORT | LADYBUGSPLAY.COM
The indoor playground model is a simple one: Take playground equipment, put it inside four walls and give your children a free-range experience without the threat of rain, sleet, snow or hail.
“We live in an area where you really are forced indoors, right?” said Alicia Drury, co-owner of Ladybugs Play in Fairport, which she opened with her sister in 2019. Before that, they and their children were regular visitors to indoor playgrounds themselves.
“ We are here to provide a service to the community that we felt was so important to us in that phase of our life,” she added. “We are moms that get it.”
The 2,500-square-foot space has toys and slides and sensory play, common to many indoor playgrounds, but Ladybugs has a distinct feel, with its bright primary colors and intimate layout.
It is a lot different than what was available when Drury was young. Back then, she remembers being shooed outside and left to play independently a lot more than today’s kids.
“I feel like it’s not for us to judge, it’s just how it is,” she said.
For Drury, and other parents, indoor playgrounds pose an easy solution to another, more insidious threat: screens.
“It’s so easy right now to lose your children to electronics, regardless of their age.”
Ladybugs offers open play time six days a week, a summer camp and even a drop-off program. Registration is required.
BOUNCE HOPPER, PITTSFORD | BOUNCEHOPPER.COM
Kid won’t stop jumping on the couch? Pouya Seifzadeh has just the place.
“Sometimes you just need kids to burn off some energy,” he said.
Seifzadeh and his wife, Isar, are the owners of Bounce Hopper in Pittsford – where kids are free to bounce their little socks off. They opened the facility in 2019 after the success of their first business, the large indoor playground Ontario Play & Cafe on Scottsville Road.
Their son was the inspiration for both ventures.
“We were constantly looking for places to take him to play,” Seifzadeh said.
While indoor playgrounds like Ladybugs and Ontario may cater to children as young as 1 and 2 years old, Bounce Hopper is a good option for slightly older kids.
The 17,000-square-foot facility is home to a 28-foot inflatable slide and other oversized, oversaturated, air-filled structures and obstacles. But while the equipment is slightly different, Seifzadeh’s vision mirrors Drury’s as well as those of other peers in this industry.
“We want our business to operate like if we took our son to a place,” he said. “Somewhere we could sit down and relax, be able to see our son,
Jett Klem and Westley McClure get ready to leave Bounce Hopper in Pittsford after attending a birthday party. PHOTO BY MAX SCHULTE
interact with him to some extent, while we enjoy something else, like work or a cup of coffee.”
Bounce Hopper has open play time Thursday through Tuesday and is a popular destination for birthday parties. It’s also conveniently located at 3300 Monroe Ave., the site of two other indoor playgrounds: ROC Kid City and Magical Mess.
USA
NINJA CHALLENGE, EAST ROCHESTER | NINJAROCHESTER.COM
If indoor playgrounds and bounce houses represent the chaos of unstructured play, Ninja Gyms are something more lawful.
At USA Ninja Challenge, kids of all ages go through a variety of obstacle courses with rings to swing on, walls to climb and mats to tumble over.
Owner Melissa McCarthy is a family nurse practitioner who was working on a reservation in South Dakota when she realized she wanted to do more work to prevent health problems, rather than treat them.
“We have just gotten away from the basics of just letting kids be kids and letting them run around,” she said.
McCarthy opened the New Hampshire-based franchise earlier this year, and she, too, pitches her business as a viable alternative to screens.
“I have two toddlers,” she said, “and I am really trying my best to not incorporate that into our daily routine as a family.”
The gym offers structured classes, although McCarthy said they are thinking about starting open gym time for members. And unlike other some other ninja gyms, rock climbing gyms and gymnastics studios, USA Ninja Challege is just for kids and teens.
GTFO ESCAPE ROOMS, EAST AVE | GTFOESCAPEROOMS.COM
With so many activities for younger kids, the needs of older kids — especially teenagers — are easy to overlook.
Will Mitchell, one of eight coowners of GTFO Escape Rooms, said their rooms can bring a family game night to the next level.
While not as physically taxing as a gym or playground, this genre of entertainment requires more mental exertion.
“The twist to escape rooms is that the interaction groups have is real quality time,” he said.
Right now, GTFO has two rooms
with two different themes and myriad puzzles to solve to escape. Their “Escape the 90s” room transports you to a millennial fever dream, complete with period-specific props like a tube TV, a Furby and that little car track area rug reminiscent of a pediatrician’s office. Their “Prison Break” room forces groups to separate into two jail cells, collaborating through a wall to decipher clues.
Mitchell said the interactions between families are fun to watch, especially when parents have never done an escape room before.
“It’s interesting to see that dynamic where kids are sort of leading the charge and helping guide and direct their parents,” he added.
While not specifically geared toward kids, Mitchell said they have all kinds of young people come through – families with kids as young as 6, birthday parties for preteens and groups of teenagers and young adults.
Participants are given an hour to solve each escape room, and reservations are required. Mitchell said they plan to open a new room, with a brand new theme, in the next few weeks.
STILL STUMPED?
Here are six more businesses that cater to indoor activities for families all year long:
THE BRICK LAB
THEBRICKLAB.COM
HORIZON FUN F/X
HORIZONFUNFX.COM
ALTITUDE TRAMPOLINE PARK
ALTITUDETRAMPOLINEPARK.COM
BOWLERO
BOWLERO.COM
TIM HORTONS ICEPLEX
TIMHORTONSICEPLEX.COM
PAINTBOX
PAINTBOXROCHESTER.COM
COMING SOON
PLAY PALACE IN HENRIETTA
An inclusive indoor playground operated by a former special education teacher is slated to open this winter. rocplaypalace.com
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All-star lineup
CULTURE
BY RACQUEL STEPHEN RSTEPHEN@WXXI.ORG
It’s a Wednesday night at Seventy West, a nightclub on Central Ave., and approximately 40 Black women in cowboy boots are standing in evenly spaced lines, stomping and chanting in unison.
“ Who are we?”
“Pink Steppaz!”
“ What do we do?”
“ We step!”
The PNK Steppaz, led by Shanden “Pinky” Jackson, are adding their own flavor to traditional line dancing.
“One thing I tell them is put that music up under your feet,” Jackson said. “Close your eyes, feel that beat, and put your own stank to it.”
The “stank” Jackson refers to is a member’s own style and swagger — an element that is custom for this line dancing group.
“ We’re a unit. We’re in sync, we’re together,” she said.
The PNK Steppaz group was established in December 2021, after a night of line dancing at a birthday party turned into guests requesting that Jackson teach a class. What was supposed to be just a biweekly occurrence garnered so much interest that Jackson now teaches two line dance classes a week.
“Everybody starts somewhere, and everybody that comes, when they come, got three left feet,” Jackson said. She encourages her members to remain patient when learning new routines.
Line dancing gets a makeover at Seventy West.
“It takes consistency, it takes dedication, and I’m going to be your perseverance,” she said.
Line dancing is a choreographed set of steps that is repeated and performed in lines or rows. One of the most notable line dances is the Electric Slide. Despite its western roots, this dance form has transcended its various music genres.
The majority of the PNK Steppaz are in their 50s or older, with some younger adults attending classes from time to time. Despite the various personalities and experience levels, the members unify under one cause — sisterhood.
LaDonna Williams has been a group member for just six months, but has already seen significant changes to her overall health and wellness.
“They encourage me to do better, not just with my dreams and goals, but with my health,” said Williams, who credits the PNK Steppaz for her 40-pound weight loss and lowering her A1C levels. “It’s good for your health and you’re having fun.”
Jackson said one of the mantras
she underscores is to enjoy the sessions despite the difficulties.
“If you have fun the moves will happen,” Jackson said. “It’ll come through who you are as a person.”
However, when it’s time to perform, Jackson said it’s all about “looking clean.” Before a routine starts, Jackson may tell members to step out of the formation if they haven’t fully grasped a routine.
“ We need that room, we need that space,” Jackson said with a laugh. “You’re in the way. Throwing everybody off frustrates people.”
The PNK Steppaz do perform in public as well as in regular
meetups at Seventy West; in August, they were featured at the Rochester Summer Soul Music Festival.
Jackson has a few line leaders who become substitute instructors when she is unable to attend. Line leaders also become guides throughout the lesson for those who need to learn the steps. Nancy Jacque has been a member of PNK Steppaz for three years and has gained the reputation of being the line leader with an easy pace.
After moving back to Rochester to take care of her mother who was suffering from Alzheimer’s disease, Jacque felt isolated and alone. She credits PNK Steppaz for saving her life.
“I was very depressed and withdrawn,” she said. “I just was not in a very healthy place at all.”
Until she found sisterhood and fellowship with her new line dancing team.
“ Who are we?
“Pink Steppaz!”
“ What do we do?”
“ We step!”
The PNK Steppaz group formed in late 2021 after a night of line dancing at a birthday party. Shanden “Pinky” Jackson, facing away, now teaches two classes per week.
PHOTO BY NARADA J. RILEY
Despite line dancing’s western roots, it has transcended its various music genres, as heard in Jackson's classes.
PHOTOS BY NARADA J. RILEY
Open Letter Books just might find your new favorite (international) read.
Not lost in translation
CULTURE
BY JUSTIN MURPHY
Annoying a literary translator has never been easier. It requires just two words: artificial intelligence. Apps like Google Translate and ChatGPT make it simpler than ever to get a rough but immediate approximation of another language. At the same time, though, efforts are building within the literary translation industry — in particular at Rochester’s Open Letter Books — to create appreciation for the way a work of art in one language and culture is carried to another.
Beyond simply converting the words on the page, the translator serves multiple roles simultaneously, including talent scout, tastemaker, sales agent and publicist. After all, how else would a monolingual reader or publisher know what else is out there?
This is par t of the daily conversation at Open Letter Books, a nonprofit, independent press based within the University of Rochester that publishes exclusively literature in translation.
“If we get pitched a book from Hungary, I have no context about that author or that book,” said Open Letter Publisher Chad Post. “Good translators do have that context, and so they help steer the ship.”
Open Letter Books, an independent press within the University of Rochester, exclusively publishes literature in translation, including works from South Korea and Latvia. IMAGES PROVIDED
In 2023, Open Letter began publishing what it calls translator ‘triptychs.’ That word usually refers to three distinct panels of a painting that have meaning individually and collectively; the same is true in this case. Each year, a single translator curates a set of three books from a given language and presents them as one coherent collection. The translators get additional payment for the work involved.
The first was a group of three books by contemporary female Spanish authors put forth by translator Katie Whittemore in 2022. This year, it was a set of books from South Korea organized by the translator Janet Hong. Kaija Straumanis’s Latvian triptych is up next in 2025, followed by Lytton Smith and Icelandic literature in 2026. There are future plans for collections from Brazil and the Arab world.
The triptychs are the latest effort by Post and Open Letter to not only publish books in translation, but to elevate the craft itself.
“ Without Open Letter you wouldn’t have the contemporary translation scene; it’s been landscape-defining,” said Smith, who has translated several books from Icelandic for the press. “There are presses that deserve a lot of credit for having been working for decades, but what Chad and Open Letter are doing is (asking the question): ‘Why aren’t we reading more in translation?’”
Among those effor ts over the last 17 years: a first-of-its-kind database of all literature translated into English; a national award
for translated literature; and the Three Percent podcast, named after the percentage of books released in the United States each year that were first published in other languages.
Rochester has twice hosted the American Literary Translators Association conference, most recently in 2019. And Open Letter publishes 10 books each year, many from authors whose work has not yet appeared in English.
“If you (work) in translation, everybody knows Chad,” Hong said. “Even though it’s a smaller press, over the years the passion and the sheer knowledge he has with translated literature – that’s what Open Letter is.”
The books in the tripty chs have more in common than their language of origin. The translators select titles that are thematically related or at least share a similar feel.
“ You’re thinking not just about books that would be interesting to a North American audience, but also in how those books are going to enter into conversation with one another,” Smith said.
For example, all three of the books that Hong chose — “Wafers” by Ha Seong-nan, “Rina,” by Kang Young-sook and “Years and Years” by Hwang Jungeun — are by female South Korean authors and deal with “the Korean psyche in all its forms,” she said. In particular, they all feature female outcasts as protagonists and explore the theme of intergenerational trauma from the Korean War.
“ You can see the similarities and influences,” Hong said,
speaking of “Wafers” and “Rina” specifically. “They’re very dark; it’s kind of grotesque and surreal, but they’re also striking and different.”
Some of the authors are celebrities in their respective realms. Sara Mesa, whose book “Bad Handwriting” was featured in the 2022 triptych, is one of the most respected authors in Spain and has had her books translated into many other languages.
Others, though, will be new to even the most well-read monolingual English readers: for example, “Birthday,” a forthcoming short story collection from the Latvian author Jana Egle.
“It’s a spectacular book with a unique vibe to it, (but) who could ever know who this Latvian writer is?” Post said. “This is an author who is very successful and well-respected in her community, but who is not going to show up for us without the intervention of the translator … These people have all this other knowledge. It’s not the same as having a machine put the words in the right order.” openletterbooks.org
Open Letter publisher Chad Post prizes human translation over artificial intelligence: “It’s not the same thing as having a machine put the words in the right order.”
PHOTO BY RAFAEL RODRIGUEZ
Rochester, my sweet home
CULTURE
BY PATRICK HOSKEN PATRICK@ROCHESTER-CITYNEWS.COM
Rochester gets a shout-out in “It’s a Wonderful Life.”
Though Seneca Falls may or may not have inspired the film’s fictional setting of Bedford Falls, the Flower City is explicitly evoked as the potential home of a new factory, part of a burgeoning plastics empire.
When protagonist George Bailey hears of the idea, he has one simple question: “Rochester? Well, why Rochester?”
It’s a tossed-off reference, but because of its inclusion in a holiday staple, the mere mention is enough to inspire homesickness in Rochesterians who’ve since moved away — especially since natives might find a surplus of wistfulness during the season. (This writer speaks from experience.)
Luckily, the prescription is simple: a good 585-themed care package full of items from here. These gifts capture the best of our city and reflect its finest values, like community, creativity and just the right amount of iconography.
As George’s would-be business partner Sam Wainwright replies about our fair city, “Well, why not? Can you think of anything better?”
After all, it’s not Bedford Falls. It’s Rochester.
READ
Day Trips Around Rochester, New York
Did you know that, at 14,400 acres in size, Letchworth State Park could hypothetically fit snugly on top of the island of Manhattan? Or that the Seneca word for Canandaigua translates to “The Chosen Spot”? These are two of the many fun facts found in Debi Bower’s 2023 compendium. They punctuate plenty of suggestions for places to hike, eat, swim, catch a show and take in everything that the Finger Lakes region has to offer. It offers a reason to come back home for a visit. daytrippingroc.com
MUNCH
Salty baguette and olive oil
Forget tea and toast. How about a rosemary sea salt baguette from Baker Street Bakery? Once sliced, it pairs perfectly with some gremolata olive oil from F. Oliver’s, right next door on Park Avenue. The salt and the garlic ground the flavor while the lemon lifts it, making for a cozy taste of home. Best enjoyed with a friend, but only if you feel like sharing. 745/747 Park Ave., bakerstbakery.com, folivers.com
SIP
Ugly Duck Coffee’s guest-roaster beans
The plants embroidering the shop’s entrance and coloring its 900-square-foot space sadly won’t travel well. But the beans will. The folks behind Ugly Duck Coffee pride themselves on serving up java and “maintaining the integrity of the roasters we partner with,” according to the mission. Grab a blend from the shelf, like recent picks from Ethiopia and Colombia, or the classic Shop Blend from local Aporia Coffee Co. and send forth a sip of the world, via Rochester.
89 Charlotte St., uglyduckcoffee.com
LISTEN
WAYO’s local community radio
The low-power, freeform radio station that broadcasts from East Main Street just wrapped its 2025 fundraising campaign, with good news: WAYO handily cleared its $20,000 goal, ensuring another year of music and community-driven shows. All the programming — folk histories, activist hours, experimental noise — is available to steam online 24/7 from far, or tune your dial to 104.3FM from near. As a bonus, the swag that accompanies these WAYO drives really hits. wayofm.org
DECORATE
Roc stickers by Emily Pontanares
Unlike Rochester’s average of 200 cloudy days per year, the world of illustrator and designer Emily Pontanares is vivid and whimsical. Pontanares’s bright, crisp designs beg to decorate laptops and Nalgene water bottles, which is why the artist’s themed stickers really pop. The quintessential hallmarks are here: a ketchup-slathered white hot, a pink Kodak camera (one of Pontanares’s most popular items), a jar of Boss Sauce and even a nod to the Inner Loop. Maybe stuff ‘em in a card from Type High Letterpress for a winning combination — and find more designs @emilypontanares.
DISCOVER
Record Archive’s $5 mystery CD bag
Buying a bag of unknown media is a timehonored tradition. Record Archive packages VHS tapes, DVDs, vinyl records and even cassettes in neat little to-go satchels, all for $5 a pop. But no format is better equipped to be delivered in such a manner as the compact disc. So, what’s inside? A dozen Spin Doctors singles? Santana’s “Supernatural” (the one with “Smooth” on it)? That’s been the beauty of this warehouse music emporium since 1975. You never quite know what awaits. 33 1/3 Rockwood Street, recordarchive.com
MUSIC REVIEWS
“I LOVE GETTING DUMPED!”
BY BOY JR.
Since rising on TikTok in 2020, Ariel Allen-Lubman — better known as the musician Boy Jr. — has reached millions. Their own songs, melodic electro-pop creations, mingle on their feed with inventive covers of “Dirty Little Secret” by The All-American Rejects and Charli XCX’s “Sympathy is a Knife.”
The latest Boy Jr. album, titled “I Love Getting Dumped!,” contains all originals — and it’s a tour de force of heartbreak explored from several angles and musical styles. The polished, self-explanatory release seethes with song titles like “I Hope You Feel Terrible” and “I’m Not Pretty.”
But anger is just one of several emotions here. “Legolas” finds Boy Jr. escaping into fantasy, while another track begins with a bit of dark comedy: Throw me out a window / I think I overestimated the / Size of my place in your heart.
Boy Jr.’s time as a mash-up expert has made them a great student. Indie-style guitar à la The Strokes colors “The Yellows”; an earthy, funky bass line propels “Bullying Myself”; and glitch-pop winds up the excellently named “Top 5 Most Emotional People in Western NY.”
Allen-Lubman tends to promote these originals with quippy copy. Album closer “I’m Breaking Up with You” was pitched as “Taylor Swift if she was Nine Inch Nails.” This is correct, though the influence of guiding light St. Vincent looms large as well.
After a while, playing “spot the sound” gets boring. But Boy Jr. never does. The 20th spin of “Legolas” still reveals it as a pop masterstroke, and the darkwave synthesizers of “Lost And” make it as colossally affecting as a Robert Smith composition.
Boy Jr. boasts 46,000 monthly Spotify listeners, 347,000 TikTok followers and another 100,000 on Instagram. Almost all of them have probably been dumped. That’s why Boy Jr. stays on the FYP. The musician simply makes it sound real.
— PATRICK HOSKEN
“IN VIENNA”
BY LAURA DUBIN TRIO
Sometimes jazz musicians need a fresh jolt of inspiration to fire up the muse. For the Laura Dubin Trio, that jolt came in the form of a journey to, and recording session in, arguably the greatest European incubator of music: Vienna, Austria. Beethoven, Mozart and Strauss were just a few of the composers who wrote masterpieces there.
But Dubin and her trio, with Antonio H. Guerrera on drums and Danny Ziemann on bass, are jazz musicians. Did they miss the plane to New Orleans? Actually, those classical titans had some things in common with today’s jazz musicians. Composers like Mozart were known for improvising dazzling cadenzas when performing their piano concertos. So, it’s fitting that Dubin takes off on some fanciful flights – from boogie woogie, through stride, to bebop – on Mozart’s “Rondo alla Turca.”
The above title may cause jazz aficionados to think of Dave Brubeck’s “Blue Rondo à la Turk,” but that’s different — a Brubeck original inspired by Turkish rhythms. Still, Brubeck’s influence plays a role here. Dubin takes Beethoven’s “Ode to Joy” and Strauss’s “The Blue Danube” on wonderfully wild rides in Brubeck-style 5/4 time. And on “Boustrophedon” she turns an obscure symmetrical writing style (for words) into a similar musical form, a decidedly Brubeckian jazz experiment.
There’s one more classic here: Dubin’s exquisite treatment of “Spring,” a movement from Vivaldi’s most famous work, “The Four Seasons.” (Vivaldi wrote the piece in Italy, but he lived in Vienna at the end of his life.)
Dubin’s originals include the lyrical “Sruthi’s Song,” the tone-poem-like “Thunderstorm” and “Erroll’s Bounce House,” a lively jaunt reminiscent of the great pianist Erroll Garner’s style. Her playing is consistently excellent as she moves effortlessly through various jazz styles. Guerrera and Ziemann are top notch throughout, providing adventurous solos and tasteful underpinnings to Dubin’s excursions. — RON NETSKY
todo DAILY
Full calendar of events online at roccitymag.com
SATURDAY, DECEMBER 7
MUSIC
Rochester Gay Men’s Chorus HoliGAY Spectacular
Hochstein School, thergmc.org
Active since 1982, the RGMC welcomes voices of all expressions and identities, both in its roster and in the audiences that come to see the group. The chorus’s 42nd season kicks off at the Hochstein Performance Hall for a two-nighter of holiday cheer under the direction of Alex Kuczynski. Billed as “a festive mix of old and new, tradition and whimsy,” the HoliGAY Spectacular precedes upcoming shows in 2025, including “Divas of Empowerment” and “It’s a Jungle Out There!” The 7:30 p.m. show has an afternoon encore on Dec. 8 at 3 p.m. Tickets $13.60 for kids, $32.50 for adults. PATRICK HOSKEN
FESTIVAL
It’s a Wonderful Life in the South Wedge Holiday Festival
South Avenue, southwedge.com/events South Wedge or Bedford Falls?
During the neighborhood’s annual holiday fest, the similarities will include music, plenty of local vendors and, weather depending, perhaps even a snowflake (or two). Expect good cheer from the Resonanz Carolers and
Adrianna Noone Duo, kids story time at Hipocampo and plenty of deals at local restaurants and cafes around the Wedge. As for Santa, he’ll set up at Groove Juice Swing. 11 a.m.-4 p.m, followed by a ROC Cinema screening of “It’s a Wonderful Life.” PH
SUNDAY, DECEMBER 8
MUSIC
Publick Musick
Lutheran Church of the Incarnate Word, publickmusick.org
Arcangelo Corelli’s Christmas Concerto was published posthumously in 1714. More than 300 years later, Rochester’s Publick Musick — a period instrument ensemble dedicated to works from the 17th and 18th centuries — will give it new life in a special holiday program. The group will also perform French carols by the composers Marc-Antoine Charpentier and Michel Richard de Lalande. Music’s at 3 p.m. Free, with a suggested donation of $20. PH
HOLIDAY
The Strathallan Skyline Sip & Shop Holiday Market
The Strathallan, facebook.com/ RocOnlyEvents
Cozy, evergreen-lined holiday markets pop up in town squares and on farms all season long. But with a panoramic view from the ninth floor of The Strathallan, RocOnly’s Skyline Sip & Shop event brings a bit more cosmopolitan flare. The City View Ballroom becomes a pop-up space for local jewelers, artists and purveyors of sweets, as well as winter/holidaythemed flash tattoos courtesy of Sister Vulture Tattoo’s Bethany Mack. 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Free entry. PH
ART
“Moments
in Time: Art Inspired By Nature”
My Sister’s Gallery at the Episcopal Church Home, episcopalseniorlife.org Good artists are always in conversation with their environments. That’s doubly true in this collection of works featured at My Sister’s Gallery inside the Episcopal Church Home on Mt. Hope Ave. True to its title, painter Alexandra Marris has rendered scenes of lily pads and rock formations in gentle hues that reflect the innate calm of the natural world. The gallery is open daily from 10 a.m.-8 p.m.; this is the last day to see the exhibition. PH
MONDAY, DECEMBER 9
PHOTO
Photography Garage Sale Fundraiser
Flower City Arts Center, flowercityarts.org
The Community Darkroom at 713 Monroe Ave. provides photographers of all skill levels and income backgrounds with chemicals and a space to develop rolls at affordable rates. This only happens because of generous community support. Enter the Flower City Arts Center’s semiannual fundraiser sale, with film supplies, film itself and even digital and analog cameras for sale. 4-7 p.m. PH
TUESDAY, DECEMBER 10
MUSIC
Indigo Girls
Kodak Center, kodakcenter.com
One of the songs that got a huge cultural bump because of Greta Gerwig’s “Barbie” in 2023 was “Closer to Fine,” the eternal Indigo
Girls acoustic jam whose message is, essentially, “the more you know, the more you realize you don’t know.” It sounds great sung alone in the car, as Barbie does in the film, or with 2,000 other people in a crowd. The latter option may be in the cards when the band rolls through Kodak Center. 7:30 p.m. show. $50.50-$80.50, plus fees. $1 per ticket donated to First Peoples Fund. PH
MUSIC “Beatles vs. StonesA Musical Showdown”
The Theater at Innovation Square, theaterais.com
Despite representing very different musical aims and legacies, The Beatles and The Rolling Stones remain a fun pair to pit against each other. Both 1960s bands blended early rock and roll with artier elements, helping legitimize a musical movement. To showcase it, two tribute groups (Abbey Road and Satisfaction) square off for an entertaining show full of hits. A bit of friendly competition never hurt anyone. Doors 6:30, p.m., music 7:30. $53.82-$74.40. PH
FOOD/BEV
Krampus Tasting Dinner
Jack’s Extra Fancy, jacksextrafancy.com If you’re bad as a kid, you have to worry about the half-demon, halfgoat Krampus paying you a visit. As an adult, you get to relish in the lore of the anti-Santa with a four-course meal at Jack’s Extra Fancy’s Krampus Tasting Dinner. Tickets for the 21+ cocktail-paired affair are $140 per person, and the event runs from 6-9:30 p.m. ROBERTO LAGARES
CONTINUED ON PAGE 42
Christmas Carole Monday, December 9 at 9 p.m. on WXXI-TV
Dreaming of a Jewish Christmas Sunday, December 15 at 1 p.m. on WXXI-TV
The Cat in the Hat Knows a Lot About Christmas! Monday, December 16 at 6 a.m. on WXXI-TV 1 3 5 7 9 11 2 4 6 8 10 12
The Real Bedford Falls: It’s a Wonderful Life Monday, December 16 at 10:30 p.m. on WXXI-TV Call the Midwife Holiday Special 2024 Wednesday, December 25 at 8 p.m. on WXXI-TV
Cultural Expressions: Kwanza Thursday, December 26 at 5 p.m. on WXXI-TV
NEXT at the Kennedy Center “Sara Bareilles: New Years Eve with the National Symphony Orchestra & Friends” Tuesday, December 31 at 8 p.m. on WXXI-TV Joy – Christmas with the Tabernacle Choir Tuesday, December 17 at 8 p.m. on WXXI-TV Peg + Cat + Holidays Tuesday, December 24 at 10:30 a.m. on WXXI-TV CREATE Showcase: Homemade Gift Ideas Saturday, December 7 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on WXXI-CREATE Let Your Heart Be Light: Christmas in the Adirondacks Wednesday, December 11 at 5:30 p.m. on WXXI-TV
Karamu: Feast for the 7th Day Saturday, December 28 at 1:30 p.m. on WXXI-TV
Dear readers,
I am thrilled to join WXXI Public Media, The Little Theatre, and CITY Magazine as its new President & CEO, and equally excited to make Rochester my new home.
As a longtime producer and journalist in public media, I’ve had the privilege of capturing and curating stories that illuminate, inspire, and foster understanding. Now, I’m excited to bring that dedication to the Rochester region, eager to elevate the voices and stories that matter most here. Public media has a unique power to bridge divides and strengthen communities, and I am committed to making WXXI a platform where everyone’s story has a place and purpose. Together, we can use storytelling to connect, celebrate, and enrich our community.
In these times, with a new election season behind us, the importance of trustworthy information and reliable journalism is clearer than ever. Public media has the potential to be a unifying force, offering diverse perspectives, fostering understanding, and creating opportunities for connection through news, arts, children’s programming, and more. No matter where you live, we all value a well-told story, and WXXI will continue to be here to bring you just that.
As I begin my journey here, I’m launching the “Bringing Us Together” campaign for my first 100 days. I want to meet as many of you as possible to learn about the issues, ideas, and stories that matter most to your communities. Whether it’s at an event, in a local meeting space, or even over a meal, I’m looking forward to hearing your thoughts on how WXXI can better serve our region. Let me know what time to be there and I’ll do my best to show up! Send me a note at WXXICEO@wxxi.org or connect with me on Instagram @WXXIrochester
We’re here to provide a balanced perspective and support our local community to cut through the noise, and to be a part of your daily lives. I look forward to meeting many of you on the road, in your neighborhoods, or here at WXXI or The Little Theatre. Let’s come together and build a stronger community, one story at a time.
Thank you for welcoming me. Here’s to a new chapter for WXXI, and to a shared commitment to this region.
Monday, December 9 from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at The Little Theatre
Free and open to the public, but reservations are required. WXXI and Move to IncludeTM are proud to host a special American Masters screening of three of 12 digital shorts included in Renegades, a new digital series that showcases the lives and cultural contributions of little-known historical figures with disabilities.
The screening includes the following three episodes:
• U.S. Senator Daniel K. Inouye (1924-2012), the country’s highest-ranking Asian American political figure for nearly 50 years
• Judith Lynn Del Ray (1943-1986), a science fiction and fantasy editor, who published books from sci-fi luminaries such as Arthur C. Clarke, Isaac Asimov, Philip K. Dick, and George Lucas’ “Star Wars” in novel form
• Brad Lomax (1950-1984), a key participant in the historic 504 sit-in of 1977.
The screening will be followed by a panel discussion led by Markus Essien, who directed and produced the Brad Lomax episode.
The screening will feature extended audio descriptions and large open captioning. ASL interpretation will be provided for the introduction and panel discussion.
This event is sponsored by American Masters and Inspiration Films. Register here to reserve your seat
“Voces American Historia” Virtual Discussion with John Leguizamo & Ben DeJesus
Tuesday, December 10 at 2 p.m. via Zoom Free! But registration is required.
Voces American Historia is a three-part series that follows John Leguizamo on his quest to uncover Latino and Latina heroes and their contributions. On the heels of its successful run on PBS, WXXI is pleased to host a special virtual discussion with the series’ director Ben DeJesus and creator/host John Leguizamo. The two will join us via Zoom to share how the series came about, their creative approach, what they have learned, and more. The virtual event will be hosted live from The Little Theatre in front of an audience of selected community organizations.
The event will be moderated by Board Commissioner Isaiah Santiago and the youngest elected official in Rochester’s history, and DEI Leader Stephanie Paredes.
Voces American Historia is available on PBS Passport. Register here for your virtual seat.
Diálogo virtual de “Voces American Historia” con John Leguizamo y Ben DeJesus
Martes, 10 de diciembre a las 2 p.m. vía Zoom Gratis Pero es necesario inscribirse.
“Voces American Historia” es una serie de tres partes que sigue a John Leguizamo en su búsqueda para descubrir héroes latinos y latinas y sus contribuciones. Tras el éxito de su estreno en PBS, WXXI tiene el placer de presentar un diálogo virtual especial con el director de la serie, Ben DeJesus, y el creador y presentador, John Leguizamo. Los dos se unirán a nosotros a través de Zoom para compartir cómo surgió la serie, su enfoque creativo, lo que han aprendido, y mucho más. El acto virtual se celebrará en directo desde el Little Theatre ante una audiencia de organizaciones comunitarias seleccionadas.
El evento será moderado por el Comisario de la Junta Isaiah Santiago, el funcionario electo más joven en la historia de Rochester, y la Líder en el campo de la diversidad Stephanie Paredes.
Voces American Historia está disponible en PBS Passport. Regístrese aquí para obtener su asiento virtual.
Storytelling at its finest
Spiritual Audacity:
The Abraham Joshua Heschel Story
Sunday, December 22 at 6 p.m. on WXXI-WORLD
Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel fled Nazi Germany to become “an authoritative voice not only in the Jewish community but in the religious life of America.”
His book, “The Prophets” inspired Martin Luther King, Jr. to invite him to take a role in the Civil Rights Movement. Heschel was an outspoken critic of the Vietnam War, an advocate for Soviet Jewry, and a pioneer of interfaith dialogue.
(Photo provided by APT)
Independent Lens
“Mama Bears”
Wednesday, December 25 at 8:30 p.m. on WXXI-WORLD
They call one another “mama bears” because of the ferocity with which they fight for their children’s rights. Although they grew up as fundamentalist, evangelical Christians praying for the souls of LGTBQ+ people, these mothers are now willing to risk losing friends, family, and faith communities to champion their kids—even if it challenges their belief systems and rips apart their worlds.
(Photo credit: Kelly West)
Check out these four documentaries that tell the stories of people and events you may not have known about.
POV “Who I am Not”
Monday, December 30 at 10 p.m. on WXXI-TV
Sharon-Rose Khumalo, a South African beauty queen, faces an identity crisis after discovering she’s intersex. Her path crosses with Dimakatso Sebidi, a masculine-presenting intersex activist, as they both navigate a journey marked by society’s stigma and inner struggles.
(Photo provided by POV)
The Five Demands
Monday, December 30 at 9 p.m. on WXXI-TV
The riveting story about the student strike that changed the face of higher education. In April 1969, a small group of Black and Puerto Rican students shut down the City College of New York, an elite public university located in the heart of Harlem. Far more attention has been paid to white middle-class students in opposition to the Vietnam War, yet this protest had a more significant impact: the CCNY strikers were the vanguard of a national Black student movement that transformed the culture, mission, and curriculum of American higher education.
(Photo credit: CCNY Archive)
brings you holiday music to put you in the spirit
Candles Burning Brightly
RPO Gala Holiday Pops 2023
Sunday, December 8 at 1 p.m.
Jeff Tyzik conducts the annual winter holiday celebration featuring the Festival High School Chorale with Rochester storyteller Jay Stetzer narrating The Night Before Christmas. WXXI Classical’s Brenda Tremblay hosts.
Thursday, December 26 at 3 p.m.
A delightful hour for everyone to celebrate the Jewish Festival of Lights! Enjoy lots of music from Jewish communities around the world, plus a hilarious lesson on how to prepare a classic Chanukah dish, and a timeless and touching holiday story that brings light into every home.
A Rochester Festival of Lessons and Carols
Tuesday, December 17 at 3 p.m.
Recorded at Third Presbyterian Church under the direction of newly appointed organist/ choirmaster James Kealey, this year’s program includes the Third Church Choristers with music by Carl Rutti, George Frederick Handel, Herbert Howells, Ola Gjeilo, and William Mathias.
Christmas with Madrigalia 2024
Monday, December 23 at 12 p.m.
Carols as Home with the Imani Winds
Friday, December 27 at 3 p.m.
Featuring a modern take on classic Christmas carols, hosted by Imani Winds founding oboist Toyin Spellman-Diaz. Toyin coaxes intimate stories of Christmas memories from the members of the ensemble, and why these classic carols are still essential today.
Christmas with the Morehouse & Spelman Glee Clubs
Madrigalia celebrates the joy of the holiday season with traditional carols and anthems from around the world celebrating the Winter Solstice, Chanukah, Christmas, and the New Year. Featuring music by Kim Andre Arnesen, Tamsin Jones, Christian Onyeji, Javier Busto, Vaclav Nelhybel, Elizabeth Poston, and Cary Ratcliff, who are joined by the Rochester Bach Children’s Chorus.
Tuesday, December 31 at 3 p.m.
One of the great holiday traditions in America, the choirs of Morehouse and Spelman Colleges – two of the most prestigious historically Black institutions in the nation – get together to present a spine-tingling concert program. This year’s program features the best works of the last several years.
Blindspot: The Plague in the Shadows
Sundays, December 8 and 15 on WXXI News
(FM 105.9)
In this two-part series, Blindspot travels back to a pivotal moment in the history of this country, tracing how, decades before COVID-19, a virus tore through some of our most vulnerable communities while the wider world looked away. Visit a pediatric ward in Harlem, a women’s prison in upstate New York, a drug market in the South Bronx, and the inner sanctum of the National Institutes of Health. And meet people who demanded that they, and their illness, be seen – mothers and children, doctors and nurses, nuns and sex workers, and a woman who helped change the definition of AIDS.
(Photo credit: Donna Binder)
Tinsel Tales 3:
Even More NPR Christmas Favorites
Wednesday, December 25 at 1 p.m. on WXXI News (FM 105.9)
Hosted by Lynn Neary, Audie Cornish, Ken Harbaugh, Nina Totenberg and other voices from NPR’s past and present tell stories of the season in this hour-long special. Some tales are funny; some are touching; some are insightful, irreverent, nostalgic, or surprising.
An Echoes Night Before Christmas
Tuesday, December 24 at 10 p.m. on The Route
The Route gets the sugar plums dancing with this holiday special featuring music from the Ornamental and Dark Noel albums, Jeff Johnson’s “Winterfold” and Smoke Fairies’ “Wild Winter.”
Hanukkah Lights 2024
Thursday, December 26 at 1 p.m. on WXXI News (FM 105.9)
This NPR favorite returns with some of our favorite stories from the archives. We’ll hear “Gifts of the Last Night” by Rebecca Goldstein, “Hanukkah Gelt, Hanukkah Money” by Sholem Aleichem, “Gifts of the Jewish Magi” by Allegra Goodman, “How to Spell the Name of God” by Ellen Orleans and “Geek Week” by Rebecca O’Connell.
Think of it as your “Hibernation App”. With winter coming, it’s time to bundle up and hunker down. Watch the best of PBS and WXXI anytime on the PBS App. Stream your favorite shows on-demand and livestream shows from WXXI, all from your favorite device. Download the free PBS App wherever your get your apps and curl up with great programs! You can get started at: video.wxxi.org
Dec. 7 & Dec. 15: The Nightmare Before Christmas
Ah, the holidays. A time for family, friends, reflection, cheer … but mostly, a time to get cozy with your favorite movies. Our Little holiday lineup includes classics, delightful rom-coms, and indie gems to unwrap and enjoy. So don your favorite scarf, indulge in the savory bliss of popcorn, and “Have Yourself A Merry Little” time with us.
Proudly projected on 35mm film. When Jack Skellington, Halloweentown’s beloved pumpkin king, accidentally stumbles on Christmastown — all bright colors and warm spirits — he gets a new lease on life: he plots to bring Christmas under his control by kidnapping Santa Claus and taking over the role.
Dec. 11: Jingle Jangle
Part of the Black Cinema Series.
Dec. 12: Fleischer Holiday Cartoons
Animated gems perfect for the holiday season!
Dec. 13: While You Were Sleeping
A hopelessly romantic Chicago Transit Authority ticket booth operator is mistaken for the fiancée of a comatose patient.
Dec. 14: Home Alone
Keeeeeevin! The 1990 classic returns to The Little. Please beware the booby traps, ya filthy animals (part of the Saturday Night Rewind Series only).
New Movies coming in December
(find the full list of new titles this month at thelittle.org)
Flow (Opens Dec. 6): A black cat, displaced by a great flood, finds refuge on a boat with a group of animal friends in this gorgeously animated adventure.
Nightbitch (Opens Dec. 6): A woman (Amy Adams) pauses her career to be a stay-at-home mom, but soon her domesticity takes a surreal turn. Directed by Marielle Heller (A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood, The Diary of a Teenage Girl). Based on the novel by Rachel Yoder.
Queer (Opens Dec. 13): From director Luca Guadagnino; starring Daniel Craig. In 1950s Mexico City, William Lee, an American expat in his late forties, leads a solitary life amidst a small American community. However, the arrival in town of Eugene Allerton, a young student, stirs William into finally establishing a meaningful connection with someone.
NT Live: Prima Facie (Dec. 15 and 22 only): Jodie Comer’s (Killing Eve) Olivier and Tony Awardwinning performance in Suzie Miller’s gripping one-woman play.
Nosferatu (Opens Dec. 25): Director Robert Eggers’ gothic tale of obsession between a haunted young woman and the terrifying vampire infatuated with her.
Babygirl (Opens Dec. 25): A tale of power, desire, and sex from the perspective of a high-powered CEO (Nicole Kidman). Harris Dickinson also stars. Directed by Halina Reijn.
Dec. 15: Bell, Book and Candle
A modern-day witch likes her neighbor but despises his fiancee, so she enchants him to love her instead in this 1958 classic. With Kim Novak, James Stewart, Jack Lemon, Elsa Lanchester, and some great cat acting!
Dec. 20 & 22: Christmas Eve in Miller’s Point
A family gathers on Christmas Eve for what could be the last holiday in their ancestral home. As the night wears on and tensions arise, one of the teenagers sneaks out with her friends to claim the wintry suburb for her own.
Dec. 21: Die Hard
Is it a Christmas movie?! We’ll let you decide, but either way, it’s absolute classic that’s a much watch on the big screen. Will we also have a “Pie Hard” popup with Crust Pie Co.?! Absolutely, yes.
Dec. 23: Anastasia
Discover the adventure behind the greatest mystery of our time! This 1997 animated adventure retells the story of the lost daughter of Russia’s last czar.
“The Music Room” (1958) Monday, December 16 at 7pm ($9 general admission) Satyajit Ray’s critically-acclaimed drama depicts the end days of a decadent landlord in Bengal. A showcase for many of India’s most popular musicians of 1958. Find full series details at thelittle.org
Thursday, Dec. 19 at 7pm Saturday, Dec. 21 at 3pm Tickets at thelittle.org Short films from Rochester-based filmmakers. Featured directors include Jackie McGriff, Boris Sapozhnikov, Vinh Nguyen, and Robert Bilheimer.
Holiday Services
SUNDAY WORSHIP AT 11AM
Christmas Eve Advent Festival & Special Music
Featuring Will Todd’s ethereal “Among Angels” for choir and 2 harps, interspersed with seasonal harp-accompanied carols.
Church of the Ascension (Epi scopal)
Welcomes you and your family 1360 La ke Av e. at Riverside St., Roches ter www.ascensionroch.org (5 85) 458-542 3
The Rev. Abi John, R ector Ad vent an d Christmas Season servi ces
Dec. 8, Fe stival of Less ons & Caro ls, 10:15 AM , fo llowe d by Holiday Party.
Dec. 15, Holy Commun ion,10:1 5 AM, follo we d by Childre n’s Pageant, 11 :30 AM
Dec. 22, Holy Communion,1 0:15 AM, followed by "Festival of Love”: Joint Celebration with othe r Faith Communities, 11:30 AM
Dec. 24 (Chris tmas E ve), Family service with Holy Communion, 5 PM No servic e Christmas Day.
Won’t you join us?
Christmas Eve Candlelight Service December 24th 11:00pm
Live-streaming available at downtownpresbyterian.org
Dec. 8 Dec. 24 121 N. Fitzhugh St. • (585) 325-4000 6:45 pre-service music, 7PM worship
First Universalist Church of Rochester join us by Zoom or in-person for our
Winter Solstice Service
Sunday, Dec. 22 • 10:30am
Christmas Eve Service
Sunday, Dec. 24 • 7:00pm Musical Prelude at 6:30pm
Find more info and links at uuroc.org!
Neighborhood mission and outreach programs Adult and youth choirs and Change Ringing bells. N URTURE THE SPIRIT AND SERVE THE COMMUNITY
What better way to connect with the real meaning of Christmas than to start Christmas Day at church? No reservations required. All are welcome.
We'll save you a seat...
Salem United Church of Christ 60 Bittner Street 14604 www.christinthecity.com
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 11
MUSIC
Eastman
Horn Choir
Hochstein School, hochstein.org
The Eastman School of Music’s horn choir was founded in 1968. Its brassy timbre colors the performance hall at 50 North Plymouth Ave. as part of the ongoing “Live from Hochstein” series. Horns play from 12:10-12:50 p.m., also known as a great way to spend a lunch hour. PH
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 12
HOLIDAY
Yuletide in the Country Tours and Dinners
Genesee Country Village & Museum, gcv.org
Transport yourself back in time to the ‘70s. No, not the groovy, bellbottom ‘70s, but the 1870s — where you will explore the 19th-century Genesee Country Village & Museum by candlelight, immersed in layers of stories that span the holiday traditions of the period. An optional warm and cozy festive buffet dinner to complete the experience can be enjoyed with or without the tour from $20-$32. Yuletide in the Country tours and dinners run across seven dates from Dec. 6-21, rain (snow) or shine. Tour tickets range from $27-$34. RL
MUSIC
Juvenile & The 400 Degreez Band
Water Street Music Hall, waterstreetmusichall.live Rapper Juvenile scored a major hit in 1999 with “Back That Azz Up,” a song that helped spread bounce music far and wide. Drake took bounce to No. 1 two decades later, but it began and will always be rooted in Juvenile’s native New Orleans. To celebrate a quarter-century of one of his biggest hits (he eventually hit No. 1 himself with “Slow Motion” in 2004), Juvenile comes to Water Street with his 400 Degreez Band. 7 p.m. doors. Tickets from $59.35. PH
FRIDAY, DECEMBER 13
THEATER “DOT”
Blackfriars Theatre, blackfriars.org Colman Domingo is perhaps best known for his award-winning acting work in HBO’s “Euphoria” and Netflix’s “Rustin.” But he’s also the playwright behind “DOT,” a tale of family and how complicated it can be when family gets together during the holidays. Blackfriars stages “DOT” Dec. 13-29, directed by Eno Okung, a member of the local improv group Ants to God. As such, comedy is at the forefront, even as the play explores uncomfortable conversations. $20$39.50. PH
HOLIDAY
“Cirque Musica Holiday Wonderland”
Kodak Center, kodakcenter.com
Immerse yourself in the holiday enchantments with “Cirque Musica Holiday Wonderland” at Kodak Center. The show combines circus
acrobatics and holiday music into a dazzling show of talented ariel artists and musicians. The performance begins at 7:30 p.m. Tickets start at $30 and are on sale at Ticketmaster. com or at the Kodak Center Box Office. MEILI SHEPARD
SATURDAY, DECEMBER 14
THEATER
Broadway at The Lake House
The Lake House, lakehousecanandaigua.com
For the second year, The Lake House in Canandaigua hosts three of Broadway’s brightest stars: John Riddle (“Phantom of the Opera,” “Frozen”), Carrie St. Louis (“Titanique,” “Kinky Boots,” “Wicked”) and Dan Micciche (conductor of “Wicked”) for a musical revue of Tony Awardwinning hits and holiday favorites. CITY had the chance to attend last year, and the evening felt like a mini Broadway escape with stunning views of Canandaigua Lake from the hotel’s Event Barn. Doors at 6 p.m.,
concert at 7 p.m. Tickets are $125 and include light hors d’oeuvres; drinks are available from a cash bar. LEAH STACY
MUSIC
Akeylah Simone
75 Stutson Street, 75stutson.com
Virginia vocalist Akeylah Simone sounds just as at home digging into soulful runs as she does intoning over hip-hop beats and rock guitars. It’s part of her appeal, which she’ll bring to the intimate space at 75 Stutson Street in Charlotte. The concert doubles as an opening showcase for the very young local six-piece band
Controversy, which leans into a selfdescribed “fresh, funky soul-pop vibe.” Music starts at 8 p.m. $12.51$23.18. VIP tickets $65.87 (includes guaranteed lot parking). PH
FILM
“Elf” in Concert
Kodak Hall at Eastman Theatre, esm. rochester.edu/theatre/events
The grandeur of watching a film with a live symphony orchestra can’t be overstated. But while the experience seems tailor-made for high-drama productions like “Harry Potter” or “The Lord of the Rings,” it can be just as illuminating for comedies. Case in point: new holiday classic “Elf,” which springs to life via Eastman’s Empire Film and Media Ensemble and conductor Mark Watters. Two performances, one at 2 p.m. and another at 7 p.m. $25-$72. PH
SUNDAY, DECEMBER 15
GAMING
“Dungeons & Dragons: 50 Years of Storytelling”
The Strong National Museum of Play, museumofplay.org
Games of “Dungeons & Dragons” make use of a 20-sided die. It’s a good symbol of the RPG’s expansive possibilities, which have been captivating players for a half-century. This exhibition dives deep into what’s made that time so compelling, including rare artifacts, a character quiz and other tidbits tracing the evolution of one of the world’s most popular fantasy tabletop games. Included with museum admission. PH
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HOLIDAY
Breakfast With Santa
ARTISANworks, artisanworks.net/event-list
Has your kid sat on the Big Red Guy’s lap yet? Why not make the introduction over a nice breakfast? He stops by ARTISANworks for photos — and very likely eggs and bacon — on Dec. 8 and Dec. 15, with a holiday scavenger hunt to go along with the
MONDAY, DECEMBER 16
MUSIC
Shakey Graves and Buffalo Hunt
State Theatre of Ithaca, dspshows.com
Alejandro Rose-Garcia, better known as Shakey Graves, has come a long way since his days as a one-man band busker. He no longer has to rely on using his feet for percussion as he plays guitar (though he could). This frees up the artist to focus on his two moneymakers: his ragged voice and a pair of hands that know their way around a fretboard. His natural showmanship is on full display at Ithaca’s beautiful State Theatre, along with Americana offerings from fellow Texas performer Buffalo Hunt. Doors at 6:30 p.m., music at 7:30. $39.50-
what’s not to love about carols with a little deep rumble? The hour-long Tuba Christmas performance starts at 3 p.m. and is free with no ticket required. It’ll also be streamed live at esm.rochester.edu/live/kodak.
JEREMY MOULE
TUESDAY, DECEMBER 17
MUSIC
Eric Johanson
Fanatics Pub, fanaticspub.com
Louisiana blues rocker Eric Johanson found a winning formula: a livewire guitar tone that buzzes on an infectious frequency. It also sounds slightly subterranean and swampy in the tradition of forebears like John Fogerty, with a contemporary bent in the vein of The Black Keys. If this sounds like your kind of Tuesday evening, Johanson’s “Don’t Hold
Back” tour stops at Fanatics Pub in Lima. Tickets for the 7 p.m. show are $25. PH
THEATER
“MJ: The Musical”
West Herr Auditorium Theatre, rbtl.org
The complicated legacy of Michael Jackson looms large over his staggering worldwide success and treasure trove of boundary-pushing pop records.
“MJ,” a jukebox musical with a book penned by Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Lynn Nottage, focuses primarily on the person at the center of it — in all his complexity and controversy. For the sake of the stage, it helps that the music still sounds as good as it did during Jackson’s lifetime. Rochester Broadway Theatre League presents six shows from Dec. 17-22. Tickets $79-$150. PH
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 18
ART
Nam June Paik
Memorial Art Gallery, mag.rochester. edu/exhibitions/nam-june-paik
The influence of Korean video artist Naim June Paik reaches far. He’s credited as both the founder of his art form as well as the coiner of the term “electronic super highway.” In the 1960s and ‘70s, he developed a friendship with avant-garde composer John Cage and developed performance art in New York City. His video works are thought-provoking and visually engaging, like the “Bakelite Robot” that resides at the MAG. The museum spotlights Paik’s career with this new exhibit, featuring a screening of the documentary “Nam June Paik: Edited for Television.” On view Dec. 18 through May 4, 2025. PH
MUSIC
The Rock Orchestra by Candlelight
Kodak Center, kodakcenter.com
Picture it: Musicians in skeleton costumes and rhinestone masks; floating lanterns; lurching towers; even headbanging puppets. That’s the scene of The Rock Orchestra’s upcoming performance at Kodak Hall, where you can hear legendary rock and metal tracks performed by classical musicians. Described as an “otherworldly musical experience,” the performance brings a dark energy to a beautifully candlelit stage. 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $49.50-$79.50, plus fees. Lounge passes can be added for $35.
MEGAN MACK
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 19
ART
“Odyssey | Warriors Come Home”
Flower City Arts Center, flowercityarts. org/events/odyssey
Photojournalist Brendan Bannon founded the Odyssey Project to help combat veterans reintegrate into civilian life through photography. Some of those works, captured from 2019 to 2023, are on display in this powerful exhibition, which runs through Dec. 21. PH
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MUSIC
A Salute to Gordon Lightfoot & Kris Kristofferson
Abilene Bar & Lounge, abilenebarandlounge.com
Gordon Lightfoot began as a kind of Canadian Bob Dylan and is perhaps best remembered for his expansive folk ballad “The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald.” Kris Kristofferson, meanwhile, lived plenty of life (military service, janitorial work) before embarking on a hugely successful music and film career that found him in a supergroup with Johnny Cash and Willie Nelson. Americana band Calico Bunny salutes both late legends in a show spanning hits and deep cuts. Music at 7 p.m. $10 tickets. PH
FRIDAY, DECEMBER 20
HOLIDAY
Gala Holiday Pops
Kodak Hall at Eastman Theater, rpo.org
Get into the holiday cheer with Gala Holiday Pops at Eastman Theater. Grammy-winning Principal Pops Conductor Jeff Tyzik leads the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra and Festival High School Chorale in a performance of the most beloved holiday tunes. Opening night is Dec. 20, and the show runs for four performances over the following three days. Tickets start at $18. MS
Joywave Presents Joy 2 The World
Anthology, joywavemusic.com/tour
On the tails of their 2024 “Permanent Pleasure” world tour, local rock band Joywave took to Instagram in November to announce that they would, indeed, have two hometown shows this year, and that both would happen at Anthology, a music venue on East Avenue that’s been inactive since 2022. It’s glad tidings all around, and Friday, Dec. 20 marks the first show, with another to follow on Saturday, Dec. 21. Doors are at 6:30 p.m. with music at 8 p.m.; tickets are $49.10 with fees. The event is 16+ unless accompanied by a legal guardian. LS
SATURDAY, DECEMBER 21
HOLIDAY
Ugly Sweater
Christmas Silent Disco
Montage Music Hall, rocentevents.com Dance parties and high thread-count sweaters may be odd bedfellows — sweaty much? — but at a silent disco, the perspiration is kind of the point. This holiday fete soundtracks the time-honored tradition of ugly sweaters with three different music options: EDM, hip-hop or Top 40 pop of yesterday and today. 8 p.m.midnight. Early bird tickets $10, with $14 pre-sale and $20 at the door. PH
MUSIC
Emo Night with Cut Me Up Genny
Radio Social, radio-social.com
A blue Christmas? Rochester’s favorite emo band returns to rock around the Christmas tree at Radio Social, covering everything from Paramore and Taking Back Sunday to Taylor Swift and Yellowcard. Music at 8 p.m.; 21+ only after 9 p.m. Tickets are $10 advance, $15 at the door. LS
SUNDAY, DECEMBER 22
MUSIC
Fred Mascherino and Rookie of the Year
Montage Music Hall, rocentevents.com
Emo nights remain popular even as several key architects of that musical era regularly hit the touring circuit. One of them is Fred Mascherino, who helped Taking Back Sunday reach the Top 10 in the mid-2000s and maintains a prolific solo career while performing in Say Anything. He also leads the excellently named band The Color Fred. Mascherino brings all this to the Montage stage with support from North Carolina band Rookie of the Year. Doors 6 p.m., tickets for the 16+ show are $20 in advance and $25 day of show. PH
ART
Live glassblowing demonstration
More Fire Glass Studio, morefireglass.com Live glassblowing demonstrations have returned to More Fire’s Field Street location for the holiday season. Witness the artistry behind the many handblown glasses, vases, ornaments, sculpture, candleholders, candles, bowls and platters made by the local studio, and finish up some last-minute shopping in the meantime. More Fire will also hold holiday sale hours 10
a.m. - 6 p.m. each Tuesday through Friday and 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. each Saturday and Sunday through Dec. 24. LS
MONDAY, DECEMBER 23
MUSIC
Early Childhood Music Class
Parma Public Library, parmapubliclibrary.org
Brian Wilson famously loved the old folk song “Shortnin’ Bread” so much that his obsession freaked out fellow musicians Iggy Pop and Elton John. I totally get it. The simplicity of a song like “Shortnin’ Bread” stems back to childhood favorites like “The Wheels on the Bus” and “Once I Caught a Fish Alive.” Repeat the tune enough times and it simply becomes part of your soul. This 10:30 a.m. class, put on by Alicia from Roberts Community Music School, may or may not feature any of these numbers. But it promises songs, books and movements for children ages 0-4 as well as caregivers. You never know what will spark a lifelong love. PH
TUESDAY, DECEMBER 24
THEATER
“A Christmas Carol”
Geva Theatre, gevatheatre.org Yes, CITY shouted out Geva’s upcoming take on “A Christmas Carol” in a previous issue. But hey, it’s Christmas Eve! What better time to take in this new staging of the classic Charles Dickens holiday tale, courtesy of Harrison David Rivers, the theater’s playwright in residence who adapted it? The noon performance ($32-$82) provides plenty of time for evening coziness afterward. PH
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 25
FOOD/BEV Restaurants around town
Christmas brings two scenarios. The first involves staying in, snug as a bug in a rug, cooking a delicious meal for yourself or maybe people you love. That requires a bit of forethought, though. Plan B: Visit one of the many eateries around Rochester that remain open for both dining in and takeout meals on the holiday. Khong Thai Cuisine and Han Noodle Bar are good places to start; ditto Fox’s Deli, Zemeta and Amaya Indian. (Always
FRIDAY, DECEMBER 27
CULTURE
Roulette”
Photo City Music Hall, photocitymusichall.com
It’s hard to predict what will happen on Carmen Adore’s stage. A key component of their monthly “Drag Roulette” show is a large wheel, which drag artists spin moments before their performance begins. What song will they lip-sync? Only the wheel knows for sure — but the fun starts when everyone finds out together. Tickets for the 18+ show run $16.55 ahead
SUNDAY, DECEMBER 29
An Evening With Chevy Chase + “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation”
West Herr Auditorium Theatre, rbtl.org
It’s hard not to think of “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation” whenever the neighborhood holidaylights arms race begins in earnest. Part of what makes the film’s scene indelible is how Chevy Chase sells both the frustration and the ecstatic glee of gaudy holiday décor. Clark Griswold himself will be onstage at West Herr Auditorium Theatre following a screening of the film, along with his wife, Jayni. Expect behind-the-scenes stories and an audience Q&A. Tickets for the 7:30 p.m. event run $60-$97. PH
Christmas Bird Count
Knox Farm State Park, parks.ny.gov
This annual event invites veteran and beginner birders to join a group bird count. Dress for the weather and bring binoculars, if you have them. Arrive 10-15 minutes early for a 10 a.m. start. Free, but registration is required. MM
MONDAY, DECEMBER 30
FAMILY
Holiday Magic Tour
Seneca Park Zoo, senecaparkzoo.org
Late December cozy checklist: warm blanket, hot beverage, zoo tour? The naturalists on staff at Seneca Park Zoo are on hand to zip guests around for 90 minutes in garland-decorated golf carts, allowing all parties to take in the winter wonderland. Mornings at 8:30 a.m. and afternoons at 3 p.m. $20 for members, $30 for non-members. PH
TUESDAY, DECEMBER 31
MUSIC
Giant Panda Guerilla Dub Squad
Essex, essexroc.com
This Dec. 31, why not throw another modifier into the name of one of Rochester’s most beloved bands?
(Giant Panda Guerilla New Year’s Dub Squad has a nice ring to it.) The formidable group takes the stage at Essex along with fellow hometown acts Public Water Supply and Head to the Roots. Doors open at 7 p.m. and the music starts at 8. Advance tickets $30. Day of tickets $40. PH
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COMEDY
The Capitol Fools
Nazareth University Arts Center’s Callahan Theatre, naz.edu
No politician is safe in this musical revue! The Capitol Fools includes former cast members and a co-writer of the Capitol Steps – both groups known for their yearly broadcasts on NPR. They’re back with their satirical take on political culture... and in today’s climate, there’s a lot to work with! From spoonerisms to impressions to song spoofs, they promise bipartisan belly laughs. A warning: the performance contains mature themes. 2 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. Tickets are $45-$80. MM
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 1
THEATER
“Anansi
Tales for the Holidays:
When They Flew”
MuCCC, muccc.org
The folklore of flying Africans is present throughout members of the diaspora, especially in works like Toni Morrison’s novel “Song of Solomon” and musician Rhiannon Giddens’s song “We Could Fly.” It will also be spotlighted in “When They Flew,” presented by artistic director Reuben J. Tapp’s {theatre}+{náfsi} FOR Youth at MuCCC. The show, part of what Tapp says are “compelling stories centered in the Black experience,” runs Jan. 1-5, with a pay-what-youwill night on Jan. 1. Tickets for the other nights: $10 for kids, $20 for adults in advance, $25 for adults at the door. PH
WELLNESS
First Day Hike
Cumming Nature Center, rmsc.org/ events/firstdayhike
Time is an illusion, but it’s also a great metric for checking in with ourselves. For folks angling to start 2025 on the right foot, look no further than a New Year’s Day hike at Cumming Nature Center in Naples. Five miles around the Wilderness Trail, on foot or crosscountry skis, will take about two-anda-half hours with rest breaks included. 11 a.m.-1p.m. Members pay $6, nonmembers pay $9. Bring a water bottle and layer up. PH
THURSDAY, JANUARY 2
FAMILY
“Disney On Ice: Mickey’s Search Party”
Blue Cross Arena, bluecrossarena.com Captain Hook. Tinker Bell. Moana. Elsa. Miguel. Woody, Jessie and Buzz. With appearances from these beloved Disney characters (and more), “Mickey’s Search Party” boasts a series of dazzling adventures. Factor in that all the performers are whirling around on ice skates, and this becomes the first must-see family show of 2025. Doors open at 3 p.m. ahead of the 4 p.m. show. $32-$109. PH
FRIDAY, JANUARY 3
PARTY
CITY’s Best of Rochester Awards
Radio Social, roccitymag.com
Skip the post-holiday blues and swing through Radio Social to celebrate the annual Best of Rochester award winners for 2024! Our annual bash will feature snacks, raffles, CITY merch, photo opps from Hype Booth and, of course, awards! Be the first to grab a copy of our January issue and see who’s been voted “Best Of” in more than 140 categories. LS
Metal Night Rochester
Montage Music Hall, rocentevents.com
“Emo night with a mosh pit” is how this celebration of heavy music is being advertised. Fans of metalcore, post-hardcore, screamo and deathcore welcome, though more classic metal fans may find something to love as well. Music for the 18+ show begins at 8 p.m. and runs until midnight. $20.16 for a ticket. Earplugs highly recommended. PH
SATURDAY, JANUARY 4
ASTRONOMY Stars With Carl
Strasenburgh Planetarium, rmsc.org
Hanging with Carl (no, not Sagan) means spending time with the massive astronomical projector that’s been the beating heart of the Strasenburgh Planetarium since 1968, the Carl Zweiss Mark IV. Its complex inner mechanics of lenses and light sources can project thousands of stars and planets onto the planetarium’s dome and perhaps even provide deep insights into the universe. This 50-minute monthly show is best for
children 5 and up and begins at 6:45 p.m. RMSC members $4; seniors, college students and kids 3-18 $10; adults $12. PH
SUNDAY, JANUARY 5
MUSIC
Going for Baroque
Memorial Art Gallery, mag.rochester.edu
The baroque organ that sits in the middle of the MAG is, in fact, the only full-size antique Italian organ in North America. But what does it sound like? Every Sunday afternoon, Eastman School of Music students and professional musicians fill the space with expansive, rich and diverse music emanating from the instrument’s pipes. Concerts are from 1:30-1:55 p.m. and 3-3:25 p.m. Included with museum admission. PH
CROSSWORD PUZZLE ANSWERS
PUZZLE ON PAGE 70. NO PEEKING!
Books, banter and beanbags
CULTURE
BY SCOTT PUKOS SCOTT@THELITTLE.ORG
Paper hearts lined the ceiling of Bookeater, fake candles set the mood at each table and books of romance, intrigue and adventure surrounded us. But I wasn’t sitting near the new release section or posted up near my beloved sci-fi shelves. No, I was elsewhere. In between those two sections, there was a hall with no light. And on the floor — very low to the ground — a beanbag chair. On this night of potential romance, that’s where I sat. Just a boy in a cat shirt, sitting at the end of a darkened hallway among the shadows, lounging on my tiny throne of charm waiting for someone to approach.
(Yep, it’s the perfect time for a record scratch, “I bet you’re wondering how I got here” moment!)
I’ve always thought the ultimate meet-cute would happen at a bookstore. Hands gently grazing while reaching for the same Emily Henry novel, eyes locking and shy smiles appearing as a Death Cab for Cutie song swells in the background. Capturing that authentic and charming type of meeting inspired the staff at Bookeater to organize monthly singles meet-up events.
“I’ve always loved bringing people together,” said Lindsay Ellis, event organizer and wife of the store owner Chad Ellis. “[Singles Night] is a low-pressure, fun way to meet people.”
Bookeater, which opened at 836 S. Clinton in May 2023, strives to be an inclusive community gathering spot — a place where everyone feels safe and comfortable, Chad said.
“It’s a happy little house of people who like coffee and books,” said Michal Harel, who attended a recent singles meet-up at the bookshop. For her and others, it’s a welcome alternative to trying meet someone at a bar and it’s definitely better than swiping through dating apps.
The thing about dating apps is they do work (I’m surprised by this, too). According to a 2023 survey by Pew Research Center, 1-in-10 partnered adults (meaning those who are married, living with a partner or in a committed romantic relationship) met their current significant other through a dating site or app. That’s great, but is it an enjoyable experience? Harel voted no, and I’m guessing others agree. I’d venture to say most people could do without experiencing a seemingly endless loop of banal small talk, dropped connections and profile pictures with fish. (Can I apologize on behalf of men everywhere? And to fish everywhere?)
Multiverse stories are trendy right now (check out your local bookstore, if you don’t believe me), and anyone who has used a dating app knows there’s that ominous thought of a missed connection—a timeline where, instead of ghosting, you said yes and found your person to frolic about town with (I’m a big frolic fan, FYI). Sometimes finding that alternative universe is as simple as meeting IRL.
“There’s so much online, it’s easy to be distracted,” Lindsay said. “But when you have that in-person chemistry, it’s hard to ignore.”
That’s exactly what happened during the first singles night when Bookeater barista Makenzie Griffith — who was working the event — spotted someone she had chatted with online briefly before the conversation fizzled out. But in-person — surrounded by words new and old, adventures across the universe and lots of coffee — there was a spark that could not be denied.
“The one I ghosted showed up here,” Griffith said. “And now we’re falling in love.” I can’t do justice to her positively beaming face. A big swoon, for sure.
The meet-up events have followed the same basic formula: group conversation, introductions and ice breakers to begin, followed by speed dating to get one-on-one time with others, trivia and then gathering in the Bookeater backyard to roast marshmallows by a fire.
My beanbag moment happened during the speed dating portion. Confidence levels were high since I was wearing my favorite attire — a white and pink shirt with a cat shooting lightning out of its eyes (super cool, right). I took a bit of a calculated gamble since I wore the same shirt to multiple meet-ups months apart. If the same people showed up, they’d think my closet is filled with the exact same shirt like a cartoon character (green flag), or they’d imagine I’m in a cult that worships a lightning cat (actually, this might be a green flag too).
Cat talk was a fantastic icebreaker
because it turns out book fans also love those little friends of fur and chaos. Bookeater even has a cat pillow that always tricks me for a brief second to think it’s an actual animal. I named it Page. Anyway, here’s the list of icebreakers I used:
1. Cats (see above)
2. Favorite books (obvious, but I love to hear people gush about something they’re passionate about)
3. Should there be a singles night but for finding an arch nemesis? We all need to find “the one” (to loathe).
4. There was a suspicious number of Scotts! Should there be a meeting of just Scotts? A Scott Club, if you will. Scotts, please contact me.
5. There was also a suspicious number of twins (context: I am a twin). And even a triplet! We love siblings who share birthdays! 6. The beanbag! We’ve come full circle. The goofiness of the situation was great to joke about and there were reports of people being charmed (to be clear, the sweet Bookeater staff offered me a different spot and I picked the dark beanbag corner).
Bookeater will continue to host singles night events each month. They plan to explore different themes too, including a very indemand queer night, a casino night and a pet lovers gathering. If you’re not single and want to get in on the fun, a night to meet new friends is also in the works. I recommend wearing a cat shirt.
PHOTOILLUSTRATION BY JACOB WALSH
Second act
BY DAVID ANDREATTA
Michael Cunningham can’t forget the sting of walking out of the Gannett building in downtown Rochester after being laid off from his advertising job there a few weeks before Christmas in 2007.
“It doesn’t ever leave you because of the indignities that went along with it,” he said.
The humiliation, as he recalls it, included carrying a cardboard box stuffed with the contents of his desk and being asked by the human resources officer who escorted him whether he’d prefer to go out the back door or the front.
“I said, ‘I’m going out the front door because I’ve already been backdoored,’” he recalled.
“Then, no lie, I said, ‘Have a Merry Christmas,’ and walked through the revolving door, and almost like on cue this blizzard came sweeping down.”
But 17 years later, Cunningham laughed at the scene along with an audience of about 2,500 people as a version of it played out on the silver screen of the majestic Stanley Theatre in Utica, where a film he wrote premiered on a recent November evening.
The scene was the inciting incident of “The Christmas Letter,” a low-budget flick with big-budget flair featuring the likes of actors Chevy Chase, Randy Quaid and Brian Doyle-Murray appearing in the movie, which was filmed in the Mohawk Valley.
Silver screen, by way of Rochester.
FILM
after being laid off had he acted on his longtime yearning to one-up a real-life wealthy friend, who chronicles his family’s globetrotting escapades in an annual holiday letter.
They ski in the Alps. They summer on the French Riviera. There’s seemingly nothing they can’t do. The yearly mistletoe missive grated on Cunningham, who for a time regarded it as a gnawing reminder of everything he wasn’t and would probably never be.
“I got home the day I got laid off and there was his letter,” said Cunningham, 62, who lives in Webster. “I always remembered that and thought it would make a good jumping-off point for a movie.”
He wasn’t alone.
Two years ago, the premise caught the eye of Angus Benfield, an actor, director and producer, who found Cunningham’s script on InkTip, a website that invites writers to publish their screenplays for a fee in the hope that a producer might take notice.
Benfield, an Australian who makes his home in Los Angeles, explained in a phone interview that he was combing the website for “fresh voices and fresh scripts” when he happened upon “The Christmas Letter.”
“I really enjoyed it,” Benfield said. “But it was the final monologue about the true meaning of Christmas and what
to focus on in life that cemented it for me. That was the clincher.”
Benfield and Cunningham cut a deal on Father’s Day 2022, 11 years to the day that Cunningham’s father died and that Cunningham started writing the script.
“I figured my dad had something to do with it,” Cunningham said.
“The Christmas Letter” hit streaming services on Nov. 12. The synopsis: “Every year, unemployed copywriter Joe Michaels reads his wealthy friend’s annual over-the-top Christmas letter and feels like a loser. But this year’s going to be different.”
With a budget of under $1 million, the film was a do-ityourself venture and had little to spare for distribution.
Cunningham, who grew up in the Mohawk Valley, scouted many of the locations used and raised a good chunk of the financing, earning himself a producer credit.
It was during a chance phone call to the Buffalo Niagara Film Commission in search of an airplane that Cunningham learned the commission had recently worked with Chevy Chase, and that the star of the holiday classic “Christmas Vacation” could be persuaded to appear in “The Christmas Letter.”
On a lark, Benfield inquired with Chase’s agent about his availability. He was told Chase could spare a
day, which was serendipitous, since a day was all Benfield could afford of his time anyway.
When word got out that Chase was doing a Christmas movie, his “Christmas Vacation” co-stars, Quaid and Doyle-Murray, wanted in. The three of them got top billing, although each occupies just a few minutes of screen time.
Cunningham, a married father of two adult children, continued writing advertising copy for other companies after his layoff until the making of “The Christmas Letter.” Now, he’s working on other filmmaking projects.
He’s reconciled the feelings about his own self-worth and his wealthy friend, whom he said has been “very kind” about being lampooned in the film as a pretentious snoot. Indeed, the friend plays a background extra in a French restaurant scene.
“I’m very grateful,” Cunningham said of the project. “I’ve always been a dreamer and I’ve come to this realization that if you kind of let go and just put good stuff out there in the universe, it’ll come back to you.”
Chevy Chase plays a maitre d' in "The Christmas Letter," a film written by Michael Cunningham, of Webster, and starring Angus Benfield, left, and Regina Schneider, right. IMAGE PROVIDED
Screenwriter Michael Cunningham, of Webster, signs a poster for his movie "The Christmas Letter" at the Stanley Theatre in Utica. The movie was filmed in the area of the city.
PHOTOS BY CAROLINE CUNNINGHAM
Steakhouses have been a mark of fine dining since the late 1800s
A rare experience
CULTURE
BY LEAH STACY LEAH@ROCHESTER-CITYNEWS.COM
The first American steakhouse didn’t begin as a steakhouse at all. Its roots can be traced to a six-table cafe in New York City, opened in 1827 by the Italian-Swiss DelMonico brothers; one a trained baker, the other a merchant ship captain who became savvy in the wine business. The cafe’s European-style pastries were such a hit that the brothers opened a full restaurant soon after (thought by many to be America’s first restaurant, due to its à la carte menu). When the Great Fire of New York destroyed their William Street location in 1835, the brothers reopened Delmonico’s two years later on a grander scale at 56 Beaver St. in NYC’s Financial District, where the business remains to this day. America’s first steakhouse — with heavy roots in French cuisine — was born.
In 1859, Delmonico’s was the first restaurant reviewed by “The New York Times,” and was lauded for both its intimidating fine dining experience and its impeccable service: “No noblemen of England — no Marquis of the ancienne noblesse — was ever better served or waited on in greater style than you will be in the private room at Delmonico’s. The lights will be brilliant, the waiters will be curled and
Delmonico’s in New York City, seen here in an 1898 engraving, can lay claim to the title of America’s first steakhouse. FILE PHOTO
perfumed and gloved, the dishes will be strictly en règle and the wines will come with the precision of clockwork that has been duly wound up.”
Notable early guests included Abraham Lincoln, Charles Dickens, Mark Twain and Nikola Tesla. It was also expensive, with the first standalone wine list, and one of the earliest trailblazers in what is now known as farm-to-table cuisine. The Delmonico brothers had a 220-acre farm in Williamsburg where they grew all their produce; this is where they grew the spuds for the muchloved Delmonico’s Potatoes (mashed, topped with breadcrumbs and melted cheese). The Wedge Salad, still on many a steakhouse menu, was created at Delmonico’s about a century after by then-owner Oscar Tucci. And, of course, there was the namesake Delmonico steak — then, whatever cut the chef chose that evening. Today, it’s an 18-ounce cut of boneless ribeye. Many steakhouses feel like time capsules. Walk into Delmonico’s, Keens Steakhouse or Peter Luger Steakhouse in New York City and there are white tablecloths; dim, warm chandeliers; vintage photos documenting a bygone era; a side of creamed spinach on the menu. Keens has 45,000 smoking pipes hanging from the ceiling (the closest a New York State dining room will come to a smoking section again). The owners hail from all backgrounds: Italian, French, Irish. Perhaps the best part of a steakhouse is that it’s uniquely American, and no one country can really lay claim to the cuisine. Here in Rochester, there are several variations on the theme — with a few industry standouts.
MAX CHOPHOUSE
1456 MONROE AVE.
Before Max Chophouse began its nearly 20-year tenure as a fine dining destination in Rochester, chef/owner Anthony “Tony” Gullace opened a bistro concept with two other partners. When the partners decided restaurant biz wasn’t for them after a year, Gullace pivoted to what is now Max Chophouse, a “New York City style neighborhood steakhouse.”
The tiny storefront near Cobbs Hill is unassuming at most, a sort of “if you know, you know” spot for locals. A double-door entrance leads to an intimate bar area with banquette seating and only 12 tables in the dining room beyond. Yes, there are white tablecloths and Ol’ Blue Eyes is crooning from the speakers, but the longtime servers aren’t wearing stiff black and white uniforms.
Gullace’s reputation as a 30-year wine collector and connoisseur draws many of the regulars, as does Max’s menu, which has remained largely unchanged over the last two decades.
Chef/owner Anthony “Tony” Gullace calls his Max Chophouse, near Cobbs Hill, a “New York City-style neighborhood steakhouse.” PHOTOS BY MIKE MARTINEZ
All the classics are here — shrimp cocktail, iceberg wedge, steak frites, surf & turf — though the sides vary away from creamed spinach to more inventive territory like a rotating haricot vert dressing and smoked gouda grits. When it comes to beef, Max holds certificates of authenticity for genuine wagyu beef from Japan and Australia.
Gullace, who grew up on a farm in Victor and lived next door to his Italian grandparents, never planned to be a chef. As the story goes, it just sort of happened.
“We were ‘one of those’ Italian families. My grandmother made bread. My grandfather made wine,” Gullace said. “It was a very old-school Italian kind of upbringing. And then, after school I realized that I wasn’t a nine-tofiver or a suit-and-tie kind of person. I needed more freedom, more expression, so I ended up in the kitchen.”
Gullace seems somehow connected to nearly every chef and restaurant that laid the foundation for fine dining in Rochester; his stories include opening Water Street Grill with Mark Cupolo (who went on to open Rocco) in 1988, at the location now occupied by Pane Vino.
“We had a great run. It was the busiest restaurant in Rochester during the heydays of Kodak and Xerox,” Gullace said. “Everyone had an expense account, and stupid amounts of money were being spent in the city.”
His work in subsequent years included executive chef for the Sands family at the now-defunct Inn on the Lake; VP of food and beverage for the Hudson Hotels Corp.; running the kitchen at Tonic Nightclub (co-owned by Charlie Fitzsimmons, who would eventually open Black & Blue); three years in Florida as owner of the high-
end 1352; and finally, operating five Max locations at one time (there are now two remaining).
“When you do this for as long as I have, and you have the connections — I’ve been able to travel, have dinner with chefs that I would otherwise never meet,” Gullace said. “It’s been very fulfilling. I wouldn’t do anything differently.”
That said, 2025 will bring some aesthetic updates: a redesigned bar and dining room design for the Chophouse, and a full bar install for Max at Eastman Place, as bar dining remains popular. Gullace is also spending less time behind the line at the Chophouse these days, leaving that to Chef Rory Halliday, who he said “knows how I want things done.”
And he’s hired Kris Klinkbeil, who previously managed Bar Bantam and Black & Blue, to run operations for both Max Chophouse and Max at Eastman Place. Klinkbeil has added a few new cocktails to the Chophouse lineup — for those who don’t fancy a dirty martini during their steakhouse experience, he’s crafted a savory Manhattan called “The Colonel” using Pabst Worcestershire sauce and Fee Bros. Turkish tobacco bitters.
As Gullace trains the next generation of his staff, he emphasizes learning and technique — but never underestimates the power of simplicity.
“If you have the technique down, then you can expand on it,” he said. “It’s not all about putting 18 ingredients together. Sometimes it’s simple. I can dehydrate a tomato and cut it. But the best tomato you’re ever going to have is one that’s warm off the vine.”
“You don’t have to reinvent the wheel every day.” maxrochesterny.com
Black & Blue Steak and Crab co-owner Charlie Fitzsimmons said the restaurant leans into being modern and accessible to the everyday diner: “We don’t want to be that ‘white tablecloth’ experience.” PHOTO BY MIKE MARTINEZ
Max Chophouse holds certificates of authenticity for genuine wagyu beef from Australia, seen here, and from Japan.
PHOTO BY MIKE MARTINEZ
PHOTO PROVIDED
BLACK & BLUE STEAK AND CRAB
3349 MONROE AVE.
When Rocky Baye walked into Black & Blue Steak and Crab for his first shift almost 20 years ago, Thievery Corporation was playing over the dining room speakers.
“I thought, ‘Oh, I’m in the right place,” Baye said, who is now director of operations for the Two for Seven Restaurant Group. “It was very on trend for design at the time — and that has continued, right down to the music. We’re not playing Frank Sinatra.”
Two for Seven also includes JoJo Bistro in Pittsford and Webster; TRATA; and Village Bakery & Cafe in Pittsford, Webster and downtown Rochester. Though co-owner Charlie Fitzsimmons was inspired by oldschool New York City steakhouses, with Black & Blue, he created something a bit more modern and accessible to the everyday diner. It’s a testament to his hospitality group’s ability to give the people what they want — Black & Blue has been serving close to 300 people nightly for 20 years, with no sign of slowing. In fact, since the Rochester location opened, the group has gone on to open four more locations: Buffalo; Albany; and Burlington and Wellesley in Massachusetts.
“ We’ve leaned into the guest from the gate — the owners are local guys, they grew up here, their friends are here, they get it,” Baye said. “It’s not just baked potato and asparagus with a ribeye. It has a unique flair to it. We don’t want to be that ‘white tablecloth’ experience, but a new version where guests feel more comfortable.”
The private dining rooms available at Black & Blue also create additional opportunities for guests, whether it’s a special occasion or a business gathering. But Baye said it all comes back to the sensory experience.
“From the attention of your server to the sizzling steak skillets flying by in an upbeat atmosphere or little touches like a chocolate truffle or a welcome card,” he said. “We’ve done those things for 19 years and we’ll continue to add on and hone.”
Black & Blue will celebrate 20 years at the Monroe Ave. location next summer — but first, it’s getting a little dining-room facelift. Stay tuned for more updates. blackandbluesteakandcrab.com
PATRON SAINT
260 E. BROAD ST., SUITE 120
After two years of anticipation and pivots, Patron Saint steakhouse — the newest concept from SCN Hospitality — opened its doors to the public in early November. With a lush green interior that sports pops of gold and fuchsia, the Center City spot is as social mediaworthy as they come these days.
A t the helm are restaurateurs Josh and Jenna Miles, whose first project was The Revelry in 2013. In all SCN Hospitality includes six concepts: Patron Saint, Velvet Belly, Branca Midtown, Ziggy’s, Bitter Honey and The Revelry. Branca Basin was formerly theirs as well; that property is now independently owned and operated.
But it was Josh and managing partner Jeremy Nucelli’s time operating Char Steak & Lounge in The Strathallan on East Ave. that really drove the latest concept.
“It was passion from Josh and Jeremy in particular — having all that experience and then the opportunity to do a steakhouse that’s refined and have a space where we’re able to offer highend food and service and really polish that,” Jenna said. “Ken from Buckingham (Properties) wanted us to put something here based on our ability to run Branca successfully for almost 10 years.”
Patron Saint is named for Ken’s father, Larry Glazer, who died in a plane crash along with his wife, Jane Glazer, in 2014. The Glazers were longstanding champions of downtown development, and The Grove — where Patron Saint, Butler/Till and Tower280 are all located — is the culmination of Glazer’s vision. From its name to the decor, Patron Saint honors that legacy; its showstopping piece is a vibrant tree designed by Wisteria Flowers & Gifts in the center of the dining room.
“ We played off of Larry’s idea of the growth in this area, and that’s where the tree and the green stemmed from,” managing partner Chelsea Felton said. “From the carpet to the booths and the luxury Art Deco, walking in here feels less masculine, more soft.”
M any classic steakhouse traits remain, and intentionally. SCN wanted a space where guests could have a lavish night out; the eightperson velvet corner booths and
dining room flanked by a wine wall speak to that. The menu itself has plenty of stalwarts, from a Crab Louie Salad to Hasselback Potatoes; on Thursdays there’s prime rib; on Fridays, a martini lunch.
“I also think the physical menu itself is relatively classic,” Jenna said. “It’s big. It’s a book. It feels weighty. Inside, the offerings are pretty traditional. Even the glassware, all of the choices that we made in this space aren’t white tablecloths, but still feel luxurious.”
S he added that for her, steakhouses are always about nostalgia.
“ There’s something about having a steak out, in a certain type of environment,” she said. “But this doesn’t feel like a time capsule in the same way.” patronsaintsteak.com
ADDITIONAL ROCHESTERAREA STEAKHOUSES
Char Steak & Lounge in the Strathallan Hotel 550 East Ave.
Delmonico’s Italian Steakhouse
125 White Spruce Blvd.
(Editor’s note: this is an upstate chain that began in Syracuse and has no affiliation with the Delmonico’s of New York City.)
Naughton’s Johnson House
19 S. Main St., Churchville
Nucci’s Italian Seafood & Steak House
807 Ridge Rd A., Webster Rare 3001 3001 Monroe Ave.
The Porterhouse
Steak Scotch and Seafood
400 Packetts Landing, Fairport Tournedos Steakhouse at The Inn on Broadway 26 Broadway
private
Newcomer Patron Saint, on E. Broad St., flaunts a vibrant tree designed by Wisteria Flowers & Gifts in the center of the dining room. They boast a Crab Louie Salad, Hasselback Potatoes, prime rib and a Friday martini lunch.
PHOTOS BY ABBY QUATRO
24 bottles of (more than) beer on the wall
1. Laxmi Kombucha Happy Gut Sanctuary happygutsanctuary.com
Our lovely neighbors on Mill Street make a mean tea egg. They also pump out some of the best kombucha you can find anywhere. This particular batch leans into acidic, bright notes of cranberry and hibiscus that contrast with a mild sweetness, all punctuated by a gentle funk on the finish. Ideal for making a true believer of someone who insists they don’t like kombucha.
2. Tropikitty
Double IPA
Rohrbach Brewing Company rohrbachs.com
A credit to Rohrbach is that Rochester’s oldest brewery has breathlessly maintained relevance over three decades in operation. Just as Scotch Ale is a classic, beers like this pineapple-imbued take on their juice bomb IPA Space Kitty are on the cutting edge of the city’s beer scene. If there are no true believers in head brewer Joel Will left, I am no longer alive.
4. Just Fruit (Strawberry, Tangerine, Mango)
Smoothie sour ale Frequentem Brewing Company frequentembrewing.com
Our friends at Frequentem do a lot of things well: clean European-style lagers and hazy IPAs among them. But it’s their trend-chasing smoothie sours that are often the star of the show. They’re thick, candy sweet and about as subtle as a chainsaw. Crowd pleaser, to say the least.
7. Kind Hopped Water Hop water
Three Heads Brewing Company threeheadsbrewing.com God, did I miss The Kind. At a certain point of being a human storm drain for Rochester beer, you’ll find nothing can really replace Rochester’s signature IPA once you cut the brakes on drinking. This fills the gap. My slogan of “all of The Kind, none of the fun” was rejected though. I did just pitch it in the previous sentence, but I know how this will go.
10. Rattlesnake’s Maple Bacon
Flavored whiskey Iron Smoke Distilling ironsmokedistillery.com
Remember when YouTube was fun videos and not either a playground for the most banal people on earth desperately trying to build careers as influencers or a place that brainwashed your uncle into believing the United States Postal Service is run by lizard people? Back when it was dudes with big beards putting bacon in increasingly improbable food configurations? Simpler time. Anyway, this is vegan somehow.
3. Dry Riesling White wine
Dr. Konstantin Frank drfrankwines.com
There are two names everyone should know in Finger Lakes wine, and those are Hermann J. Wiemer and Dr. Konstantin Frank. One sip of the zest, hop and complex minerality of this iconic Germanic wine will tell you why.
5. Cucumber Watermelon Vodka soda Lake Hour lakehour.com
Weird that if Jonathan Demme hadn’t directed the women’s prison exploitation film “Caged Heat,” he probably would never have directed “Swing Shift.” Which means Kurt Russell and Goldie Hawn may have never gotten together on set. Which means Wyatt Russell would never be born, never meet producer Richard Peete who now lives on Conesus Lake and start a drink company with Peete. Which means I would not be sitting on the fifth floor of an office building in Rochester writing about a cucumber watermelon vodka soda. The world is a beautiful place.
6. Cumulus Hazy IPA Wayland Brewing Company waylandbrewing.com
8. Jostaberry Jam Hard cider Blue Barn Cidery bluebarncidery.com
What in the fuck is a jostaberry? Wikipedia say it’s a “complex-cross fruit bush in the genus Ribes.” Sounds made up. It tastes like cotton candy and blueberries. Would a truly just God cater such delights in a world rife with such suffering? I don’t know, do you?
Everyone stop reading unless you’re a public radio program manager named Michael Black. I will give you a minute... “OK, Mike, is that you? Look, I included Wayland. You’ve told me for months and now it’s here. It’s a really good IPA. Cool. Thanks.”
9. Tug Light Light lager Iron Tug Brewing Company irontugbrewing.com
I’m a grown up. I’m not going to make innuendo about the most obvious name for a nice American light lager from Iron Tug. You know where I’m going with this and we’re both better than that. I mean, I’m not, but I respect you too much as a reader to do this to you. This is a serious magazine, and I am a professional. But, I mean, Tug Light? Come on.
11. Oh2 Chill THC seltzer Other Half Brewing Company otherhalfbrewing.com The folks at Other Half rarely miss, and in expanding from beer to the weed seltzer game, that holds true. A modest 5mg THC makes this a good casual drink for even the most THCunacquainted.
Fuego is perhaps best known nationally as the place where Ashley and Manuel from “90 Day Fiancé” banged in the bathroom. Quite a controversial topic on Reddit, folks. I’ll settle the debate as someone who has never seen the show: that rocks. So does this coffee.
The annual reader favorite returns.
It’s that time of year, CITY readers.
Well, sort of.
When we launched the first Beer Advent Calendar back in 2020, it was a project that served dual purposes: bring you a sample of the best of the best in Rochester-region brewing,
13.
Osmote
osmotewine.com
The Finger Lakes haven’t previously had a reputation for red wines, and, for many years, rightfully so. Much of the bloodier stuff was more akin to candy than wine and was never seeking esteem. But that’s changed, and this Cab Franc, a particularly strong grape in the region, shows that. A subtle, yet robust wine bursting with cherry, plum and strawberry notes.
14. Sun, Moon and Sours (Hawaiian Punch)
Fruited sour Rising Storm Brewing Company Risingstormbrewing.com
If there’s nothing I appreciate more in the world, it’s honesty. This is a beer that delivers on its promise. It tastes like all of the high-fructose, indiscernible fruit mashup you’d expect from a juice box. It is exactly what you’d expect, and, I think, what you deserve as well.
and for me and select CITY staffers to get as drunk as humanly possible in the middle of a work day on the company dime. We like to believe we succeeded on both fronts.
B ut times and seasons change, and some of us are largely off the sauce, as the kids say. So, in that
16. 2021 Pinot Noir Red wine Hosmer hosmerwinery.com
The good folks at Hosmer have the honor of making my mom’s favorite wine. At least, her favorite local wine. This is an ideal representation of the Finger Lakes approach to Pinot Noir. A medium body bursting with cherry and berry with a beautifully complex finish. Enjoy, mom — thanks for, uh, birth.
17. Too Kind
Double IPA
Three Heads Brewing Company threeheadsbrewing.com Yeah, they showed up twice. What exactly are you going to do about it? Call me lazy? Yell at me on Twitter? Yeah, I know it’s called X now. I don’t care. There’s nothing you can do about any of this. You’re already reading this. Ink’s dry, baby. That’s journalism for you.
spirit, we decided to make some changes. In this calendar, you’ll still find plenty of beer — but also wine, THC seltzers, coffee, kombucha and even a weirdass spirit. We also are not just celebrating producers, but also shops and importers bringing cool stuff to the region.
Point being, we wanted to offer something for everyone to help you through this holiday season. I know I, like many of you, am looking
19. White Horse Red blend
Bloomer Creek Vineyard bloomercreek.com
While filming our little Instagram video for this series, Roberto was able to capture in real time my learning from the clerk at Pinnacle Liquor that Bloomer Creek had sold off its winery. Heartwrenching, but they’ve earned it. No funny quips here, not even about the fact their red table wine is called fucking White Horse. Bloomer Creek made the best natural wine I’ve ever tasted. Kim and Debra, if you’re reading, we love you and thanks for everything you’ve done.
20. Cran-Snap Kombucha Katboocha Katboocha.com
Sometimes things defy expectations. I was expecting this to be a tart, cranberry-focused drink. It’s not. It’s intensely floral with strong notes of vanilla. Still tasty.
15. Bath Bomb (Raspberry, Lemon, and Pomegranate)
Smoothie sour Fifth Frame Brewing Company fifthframe.co
I’m a firm believer that the holidays are a time for hedonistic indulgence. You can count calories the rest of the year, taking a break isn’t going to kill you. How much sugar is in these viscous concoctions is not something you should think about, nor that it’s a can of beer that barely qualifies as a liquid when poured.
18. Mass Riot New England IPA Prison City Brewing Company prisoncitybrewing.com In the unstoppable march of time, what’s new will become old. What was once on the bleeding edge will one day become a classic. Enter Mass Riot, a beer that 10 years ago was the subject of fervor, sale lines and online beer trading. All of those things have faded into nothingness, yet the beer remains. It’s still a perfect IPA.
21. Kacey’s Kristmas Ale Christmas ale Rohrbach Brewing Company Rohrbachs.com
Look I did it again, a double appearance. But honestly, this one belongs, and as we’ve previously established, there’s nothing you can do about it. For my money, this is the singular Rochester Christmas beer. Lightly spiced with notes of cherry and roast. It’s a fireside sipper.
forward to being held hostage in conversations about AI-generated images my aunt saw on Facebook as I desperately try to just eat my goddamn ham. Fun times we live in! So whether you manage by punishing your liver or you’re the type of sicko cracking a nitro cold brew at the dinner table, we got you covered. Seasons’ greetings, be nice to each other.
- GINO FANELLI @GINOFANELLI
22. 2023 La Fine Bulle Sparkling white Domaine Goepp d-i.wine
So, why is a French wine on this list? Local importer Direct Import Vines brings in a highly curated selection of natural wines from around the world, which means you’re able to taste some real off the wall stuff that you would never get outside their local region. That’s pretty neat.
23. Apollo Rotburger Ibi revelcider.com
Another Direct Import wine, but from a little closer to home. Ibi is an experimental natural winery from Revel Cider in Guelph, Ontario. I’m going to be honest with you, I have absolutely no idea what to expect from this. Its color is a strange amber. It spells “rotberger” as “rotburger” and I don’t know if those are different things or just a typo.
24. Cream Ale See above Genesee Brewing Company Geneseebeer.com
At a certain point in writing these, my brain begins to slowly dissolve, and I must restrain the urge to fall into musings on societal decay. Far be it for me to say the future is not daunting and uncertain. We’ve been conditioned to treat our friends and neighbors as adversaries while vulturous oligarchs milk us for every last bit of capital. Our doom will assign no blame but our hubris and ignorance. But there’s always good old Genesee.
Cheers!
2022 Cabernet Franc Red wine
The gift of a winter storm
BY ROBERT Q. POLLARD JR.
There is nothing quite like a well-predicted, pending winter snowstorm to stir people’s feelings and actions which speak to deep aspects of our shared humanity. I write this on a clear but chilly early evening in western New York, as we await the arrival of a predicted 10–15 inches of snow blowing in from the Midwest, slated to arrive about midnight and linger a good 24 hours. That’s cool.
Rochester, my hometown, has plenty of plows, salt trucks, and other resources to respond to a snowfall amount that is modest — by our standards. What impresses me tonight is something quite different. All day, I’ve listened to people talking about the impending storm. Universally, the talk is excited, upbeat and conveys a
feeling of adventure and excitement. No doubt, this is attributable to the meteorologists whose talents allow us to enjoy two or three days of preparation before the actual event visits us. But it’s far more than that. Preparing for 24 or 48 hours without easy access to travel, grocery stores, our workplaces, and perhaps electricity requires modern Americans to tap a resource in their brains that our ancestors knew well but with which we are generally unfamiliar.
I think this accounts for the excitement. In a world where architectural, technological, and economic advancements have largely mitigated the impact of Mother Nature, her occasional wallops — provided they are not too harsh and can be predicted in enough time to prepare adequately — present us with opportunities to reach back to earlier times, when our ancestors had to attend and accommodate to Mother’s far more nuanced vicissitudes. That’s a good thing.
As this new storm approaches, people are taking stock of their food
supplies, supplementing them as needed in the few remaining hours. Others are tending to their homes and vehicles, ensuring protection and readiness. Some are inspired about the specialized work they’ll be called upon to do because of the storm. Others are attending to creature comforts — dressing in flannel, preparing soups and stews or planning family activities for the brief hibernation period. Everyone is checking to be sure their loved ones are well situated to ride out our white, windy visitor.
All day tomorrow, those with snow blowers, and many with shovels, will be helping neighbors in need with a smile on their face.
Coffee, hot chocolate, baked treats, cocktails and hugs will be shared in gratitude. In a day or two, it will all be over. The roads will be clear, work will resume, and people will return to the routine of their lives where, usually, Mother Nature isn’t such a factor. But, conscious of it or not, we seem to cherish these occasional, if predictable
and moderate, visits from her firmer hand. They connect us to a lineage of humanity that enjoyed or endured (both seem relevant) these types of hardships far more often than we do.
I’m glad for that occasional reminder. As our modern lives increasingly insulate us from the natural world, the more we need connection to the wisdom of times gone by, when people and Mother Nature were having a much more egalitarian and contentious relationship. Whether you are concerned about the climate effects of global warming or the super volcano beneath Yellowstone Park, while such anxieties may be well-placed, perhaps we can take a measure of comfort in the expression of human kindness that emerges from small tests such as the one beginning now outside my window.
Dr. Pollard, who was born and raised in Rochester, is a Clinical Professor Emeritus of Psychiatry at the University of Rochester School of Medicine.
ARTS, MUSIC & CULTURE EVENTS FOR THE SOCIALLY RESTLESS.
FOOD AND BEV NEWS, GOSSIP, AND GATHERINGS CURATED BY LEAH STACY
Abundance Food Co-op at 571 South Ave., which carries locallysourced organic groceries, is now open later, until 8:30 p.m. daily.
, the newest restaurant in the SCN Hospitality portfolio, has opened at The Grove, 260 E. Broad St., across from Branca Midtown. It’s a classic American steakhouse, punctuated by lush, Miami-esque green interiors and serving up martinis the way they should be: with a side carafe on ice. See the full menu patronsaintsteak.com REDD Wood, a new concept from award-winning Chef Richard Reddington of REDD and Marty O’Sullivan of Marty’s Meats, will open in the former Grinnell’s Restaurant at 1696 Monroe Ave. The space is currently undergoing extensive renovations; opening is slated for Valentine’s Day.
Dano’s Heuriger on Seneca in Lodi will close on Dec. 1 after 19 years. Chef/owner Dano Hutnik, who died suddenly in 2018, was a trailblazing force in the Finger Lakes culinary scene and a semi-finalist for the James Beard Awards Best Chef in the Northeast in both 2012 and 2014.
Silver Thread Winery plans to open a tasting room in the space
Grow-NY Food and Agriculture
Business Competition took place in Ithaca Nov. 6-7, resulting in prizes totaling $3 million awarded to seven global food, beverage and agriculture startups. Among them are two Rochester-area businesses: Zordi ($250K) in Oakfield, which builds autonomous greenhouses with robots and AI to make delicious, high-
quality produce available anywhere; and UdderWays ($500K) in Albion, which uses a unique, brushless technology to gently stimulate cows and ensure clean, dry teats.
FOOD FÊTES
Max Chophouse, 1456 Monroe Ave., will bring back its old school, allyou-can-eat-and-drink “Beefsteak Dinner” on January 13, 20 and 27. Enjoy a selection of highly soughtafter Cade and Plumpjack wines along with some of the finest prime rib and dry-aged and wagyu beef. Each seating is limited to 40 people at $500 per ticket; for more info, visit maxrochesterny.com.
Sparkling wine and the holidays just makes sense. Join wine educator (and CITY Best Of nominated “Best Somm”) Shomari Smoak for “All About Bubbles” at Living Roots Wine & Co. on Wednesday, Dec. 11, an evening of in-depth education sipping and learning about bubbly. A $40 ticket includes five tastings; more info available at livingrootswine.com.
Refuse Rations
PUZZLE
BY S.J. AUSTIN & J. REYNOLDS
ACROSS
1. Sat for a photo
6. Scrounges (up)
12. Old horses, slangily
16. Spot for an orchestra
19. “…old woman who lived in ___”
20. Bluesman King
21. Potent prefix?
22. Enzyme suffix
23. **Idyllic entrée in a Jimmy Buffett hit
25. **Cookout side everyone claims to have the best recipe for
27. Kenan’s Nickelodeon co-star
28. Lack of musical ability
29. Device whose screen has 3,499,200 pixels
31. Mousey, in a way
32. Journey: Swahili
35. Did some custodial work
37. Baking soda paste for a bee sting, e.g.
38. Let go
41. “Push th’ Little Daisies” rockers
42. Like 24-karat gold
43. Lingering gaze
46. One of the Allman Brothers
48. Perceives
50. Noggin
54. **Sautéed potato dish
56. Soldier of the lowest rank
59. Identify, as in an Instagram post
60. Singer Grande, to fans
61. Web site?
63. **Concise (and gutsy!) way to order a 128-Across
65. Eminent conductor
68. Baby-faced
70. Fire engine supply
71. Lascivious looks
73. Father-daughter boxing family name
74. New York’s Memorial ___ Kettering Cancer Center
77. Basis of much insurance fraud
80. Followed like a detective
83. Dory’s affliction in “Finding Nemo”
87. **Boston delicacy?
90. Alerts
92. Place to play the ponies, for short
93. Mother of 77-Down
94. Biased
96. **Inventor of 128-Across
99. Crude and offensive
101. Flight board figs.
102. Furious
104. Beside
105. Possesses
107. Actress Skye
109. 1980s video game giant
111. Sappy song, sometimes
114. Eliminate
116. Image on a denarius
120. Soothing succulents
121. Bone-dry
122. Like the staff at Santa’s
Workshop
125. Miner’s goal
126. **Sriracha, for one
128. Iconic Rochester dish indicated by the answers to the starred clues
132. Prince Edward Island hrs.
133. Beach tops
134. Former San Francisco mayor Joseph
135. Tasty
136. Simpson judge comedically portrayed by Myers
137. Memo heading
138. Worried one
139. Church recesses
1. Hikers’ burdens
2. ___ Jackson, a.k.a. Ice Cube
3. Easy DIY carpentry project
4. Fair-hiring inits.
5. ___ Moines
6. One-time Cincinnati Reds star and LensCrafters pitchman
7. What you’re reading right now
8. First name in world religions?
9. Like some starfish arms and salamander tails
10. Poetic preposition
11. One of a famous group of 13 12. Wanderer 13. Make _____ dash 14. Vitamin Shoppe competitor
15. Maggie, to Bart or Jake
16. ___ d’Or (Cannes award)
17. “To repeat…”
18. Stuffed bear named for a president
24. Oklahoma municipality, or its eponymous Tennyson character
26. Pointed a bow
30. Thoughtful
33. Measurement for a farmer or real estate broker
34. Snorkeling locale
36. Marshmallow treat
37. Out of practice
39. Newspaper V.I.P. 40. Number for two 42. Bosc or Anjou 43. Farce 44. When tripled, a war movie 45. Lady friend, in Lille 47. Yard sale disclaimer 49. Ties
51. Soul legend Redding
52. Lion’s pride?
53. Hen’s output
55. Uncommon
57. Critic’s task
58. ___ Allen
62. Two-wheeled horse-drawn carriage
64. Put an edge on
66. Blackthorn fruit
67. Sees (to)
69. Every bit
72. Tolerate
75. Medical journal, or surgical tool
76. Siberian city
77. The brother in “Am I my brother’s keeper?”
78. Five-stars on Yelp
79. Distort
81. More nervous
82. Agent Scully on “The X-Files”
84. Manhattan neighborhood next to TriBeCa
85. Words after pour or pass
86. As snug as ___ in a rug
88. “Will it ___?” (Viral marketing question)
89. Consumes
91. “Lovely” meter maid
95. Flintstones pet
97. Figure skater Lipinski
98. “I cannot tell _____”
100. Hands (out)
103. Debussy piece showcased in Westworld
106. Japanese horseradish
108. Certain Swiss watches
110. Stridex target
111. Belief system emphasizing the essential oneness of humankind
112. “It’s ___ cause”
113. So-called “tax on the poor,” for short
114. Candymaker surname that conveniently rhymes with “piece”
115. Common pasta shape
117. “Days of Our Lives” and “General Hospital,” familiarly
118. Clarinet whiz Shaw
119. Accessories for 118-Down
121. Mufasa’s bane
123. Destiny
124. Composer Stravinsky
127. Inspiration for a Keats poem
129. ___-country, genre for Uncle Tupelo and Lucinda Williams
130. Commercial paid for by the Ad Council, for short
