CITY February 2025

Page 1


In Memory of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

“I

have a dream that my...children will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character.”

We salute the following students for the example they have set with their lives in school and in the community by living the ideals of Martin Luther King, Jr.

Martin Luther King Recipients 2025

#4 – Jose Gilman

#5 – Eliecer Angulo

#8 – Island McKelvey

#9 – Jeremiah Sosa

#12 – Marjaan Yunusu

#15 – Besdan Yunan

#16 – Echelon Reed

#17 – Evan Emmanuel

#23 – Christine Mensah

#33 – Kaleb Harris-Pressley

#34 – Nicholas Schwartz

#35 – Janet Hernandez

#42 – De’Jahn Knight

#46 – Aw’Guhst Flowers

#50 – Levi Alcantara

#52 – Kiheon Jones

#54 – Kam’Ron Penn

#58 (Elementary) – Johnny Washington

Rochester International Academy (Elementary) – Muqadus Sadat

Dr. Freddie Thomas MS –Kenniel Alcantara Vazquez

East Lower School – Angelo Escobar

Loretta Johnson MS – Jah’Zier Harris

Northwest Junior High – Ma’lahny Pirela

#58 (Secondary) – Trevor Wiggins

East Upper School – Kyle Markham

Edison Career & Technology High School –Keren Ntumba

James Monroe Upper School –Christabelle Agyeiwaah

Padilla High School – Zerenity Clarke

Rochester Early College International High School – Eliana Hagood-Coker

Rochester International Academy (Secondary) – Manal Alnaser

School of the Arts – Flor Ayala Pound

School Without Walls – Shia Torres

Wilson Magnet High School –Joseph Baldrich

Home/Hospital Program –Januel Ortiz-Gonzalez

Rochester Teachers Association Human Relations Committee

12

COMMUNITY DIY CLASSES PROVIDE A CIRCLE OF CREATIVE SUPPORT. BY

16 PHOTO ESSAY CITY GOES RINGSIDE AT ROC BOXING.

22

WELLNESS

FINDING BREATH AND BALANCE THROUGH INTENTIONAL PHYSICALITY.

TRILLIUM HEALTH LOOKS AHEAD WITH NEW LEADERSHIP, FEDERAL FUNDING AND A CLASSICAL MUSIC DRAG SHOW. BY PATRICK HOSKEN

FITNESS A PHYSICAL HEALTH JOURNEY CAN COME IN MANY SHAPES AND SIZES — JUST LIKE PEOPLE. BY ALYSSA KOH

ARTS THE HUNGERFORD BUILDING WAS ONCE THE EPICENTER OF ARTIST STUDIOS DOWNTOWN — NOW IT’S AN EMPTY SHELL FILLED WITH WASTE. BY GINO FANELLI

FOOD LOCAL FERMENTS THAT PACK A (GUT) PUNCH. BY JOE MORRELL

280 State Street Rochester, New York 14614 feedback@rochester-citynews.com phone (585) 244-3329 roccitymag.com

PUBLISHER

Rochester Area Media Partners LLC, Chris Hastings, chairman

FOUNDERS

Bill and Mary Anna Towler

EDITORIAL

Editor: Leah Stacy

Arts reporter: Patrick Hosken

Multimedia reporter: Roberto Felipe Lagares

Editorial intern: Alyssa Koh

Contributors: Sydney Burrows, Alex Crichton, Gino Fanelli, Rob Houppert, Daniel J. Kushner, Johanna Lester, Megan Mack, Elise Martinez, Mike Martinez, Jacalyn Meyvis, Joe Morrell, Jackie Perrin, Abby Quatro, Mona Seghatoleslami, Max Schulte, G. Murray Thomas, Veronica Volk, Ryan Yarmel

CREATIVE

Director, Strategy: Ryan Williamson Art director: Jacob Walsh

ADVERTISING ads@rochester-citynews.com

Sales director: Alison Zero Jones

Advertising consultant/ Project manager: David White

OPERATIONS/CIRCULATION

Operations manager: Ryan Williamson

CITY is available free of charge. Additional copies of the current issue may be purchased by calling 585-784-3503. CITY may be distributed only by authorized distributors. No person may, without prior written permission of CITY, take more than one copy of each monthly issue.

CITY (ISSN 1551-3262) is published monthly 12 times per year by Rochester Area Media Partners, a subsidiary of WXXI Public Broadcasting. Periodical postage paid at Rochester, NY (USPS 022-138). Address changes: CITY, 280 State Street, Rochester, NY 14614. Member of the Association of Alternative Newsmedia and the New York Press Association. Copyright by Rochester Area Media Partners LLC, 2025 - all rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, photocopying, recording or by any information storage retrieval system without permission of the copyright owner.

of

Antidote for a digidemic

EDITOR'S LETTER

My first scroll through TikTok was in March 2020, when I think quite a few other “elder millennials” joined the social media platform. It launched in September 2016 and became the most downloaded app in the U.S. by October 2018, so I wasn’t ahead of the game by any means (to me it fell in the same category as Snapchat, an app for “the kids”). And then quarantine happened, and social media became the largest window to the outside world. I still recall trends from that time: “bored in the house, and I’m in the house bored;” “Renegade” dance routines; Nestle crunch; endless sourdough bread ASMR; makeup tutorials — the list goes on.

Those hours of scrolling may have helped pass time during a pandemic, but what have they done for a different (ongoing) epidemic? A 2021 Harvard study titled “Loneliness in America: How the Pandemic Has Deepened an Epidemic of Loneliness and What We Can Do About It” found that “43% of young adults reported increases in loneliness since the outbreak of the pandemic. About half of lonely young adults in our survey reported that no one in the past few weeks had ‘taken more than just a few minutes’ to ask how they are doing in a way that made them feel like the person ‘genuinely cared.’”

I was living alone for much of the pandemic, and I can attest to the yawning loneliness of those times. While I often found social media good for a laugh

or learning something new (trend, hairstyle, stain remover, etc.) during many lonely times over the last few years, it never compares to a deep conversation with a friend or a project that impacts others. In fact, I cofounded a print literary magazine in 2021 specifically to create the offline community so many of us were (are) craving. Social media is not meant to replace a community, but to complement and unite.

A timely example of this is the Buffalo Bills social media presence —

I’m not even a football (sportball) fan, per se, but I enjoy the camaraderie created by the team’s hype squad online and off. Would I rather experience watching a game then share a recap reel on Instagram? Absolutely.

In the same vein, we still print CITY because analog matters. Because picking up a copy of the magazine at your favorite local shop or leaving it on your coffee table throughout the month matters. Knowing you can find it in the red boxes around town matters. Our sources,

writers and photographers know having their names in print matters.

In CITY’s first-ever wellness issue, our team looked at it as a concept and went beyond the buzzy stereotype — telling stories about not only physical, but spiritual, financial and cultural wellness. It’s one of our newsier issues in a while, and we’re looking forward to your thoughts.

Be well, L

CITY Social

MIKE MARTINEZ

R.E.P.O.R.T.S.

(R)EADING, (E)ATING, (P)LAYING, (O)BSESSING OVER, (R)ECOMMENDING, (T)REATING, (S)HOUTING OUT.

REPORTER: Hannah McMullen, age: 34. Pilates instructor and studio owner, The Reformery

SOCIAL: @hannahm.pilates / @thereformerynewyork / thereformerynewyork.com

HOMETOWN: Grew up in Oneonta; currently resides in Rochester

READING: The Emily Oster Substack, @AdamMcateePilates on Instagram, “New York Times Cooking,” “Fitt Insider,” and “CITY Magazine,” of course!

EATING: The chaga latte at Pandamonium Coffee; kombucha and ramen at Happy Gut Sanctuary / Roc City Ramen; Italian cookies (the glazed lemon are my fave) at Dolce by Palermo; elevated pub food and drink at Jack’s Extra Fancy.

PLAYING: For podcasts, I’m listening to “Evidence-Based Pilates,” “Giggly Squad,” “Honestly” with Bari Weiss and “Parent Data.” For music, it’s currently the “Wicked” soundtrack, Jason Isbell, Taylor Swift and �90s/2000s hip-hop throwbacks.

OBSESSING OVER: Pilates (a growing obsession since 2012); trying to embrace Rochester winters; sourcing eco-friendly, plastic-free apparel and home furnishings. Shout out to greenercloset.com for making this so much easier.

RECOMMENDING: Exercise. Any kind of movement you enjoy! Once you find exercise you actually like, it is so much easier to be consistent (and stay consistent) long term. Consistency improves your life in every way (energy, mental and physical health, activities and hobbies, playing with your kids, etc.). I never exercised before discovering Pilates and now it is my obsession, my career and my favorite form of self-care.

TREATING MYSELF TO: Monthly facials at The Ecology Room (ecologyroomroc.com). It’s a relaxing, feelgood facial that feels like the hybrid of a massage, facial, and all-around hour of self-love.

SHOUTING OUT: Root Catering (rootcatering.com). They treated our team to an end-of-year lunch and the food was incredible — I can’t stop thinking about it.

Interested in being a CITY R.E.P.O.R.T.S. interviewee? Send an email to leah@rochester-citynews.com.

PHOTOS PROVIDED

Fitness that fits you

As New Year’s resolutions begin to wane, it’s easy to feel like committing to personal fitness is a lost cause — and it’s even more difficult for those who can’t access common exercise options. Whether it’s accessibility, mobility or age, these Rochesterbased organizations help ensure all community members find a place that fits their needs:

ONE STOP, NO SHOP

Is the price of a gym membership stopping you from getting one? City of Rochester residents qualify for free access to 11 R-Centers. For those outside the city, memberships cost up to $40 annually. Take a swim lesson, Zumba class or play an open pickup basketball game at no cost. There are both youth and adult offerings, and afterschool student transportation to R-Centers can be provided through the City School District. cityofrochester.gov

RECOVERY COMES AT A PRICE, BUT NOT HERE

Interested in starting a fitness journey, but don’t know how to hold yourself accountable? For those willing to put in the work to stay sober, ROCovery Fitness is open to you. Try a workout alone or with an assigned staff member as a workout partner. There’s an open gym, a running club and a 12 step meeting, but ROCovery Fitness seeks to be a multi-purpose third space for its community.

A physical health journey can come in many shapes and sizes — just like people.

Members can take on their fears of singing in public with Friday afternoon karaoke, stretch their cognitive muscles on a Thursday with the Chess Club, or play Dungeons & Dragons with newfound friends. The program also hosts special community events each month, which could be anything from bracelet making to a health clinic. In addressing community wants and needs, ROCovery aims to help all succeed. rocoveryfitness.org

YOGA FOR ALL, TRU-LY

The South Wedge studio, which was crowned the “Best Of” its kind last month, shines with its paywhat-you-can classes. Come in on a Thursday at noon for a pick-me-up Creative Play Vinyasa session, or slide in on a Saturday at 12:30 for a beginner’s course.

Despite its Pinterest board-level commitment to the earthy yoga aesthetic, Tru Yoga is more than the mandala on its glass window. The studio offers sessions for communities who may struggle to feel comfortable in their space. This includes Yogis in Recovery, which dedicates half their time to an open recovery meeting and the selfexplanatory Yoga for Dudes. For the LGBTQ+ and/or BIPOC community, there are two yoga

sessions (Queer, Trans & Allies and BIPOC & Allies) that run weekly — both of which have the option for virtual attendance.

Tru’s commitment to accessible yoga doesn’t stop there — with everything from collaborating with ROC Mutual Aid to host a heated blanket-making skill share to holding weekly yoga sessions with ASL interpreters. All that’s left is offering an hour-long session of lying down for the inflexible… truyogaroc.com

GETTING OVER THE BUMP

The Reformery, a fitness boutique on University Avenue, might at first seem daunting to anyone not familiar with the world of Pilates. Classes are beginner-accessible, with none more welcoming than the pre- and post-natal reformer courses, which occur twice a week to accommodate working parents.

The classes, which are centered around strength-building, will “[prepare] you for pregnancy, labor, and postpartum recovery,” and are open to people in all stages of pregnancy. Drop in on a reformer class for $39 or do a combo package (one reformer, one heated mat class) for $50 and a high-intensity, lowimpact burn. thereformerynewyork.com

FOR TEAM PLAYERS

The Rochester Sled Hawks are holding try-it clinics for sled hockey, and there are still spots open on the team for new recruits. The Rochester Accessible Adventures (RAA) program, which runs inclusive sports for youth and adults, includes both people with and without disabilities on their team — and players’ various needs are accommodated throughout the program. Need a boost? There are pushers around to help players navigate the ice, meaning all your energy can be spent on the best part (hitting the puck). The clinic lasts for an hour, but stay after to watch the team practice. Register through RAA’s Google Form to attend. rochesteraccessibleadventures.org

Rather stay on land? The Rochester Rookies, a wheelchair and ambulatory sports program for youth and “the young at heart,” have the start of their basketball season in February. The team practices at Nazareth University on Saturday mornings, and it’s as easy as contacting the facilitators to get involved. therochesterrookies.org

At Rochester Accessible Adventures (RAA)’s Try It Clinics for sled hockey, both youth and adults with disabilities as well as teammates without disabilities are encouraged to give the sport a spin. PHOTO PROVIDED
ROCovery Fitness has at least one event offered daily alongside their open gym hours, which include an hour-long Saturday morning HIIT-based bootcamp (pictured above). PHOTO PROVIDED

No away days

Tucked away somewhere far beyond the biohacking videos and overpriced yoga classes of wellness options, there is turf — the Rochester Sports Garden turf, to be exact. A set of walled-in, multi-use fields located along Jefferson Road in Henrietta, used for anything from youth lacrosse to flag football. The main attraction that pulls players and spectators alike towards the pitch, however, is adult league soccer. With one or more league games running every day of the week, the sports complex transforms into a land where anyone from the 9-5ers to retired pros gather together to take their shot at indoor glory. A secret garden for artists of the astro to express themselves as they see fit, free from pressures of the outside world.

Amidst the pre-game shuffling for a Sunday run of matches, Nour Marigh leaned over the bench wall, arms crossed and smiling. He has a casual, welcoming demeanor, exchanging pleasantries and cracking jokes with the referee while lacing up. Marigh has been a regular at the garden for years — 10 or 13 games per week kind of regular, four games on Sundays alone.

The freshly turned 40-yearold closed down shop at the turf a few weeks back, blasting music while chasing goal shots into the wee hours of the morning.

After a youth soccer career in Morocco, Nour Marigh is mayor of the turf.

It’s safe to say Marigh is the unofficial mayor of the small but budding soccer community at the Sports Garden. Weekly match count aside, Marigh possesses a lightheartedness, fair sense of competition and connection to his childhood passion that is infectious, to say the least.

“When I was a kid I was obsessed (with soccer),” he recalled. “I played everywhere, all the time. It is all me and my friends would do.”

Born and raised in Morocco, Marigh was hooked on the joy of the world’s game from a young age.

“Like any kid in North Africa, I wanted to play like Barça or Madrid,” he said. “Now, it’s to push myself, to keep showing up and play for my body and my mind — I never play if I don’t have the time.”

When Marigh immigrated to Rochester in 2009, it wasn’t just the prospect of indoor sports that encouraged him to make the move. His brother was established here and after some discussion, Nour saw an opportunity to begin the education journey he was looking

for. He enrolled in a computer science degree program and has enjoyed a successful career since.

As for his off-hours soccer career, “it wasn’t always like this though,” he noted. From age 25 to 32, Marigh didn’t play at all. A worsening knee condition kept him sidelined, and soccer wasn’t a feasible option for fitness. But with effective physical therapy and the turf calling his name, the Sports Garden soon met its favorite baller. Playing soccer isn’t just about the physical elements for Marigh — it is also a sense of home.

“This game happens all over the world. I knew I could come here and feel comfortable and get to know people while being active and enjoying myself.” he said. “I just wanted to get more and more games. I wanted to keep improving myself physically and mentally, so I did.”

As a concept, wellness is difficult to define. Does one get there by discipline? Therapy? Can one ‘arrive’ at all? The experience of wellness means different things to everyone — mental health, spiritual belief, personal fitness, a post-game beer — but it always starts with being there.

On the field, Marigh is fully present in mind, body and spirit. He possesses a balance of personal drive and presence of mind. Everything pushes towards touch, pass and move.

“Oh man, I say this to everyone who comes to play,” he said. “Leave everything else outside. When you come here, have fun together and play the best you can. That’s all that matters. If you have a bad game, so what?”

Nour Marigh, right, during a community soccer game at the Rochester Sports Garden. PHOTOS BY ROB HOUPPERT
Marigh, second row center, with his soccer team in Morocco, 1995. PHOTO PROVIDED

DIY classes provide a circle of creative support.

Crafting a community

ARTS

Knitting, crocheting, woodworking and pottery throwing are fun hobbies — but did you know they’re good for your health, too? According to a recent study published in “Frontiers in Public Health,” actively participating in crafts can increase overall happiness and general wellbeing.

Frequently used as a treatment for depression and anxiety, craft activities can also increase social connections while offering an outlet for creative expression.

Ready to DIY your way to wellness? Check out four local spaces where creativity thrives:

WHEEL & SLAB POTTERY CLUB | 1867 MT. HOPE AVE.

“So often I hear the phrase, ‘It’s so hard to make friends as an adult,’ and as someone who felt that way for years, it was frustrating,” said Brynn Capwell, co-owner of Wheel & Slab, a community pottery club that recently relocated to Mt. Hope Avenue from the Hungerford Building on East Main Street. For several years before Capwell and her best friend and business partner, Danielle Pagani, opened their own space, both artists taught pottery at another local studio.

Wheel & Slab is a pottery club on Mt. Hope Avenue.
PHOTOS PROVIDED

“We noticed that no matter who we taught, everyone was searching for the same thing — a place to escape the stresses of daily life, connect with others who share similar interests and feel free to be their true selves,” said Capwell.

The partners created Wheel & Slab with those needs in mind, designing a stress-free, inclusive space where community members could have fun, create pottery and connect with others. Wheel & Slab offers memberships as well as one-off classes and group workshops. It’s also a great date night option. While beginners might want to start with an intro class, no experience is necessary.

“That’s the beauty of our approach, some people want to be told what to do and how to do it (like in pottery class), and others want to figure it out for themselves with some general guidance (like in pottery club),” said Capwell. “We respect that, and that’s why we offer various ways to experience our pottery studio.” wheelandslab.com

LITTLE BUTTON CRAFT | 658 SOUTH AVE.

For those who want to connect with like-minded crafters, but hate stuffy formal events, Little Button Craft in the South Wedge has created everything from beginnerfriendly “Sh*tty Craft Night” and

“Speed Friending” events to weekly bring-your-own fiber nights and artist-taught classes. In addition to a colorful array of ways to make new friends while expanding artistic skills, Little Button Craft sells the handmade art of more than 250 local artists in their shop that concentrates on community building.

“We believe crafting and making is for everyone and we want anyone and everyone to join us,” said owner Shelby Przybylek, who first began crafting to ease symptoms of anxiety and depression.

Events and classes take place in the Community Room at Abundance Food Co-Op, 571 South Ave., just down the street from the Little Button storefront. The free monthly “Speed Friending” event is especially popular.

“Folks sit at tables and color a giant coloring sheet while chatting,” explained Przybylek. “We have them swap chairs every 5-10 minutes depending on the round. At the end, we have small cards they can fill out to give to those they want to connect with. It’s a great success and so much fun.”

Little Button Craft also offers monthly “swap” events and crochet and knitting basics classes. littlebuttoncraft.com

A class at Wheel & Slab. PHOTOS PROVIDED

SEWGREEN ROCHESTER |

438 W. MAIN ST.

Learning to crochet, knit, sew or embroider can feel awkward at first — but Jane Beck, board president of SewGreen Rochester, believes the challenge is worth the reward regardless of age.

“If a kid learns how to do something and they get pretty good at it, it gives them the confidence to expand that to other parts of their lives,” she said.

The non-profit SewGreen removes barriers like high costs and lack of support, providing a welcoming space to explore fiber arts. For just $15, guests can learn crafts like quilting or Kumihimo (Japanese braiding). Weekly crochet, knitting, and sewing clubs are completely free, offering participants expert guidance and camaraderie. SewGreen thrives on volunteers, many of whom are retirees finding purpose and connection.

“If you have a pattern that’s giving you grief, you can come in and get help with it, or you can just come in to crochet with other people because it’s more fun to do it in a group than by yourself,” said Beck. “I love that people can come here to give help, get help or both.”

Drop-in sessions include Crochet Club (11 a.m. - 1 p.m. Tuesdays), Knitting Club (1 - 4 p.m. Thursdays) and Open Sew (11 a.m. - 1 p.m., 2 - 4 p.m. Thursdays). sewgreenrochester.org

ROCHESTER MAKERSPACE |

850 ST. PAUL ST.

Whether you’re a builder, artist or junior LEGO enthusiast, Rochester

Makerspace likely has a place for you.

“Makers of all disciplines — from engineers and artists to coders and cabinet-makers — DIYers and hobbyists of all skill levels come (here) to learn, solve problems and bring their ideas to life,” said board president Bridget Sheehan, a furniture designer, educator and lifelong maker.

The sprawling 7,500-square-foot facility in Rochester’s Upper Falls neighborhood has areas dedicated to a wide (and growing) range of creative specialties, including 3D printing, laser cutting, stained glass, robotics, sewing, CNC machining, lathe turning, painting, Cricut, metalworking, crafts and, yes, even LEGO building.

Members gain 24/7 access to the facility, as well as the opportunity to take free classes, participate in meet-ups, and collaborate on Discord channels. Makers of all levels are welcome.

“When you enter our space, you’re surrounded by people from all walks of life with one common goal: To create something,” Sheehan said. “By having a community of makers around you, you are able to escape the world outside our walls for an hour or a day to learn, create and make.”

Individual membership is $50 per month, and family memberships are also available. Learn more about Rochester Makerspace during one of their weekly open house tours, 6 - 8 p.m. Thursdays and 11 a.m. - 1 p.m. Saturdays. rocmakers.org

Rochester Makerspace offers a 7,500-square-foot facility for members. PHOTOS PROVIDED

Go get em, champ

CITY GOES RINGSIDE AT ROC BOXING

WORDS AND PHOTOS BY ROBERTO FELIPE LAGARES BERTO@ROCHESTER-CITYNEWS.COM

When it comes to the health and fitness landscape, the era of the ‘fitfluencer’ is omnipresent on social media: The neverending feed of gym rats, bodybuilders and the hyperfixation of a perfect Instagrammable physique. What about a more unconventional approach? Something that is a change of pace from the crowded weight room and rows upon rows of treadmills. Fittingly, the very platforms that have force-fed the aforementioned category of online personalities are the same ones sparking a resurgence of boxing for a new generation.

The cross promotion of MMA fighters, YouTube stars like the Paul brothers and celebrities stepping into the ring is at an all-time high in the past decade. However, the sport is not reserved for high-profile individuals taking on professionals (or retired legends). Boxing and the work around it is an opportunity to “learn a new skill, plus get in shape,” said Dominic ‘Coach Dom’ Arioli, owner of Roc Boxing.

As an homage to the 1980 sports biopic “Raging Bull” directed by Martin Scorsese, all photos for this essay were shot on CineStill BwXX, the same motion picture film emulsion the movie was shot on.

Originally a part-time trainer at Montgomery Boxing Club on Lyell Avenue, Arioli purchased what is now Roc Boxing at 524 Atlantic Avenue in 2004 while still working at Kodak. “(The gym) was (originally) put together to train amateur and pro boxers,” said Arioli, who left Kodak to focus on the gym full-time in 2006.

“I changed the dynamics to training individuals.”

CONTINUED ON PAGE 18

A popular offering at Roc Boxing is the basic boxing conditioning class, which runs for a total of 45 minutes. “Boxing is not just throwing punches,” Arioli said. “There is a lot of conditioning.”

The classes are open to all skill levels and are rooted in “a lot of old school exercises,” he said, “because that’s what everybody’s going back to and I never left it.”

Though training professional boxers is no longer a focus at Roc Boxing, the gym still offers an amateur (and youth) boxing program, which goes further into conditioning, technique and, of course, sparring. Both programs are open to both male- and female-identifying athletes and aim to meet participants where they are.

“Even if you’re a seasoned amateur,” he said, “you’re going to review those basics all the time.”

A unique offering at Roc Boxing is their kettlebell classes, run by Dana Curcio, a world champion and gold medalist kettlebell sport athlete.

“I found kettlebell sport and started training with Coach Dom,” said Curcio. “He was one of the first instructors to bring it to New York 15 years ago.”

The gym continues to offer classes to members and individuals training to compete.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 20

With basic conditioning, the amateur boxing program and kettlebell classes, Roc Boxing brings a fresh approach to a traditional means of fitness.

“The benefits are life-changing,” said Curcio. “Your posture is better, your stamina is better, you're walking better, feeling better and eventually, your clothes start to fit better.”

While boxing and kettlebell sport offer alternative paths to a healthier lifestyle, there are no shortcuts to seeing results, Curcio emphasizes the work still required to reap the benefits. “We say nothing gets easier, you just get better,” she said. “Nothing is overnight, but the strength comes from inside first, and then the outside.”

Echoed throughout Roc Boxing’s classes and building is their commitment to welcoming everyone.

“All age levels, all skill levels, doesn’t matter if you don’t (think) you have the mobility,” said Curcio. “There’s so many modifications for both boxing and kettlebell.” Roc Boxing is open seven days a week and offers six different class options alongside their amateur and youth boxing programs. rocboxing.com

Mindful movement

WELLNESS

As students trickle into the Monday evening Hatha class at YOGA 170 in Fairport, Heather Acomb greets each person individually, asking about their day and introducing herself to any newcomers. Before diving into movement, Acomb encourages the class to consider compassionate and mindful intentions inspired by a quote by Rumi, which she reads aloud: “Oh heart, what a rare bird you are, on your wings of fear and hope.”

Hatha (the Sanskrit word for “force”) yoga is a branch of the practice that uses physical techniques to channel and sustain vital force and energy. Whether she’s teaching Hatha at YOGA 170 or a modern dance course at SUNY Brockport, Acomb emphasizes the connection between breath and body. When she moves, her breath flows through the tips of her fingers, her groundedness matching the soothing texture of her voice. Acomb’s natural ability to read the body, breath and mind has led her to successful careers in modern dance, yoga and, most recently, postpartum doula practice.

Dance instructor and lecturer Allison Bohman has encountered all aspects of Acomb’s teachings but first met her in the dance department at SUNY Geneseo in 2010. Acomb had just finished her MFA at SUNY Brockport and was a resource and mentor for Geneseo students who, like Bohman, were considering continued education in dance.

Heather Acomb finds breath and balance through intentional physicality.

“My perspective on how you could use dance as a career shifted when I met Heather,” said Bohman. “She provided an inroad for me to a career in dance education, which included Bill Evans technique and laban somatic practice.”

Laban somatic practices combine anatomy, kinesiology and psychology to interpret and communicate movement. Acomb is certified in the Evans Method — developed by internationally renowned dancer, choreographer and former Brockport instructor Bill Evans — which emphasizes rhythm, community and specificity of movement. The practice also embraces change, something Acomb has done many times throughout her career. When she gave birth to her daughter in 2022, her career focus shifted.

“I realized the postpartum period is really hard. It’s a sacred time that doesn’t get honored in our culture the way many other cultures do,” Acomb said.

The realization led her to pursue certification as a postpartum doula. In this role, she provides newborn care, healthy food preparation, household support and emotional support and guidance for families.

Molly Deutschbein, a local doula who has practiced for more than 30 years in Rochester, said Acomb’s ability to create a calm, supportive space for families makes her an admirable postpartum doula.

“Heather embodies what it’s like to approach people from a place of love and care,” she said. “She has such a supportive, calming presence, and she has so much wisdom about how to care for your changing body.”

Acomb encourages clients to take the time to rest and bond with their baby, rather than rushing to

return to the fast pace of life. She also offers support throughout pregnancy with prenatal yoga, which prioritizes the mother’s body. Rather than instructing specific poses and stretches like other forms of yoga, the prenatal practice emphasizes functional movement for labor, birth and postpartum recovery. Acomb also acknowledges the significance of creating and sustaining life during her practice, allowing space and time to reflect and talk with her clients about the process.

The importance of being present in the body is part of Acomb’s practices, often incorporated alongside somatic movement. While she doesn’t push spirituality, Acomb uses a grounding element of breath and mindfulness in her classes.

“I want people to see what they’re doing as a celebration of the human spirit,” she said. “If you live your life in a way that honors

your body and connects to the natural world around us, there’s something inherently spiritual about that.”

This spring, Acomb and her husband, organic farmer and musician Evan Meulemans, are collaborating to offer new opportunities for community connection through live music and yoga workshops. They plan to donate the proceeds to different charities each session; a workshop on Feb. 8 will raise funds for Los Angeles Wildfire support.

“Heather has this abundance mindset I’ve never seen in anyone else,” said Meulemans. “She has an enigmatic pull and if you allow yourself to be non-judgemental toward it and be present in it, you can’t help but go along for the ride.” heatheracomb.com

A Hatha class at YOGA 170 in Fairport. PHOTOS BY JACALYN MEYVIS
Heather Acomb. PHOTOS BY JACALYN MEYVIS
As congregation numbers fall, the future of

Rochester's

oldest public building is in question.

State of the church

They bow their heads and raise their voices as others before them have done for the past 200 years.

But the congregation that gathers inside the chapel of St. Luke and St. Simon Cyrene on South Fitzhugh Street these days is sparse. Sunday mornings find a little more than 30 people in the seats and draw a few dozen more online.

Two Saints, as the Episcopal church is commonly known, is the oldest public building in Rochester. The first sermon was delivered from its three-decker pulpit on Sept. 4, 1825.

This is a building and a place steeped in the history of a city that has grown up around it, and it is showing its age. The church complex needs more than $1 million in repairs, much of it to the exterior.

“When we get a heavy rain, you’ll see little pebbles, which is actually sandstone breaking off of the building,” said the Rev. Keith Patterson, who leads the church.

Here and elsewhere, the escalating maintenance costs for these towering, historic religious centers are being borne by increasingly smaller congregations. And a decades-long decline in church membership is continuing across most religious groups nationwide.

While half of all Monroe County residents said they belonged to a church in 1980, barely one-third do today. In sheer numbers, the falloff in Episcopal church attendance locally has been surpassed only by that of the Catholic and Presbyterian churches, according to the U.S. Religious Census.

A Sunday service at Two Saints. PHOTO BY ROBERTO FELIPE LAGARES

Last month, the Episcopal Diocese of Rochester put St. Stephen’s Church on Chili Avenue up for sale. Dwindling membership forced the church to close during the pandemic. Some of its members now worship at Two Saints.

“No one wants to see an empty building. But to see an empty church, I think, is more pitiful,” Patterson said. “That’s a loss to the community. A lot of those churches that closed provided feeding programs (and) clothing. When a church closes, it has a significant impact on the community.”

A STORIED BEGINNING

Col. Nathaniel Rochester, the city’s namesake and one of its founding fathers but also a slave owner, helped start this church. He was a parishioner, and along with Charles Caroll and Col. William Fitzhugh, offered up the land in 1820 to the first religious society to claim it. That required getting the signature of Caroll and Fitzhugh, who lived in Geneseo.

The Catholics sent a messenger to do so, while the vestry “dispatched Mr. Henry E. Rochester, a lad of 14 years (and Col. Rochester’s son), on a fleeter horse with a similar object in view,” Patterson said, reading from a book of church history penned in 1917. “And the latter succeeded in overtaking and passing the other person from the Roman Catholics, who had stopped in a tavern for refreshment.”

In those early days the congregation included the likes of Jonathan Child — another founder of Rochester and the city’s first mayor — along with a host of other civic leaders.

“A lot of names and intrigue,” Patterson said, closing the book. “That’s kind of a fun part of the history of the building, how the building came into being.”

The original church was St. Luke’s of Genesee Falls, a wood-frame structure that the congregation quickly outgrew. It was, according to church history, the first Episcopal church in Rochester and “the second church of any kind.” The one that stands there today cost $9,000 to build, records show.

St. Luke’s would later split, and part of the congregation would found St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, which sits roughly opposite the George Eastman Museum on East Avenue.

St. Simon Cyrene was a Black church that, in its early years, was hosted at St. Luke’s and in other churches. But the members had to worship separately from the white congregation, and St. Simon ultimately found a home across the river in the Upper Falls neighborhood. It was a vibrant parish in the 1960s, home to a number of Civil Rights and community leaders.

The merger came in the late 1980s at St. Luke’s behest, and not without tension. The congregation of St. Simon’s was larger, but the building on Fitzhugh Street was historic and larger. They brought their altar and stained-glass windows. And for the first service, the two congregations entered through separate doors, joined in the center aisle, and alternated back and forth to either side as they were seated in the pews.

‘WE’RE NOT MUSEUM CURATORS’

The Right Rev. Kara Wagner Sherer, the Episcopal bishop of Rochester, will tell you that a church is not the building, it’s the people.

She took the reins last summer and is the first woman elected to lead the Episcopal Diocese of Rochester.

The diocese numbers 43 chapels and churches from Brockport to Lyons and down to Corning. She has

spent these initial months making official visits to each congregation. Her scheduled visit to Two Saints is Feb. 9. There is significance in these structures, Wagner Sherer said, in the history, the beauty, the place each holds in the community served.

“But if you don’t have people, you don’t have a church,” she said. “What’s important to me is not how many people are in the pews, but how many people in the community are served by the people in the pews. So, I tell every congregation if there was a rapture, and your church with everyone in it was the only thing that disappeared, who in the community would miss you? And if the answer is no one, that’s a problem. If we’re only doing this for ourselves, we’re doomed.”

It’s an outlook shared by members, who talk about the welcoming nature of the congregation, the diversity, about the community and the programs. And when they talk about history, it’s not just the structure but who worshiped here and what they did.

“That means a lot to us, that we’re the oldest (church),” said Madeline Gamble, 84, of Chili, who joined St. Simon’s roughly 50 years ago. “It’s very important to us that we take care of that location and honor the historical value of the church itself.”

A recent assessment of all the diocese buildings put the combined maintenance needs at $7 million, Wagner Sherer said — which highlights just how extensive and costly the repair bill is at Two Saints. Those expenses fall largely to individual congregations.

To help, the diocese has assembled a working group of people in construction, real estate and finance who can serve as consultants to help congregants maintain their churches. But, Wagner Sherer added: “We’re not museum curators, so we don’t exist just to keep the building open — even as much as we love our buildings.”

WORK TO DO

Two Saints has roughly 80 active members, mostly seniors. Half now attend Sunday service online. Fewer are giving to the church than in years past, but Patterson said that individually they are giving more.

To raise additional funds, the church has tried concerts. Rochester’s own Danielle Ponder performed to capacity audiences. Renting out the church as a wedding venue brought in more than $60,000 to help with roof replacement costs. And while they apply for grants, Patterson said they struggle without a dedicated person in-house who has that expertise.

The outstanding maintenance needs he said are “critical," including repairs to window frames holding the church’s towering stained-glass windows. “I don’t know where the wherewithal within the city is for preserving this. I’ve sat in my car and watched people just walk by,” said Patterson. “I’ve had people say, ‘Oh, I thought this church was closed,’ on more than one occasion.”

That is concerning, as he and Wagner Sherer both speak about the need for the church to look outward, to be a greater public resource than it is now.

“It’s amazing,” Patterson said, “to be in a place that has as much history.”

Yet while they have some community programs — including a popular monthly Friday service with live jazz music — they are admittedly fewer and less impactful than in years past. And instead of two services, Patterson now does one. He begins that service recognizing the Seneca Nation on whose ancestral land the church is located.

“The history has lessons in it, and also beacons of hope,” Wagner Sherer said of Two Saints.

She is invested in keeping that history alive and staying in the physical space while continuing to minister to the people both in the immediate neighborhood and back in Simon Cyrene’s original neighborhood of Upper Falls.

“So, yes, we have to work on preserving the building, it’s important,”she said. “More important is the work of that congregation in the city.”

A no-money month

The premise of the No Spend challenge is simple: It’s a social media movement that gamifies personal budgeting and takes the art of living simply to an extreme. No Spenders pledge to only buy things that are totally essential for a month or, sometimes, a year.

Like Dry January or Whole 30, this financial detox promises to be a path toward personal improvement, but it can also be a gateway drug into living a life that is more frugal, sustainable and connected.

STEP ONE: MAKE A BUDGET

“People go through their life blindly when it comes to their finances,” said Chris Biehler, a professor of economics who teaches a class on budgeting at Monroe Community College.

“It comes down to the basics of economics,” he said. “What’s a want, and what’s a need?”

Maybe you need a few breakfast items and some coffee grounds in the house to get going in the morning, but that $7 latte on your way to work?

That’s a want. And not to get all Millennials-are-broke-becausethey-buy-avocado-toast, but little by little, Biehler said, those little purchases add up.

His MCC classes are mostly made up of teenagers with limited income and even they need a budget.

“Everybody’s faced with choices,” Biehler said. “If you understand the money you have coming in, you can

“If you understand the the money you have coming in, you can understand how to spend money going out.”

understand how to spend money going out.”

Totaling monthly income and tracking monthly expenses may seem obvious, but it’s easy to lose track of where your money goes. Paychecks are deposited directly and now purchases are made just by scanning your phone: “Do you want Google to remember this credit card number for future purchases?”

STEP TWO: ELIMINATE ALL UNNECESSARY SPENDING

The first thing Cassie Cleveland did when starting No Spend was delete all shopping apps off her phone.

“Now, instead of scrolling and shopping for things, I’m reading books,” said the mom of two who lives in Rochester.

She started making other substitutions too, like packing lunch instead of buying food. Instead of throwing things away, she mends them.

“I’ve sewn a lot in my life,” Cleveland said. “Why didn’t we just do that instead of spending another $30 on pants?”

On social media, content creators are baking bread from scratch, upcycling furniture and raising chickens. Contrary to Shein hauls and unboxing videos, the messaging of the former trend seems to be that creating from scratch isn’t just thrifty, it’s virtuous.

Cleveland says she is lucky to be in a position where she has financial and household help from her partner.

“You have to make sure things are divided equally,” she said.

Doing a financial cleanse can teach you a lot about yourself. Maybe you’re the kind of person who spends money on streaming services, dinners out or a little treat at lunch.

Because don’t we all deserve a little treat?

For No Spenders, the treat comes at the end of the challenge.

“I can put it toward saving for our future, or paying off personal debt,” Cleveland said. “It’s something that’s a better goal than another chachka in our house.”

Spending habits can have a broader impact. For Cleveland, it feels good to live more sustainably by cutting out companies like Amazon, and No Spend is just the beginning.

STEP THREE:

CHANGE YOUR LIFE

Cleveland first heard about the No Spend trend on TikTok, where people mark No Spend days off paper calendars with colorful highlighters and thrifty influencers showed off their budgets and shared rules.

On Reddit, millions of people trade tips on r/Frugal and other

subreddits about personal finance regarding how to save money on everything from renters insurance to Valentine’s Day gifts. With those savings, people invest following the philosophies of online communities like Bogleheads, FIRE or Bravely On.

Cleveland found her own community in local Facebook groups where people give things away for free.

Mary Jo Garofoli is the admin of a local Buy Nothing group for the South Wedge/Highland Park neighborhood, which promotes the gift economy.

“It’s become a lifestyle,” she said. The group has come in handy for her – Garofoli has eight grandchildren and has never bought a Pack N’ Play. But there’s more to it than savings. Buy Nothing also exists to build community. She’s been invited to share dinners, practiced her sign language skills and learned how to compost.

Garfoli likes the idea of neighbors helping neighbors.

“It’s kind of like in the old days,” she said. “You go knock on your neighbor’s door for something, next thing you know you’re having tea or coffee and then supper. Where I grew up, you always had room for one more. It’s just amazing the generosity of the community members.”

ILLUSTRATION BY JACOB WALSH

todo DAILY

Full calendar of events online at roccitymag.com

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 1

THEATER

“Nina Simone: Four Women”

Geva Theatre, gevatheatre.org

From artist to activist, Nina Simone’s legacy is one that offers an in-depth exploration of the impact of the arts in a society burdened by hate. After the 1963 bombing of a Baptist Church in Birmingham, Alabama that took the lives of four women, the Civil Rights anthem “Mississippi Goddam” was born. “Nina Simone: Four Women” takes you on that journey at the Geva Theatre Feb. 1. Curtains at 3 and 8 p.m. The show runs through Feb. 9.

ROBERTO FELIPE LAGARES

MUSIC

Toronzo Cannon

Fanatics Pub, fanaticspub.com

The story with Chicago bluesman Toronzo Cannon is that, as recently as 2016, he was driving a CTA bus between gigs. The intervening nine years have been good to him. He toured in China in 2024, opened for soul singer Anthony Hamilton and formed a kinship with wunderkind guitarist Christone “Kingfish” Ingram. Cannon, a lefty whose electrified Chicago influence is found in every lick, kicks off February at Lima’s Fanatics Pub. Doors 6 p.m. Show 7 p.m. Tickets $27-$32. PATRICK HOSKEN

Introduction to Linoleum Block Printing

Rochester Folk Art Guild, folkartguild.org Linoleum block printing can yield striking compositions with unique textures — look no further than key works from masters like Matisse and Picasso. This workshop in Middlesex is led by instructor Linda Griswold Davis, a printmaker with 30 years of experience. She’ll offer her specialized expertise in a two-part class. The first part runs 1-4 p.m. with a second class on Feb. 8. All skill levels welcome. $130. PH

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 2

THEATER

“Gypsy”

OFC Creations, ofccreations.com

The memoirs of burlesque performer Gypsy Rose Lee evolved into “Gypsy,” one of the most celebrated musicals of all time. At its heart, it’s a story about mothers and daughters, and the inspired production at OFC Creations features the real-life family duo of Jodi and Delaney Benson. Jodi, a Tonynominated performer, is best known as the voice of Ariel in Disney’s “The Little Mermaid.” Delaney, meanwhile, arrives in Rochester after credits in regional performances of “Singin’ in the Rain” and “Cinderella” (as well as “The Little Mermaid,” fittingly). The pair lead “Gypsy,” running through Feb. 16. Tickets $46.80 - $54.80. PH

MUSIC

Publick Musick Flute Quartets

Episcopal Church of St. Luke & St. Simon Cyrene, publickmusick.org Publick Musick celebrates 30 years of musical performances specializing in compositions from the 1600s and

1700s. For one of its first concerts of 2025, the group presents “classical flute quartets of Mozart and his contemporaries.” The show’s free, but $20 donations are welcome and suggested. Music begins at 3 p.m. PH

FUNDRAISER

Polar Plunge

Ontario Beach Park, polarplunge.net Rochester is celebrating 25 years of support for year-round training and competition programs for athletes with intellectual disabilities through the Special Olympics. Registration to plunge requires a $100 fundraised donation to the program, which hosts 40 Special Olympics competitions a year. The plunge is at noon, but come early for raffles, costume contests and disguising your shivering as bopping to the DJ. Want to enjoy the cold without stripping down? From 12-4 p.m. on Feb. 1, Ontario Beach Park is also hosting the annual Lakeside Winter Celebration, complete with sleigh rides, snow sculptures and fireworks. ALYSSA KOH

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 3

MUSIC

St. Olaf Choir

Third Presbyterian Church, stolaf.edu/tickets/choir

One of the nation’s premier a cappella groups will be performing in Rochester on Feb. 3 at the Third Presbyterian Church. Seventy-five members strong, the choir has been performed for millions around the world since it was founded at St. Olaf College in Minnesota in 1912. Tickets are $35 and $10 for all students and are available online or by calling 800363-5487. The concert is scheduled to run from 7-8:30 p.m. ALEX CRICHTON

ART Photography Lecture Series with Bruno Chalifour

Flower City Arts Center, flowercityarts.org Fine-art photographer Bruno Chalifour, who currently teaches photography at Empire State University, is offering a series of eight lectures on various photography subjects through Mar. 24. Topics range from discussing digital photographic options such as a digital camera versus a cell phone, the history of street photography and how to make your own digital prints. Each session requires individual registration, which can be found online. 6:30-8:30 p.m. $15 for members, $20 for nonmembers. AK

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 4

LECTURE

“The Black Church: In Plain Sight But Invisible”

Webster Public Library, websterlibrary. libcal.com

“The Black Church was the cultural cauldron that Black people created to combat a system designed to crush their spirit,” historian Henry Louis Gates Jr. wrote in his 2021 book, “The Black Church: This Is Our Story, This Is Our Song.” That institution is the topic at hand in this presentation, led by Dr. Timothy Johnson, a volunteer minister at Asbury First United Methodist Church on East Avenue and professor emeritus at Roberts Wesleyan University. 2-4 p.m. Free, but registration is required. PH

MUSIC

Vanessa Collier

Fanatics Pub, fanaticspub.com

At home singing both Ann Peebles and Ray Charles, Vanessa Collier has a voice that places her in the tier of powerhouses. But the Berklee College of Music-educated talent is also a gifted saxophone player, making her a dazzling talent onstage, especially when she switches between both instruments (and also a guitar). Backed up by a talented blues band, Collier brings her muscle to the Finger Lakes for a can’t-miss show that begins at 7 p.m. $37-$42. PH

CONTINUED ON PAGE 35

Now watch Connections each weekday from 12-2 on WXXI News YouTube! Plus, listen as always on 105.9FM, WXXINews.org, or with the free WXXI App. Podcasts are availble at WXXINews.org or wherever you get your podcasts.

CELEBRATING BLACK HISTORY AND CULTURE

This February, WXXI honors Black History Month by sharing programs that take a closer look at the lives of various Black Americans who have made indelible marks on history with their artistry, professional achievements, and community activism. We’re spotlighting just a few specials, but you can find the full list by scanning the QR code.

American Justice on Trial: People v Newton

Monday, February 3 at 9 p.m. on WXXI-TV

This film tells the story of the death penalty case that put racism on trial in a U.S. courtroom in the fall of 1968. Black Panthers co-founder Huey Newton is accused of murdering a white policeman after a car stop in 1967 Oakland. A landmark trial ensues, and Newton’s defense team calls out racism in the judicial system.

Photo: Newton and his defense team/Credit: Ilka Hartman

The Lincoln School Story

Friday, February 7 at 10:30 p.m. on WXXI-TV

This half-hour documentary examines the little-known fight for school desegregation led by a handful of Ohio mothers and their children in 1954.

Credit: Press Gazette

American Masters

“The Disappearance of Miss Scott”

Friday, February 21 at 9 p.m. on WXXI-TV

American Masters traces legendary musician Hazel Scott’s journey, from her triumph during Jim Crow to the dissolution of her fame due to McCarthy-era blacklisting.

Credit: Warner Brothers

Major Taylor: Champion of the Race

Monday, February 24 at 9 p.m. on WXXI-TV

This documentary retraces the life and legacy of an American civil rights pioneer who set more than 20 world records in speed cycling.

Photo provided by APT

American Experience “Forgotten Hero: Walter White and the NAACP”

Tuesday, February 25 at 9 p.m. on WXXI-TV

Walter White, the NAACP’s longtime leader, is one of the most influential but leastknown figures in civil rights history. He paved the way for Black power at the ballot box and scored important legal victories.

Dr.

Photo (L-R):
Ralph Bunche, Walter White, and Rev. Ernest C. Estell, Jr., Credit: Library of Congress, Prints and Photographs Division, Visual Materials from the NAACP Records

THREE FREE Events We Think You’ll Love

To learn more visit WXXI.org/events

Indie Lens Pop-Up: Bike Vessel

Monday, February 17, 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.

The Little Theatre

After several health crises, a 70-year-old man embarks on a transformative long-distance cycling trip with his son. The screening will be followed by a panel discussion. Bike Vessel will air Monday, February 24 at 10 p.m. on WXXI-TV.

Photo provided by ITVS

Festival of Inclusion

March 1, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Nazareth Campus at Golisano Training Center

WXXI and its Move to Include™ initiative, a partnership between WXXI and The Golisano Foundation designed to promote inclusion, is pleased to be part of Festival of Inclusion. Enjoy interactive community stations, sports and fitness activities, adaptive equipment demos. Be sure to visit our sensory friendly zone to meet PBS KIDS’ Carl the Collector and friends!

Credit: Maria Spinelli

Indie Lens Pop-Up: Home Court

Monday, March 10, 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.

The Little Theatre

Cambodian American basketball prodigy Ashley Chea’s life intensifies amid college recruitment, injury, and triumph. The screening will be followed by a panel discussion.

Photo provided by ITVS

FANTASTIC FOUR!

WXXI NOW HAS ALL FOUR TV CHANNELS STREAMING WHEN & WHERE YOU WANT!

Whether it’s your favorite PBS shows on WXXI-TV; news, documentaries, and informational programs on WXXI World; fun and trusted PBS KIDS shows on WXXI Kids 24/7; or the very best how-to and lifestyle programs with WXXI Create, you can now watch them all on WXXI.org or on the WXXI App!

CALLING ALL MUSICIANS!

GOT A BIG DREAM OF PLAYING THE TINY DESK?

The Route invites you to send NPR Music a video of you playing one song behind a desk of your choosing. If you win, you’ll get to play your very own Tiny Desk concert and go on tour with NPR Music.

Here’s what you do:

• Create a new video that shows you playing one song you’ve written.

• Do it the way you’d perform a Tiny Desk concert: at a desk. (Any desk!)

• Upload your video to YouTube.

• Fill out our entry form before 11:59 p.m. ET on Feb. 10, 2025.

SCAN FOR COMPLETE DETAILS & ENTRY FORM

THE WINNER WILL:

• Play a Tiny Desk concert at NPR in Washington, D.C.

• Be featured on NPR’s All Things Considered

• Play at NPR Music’s Tiny Desk Contest on the Road Tour

• Be paired with a mentor in the industry

KEEP IN MIND:

• We’re looking for undiscovered talent; you can’t have a current recording contract.

• You must be at least 18 years old and live in the 50 United States, District of Columbia, U.S.V.I. or Puerto Rico to enter.

• Our panel of judges — including members of NPR Music, DJs from NPR Member stations and Tiny Desk alums — will choose our winner.

THE ROUTE IS ROOTING FOR YOU!

Blacks and Blues with Doug Curry

Fridays from 9 p.m. to 12 a.m. on The Route

A Harlem native, lifelong blues lover, writer, record collector, historian, poet, and actor Doug Curry is the host of Blacks and Blues. Each week, he highlights the full spectrum of blues music past and present, acoustic and electric, with a perspective that spotlights the history of the people, places, and even the politics behind the recordings. Doug connects the dots between the evolution of music and larger forces of Black culture from which the music is nurtured. He brings both a scholarly enthusiasm and a hip, confident swagger to each show, delivering the blues with a style all his own.

NoteWorthy

Weekdays at 12:40 p.m. on WXXI Classical

Hosted by Loki Karuna (formerly known as Garrett McQueen), NoteWorthy is a series of audio stories created to broaden our view of classical music by shining a light on the lives and music of artists of color, women, and others from historically underrepresented groups. Each episode provides an introduction to an artist, performing ensemble, musician, or composer from all eras and genres of classical music. In a couple of minutes, you can learn about the contributions these artists have made and are making to the art form while discovering some great music along the way.

Classical Guitar Alive

Sundays at 6 p.m. on WXXI Classical

This weekly series promotes the love of the classical guitar to the widest possible audience in innovative ways that have the greatest impact and benefit to all. Host Tony Morris, a professional guitarist who performs as a solo guitarist and with chamber musicians, brings you performances and interviews with the world’s leading guitarists as well as with emerging artists. The repertoire ranges from lost or forgotten works by notable composers of the past to new works by contemporary composers.

Performance Upstate

Mondays at 8 p.m. on WXXI Classical WXXI Classical celebrates the rich tradition of live music-making across the region in Performance Upstate. This series takes you into concert halls, sacred spaces, and festivals across Western and Central New York. You’ll hear a diverse and colorful array of pieces interpreted by passionate and skillful musicians from Rochester and beyond, along with some of the stories behind the music. Brenda Tremblay is your host. Many concerts are exclusive to WXXI Classical.

Selected Shorts: Changing the Narrative

Sunday, February 9 at 9 p.m. on WXXI News

This special program, hosted by author, educator, and activist DeRay Mckesson, celebrates Black authors and politicians who have rethought and rewritten the narratives we tell ourselves about our shared history and who we are as a nation.

• Shirley Chisholm was America’s first Black congressional representative and shares her not-easy route to power in the essay “Unbought and Unbossed,” read by Crystal Dickinson.

• Literary giant James Baldwin writes to a beloved nephew about the line between acceptance and integration in “My Dungeon Shook,” read by Christopher Jackson.

• Sonia Sanchez reflects on Malcolm X’s profound effect on the residents of Harlem in “Homegirls on St. Nicholas Avenue,” read by Marsha Stephanie Blake.

• And, in a final story by Percival Everett, a narrator delivers an unexpected embrace to the most potent of symbols below the Mason-Dixon in “The Appropriation of Cultures,” read by Wren T. Brown.

Witness History: Black History Month

Sunday, February 16 at 9 p.m. on WXXI News

A new special hour-long edition of Witness History from the BBC World Service brings together some incredible stories about the Black experience. Told by people who were there, we hear stories that are fascinating, harrowing, and inspiring. This will encore Monday, February 17 at 12 p.m.

Valentine’s Day at The Little

Before Sunrise

Friday, Feb. 14 at 7:30pm

Tickets at thelittle.org

Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy star as a young man and woman who meet on a train in Europe, and wind up spending one romantic, swoon-worthy evening together in Vienna.

Celebrate Richard Linklater’s classic indie romance for this 30th Anniversary screening on Valentine’s Day at The Little.

The best type of snow fort is a movie theater — this is just a fact. Grab all the warm, delicious Little Popcorn and hibernate with us on Wednesdays with three (!!!) 35mm film screenings, a new release, a Christopher Nolan thriller, and more!

The Umbrellas of Cherbourg (1964) Feb. 14 & 15 Details at thelittle.org

NEW 4K RESTORATION

Catherine Deneuve was launched to stardom by this dazzling musical heart-tugger from Jacques Demy. She plays an umbrella-shop owner’s delicate daughter, glowing with first love for a handsome garage mechanic, played by Nino Castelnuovo.

Exquisitely designed in a kaleidoscope of colors, and told entirely through the lilting songs of the great composer Michel Legrand, “The Umbrellas of Cherbourg” is one of the most revered and unorthodox movie musicals of all time.

The Little’s Oscar Movie Trivia Party

Sunday, March 2

Tickets available at thelittle.org ($25)

240 East Avenue is the place to be on Hollywood’s biggest night.

Join The Little’s staff for a night of celebrating movies and the Oscars, in all their glory! What to expect: Oscar movie trivia, plenty of prizes, themed snacks, and more! Stay to watch the Oscar ceremony (this part is free!) and play Oscar bingo! Spin the prize wheel during commercial breaks to win posters and other movie swag items!

Tickets for all four screenings are available online and at the box office!

FEB. 5 MISERY (35mm)

FEB. 19 BIRTH (35mm)

FEB. 26 THE BREAKING ICE

MAR. 5 INSOMNIA (35mm)

NEW MOVIES

2025 Oscar Nominated Short Films

Open Friday, Feb. 14

With all three categories of Oscar-nominated short films offered – Animated, Live Action and Documentary – this is your annual chance to see them all! A perennial hit — don’t miss this year’s selection of shorts.

No Other Land Feb. 21-23

Made by a Palestinian-Israeli collective, this documentary shows the destruction of the occupied West Bank’s Masafer Yatta by Israeli soldiers and the alliance which develops between the Palestinian activist Basel and Israeli journalist Yuval.

The Monkey Feb. 21

Based on the Stephen King short story, “The Monkey” is a new trip from “Longlegs” writer/director, Osgood Perkins. When twin brothers find a mysterious wind-up monkey, a series of outrageous deaths tear their family apart. Twenty-five years later, the monkey begins a new killing spree forcing the estranged brothers to confront the cursed toy.

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 5

DANCE

Rochester Lindy Jam

The Rose Room, groovejuiceswing.com

Black communities in 1920s Harlem originated the Lindy Hop, and it grew super popular in the ‘30s and ‘40s swing era. That era is here at the historically accurate 1908 German House on Wednesday nights, in the Rose Room ballroom. Word is this weekly social dance has been going strong since 1995. 8:30-10:30 p.m. $8. NOELLE EVANS

NETWORKING

2025 Upstate New York Supplier Diversity Summit

Joseph A. Floreano Rochester Riverside Convention Center, loom.ly/XHox0Qo

“High tides raise all ships” — such a phrase couldn’t be more appropriate for the 2025 Upstate New York Supplier Diversity Summit, an opportunity where diversity in business takes center stage featuring over 50+ organizations. The event aims to bring together diverse-owned small businesses to network, discuss experiences and explore business opportunities to strengthen the upstate economic landscape for everyone. The event takes place from 8 a.m. - 4 p.m. and is free to attend. RL

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 6

THEATER

“The Mousetrap”

Blackfriars Theatre, blackfriars.org

“Knives Out” may have made murder mysteries cool again, but nobody did them better than Agatha Christie. “The Mousetrap” — which may in fact be the longest-running play in the world, thanks to its popularity on London’s West End — follows the claustrophobic aftermath of the killing

of a woman and the realization that the perpetrator likely walks among a group of trapped visitors. Naturally, twists and turns abound in the tale, which first premiered in 1952. Blackfriars presents this exhilarating play Jan. 31-Feb. 16. 7:30 p.m., with Sunday shows at 2 p.m. $20-$39.50.

PH

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 7

THEATER

“Macbeth”

Temple Theater, thecompanytheatreroc.org

Since its founding in 2021, The Company Theatre has been producing a variety of shows utilizing the talents of local artists, and its rendition of Shakespeare’s “Macbeth” is no exception. Catch a tale of ambition, power and guilt — and try to evade the fear of fiction’s close relation to reality when you leave the Temple Theater. Directed by the Company’s board vice president Philip Detrick, the show is the second in the organization’s “Power... Reveals” season. The show runs Jan. 31 to Feb. 16; tickets are $25-$28. AK

THEATER

“Born Yesterday”

MuCCC, muccc.org

The Rochester Community Players begins its 100th season with homegrown playwright Garson Kanin’s “Born Yesterday,” which RCP also staged way back in 1952. The satirical comedy places its action in Washington, D.C., a pointed decision to mark this year’s inauguration of a new (old) administration. Directed by John R. Jaeger, “Born Yesterday” follows a junk dealer, a showgirl and a news reporter — as well as the very notions of power and influence. The production runs through Feb. 15. Tickets $15-$20. PH

MUSIC

An Evening of Jazz

Hilton High School, cur8.com

Presented by the Hilton Jazz Department, which celebrated its 20th anniversary last January, and the school’s Music Boosters program, this show is full of both student and professional talent. Guest artists include five-time Grammy-winning bassist Victor Wooten (known for his work with Béla Fleck and the Flecktones, for all you Fleck-heads) and drummer Tommy Igoe, founder of New York City’s jazz orchestra The Birdland Big Band. Enjoy a night of amazing music — and the pride in knowing that your tickets support the cost of student music group trips. 7 p.m. Tickets $25. AK

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 8

MUSIC/ACTIVISM

Organizing the Blues

Essex, metrojustice.org/organizing_ the_blues

Metro Justice’s work includes community campaigns to replace RG&E with a locally controlled public utility and initiatives that advocate for elder justice in Rochester. But these efforts require funding. Essex will host a Metro Justice benefit gig where you can help contribute some of that support. Blues band Steve Grills and the Roadmasters and soulful group Debbie Kendrick Project perform. 6-11 p.m. Advance tickets $25 and $30 at the door. Proceeds benefit Metro Justice. PH

FILM

“The Last Waltz”

The Little Theatre, thelittle.org

As part of the yearlong series “95 years of The Little,” highlighting films from every decade of the theater’s existence, The Little screens “The Last Waltz,” a star-studded documentary by Martin Scorsese that follows the 1976 farewell

show of The Band. The film touches on the group’s road life and history leading up to its final show, with performances by notable musicians such as Bob Dylan, Eric Clapton and Joni Mitchell. Catch the screening at the venue recently voted Rochester’s Best Movie Theater at 7 p.m. on Feb. 7. RL

SPORTS Harlem Globetrotters

Blue Cross Arena, bluecrossarena.com Spins. Slams. Dunks. Trick shots. An entertainment basketball group whose honorary members include Whoopi Goldberg, Nelson Mandela and Pope Francis, the Harlem Globetrotter also boast a roster that currently includes first female Globetrotters player Fatima “TNT” Lister and the hilariously named 5’10” Lucius “Too Tall” Winston. According to their website, you’re getting “more than just a game” by attending — and from the countless baffling trick shots you can find online, it’s bound to be true. Tickets $51-$158 (for standard admission). AK

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 9

FILM

Valentine’s brunch & “Moonstruck”

Eastman Museum, eastman.org

Nicolas Cage looks at Cher. “I’m in love with you,” he says. She slaps him, twice, then exclaims, “Snap out of it!” This is one of several dozen reasons why Norman Jewison’s “Moonstruck” may in fact be the best film ever made. It’s romantic, heartfelt and hilarious, never mean-spirited and always optimistic about love, even as it presents its zany complications. Eastman Museum presents a screening at 12 p.m. after a special brunch in the Potter Peristyle. Tickets $75/person, registration required. A separate second “Moonstruck” screening follows at 7:30 p.m. PH

CONTINUED ON PAGE 35

SPORTS

Ultimate Frisbee pickup

Cobbs Hill Park, rocultimate.org/pickup

It’s a team sport! Throw and chase a flat ball around in whatever weather pattern the day throws our way. Eclectic mix of old heads and newbies. Remember now! The first rule of Ultimate is Spirit of the Game. Take care of each other (avoid collisions!), be inclusive (listen) and ask before giving advice. Runs 11 a.m. Sundays through early April. Free. NE

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 10

MUSIC

Kahil El’Zabar’s Ethnic Heritage Ensemble

Bop Shop Records, bopshop.com Few percussionists have done what Kahil El’Zabar has. As the leader of the Ethnic Heritage Ensemble since 1974, the multi-instrumentalist has created a space for players to blend jazz practices with traditional African music. The group’s 2020 take on “America the Beautiful” is nothing short of mesmerizing; that power comes to Bop Shop via El’Zabar on drums and percussion and Chicagoan Corey Wilkes on trumpet. Music’s at 8 p.m. Tickets $25 advance and at the door. PH

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 11

MUSIC

Eastman Jazz Ensemble

Kodak Hall at Eastman Theatre, esm. rochester.edu/events Rochester is particularly blessed as a hub for music and education — and often, both simultaneously. The Eastman Jazz Ensemble, which has been honored by “DownBeat” magazine’s Student Music Awards for multiple years in a row, is one of the world’s premier collegiate jazz performing organizations. Under the direction of renowned saxophonist Christine Jensen since 2022, the ensemble performs for free either live at Kodak Hall or via livestream. AK

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 12

ART

“Composing Color: Paintings by Alma Thomas”

Memorial Art Gallery, mag.rochester.edu

After its successful stint in the Smithsonian, ‘60s painter Alma Thomas’s exhibition is making its debut in Rochester. Thomas became a full-time professional artist after her retirement from teaching in Washington, D.C. and was the first African-American woman with a solo exhibition at the Whitney Museum of American Art. Beyond her historical impact, Thomas created works full of vibrancy and intricacy that can lead even the most cynical gallery-goers to take a second look. Access included in MAG admission, which ranges from free (for University of Rochester students and employees with valid ID) to $20. Tickets are valid from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. AK

MUSIC

The Bad Plus

The Little Theatre 1, thelittle.org Experimental jazz quartet The Bad Plus released a 2024 album titled “Complex Emotions,” complete with abstract-expressionist artwork befitting its title. The compositions run from wry and noirish to almost sparkling in their playfulness, a testament to what the avant-garde group can accomplish. (The band has opened for Wilco, which may help explain its aims.) At The Little’s Theatre 1, The Bad Plus takes the stage, in conjunction with Tony Brown’s Live! promo company, at 8 p.m. $43.72. PH

MUSIC

Ruben Moreno & the Creole Swamp Krewe with Kevin Wimmer

Skylark Lounge, theskylarklounge.com

Houston accordion player Ruben Moreno helps keep Zydeco alive, blending it with more contemporary blues and soul influences. On this tour, he’s backed up by the Creole Swamp Krewe, and all parties have their sights on honoring Louisiana musician Preston Frank, who was not able to join due to health issues. But fiddle player Kevin Wimmer will be there, making for a night of authentic Zydeco culture on South Union Street. 7:30 p.m. $15 advance, $20 at the door. PH

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 13

MUSIC/DRAG

Thorgy

Thor & The Thorchestra

Kodak Hall at Eastman Theatre, my.rpo.org

In this drag show-meets-orchestral performance, NYC-based performer Thorgy Thor joins the RPO and the Rochester Gay Men’s Chorus for a one-of-a-kind show. Thorgy Thor shot to fame after appearing on “RuPaul’s Drag Race” (season 8 and season 3 of “All Stars”) and is classically trained in string performance. Join her for the wit, the music and the celebration of artistic expression. 7:30 p.m. Tickets: $30-$106. Pre-concert meet and greet also available. MEGAN MACK

ART

Galentine’s Day Paint & Sip

ARTISANworks, artisanworks.net

Love might be for suckers — but not for sippers. All art materials are provided, so BYOB and bring your own friends to enjoy this painting experience with Muck Duck Studio owner Miss Casey. Doors open at 6:30 p.m., and the painting starts at 7. Tickets are $25 apiece. Still nursing your wounded heart? From 12-4 p.m. Feb. 15-16, attend ARTISANworks’s Self Care Soiree for free and drown your sorrows in goodies from over 70 local artisans. AK

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 14

MUSIC

MC Lyte

Water Street Music Hall, waterstreetmusichall.live

Lana “MC Lyte” Moorer is many things; she is a DJ, rapper, veteran and cofounder of Hip Hop Sisters Foundation, a nonprofit charity that has provided need-based college scholarships for African-American men, and she is bringing her “iconic beats and legendary flow” to Water Street Music Hall for a Valentine’s Day special. Considered one of the pioneers of female rap in the late 1980s, you may know her tracks “Cold Rock a Party” or “Keep On, Keepin’ On.” Doors at 7 p.m. 21+.

$36-$69. AK

CONTINUED ON PAGE 38

MUSIC

Submarine School

Valentine’s Showcase

Lovin’ Cup, lovincup.com

A month after its Submarine Social fundraiser/kid rocker concert, Ben and Katie Morey’s Submarine School of Music brings a showcase of homegrown talent to Lovin’ Cup for Valentine’s Day. Billed as a “musical variety show,” the gig features adult students and family members plus faculty taking the stage. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. for the 7:30 p.m. show. $5 suggested donation. PH

FOOD + DRINK

Valentine’s Dinner and Dancing

ARTISANworks, artisanworks.net

Looking for a way to make your sweetheart’s day? Take them out to ARTISANworks for an evening of dinner (a three-course meal presented by Madeline’s Catering), drinks (full cash bar) and dancing (provided by Sinatra tribute band Moondance). Doors open at 6:30 p.m. to a charcuterie display and cash bar, and from there, you can dance the night away (or, at least, until 11:30 p.m.); tickets are $82 apiece. AK

BENEFIT

Urban League of Rochester’s Love and Legacy Gala

Joseph A. Floreano Rochester Riverside Convention Center, urbanleagueroc.org The Urban League of Rochester celebrates 60 years in 2025, so a Valentine’s Day gala centered around both love and legacy is fitting. A cocktail hour precedes a three-course meal, an awards presentation and a night of dancing. R&B singer Keke Wyatt is also set to perform. 6-11 p.m. General admission gala tickets begin at $250. PH

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 15

MUSIC

Junkyardfieldtrip

Lovin’ Cup, lovincup.com

On last year’s album “Reach,” local alt-country group Junkyardfieldtrip helped pad out its sound with brassy flourishes and a pitch-perfect Steely Dan cover (no small feat). It amps up the volume for this show, becoming “JYFT Deluxe” and doubling in size with an additional vocalist plus violin, pedal steel and keyboards. Music’s at 7 p.m. $10 advance, $15 at the door. PH

MUSIC/POETRY

For the Love of Poetry: Red Light Special

The Lab Creative Resource Center, thelabcrc.com

The newly reopened Black & queerowned event space The Lab is hosting a night of “sensuality and eroticism,” with performances from local singers, rappers and spoken-word poets. 21+. Doors open at 7 p.m., but as owner Jordin Paige often says, when you enter their doors, everyone becomes cousins. Take some time to mingle, get a drink and shop for lashes, locs and lingerie before the show starts at 8 p.m. Listen and snap along, or focus your minimal attention span on the live painting. Early bird tickets are $15 apiece, and tickets at the door are $20. AK

YOGA

Synthflow Yoga

Tru Yoga, truyogaroc.com

Ever watched one of those YouTube videos with ambient noise and rippling colors to try to fall asleep?

In Synthflow, created by yogi Ambar de Santiago and video producer Sean Healey, these motifs are used to create an ethereal, immersive yoga session. With your eyes and ears open, breathe in, take in the live synth, handpan

and harp, watch the mandala-like lights oscillate in front of you and breathe out. Get to your mat by 6:30 p.m. Tickets are $30 (or, for TruYoga members, $27) each. AK

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 16

MAGIC/COMEDY

Justin Willman: Illusionati Tour

Kodak Center, kodakcenter.com

Here’s a magic trick: one can of Coke poured into two cups and balanced on the heads of two guys. One of them is Jimmy Fallon, on national television, who eventually tips it over and shockingly spills nothing — because it’s empty. The other guy, of course, is Justin Willman, a magician whose work is designed to elicit laughs as much as audible gasps. His newest tour, “Illusionati,” brings tricks, jokes and mind control to Kodak Center. 7 p.m. $35.50-$45.50. PH

MUSIC

“Heroic Tchaikovsky” Concert

Glazer Music Performance Center at Nazareth University, chambermusicrochester.org

The Society of Chamber Music in Rochester (SCMR) hosts an afternoon of artists performing the works of Tchaikovsky and original compositions. Classical music fans will recognize Tchaikovsky’s “Piano Trio” and be introduced to the work of celebrated local composers and artists, including Nazareth University faculty member Octavio Vazquez, Eastman School of Music cello professor Joseph Johnson and SCMR Composition Competition winner William Jae. Pre-concert talk at 2:30 p.m. Concert at 3 p.m. Single tickets are $35. A three pack is $100. Free for children and students. MM

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 17

NATURE

Knee-high naturalists: Beavers

Letchworth State Park, parks.ny.gov/events

The 2022 film “Hundreds of Beavers” helped raise the profile of the flattailed water-friendly rodent. But, you know, that’s a movie. To get acquainted with the real thing, kids ages 3-6 are welcome to join this hourlong program that meets at Humphrey Nature Center at 10:30 a.m. Space is limited, and registration is required by calling 585-493-3600. PH

FAMILY

African drumming with Building Families First

Central Library, calendar.libraryweb.org

Born in Zambia, Africa, Mayukwa Kashiwa is a dancer, drummer and storyteller who uses movement and music to teach children “morals and guidance,” according to the Building Families First website. A graduate of Keuka College with a degree in social work, Mayukwa performs consistently across the Rochester area. Suited for all abilities and ages, this program aims to give attendees a chance to enjoy African drumming in an interactive setting. 2-3 p.m. AK

CONTINUED ON PAGE 40

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 18

MUSIC

Sons of Cream & Infrared Radiation Orchestra

JCC Hart Theater, jccrochester.org 1960s rock band Cream was lightning in a bottle. With Eric Clapton on guitar and the tight rhythm section of Ginger Baker (drums) and Jack Bruce (bass), the trio yielded indelible psychblues tunes like “Sunshine of Your Life” and “Crossroads.” Bruce’s son Malcolm and Baker’s son Kofi have kept their fathers’ musical legacies afloat as Sons of Cream, complete with Rob Johnson on guitar. The group’s set runs through those wellknown bangers as well as some deeper gems. Local band Infrared Radiation Orchestra opens. Tickets for the 7 p.m. concert run $25-$55. PH

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 19

MUSIC

Benny Bleu’s Old Time Banjo Social Hour

Little Lakes Community Center, littlelakesny.org

Benny Bleu’s meditative banjo take on the tune “Crossing Lake Riley” was one of CITY’s favorite songs of 2024, thanks in part to its royal sway. Every Wednesday, Bleu keeps that spirit moving with his plucky musical social hour at the Little Lakes Community Center in Hemlock. Bring a banjo, fiddle, guitar if you’ve got one, or arrive ready to learn a thing or two. 4-6 p.m. PH

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 20

FESTIVAL ROC Black-Owned Business Expo

Central Library, calendar.libraryweb. org/event/13604707

BIPOC-owned local businesses and organizations will set up throughout both Rundel Memorial Library and the nearby Bausch & Lomb Public Library for a day of making connections and networking, as well as highlighting products and services for the community. 12-6 p.m. at 115 South Ave. PH

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 21

COMEDY

Madelein Murphy

Comedy @ the Carlson, carlsoncomedy.com

You may have seen Rochester native comedian Madelein Murphy open for Tig Notaro at Kodak Hall in 2023, or perhaps a decade earlier you caught her recording her debut album at Photo City Improv. Both times, she

brought the hilarious and sex-positive POV that’s become her specialty; one of my favorite jokes finds her marching in the St. Patrick’s Day Parade to support her straight friends’ rights. Murphy plans to expand her offerings at this gig into her debut special, thanks in part to production company Comedy Dynamics. Two shows, 7 and 9 p.m. $15. PH

MUSIC “Titanic Live”

Kodak Hall at Eastman Theatre, esm.rochester.edu

Feel like you’re the “king of the world” (sorry, had to) during this screening

of James Cameron’s Academy Awardwinning film “Titanic” as a live orchestra plays the score. Conductor Mark Watters and the orchestra will be accompanied by vocal soloist Alice Zawadzki and Eric Rigler on uilleann pipes and whistles. 7:30 p.m. Tickets: $25-$85. MM

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 22

FOOD + BEV

Chili cook-off

Flower City Arts Center, flowercityarts.org Homer Simpson famously ate a chili pepper so spicy that it caused him to hallucinate a talking fox who sounded like Johnny Cash. Unclear whether any local eateries will produce similar experiences at this beloved and delicious charity fundraiser, now in its 18th year. What is clear, though, is that the title of Best Chili in Rochester will be settled on. Chow from 4:30-8 p.m. Online advance tickets $35 for members, $40 for non-members and $120 for families. At the door day of tickets $45. PH

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 23

THEATER

“The Wiz”

West Herr Auditorium Theatre, rbtl.org

Why should the new “Wicked” movie have all the fun? In this beloved retelling of “The Wizard of Oz,” it’s less about following the yellow bricks and more about easing on down the road. Via its first new Broadway tour in 40 years, “The Wiz” stops through the Auditorium Theatre for eight performances Feb. 22-28. $51-$125. PH

MUSIC/LITERATURE Dady Brothers book signing

Pittsford Barnes & Noble, dadybros.com

As the tale goes, Irish music in America has continued to blossom in large urban centers like New York City and Chicago — and also Rochester, thanks to brothers John and Joe Dady, who have kept the tradition alive. Author Christopher Shannon captured it in his new book, “Singing from the Heart: The Dady Brothers, Irish Music, and Ethnic Endurance in an American City.” He’ll sign copies while John Dady sings a few tunes. The event begins at 2 p.m. PH

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 24

DANCE

Mixed level belly dance (Raqs Sharqi) session

Kinections, facebook.com/ DylainaAlexandriaBellyDance

Located at Kinections, a dance/ movement therapy studio in NOTA, belly dance instructor Dylaina Alexandria teaches “dramatic and silky” choreography every Monday. Alexandria, who also teaches at the University of Rochester, specializes in MENAHT (Middle Eastern, North African, Hellenic and Turkish) dance, which she has studied for the last 20 years. Based on skill level, additional instruction throughout the session can aid in a more intricate interpretation of the moves and combos for individual dancers. $18. AK

CONTINUED ON PAGE 42

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 25

THEATER

“Little Women”

Geva Theatre, gevatheatre.org

While you may know the novel by heart, this new adaptation by Chicago playwright and educator Heather Chrisler is an innovative retelling of a classic. The show, which utilizes found objects within the March family attic to depict their story, has been lauded as a “master class in storytelling – and heartstring-tugging.” Runtime is approximately two hours, and it is recommended that attendees are over 10 years old. The show runs until Mar. 23, and accessible performances for those interested in captioned, audio described or sign interpreted performances are available on the Geva website. $33-$66. AK

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 26

MUSIC

The Annual Johnny Cash birthday bash

Abilene Bar and Lounge, abilenebarandlounge.com/calendar

It’s the 15th annual Johnny Cash Birthday Bash at Abilene, hosted by “The Abilene Four,” featuring Tommy Brunett, Brian Williams Jimmy Mac and Bobby Henrie. It promises to be a great night celebrating the life and music of The Man in Black. Tickets are $18 in advance and $22 the day of the show. They’re on sale now online and at the bar. The doors open at 4 p.m. and the music starts at 7:30. AC

MUSIC

Less Is More: An Evening with Joss Stone

Temple Theater, jossstone.com

Known as much for her soul covers as for her own smoky voice, British singer Joss Stone arrived in America as a teenager singing a lounge-ready take on The White Stripes’s “Fell in Love with a Girl” in 2003. In the 20 years since, she’s released nine studio albums and sold 15 million records, all the while collaborating with heavy hitters like Stevie Wonder and Gladys Knight. Her “Less Is More” tour arrives at the majestic Temple Theater downtown for an evening of soul spanning those two decades, and more. Music’s at 7:30 p.m. Tickets begin at $79. PH

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 27

CRAFTS

Sh*tty

Craft Night

Abundance Food Co-op, littlebuttoncraft.com

Melt plastic, ‘90s style. Make pixelated designs with Perler beads with Little Button Craft. Materials provided. Cut through the Co-op’s grocery section to the cafe tables to find it. Grab a snack maybe. 5:30-7:30 p.m. Free, with a $10 suggested donation. NE

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 28

COMEDY

Gary Gulman

Comedy @ the Carlson, carlsoncomedy.com

Boston native Gary Gulman is tall, dark-haired and handsome, a former football player and schoolteacher who titled one comedy special “Born on 3rd Base.” His privilege is baked into his stand-up; he laughs at himself and invites us to do the same. But Gulman has also probed into the darkness of his own mental-health struggles and

even the electroconvulsive therapy he endured to treat severe depression. His winning smile between tales of hospitalization is a guiding light — he’s found the humor, so we can, too. The electric, hilarious performer comes to Rochester for three sets: 7:30 p.m. on Feb. 28; 7 p.m. and 9 p.m. on Mar. 1. Tickets $28-$28. PH

SATURDAY, MARCH 1

MUSIC

Rubert Wates

First Unitarian Church of Rochester, cafeveritas.org

The crew behind Cafe Veritas believe that “the singer-songwriter genre is a musical and poetic manifestation of the examined life.” Thus, they’ve made it their mission to highlight a new one every month. In March, that talent is Rupert Wates, a troubadour originally from London whose folk style follows that of forebears Bert Jansch and Davy Graham. 7 p.m. doors, 7:30 show. $20 general admission, $15 with student ID. PH

MUSIC

Beginning bluegrass jam

Bernunzio Uptown Music, bernunzio.com

On the first Saturday in every month, self-described “musical pilgrim” Ben Proctor hosts a beginner-friendly bluegrass jam. An Eastman graduate with a master’s degree in music education, Proctor spent years doing “musical soul-searching” in a variety of genres and disciplines before settling into the comfort of American traditional music. The guided session, which lasts from 1-2:30 p.m., is geared towards beginning and intermediate level students, and due to the lack of sheet music involved, all learners can follow along through basic chords. AK

SUNDAY, MARCH 2

MUSIC

Sinfonia & Concertino Concert

The Hochstein School, hochstein.org John Fetter and Terry Smith direct Hochstein’s Sinfonia, featuring musicians in grades 4-9. Marcos Kreutzer directs students in grades 1-5 in the Concertino Strings orchestral ensemble. Both groups join together for this free afternoon concert in the school’s performance hall. A YouTube livestream is available for remote viewing. 2 p.m. PH

MONDAY, MARCH 3

FITNESS

Strangebird Run Club

Strangebird, strangebirdbeer.com/events

“Every Monday @ 6 p.m. Rain or shine. What are you waiting for?” That’s the tagline that prefaces local brewery Strangebird’s Strava (an online sports community database) page. The account, which is incredibly active, uploads group routes every week – and people post with their own runs, spanning from local sprints to runs located as far as Nebraska. For the winter, the club runs the East End and Genesee River loops for about two to four miles of chilly jogging. Be an active supporter of your health, make new friends and drink some beer. AK

TUESDAY, MARCH 4

FITNESS

Barbell 101

ROCovery Fitness, rocoveryfitness.org

Interested in lifting weights, but don’t know where to begin? After starting to volunteer with ROCovery Fitness in 2021, program manager Jacquelin Janis has been coaching weekly events with the sober living health center. This class, which runs from 6-7 p.m., focuses on barbell technique and safe and effective movement. All classes are free and open to anyone with at least 48 hours of continuous sobriety. First-time participants can fill out a membership questionnaire online to qualify. 18+. AK

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 5

MUSIC

The Fully Celebrated Orchestra

Bop Shop Records, bopshop.com

Listening to “Sob Story,” the 2024 album from Boston’s Fully Celebrated Orchestra, is a sneaky experience. At first blush, the tunes twitch in unexpected directions, but in time, the compositions slowly reveal themselves as masterful works of a strong composer. That would be Jim Hobbs, who plays saxophone in the crew, alongside contributions from musicians Taylor Ho Bynum, Ian Ayers, Timo Shanko and Luther Gray. Their potent jazz cocktail goes down easy, even as the music slightly challenges. FCO’s 8 p.m. show is $25 in advance and at the door. PH

THURSDAY, MARCH 6

MUSIC

Live Blues with David Michael Miller

Abilene Bar & Lounge, abilenebarandlounge.com

Miller and the Other Sinners frontman David Michael Miller leads Abilene Bar & Lounge’s blues night the first Thursday of every month. Miller is as comfortable behind a hollow-body electric guitar as he is plucking on an acoustic; his power resides in his deep and rich vocals, as well as in his songwriting prowess. 7 p.m. music, $8 cover. PH

FRIDAY, MARCH 7

COMEDY

Hannibal Buress

Comedy @ the Carlson, carlsoncomedy.com

An early Hannibal Buress bit that still makes me laugh involves a surplus of pickle juice and a shortage of pickles. The solution? Fingers dipped then flicked onto sandwiches “for flavor.” It’s a simple joy, but thanks to his fast-moving brain, the routine swerves into domestic commentary on both roommates and lizards. In short, we end up far from the pickle jar, where all the best comedy should take us. Buress’s comedic sensibilities have landed him major film and television roles, but onstage is where

he continues to shine. Two nights (Mar. 7-8), four shows (7 and 9 p.m.). $38-$48. PH

MUSIC

Driftwood with Adrianna Noone Band & Teressa Wilcox

Photo City Music Hall, photocitymusichall.com

Binghamton’s Driftwood is known for its folk music tinged with touches of soul, so who better to join the group on this bill than local faves Adrianna Noone Band and Teressa Wilcox?

Doors for the 18+ show open at 6:30 p.m. Early bird general admission tickets $25.07 and $30.40 in the leadup. Day of show tickets $35.72. PH

PHOTOGRAPHY

“Explore Rochester at 10: A Decade of People and Places”

Rochester Contemporary Art Center, rochestercontemporary.org

For over 10 years, the Instagram account Explore Rochester has championed what it means to be a piece of this city, giving its followers a glimpse into the life and mind of a Rochesterian for a week’s time. Amounting to over 500 people (and an intern that is just doing their best,) Explore Rochester aims to celebrate those very people with a curated exhibition of one photograph from each of the account’s contributors over the past decade at Rochester Contemporary Art Center. The opening reception is set for March 7 from 6-9 p.m. RL

Taking care of business

HEALTH

As a young pharmacy student, Christopher Woodring learned how Trillium Health approached its patients. Namely, he saw how the health care system, initially founded to treat those with HIV and AIDS in the 1980s, specialized its care based on needs. That appealed to Woodring.

He took a job at Trillium in 2008. Seventeen years — and one recent promotion to vice president and chief pharmacy officer — later, he sees how doling out prescriptions is just one element of the larger patchwork of care.

“We talk to a patient, and they don’t have a fridge, so they’re not taking their insulin,” Woodring said. “We talk to a patient, and they say, ‘I don’t have any food for the weekend.’ What other pharmacy walks out to the food pantry and grabs a bag of food for them to take home for the weekend?”

This continued holistic care has led Trillium Health into its latest era, five years out from the defining health issue in a generation: the COVID-19 pandemic. Another recent appointment bears this out. Dr. Michael Mendoza, former Monroe County health commissioner during the pandemic, recently joined as senior vice president and chief operating officer.

Now, as when Trillium started up its clinics during the AIDS

business

crisis, the focus remains on community. The system continues to grow, serving patients in two main Rochester facilities with three satellite locations and providing resources as varied as gynecology, diabetes management, sexual health, transgender care, financial assistance, food and housing aid and more.

So, too, have the definitions and functions of health care grown. When Dr. Mendoza began practicing in the late 1990s, he said, the implicit basis of care was strictly medical, i.e. not related to related issues of food or transportation access. The importance of those factors has since shifted.

“Whether you consider them medical or not, they’re definitely important to health,” Mendoza said. “We’re in this transition where we’re thinking more broadly about health care and thinking just generally about health.”

Part of his new role is shepherding Trillium’s evolution into a Federally Qualified Health Center, a designation that comes with $3 million annually in government aid. The funds will allow Trillium to open a new facility on Jefferson Avenue sometime in the summer and add more primary care options at its existing Science Parkway location.

Bolstering health care in a post-COVID-19 world makes sense given what the pandemic revealed about the strength of the systems in place. For Mendoza, the necessary and fast adoption of telemedicine during that time was a blessing.

“It’s become a vehicle for us to improve our ways of being accessible to communities that have traditionally not been included,” he said. “We’ve learned that telemedicine has made mental health care more accessible for certain populations.”

Woodring said pharmaceutical care during the pandemic improved as well, citing

medication home delivery and filling prescriptions in larger quantities.

“Patients were leaving the building without having to come back for months,” he said.

Along those lines, the new horizon of Trillium includes continued community outreach in ways that transcend the medical. The most conspicuous is its sponsorship of Rochester Pride in July, via the ROC Pride Collective, and its popular White Party fundraising gala.

On Feb. 13, Trillium will present a unique outing: A classical music concert at Eastman Theatre’s Kodak Hall that’s also a drag show.

Led by violinist and “RuPaul’s Drag Race” talent Thorgy Thor, the event is co-hosted with the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra and features the Rochester Gay Men’s Chorus as well as local drag favorite Mrs. Kasha Davis as a guest tenor.

Thor, a graduate of SUNY Purchase’s Conservatory of Music, is a string dynamo, fluent in violin, viola and cello — all instruments on display during the program titled “Thorgy Thor &

The Thorchestra.” The performer calls it a musical variety show. She premiered it in 2018 in Halifax, Nova Scotia with conductor Daniel Bartholomew-Poyser; since then, Thor has shared the stage with symphonies in Pittsburgh, San Francisco, Boston and more.

The idea is simple: Bring classical fans to a drag show and drag fans to the orchestra.

“I want to see all the drag lovers come back and buy a ticket to the symphony, even though I’m not here, and come enjoy a 44-minute Tchaikovsky symphony and vice versa,” Thor said. “I want to see some of the older orchestra lovers at the drag club at midnight on a Tuesday for your local performers.”

The Thorchestra is perhaps the only show where Brahms’s “Hungarian Dance No. 1” is immediately followed by a Village People disco tune. The novelty of seeing both executed at the highest level is what helps fund patients’ needs at Trillium. After all, Thorgy’s show is a fundraiser — and another way to help keep care continuous.

Christopher Woodring joined Trillium Health in 2008 and was elevated to vice president and chief pharmacy officer in January.
PHOTO BY ROBERTO FELIPE LAGARES
Dr. Michael Mendoza, formerly Monroe County’s health commissioner during the COVID-19 pandemic, will help shepherd Trillium Health’s evolution into a Federally Qualified Health Center. He assumed the role of senior vice president and chief operating officer in January.
PHOTO BY ROBERTO FELIPE LAGARES

“ENDLESS PLEASURE”

With tightness and agility rivaling our hero’s teal spandex attire on the cover, Aweful Kanawful’s "Endless Pleasure" (released Feb. 14) excites as it offers track after track of through-composed, goldenbrown, theatrically hardened specialties. The ensemble prances upon rock and roll forms, with Danny Cocuzza and Bob Marshall on guitars, Brendan Lake drumming and Graham Balcomb playing bass — led by Austin Lake, who composed and sings the music and lyrics.

“Halitosis” punctuates down a thematic slide into a wild dissonant punch with endless life and pleasure in question, before badly breathing into bad blood, as “Horse With No Name” proclaims: That’s not blood, it’s just dirty water, running through my veins, but they say it’s too late to operate.

Key changes, modulations, tempo shifts and perfectly unhinged guitar work are building blocks of Endless Pleasure and lay perfectly amidst Lake’s wry observational lyrical narrative. Rapid power punk landscapes youth, from passing out and skipping the SATs to being discovered naked on your parents kitchen floor (told on “Pretend You’re Sleeping”), giving way to a promise on “Seventeen”: There’s a whole lotta fish in the ocean and I’m jumping in.

On tip toes, “Hello It’s Me” cutely doo-wops for a take-me-back, continuing into “Bomb’s Away,” a creamy, soul-rock explosion with Blues Brothers swagger. Intense and sinister instrumentation warps “Some Girls” around alternative universes of hard rock, flipping the channel to journeys with “Jimmy the Jetpack,” a riffy guitarfueled soundtrack for the space cowboy.

Articulate, beefy abandonment lets “Highnoon” tick at an extreme rate of speed, with Lake’s perfectly crispy vocal delivery soaring above this Jam-like run around the “rhythm of my heart.” “Hopeless Romantic” displays immense hard-rock prowess, as the unsettled lead does its best to fit in where he doesn’t belong, before admitting his yearning heart’s fate as the band fakes a “ta-da” ending. — RYAN M. YARMEL

“PANORAMAS: FLUTE MUSIC OF THE PHILIPPINES”

Here is an invitation to expand your listening palette this winter.

On the new album “Panoramas: Flute Music of the Philippines,” flutist Norman Menzales plays music inspired by love and loss; you hear elements of old romantic songs alongside almost shocking experimental textures.

Menzales is first-generation FilipinoAmerican. This music is an extension of his Sampaguita Flute Project, “a community of musicians that performs classical works inspired from the Philippines.” That community includes friends and collaborators from his days at the Eastman School of Music.

The title work is a romantic suite from 1931, by Nicanor Abelardo, a Filipino composer who wrote traditional love songs and concert pieces. The flute is interwoven with a chamber ensemble featuring the belllike sound of the celeste, played by Haeyeun Jeun, with Antoine Lefebvre (violin), Jay Julio (viola) and Yolanda Tapia (piano).

The rest of the music is all by contemporary composers, each with a distinct musical voice, and pretty much all new to me.

On “DABDA,” Nilo Alcalain tackles the stages of grief. The challenging early stages are marked by strong musical gestures fitting strong emotions, leading into a plaintive reflection for “bargaining” and the luminous beauty of accepting. Don’t skip ahead — while each piece stands on its own, it feels more rewarding if you experience it all in the proper order.

Guitarist and composer Sungmin Shin joins Menzales for “Pinoy Reverie,” his gentle duet inspired by different facets of love. This fascinating exploration wraps up with a driving sonata with a tuneful heart by Joed Balsamo.

Each of these tracks is a discovery and revelation. I hope you enjoy the journey and find something you love here, too.

— MONA SEGHATOLESLAMI

“[PRESS START]” BY GREG MASLYN, CHRIS FISCHER, LOCHLAN BOEBEL & MAX D’AMICO

Bop Shop Records is one the best live music venues in town. As a retail store, it caters to a quieter crowd of diligent devotees who don’t mind seeing artists like “Sesame Street” composer Joe Fiedler and country bluesman Charlie Parr set up between stacks of CDs and vinyl LPs.

The remarkably clear sound of these in-store performances arrives via Dan Gross, who mixes sets live behind a tech console across from the checkout counter.

Gross knows the room from its carpet to the shelves lining the aisles. As such, his new mobile production company Stereo Field Recordings aims to preserve that cozy feel.

The first official release comes from guitarist Greg Maslyn and a trio: saxophonist Chris Fischer, bassist Lochlan Boebel and drummer Max D’Amico. All four gathered at Bop Shop on Nov. 3 to lay down this recording, while Gross captured it on tape.

The composition? A Maslyn-penned modal jazz tune called “[PRESS START],” which owes its title to the influence of video games. Think of it as the musical exploration of a start menu on the Nintendo 64 — a gaming console Maslyn often played with his brother as a kid.

Maslyn’s brother, Mike, tragically died of leukemia while still in his teens. Here, the younger Maslyn honors his late sibling with a heartfelt, playful tune. His lyrical fretwork pops over the rippling rhythmic foundation of D’Amico and Boebel.

With Fischer’s saxophone at its center, though, the tune crackles with flair even as it stays grounded in quiet grace.

“[PRESS START],” released in early 2025, marks the beginning of Stereo Field Recordings’s output as an emerging Rochester audio institution. It’s a welcome arrival and a reminder of the talent found inside the shop at 1460 Monroe Ave. — both in the stacks and, occasionally, staged on the floor between them.

“I AM” BY

Rochester singer-songwriter Brock Saltsman has always had an earnest voice, melodically dialed-in and expressive. But with only an acoustic guitar as instrumental support on the solo EP “I Am,” the quality of his singing takes center stage, without any of the indie rock accoutrement of his band Pluck to divert attention.

On “Offering,” the tone of his tenor — somewhat reminiscent of Americana songwriter Dave Rawlings’s straightforward sensibility, but without the country twang — cuts to the heart and pairs well with the threadbare vulnerability of the lyrics: This is where I grew up / There’s a hole in the rock / Let me show you the opening / If you stay past dark, there’s a strange warm light / And it feels like an offering.

For “Liar,” Saltsman duets with himself in a brilliant piece of succinct but provocative storytelling: When I had 20 dollars to my name, my baby told me that she’d love me just the same / So I went downtown and I gambled on the game / I walked back home with my head held low in shame / And low, so low, but I’m still inspired / And now where I go, they’ll call me ‘Liar.’

“Trying” is a stylistic throwback, recalling the ‘70s folk balladry of James Taylor before concluding with atmospheric background vocals that ground the song in the present day.

The EP, which Saltsman co-wrote with Jennifer Thomas, boasts an emotionally direct approach throughout the five tracks, a consistency which carries over to the music production as well. The fact that three different accomplished audio engineers — Aaron Lipp, Ben Morey and Alex Northrup — were involved in crafting the sound speaks to the clarity of Saltsman’s vision for the songs. Released on Feb. 5, “I Am” is a welcome entry into the indie folk catalog, with plenty of fresh-faced sincerity and evocative vocals in abundance.

Congratulations to Peter Conners, Executive Director and Publisher of BOA Editions, LTD, on his 20 years of leading the company, resulting in its recent CITY Magazine win as best "under the radar" publisher in Rochester. Peter and his dedicated staff are always bringing the best and latest new writers to our attention. Signed, Dan Cawley, Paula Baker, and many other BOA donors and readers.

Be sure to read Peter's great novel, Merch Table Blues BOA Editions is a non-profit organization.

Please consider making a small donation by visiting boaeditions.org

After 15 years, Son House Blues Night has a new host.

Passing the baton

In 1964, three young blues fans discovered Mississippi blues musician Son House living anonymously in Rochester. They convinced him to resume playing and recording, establishing a solid link between Rochester and the original Delta blues.

When Gordon Munding started a blues jam at Beale Street Cafe in 2006, he named it in honor of Son House. To this day, Munding attributes some of the longevity and success of the night to the name.

“People say, ‘Hmmm, Son House Blues Night, that sounds interesting,’ and they check it out,” he said.

It started out as a weekly acoustic jam, but evolved over the years into a monthly electric show. In 2012, Munding passed the hosting baton to Genesee Johnny. When Beale Street in the South Wedge closed the following year, the jam moved temporarily to Sticky Lips on Culver Road, then back to a reopened Beale Street. In 2017, Genesee Johnny approached Record Archive about hosting the event. Owner Alayna Alderman welcomed the idea, and it found its permanent home there. Son House Blues Night takes place at 6 p.m. the last Thursday of the month, and it is always free.

At Record Archive, Johnny worked to expand the palette of the evening, bringing in musicians who did not necessarily play a

musicians who were ‘bluesadjacent.’ He also worked to increase the diversity of both the musicians and the crowd to create a space which felt welcoming to everyone.

“Johnny was fabulous to work with — he organized all the featured artists which included local, regional and national acts,” Alderman said. “Son House night is an homage to the rich history of one of the icons of Blues. Although he only lived here for 23 years of his life, his impression and legacy lives on. We take special ownership of his contributions here and revel in the fact that our own local legend Joe Beard played with him.”

Rochester does have a reputation as a great music city, but with much of that connected to the Eastman School of Music, people are sometimes more likely to think of classical and jazz as “Rochester music” (plus Lou Gramm, of course). People don’t necessarily think of Rochester as a blues city.

“Although Rochester has been known for many ‹white color businesses› (Kodak, Xerox, Bausch & Lomb), it also has a deep blue collar and impoverished community,” said Alderman. “Blues and roots music started in these communities and (they) are the backbone of our city and our country.”

When Genesee Johnny decided to take a break from hosting this fall, Dan Lopata and Rob Huff, longtime members of the house band (bass and drums, respectively) approached Son Henry, a blues musician who

recently returned to his hometown of Rochester, to take up the baton. Johnny approved of the choice, and Son Henry first hosted the night in December.

Son Henry is well-qualified for the position, having spent more than 50 years playing the blues, beginning here in the 1970s. As an oil company geologist, he lived in such far-flung locations as Texas, Alaska and Scotland; playing the blues and absorbing musical influences in all of them. Since returning to Rochester, he has established himself as a regular on the music scene, playing all around the city, both solo and with his band.

“Blues is the root of all popular music,” Henry said.

He has recorded eight albums, including two in 2024. “Grace” was recorded with the Hungarian T Rogers Band. On the solo acoustic “Ballad Hunter,” Henry recorded two versions of most songs — one in a modern studio and one using the old wax cylinder recording method. While this provides an interesting contrast between recording methods, what comes through strongest is the quality of his songwriting. He also has a new record due out this month.

Son Henry and his band have many plans for moving Son House Blues Night forward. They intend to keep the standard structure of the house band opening the evening, then bringing in guest musicians followed by an invitational jam with local musicians. (It is not an open jam where just anyone can play — if you want that, Son Henry runs one every Sunday at Main Place Tavern). Other plans include a New Orleans-style brass band for Mardi Gras and a full-scale celebration of Son House’s birthday in March. Henry’s primary goal is strengthening the ties that already exist between blues players here to create what he calls “a joyful celebration of community.”

“Blues isn’t sad music,” he said. “It is joyous.”

Rochester native and long time Blues artist Son Henry takes center stage at Record Archive as the new face and voice of Son House Blues Night.
PHOTOS BY ROBERTO FELIPE LAGARES

A community loss

When painter and printmaker Siena Pullinzi first took up residency in The Hungerford Building in 2021, it was a dream.

“From when I was in college, I would go to First Fridays, and it was a goal to have an art studio in the Hungerford, because it was just so pivotal to be in that place,” she said. “I was awestruck.”

To Pullinzi, the Hungerford was the center of Rochester arts. A vibrant ecosystem of painters, sculptors, craftsmen and virtually all other varieties of creatives scattered across the four floors of the repurposed factory building.

“I just viewed it as this central community for what Rochester stands for as an art community,” she continued. “I don’t know if it is that anymore.”

The dream is now dead, killed by the hands of a Staten Island real estate investor. In 2022, Peter Hungerford purchased the building from former owner Dennis Maguire for $7.7 million. Hungerford, a controversial figure in Rochester real estate who was previously sued by the city in 2018 for code violations at his residential properties, spurred fear in artists that rents would go up and the building’s studios would be vacated in favor of high-dollar renters.

But nearly three years later, the reality is the building has instead rapidly deteriorated under Hungerford (a distant relative of the building’s namesake, J. Hungerford Smith). Water leaks openly from pipes throughout the building. Trash and

The Hungerford Building was once the epicenter of artist studios downtown —
now it’s an empty shell filled with waste.

human excrement litter the hallways.

Homeless encampments have popped up in the building, and the scent of stagnant water and mold is omnipresent.

Most studios are now dark, their inhabitants diffusing outward into various venues around the city: The Refinery building on Exchange Street, the nearby Anderson Arts Building on North Goodman Street or their own spaces.

Pullinzi, for example, now runs her studio out of a spare room in her and her partner’s apartment.

“I think it dented or made a large hole in the community with the lack of space that we have for studios already,” Pullinzi said. “It was kind of the only space.”

THE LOSS OF A COMMUNITY

Danielle Pagani and Brynn Capwell hosted their pottery club Wheel & Slab at the Hungerford for several years before finally making an exit during summer 2024. They were evicted from one space under circumstances Pagani described as “random” with little notice, and no cause given.

Hungerford claimed he had never evicted a tenant from the building for no reason.

It was a hard choice to leave, both for losing the Hungerford’s artist network and for the difficulty finding a new home.

“But honestly, for the price, I wasn’t expecting it to be five-star accommodations,” Pagani said. “It is one of the least expensive places in Rochester.”

“It was,” Capwell interjected. “Yeah, it was,” Pagani said.

The Hungerford Building was once home to over 100 artists studios. After the building was sold to Peter Hungerford in 2022, less than 15 studios remain occupied by artists.
PHOTO BY MAX SCHULTE
The north end of the first floor at the Hungerford Building is littered with garbage and food waste from a homeless encampment.
PHOTO BY JACOB WALSH
Most of the bathrooms in the Hungerford Building are out of order or in unsanitary condition.
PHOTO BY MAX SCHULTE

For startup organizations like Wheel & Slab, The Hungerford Building’s benefit was twofold: It offered access to a broad range of artists and a vibrant community to engage with both each other and the public. But it was also relatively affordable, giving young artists a chance to pursue their passion as a business.

“The most important thing to us was having a community, and building a community in our studio,” Pagani said. “For us, it just didn’t feel like it was possible.”

Wheel & Slab shopped around a while for a commercial space that could accommodate their studio. It was a difficult pursuit. Spaces that were affordable did not fit the bill of what was needed for a large-scale pottery studio, and those that did were far too expensive.

The pair eventually ended up at an 8,000 square-foot space on Mt. Hope Boulevard.

But for Pagani and Capwell, the loss of The Hungerford meant more than just the loss of simple studio space. It was a signifier that a city which bills itself as a “city of the arts” was unable to save one of the purest incubators for the city’s art community.

“I think art is a catalyst for change, and if you look at any example of a community that’s being pulled up, it’s typically artists that start out in that community,” Capwell said. “It drives technology, it drives community change. Without that art, you’re really at risk of stagnating.”

A portion of the artists who exited the Hungerford ended up at the nearby Anderson Arts Building. That building, next door to Village Gate, has also long been a hub of the local arts community.

Lynne Feldman has called the Anderson Arts Building home for her studio for over 30 years. She said while it’s sad to see the decline of the Hungerford, there are still homes for artists in the community.

“We’re a tight community, and that was a wonderful place,” Feldman said. “I mean, I feel very lucky. I like my building better, but for a younger artist starting out there were less expensive studios (at The Hungerford).”

LINGERING AT THE HUNGERFORD

The Hungerford Building is mostly a ghost town now. An eerie silence permeates its cavernous hallways, each

footstep and splashing water droplet punctuating the ever-present quiet in the building.

At the time of the sale to Maguire, the Hungerford boasted about 170 tenants, from painters and sculptors to woodworkers and small shops. Back then, the community was so vibrant that there was a waiting list for new tenants to take up space in the building.

Today, only a handful remain. Many tenants bailed in 2024, as the conditions in the building rapidly deteriorated.

Nancy Coons of Muze Gallery is an abstract nude artist, painting human visages in wood and using the natural knots in the grain as representation of nipples and genitalia. She’s held a space in the Hungerford for 18 years, and remains in her studio on the second floor of the building.

“I don’t want to leave this place, but at the same time, what do you do?” Coons said.

She remembers the era before Hungerford’s purchase as a period when the building was filled with energy. Though the building was aged and rife with quirks, it was safe, maintained and cleaned.

These days, the hall outside Coons’s studio is marked by deep puddles in the hardwood, water pooling from dripping pipes overhead. Mice have become a regular presence in her studio.

Two floors above Coons is the

Godfrey Mueller studio. Just outside the doors sits a couch and a smattering of clothing and trash, remnants of a site where someone had set up camp in the building.

Owner Jeffrey Mueller has done repairs of stained glass out of the space for 32 years. He, for now, is staying — but largely for one reason.

“Look at all the shit I got in here,” Mueller said, standing in the doorway of his studio.

He remembers a bustling art community at the Hungerford just a few years ago.

“You had a waiting line for people to get in here,” Mueller said. “First

Fridays, Second Saturdays, people could come in here to buy your stuff. They’re all gone.”

The Hungerford Building is actually a collection of different structures, with the worst signs of decay seen in the eastern portion of the site, where most of the artist studios were rented. A few doors down from the building that houses Coons and Mueller, in the front section of the plaza, is Main Street Clay. Formerly occupying a studio in the other building, Jennifer Buckley and Kate Hevers still toil away in the studio. Traffic has dropped to an all-time low. For example, during the First Friday

Pottery artist Jennifer Buckley talks with fellow potter Kate Hevers in the the studio they share, East Main Clay, at the Hungerford Building.
PHOTO BY MAX SCHULTE
Leaking pipes have saturated wood floors in the hallways of the Hungerford Building.
PHOTO BY MAX SCHULTE

events in years past, Main Street Clay’s rent was usually covered just from those sales. On First Friday in January, the studio did not make a single sale.

“It’s the community we miss the most,” Buckley said. “The building is a building, and we like our old building, but the community is the issue.”

Buckley and Hevers both said any hope for repairs under Peter Hungerford’s ownership is mostly gone. He’s largely off the grid with tenants, and the deterioration only seems to be accelerating.

During the time this story was being reported, for example, someone came into the building and attempted to break into several studios after successfully breaking into a room containing the keys to every studio.

At the time, there were no functioning locks on the building’s exterior doors.

“He doesn’t answer anymore, and with the loss of the community, we just don’t have the power,” Hevers said. “We don’t have the numbers.”

Hungerford’s explanation of the building’s rapid deterioration is that he was unable to attract the kind of high-dollar tenants he expected to use as the main economic driver.

He also blamed the city for increasing his property taxes and the artist community for being unwilling to pay for his planned premium-cost spaces.

“The goal, at that point in time, was to keep it entirely artist-focused,” Hungerford said. “There was virtually no interest from the artist community in collaborating on the basement-level plans. Then, on the higher floors with more windows and more attractive layouts, there was no interest from the artist community to pay a little bit more in rent for those spaces.”

The city of Rochester, meanwhile, offered a written statement. In it, the city said it had little power to enforce change at the building beyond issuing code enforcement violations. If Hungerford ignores those, they can take him to court.

Since Hungerford bought the building, it has accrued 22 code violations, 11 of which are health and safety related. Three violations for trash were logged since CITY/WXXI began reporting on the building in early January. Hungerford has been

fined a total of $1,200 in the past year.

The basement level plans never saw the light of day, as Hungerford began working on renovations without a permit and received a stop work order from the city.

At Main Street Clay, Buckley and Hevers have been plotting an exit for a while. But while small artist studios found easier homes, it’s the larger spaces which struggle the most to find accommodating commercial spaces.

“We know where other artists have gone, and we looked at a couple of spots, but for our particular situation, it’s really hard for us to walk away from this,” Buckley said. “If we were in the (main artist) building, we would have been long gone.”

Jeffrey Mueller, owner of Godfrey Muller Studios, rubs leaded stained glass cement into a window that dates back to the 1870s. Mueller built his livelihood in the Hungerford for over 30 years and is among the last working artists in the building.
PHOTO BY MAX SCHULTE
Artists who still have studios in the building said the new owner, Peter Hungerford, does not have security onsite. PHOTO BY MAX SCHULTE
Nancy Coons picks up a sign that fell off the wall near the entrance to the second floor of the Hungerford Building. Coons’s studio, Muse Gallery, shared the floor with more than 30 artist studios. Coons is now one of five left.
PHOTO BY MAX SCHULTE

Local ferments that pack a (gut) punch.

Keep it funky

If it’s tangy, spicy or has a little funk to it, I’ll take extra. Double ‘kraut on my Reuben? Yes, please. Does my gas station haul include a kombucha? Absolutely. And yes, if you put it between two slices of sourdough, I will eat it.

Fermenting is one of the oldest methods of preservation, and in today’s world, it also provides a great boost to gut health. Beyond the health benefits, fermentation adds a unique funk to often unassuming foods. Fortunately, there are several local producers keeping it both funky and flavorful, offering top-tier fermented food and beverages for your fridge or pantry.

SMALL WORLD FOOD offers a standout lineup of funky ferments, including dilly beans, miso and fermented garlic (a personal favorite). But it’s their sauerkraut that truly stands out — seven varieties of crunchy, flavorful krauts. Their curry kraut brings a fun, bright twist on the classic, with flavors of ginger, cumin and turmeric, plus mustard-like notes with a hint of coriander. Their garlic kraut, an elevated version of traditional sauerkraut, is a musttry for your next Reuben or brat; the perfect balance of zippiness, crunch, and garlicky goodness. Find Small World products at Abundance Co-Op Market (571 South Ave.), Niblack Foods (900 Jefferson Rd., Building 9 Ste. 904), Lori’s Natural Foods (900

Loaves receive final touches of flour at JenArtisan Bread. PHOTOS BY ABBY QUATRO

Jefferson Rd. Building 1 Ste 105) and the Rochester Public Market. smallworldfood.com.

ASIA MARKET GROCERIES (3047

W Henrietta Rd.) is a hidden gem in Rochester, and their housemade kimchi is a particular standout. This is, hands down, some of the best kimchi I’ve had—balanced, with a great crunch and just the right amount of garlicky heat to keep you coming back for more. The rich aroma when you open the quart container is a delight (if you’re a fan of funk). Bright flavors of ginger and garlic shine through, complemented by the unmistakable heat from gochugaru — a Korean chili powder — and deep umami notes from fish sauce. This kimchi is super versatile and could be used as a sandwich topping, in a rice bowl or eaten right out of the container. While this alone is worth making the trip to Asia Market Groceries — don’t be afraid to grab something else while you’re there, it’s a candyland of delicious products. facebook.com/ AsiaMarketRochester

CLOVER MEADOW CREAMERY makes one of my favorite products I’ve tasted recently: goat milk yogurt. If you love goat cheese but

haven’t tried goat yogurt, you’re in for a treat with this rich, savoryleaning style. It’s thinner than a typical “American” yogurt, with a smooth, velvety texture and tangy flavor. I tried both the plain and vanilla varieties, constantly switching between the two to decide which I liked more. The yogurt dissolves in your mouth and both flavors pair wonderfully with toppings like salted nuts, berries and honey. (As someone with a dairy sensitivity, this is one product I’ll risk it all for …) I hope to see a few of you in the dairy section of Lori’s Natural Foods or Abundance Co-Op, fighting over the last jar of Clover Meadow’s goat milk yogurt. clovermeadowcreamery.com

Rochester has several great kombucha brewers, but one of my go-tos is KOMBUCHARISTA, created by Brenna Multala. I love this brand for its dynamic approach — it stands out as both a specialty non-alcoholic beverage and a low-funk, approachable kombucha. The rosemary paloma is a personal favorite, along with the other twists on classic cocktails (each flavor is inspired by a familiar bar bev and can double

as a gut-healthy mixer for your at-home bar). As someone who enjoys kombucha as a hangover cure or a midday pick-me-up, I can confirm Kombucharista’s fermented beverages belong in every fridge, for every occasion. Kombucharista is available at Lori’s Natural Foods, AltBar (1947 E. Main St.) and a handful of local restaurants throughout the city. kombucharista.com

If you don’t have a stop at JEN’S ARTISAN BREADS (682 Winton Rd. N.) on your list of weekly errands, you might need to add it. When I think of great breads, a few key elements come to mind: durability, texture, flavor and appearance. Well, Jen and her team are getting 10s, 10s, 10s across the board from me. The ratio of outer crunch to inner softness makes for great sandwich bread, soup bread or the ol’ rip a piece off and shove it in my mouth kind of bread. There’s a clear yet subtle tang to the sourdough that makes it a star on its own or with a little butter, ham and dijon. Grab a loaf or two, stick the extra in your freezer and enjoy some of the best bread in the Flour City. I’ll see you in line on Saturdays. Jensartisanbread. square.site

A selection of fermented products from Small World Food.
PHOTOS BY ABBY QUATRO
Kimchi from Asia Market Groceries.
PHOTO BY ABBY QUATRO
Kombucharista makes low-funk, approachable kombucha.
PHOTO BY ABBY QUATRO
Goat milk yogurt from Clover Meadow Creamery. PHOTOS BY ABBY QUATRO

Six wellness drinks that raise the bar.

To your health

DRINK

Arecent shift away from traditional drinking habits reflects a broader change in how beverage consumers approach refreshment, nourishment and self-care. Instead of chasing a weekend buzz, the focus is on better sleep, sharper mornings and sustained energy. Gone are the days of settling for water or sugary mixers, with more sippers asking: Why should mindful drinking compromise flavor or fun?

From artisanal coffees and kombucha to fresh-pressed juices and botanical elixirs, these zeroproof (and often low-calorie) drinks combine adaptogens, superfoods and functional ingredients to offer both pleasure and purpose. Whether you’re exploring alternatives to alcohol, seeking a new sensory experience or simply looking for better options, we rounded up a few local spots offering refreshments with wellness in mind.

DROMME CALM

FUNCTIONAL BEVERAGE

@ ALT BAR | 1947 E. MAIN ST.

$38 FOR A 25.4 FL OZ BOTTLE

Searching for a drink that feels like unwinding after a hot yoga session? Dromme Calm Functional Beverage hits the spot and brings the spice. While the price tag is on the higher end of our list, its relaxing properties and aesthetic bottle serves a party

The turmeric latte from Hydra Coffeehouse.
PHOTO BY MIKE MARTINEZ
Good Beets cold-pressed juice from Pearson's.
PHOTO BY MIKE MARTINEZ
Dragon's Nectar fermented tea on tap at Sanctuary.
PHOTO BY MIKE MARTINEZ

of 10 or more and makes it a worthwhile investment for your home bar. The blend includes ashwagandha, an adaptogenic herb traditionally used for stress support, along with valerian root and lion’s mane mushroom. Enjoy on its own for an invigorating moment of calm, or mix with a splash of simple syrup and ice for an alternative, Old-Fashioned style mocktail that may soon replace your traditional nightcap.

HANDCRAFTED HIBISCUS SODA

@ STRANGEBIRD BREWERY

62 MARSHALL ST.

$4 PER GLASS

Strangebird may have been named one of the best breweries in the country by Vinepair last year, but they’ve received high praise from customers for their non-alcoholic options, too. The housemade hibiscus soda offers an artisanal alternative to pop — without the high fructose corn syrup. This ruby-hued beverage features natural hibiscus, known for its antioxidant content, balanced with a hint of pure cane sugar. The careful preparation results in a drink that’s both refreshing and unique.

DRAGON’S NECTAR

FERMENTED TEA

@ HAPPY GUT SANCTUARY

229 MILL ST.

PRICE VARIES BY SIZE

The Dragon’s Nectar at Happy Gut Sanctuary, also known for its selection of kombuchas, offers a unique take on fermented tea. This Jun-style brew – kombucha’s refined cousin – starts with green tea and honey, rather than black tea and cane sugar. The result is a lighter, more nuanced probiotic beverage that many enjoy for digestive support. Each pour from the in-house tap delivers beneficial bacteria alongside subtle honey notes and gentle carbonation.

GOOD BEETS

COLD PRESSED JUICE

@ PEARSON’S MARKET

23 SOMERTON ST.

$9 FOR A 12.5 OZ BOTTLE

Get a superfood boost from earthy beets with Pearson’s house cold-pressed Good Beets Juice. Containing natural compounds sought after by athletes and health enthusiasts alike for the potential performance-supporting properties, this blend features the best of beets while bringing big flavor. The complementary additions of carrot, apple, strawberry, lemon, ginger, and cayenne make it great for beginner juicing palates.

LUCKY FROG SOCIAL TONIC

@ STAPLE VINTAGE

664 UNIVERSITY AVE.

$29.99 FOR AN 8-PACK

Nestled among myriad vintage treasures, Staple Vintage stocks an unexpected drinkable discovery. Lucky Frog Social Tonic is a locally produced, low-calorie, non-alcoholic beverage that brings together crisp organic fruit juices with subtle effervescence, creating a sophisticated alternative to traditional cocktails. The blend includes adaptogens like ashwagandha and nootropics –natural compounds often associated with supporting stress response and mental clarity – making it perfect for social sipping or winding down after a long day.

TURMERIC LATTE

@ HYDRA COFFEE HOUSE

701 MONROE AVE.

PRICE VARIES BY SIZE

Hydra Coffee House melds traditional comfort and modern taste with their turmeric latte, a golden blend that combines turmeric – long-valued in traditional wellness practices –with other warming spices and a choice of dairy or plant-based milk. It’s a caffeine-free alternative that provides a gentle way to start the morning, perfect for those looking to explore new routines and avoid a cortisol crash.

The Dish

BITE-SIZED NEWS

FOOD AND BEV NEWS, GOSSIP, AND GATHERINGS CURATED BY LEAH STACY

The 2025 James Beard Award Semifinalists were announced at the end of January, and while the region is largely overlooked, Christopher Bates (F.L.X. Table, Geneva) was nominated in the “Outstanding Professional in Beverage Service” category. Finalists will be announced in April; the 35th annual awards take place in Chicago on Monday, June 16. Karma Sauce’s Lift Off flavor made its debut on “Hot Ones” Season 26 with Bad Bunny (and has been dubbed a “Hot Ones Hall-of-Famer by host Sean Evans).

Layali Coffeehouse, which will serve organic Yemeni coffee and other treats like iced pistachio lattes, is slated to open at 942 Jefferson Road; a similar concept, Albunn Coffeehouse, will open in April at 333 East Ave. Following the closures of Palermo’s Market and Me Gusta Caribbean Cuisine in Merc on Main, Red Zone Pizza and Rooteins (build-your-own salads) will take over the vacant spaces. Lipman’s Kosher Market and Malek’s Bakery in Brighton are now under the ownership of

a married couple who moved to Rochester after more than a decade in New York City; late-night eats cart The Barking Bun Catering Co. has moved operations to Fairport Convenient, serving up a small menu which includes Philly cheesesteak and cold subs.

FOOD FÊTES

Our pick for Best Pop-Up of 2023 — Abbina, helmed by Sommelier JJ Cutaia and Chef Brian Arliss — roars back to life on Friday, Feb. 14 for a pairing dinner at Aqua Vitae, 320 East Ave. Tickets and more details at instagram.com/abbinaroc.

Plenty of prix fixe dinners and reservations are happening around town for Valentine’s Day — which lands on a Friday this year, for those who celebrate — Radio Social, Cure, La Bola (located in Merc on Main) and Good Luck, to name a few. For those who want to skip the V-Day-specific options, Jack’s Extra Fancy will host their second annual Galentine’s Dinner on Feb. 13 (tickets on Eventbrite); Living Roots Wine & Co. will hold a chocolate and wine pairing class on Feb. 12, and Strangebird is hosting a Beer Dinner on Thursday, Feb. 20 (more details and tickets for both on exploretock.com); while Velvet Belly will host two Shell pop-ups with Chefs Cruz and Jeremy Nucelli Feb. 6-7; and Salena’s will hold a Galentine’s Cocktail Class (Feb. 13) and a Valentine’s Cocktail Class (Feb. 14), more details and tickets for those events at resy.com

First things first

PUZZLE

Surprise attack 5. Throat clearing noise

9. New England college with a flagship campus in Amherst 14. Quick on the uptake

19. Congratulatory prefix for boy or girl 20. Daddy 21. Neatly fashionable

22. San Diego baseballer

23. Singer Groban + Sixers’ Iverson = #17

25. Actor Hemsworth + Comedian Lawrence = Viva la Vida singer

27. Greek god of music and poetry

Account for

Flowery 31. “Better Call Saul” channel

33. No longer employed: Abbr.

Crayon color for a beach drawing

36. Showbiz “grand slam”

37. 41st or 43rd US President

41. Church initiation rituals

45. Like some heads and lies

47. Thoroughly enjoyed

49. Sprinkling cheese, for short

50. Per

52. NYC arena that Phish played 87 times

55. Director Cameron + Rock’s Swift = Fire and Rain singer

58. NBA’s Brand + Beatle who imagined = Candle in the Wind singer

60. Hawaiian word for tuna

61. Bros and sisses

62. Steeplechase and Indy 500, for two

64. Actress Raymonde of “LOST” and “Malcolm in the Midde”

65. List-ending abbreviation

66. Ohio port city that sounds like it should be famous for its quiche

68. “Never a dull _____”

69. Digitize a paper document

72. Send (payment)

74. Volleyball star and model Gabrielle

76. Dinner plate-sized organs for a giant squid

77. Actress Taylor of TV’s “Bones”

79. Dinner leftovers

81. “_____ well that ends well”

83. Woman’s name that anagrams to I CARE

84. Classical Greek theater

85. Mashup word since the 1800s that now often refers to auto emissions

Two First Names

86. Word on certain restroom doors

89. Friends’ LeBlanc + a Wayans brother = Oscar-winning screenwriter

91. World champion boxer Broner + Seth Cohen portrayer Adam = The Pianist star

95. Quarters of a pig?

96. “Quite correct!”

98. British nobleman who outranks a viscount

99. Sees to

100. Side opposite starboard

101. November event

104. Actress Dunaway

105. Frequent jazz vocal partner of

108. Site used by NASA, in brief

110. Ambient composer Brian

111. Mai _____

113. Troi on “Star Trek: T.N.G.”

115. Fleet leader

119. “Hey! This way!”

124. Wizard Radcliffe + Warehouse foreman Robinson = Skyfall spy

126. Heartthrob Rudd + snarky judge Cowell = Sound of Silence star

128. Goddess of peace

129. Issue of concern for 63-Down (variant)

Louie

130. Where to see a Spanish sunrise

131. Civil rights icon Bridges

132. Break up

133. Actress Thompson

134. Future flower

135. She, in Sicily

DOWN

1. Indian prince

2. Perched on

3. “Make _____!” (sci-fi catchphrase)

4. Author of “Matilda” and “Fantastic Mr. Fox”

5. Self assurance in a dicey situation

6. “2001” computer

7. Blunted dueling blade

8. Tailless cat

9. Buck, Fester, and Sam

10 Honorific for Gandhi

11. Longfellow’s bell town

12. Brief period of service

13. _____ admin

14. Do some light boxing?

15. Advised (against)

16.Attachment for a dog collar

17. Popular corn chip

18. Philosophical belief

24. In the style of

26. French coastal city

29. Grade A

32. Competent

35. Assists criminally

37. Mexican peninsula

38. Home to Bryce Canyon and Arches National Parks

39. Half: prefix

40. shade

42. Is worthwhile

43. Turn of the century MTV series

44. Homo sapiens, for human beings

46. Slow, musically

48. “Hey, you!”

51. “The L Word” creator Chaiken

52. Pink Floyd song in 7/4 time

53. Cast light on

54. Swarming annoyances

56. Princess’s headwear

57. Trio in elem. school

59. NBA star LeBron

63. Org. that sends mail to middle-aged people, offending them

65. Pass into law

66. Goal for a student driver

67. Other: Sp.

68. Fruit that becomes another fruit when you swap its first and third letters

69. Flower stalks

70. Measurement for a diamond

71. Friendship

73. Precursor to Windows

75. King Arthur’s home

78. AM/FM tuner

80. Santa _____ winds

82. Queue before Q

84. Leaves out

85. Apple virtual assistant

86. _____ Lisa

87. Little whirlpool

88. Wall Street inits. since 1792

90. The “A” of A-fib

92. Interior design

93. Snitch

94. Frequent scapegoat after a tough loss

97. The Rebels of the S.E.C.

100. Pressed sandwich

102. Mystery

103. Got (it) just right

105. Guitarist Van Halen

106. Come to understand

107. Like bowling alleys and highways

109. Base boss, informally

112. Networking assets

114. Bygone hair removal brand that sounds tidy

116. Speaker’s platform

117. Hominoids

118. Shoot a ray

120. Bring on

121. Relatives of ostriches

122. Steals from

123. One-named singer from Ireland

125. Pet for Dr. Evil

127. Salt Lake Valley people

Turn static files into dynamic content formats.

Create a flipbook
Issuu converts static files into: digital portfolios, online yearbooks, online catalogs, digital photo albums and more. Sign up and create your flipbook.