CITY December 2023

MUSIC. ARTS. CULTURE. DECEMBER 2023 FREE | SINCE 1971

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DECEMBER 2023 | Vol. 52 No. 4

Inside

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ARTS

TATTOO ARTIST ADRIEN MOSES CLARK PAYS IT FORWARD.

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BY LEAH STACY

LOCAL AUTHOR MACKENZIE REED ON HER YA DEBUT.

FOUNDERS Bill and Mary Anna Towler

BY JESSICA L. PAVIA

EDITORIAL Editor: Leah Stacy Senior arts writer: Jeff Spevak Arts writers: Daniel J. Kushner, Rebecca Rafferty Contributors: Rudy Fabre, Gino Fanelli, Patrick Hosken, Johanna Lester, Elise Martinez, Mike Martinez, Fred McCoy, Jessica L. Pavia, Rafael Rodriguez, Max Schulte, Raquel Stephen, Abby Quatro

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THINGS ARE LOOKING UP FOR NEGUS IRAP, WHOSE LATEST ALBUM IS MAKING WAVES.

BY DANIEL J. KUSHNER

MUSIC

HIP-HOP TURNS 50–AND SO DOES IAN WILSON.

OPERATIONS/CIRCULATION Operations manager: Ryan Williamson Circulation manager: Katherine Stathis kstathis@rochester-citynews.com

BY DANIEL J. KUSHNER

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CULTURE

SEVEN MIND, BODY, AND SOUL-WARMING THINGS TO DO THIS WINTER.

BY REBECCA RAFFERTY

CULTURE

BY JESSICA L. PAVIA

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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, 2023 - 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.

MUSIC. ARTS. CULTURE. DECEMBER 2023 FREE | SINCE 1971

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BY RAQUEL STEPHEN

DIG IN TO MORE ARTS, MUSIC, AND CULTURE INSIDE!

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The year in review EDITOR'S LETTER

BY LEAH STACY @LEAHSTACY

I

n early January 2023, I was sitting in one of the hushed, cavernous study halls at New York Public Library. In perhaps serendipitous foreshadowing, I had an old red CITY notebook with me, one I’d grabbed as I hurriedly packed for this trip. And I was about to do one of my favorite yearly traditions: make a list for 2023.

I’m not much of a New Year’s resolution person, but I

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crave challenges and new beginnings. That day in NYPL, I wrote down two primary goals: first, I would not relive the same year after what felt like pandemic Groundhog Day; and secondly, I would leave downtown Rochester at least once a month, even if it was just traveling to the Finger Lakes.

Landing this job a few months later made the first one a cinch, but traveling was a bit more difficult due to demands of the print schedule. I ‘got out of dodge’ a total of eight months, not too bad. I’ve found traveling, even just to a neighboring city on the thruway, invaluable as a creative person. There’s something about it that hits the refresh button. Restarts the engine. A new beginning.

But to quote the philosopher Seneca (and the band Green Day), “every new beginning comes from some

other beginning’s end.”

The end of each year also gets me thinking about ends, in particular the last time I’ll do certain things. The last text I’ll send in 2023, or maybe ever, to someone I love.

The last time I’ll write ‘2023’ on a date line. The last meal I’ll eat this year, or where I’ll be at midnight on December 31. The last person I’ll kiss in 2023.

Bittersweet, but it’s time to turn the page.

Endings. Beginnings. And somewhere in between, all this living.

This is our final offering of 2023 — my seventh issue as editor. Hope you enjoy it, and as always, we welcome your feedback.

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CITY Social

FOLLOW US TO GET DETAILS ON OUR MONTHLY EVENTS: @ROCCITYMAG

Scenes from last month’s social at Martine, 647 South Ave., on Thursday, November 9. PHOTOS BY RUDY FABRE

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Tattoo artist Adrien Moses Clark pays it forward.

Alley-oop ARTS

BY LEAH STACY @LEAHSTACY

A

xe of Kindness — or AOK Tattoo, for short — is nestled inside a quaint house at 258 Alexander Street. Art from tattoo mockups and band posters to metalwork adorns the walls, and the radio cycles through dark ambient rock in the background. The studio’s chill vibe reflects that of owner Adrien Moses Clark, a soft-spoken presence who leans forward in a leather chair, hands clasped, as he shares his origin story.

Clark moved to Rochester on March 3, 1991 — the same day as the ‘ice storm of the century’ that downed 10,000 trees and left thousands of homes without power for days. It was an auspicious introduction to the area for the now 40-year-old tattoo artist.

Roughly a decade later, he found himself at Monroe Community College majoring in art and graphic design, and struggling to stay connected with Rochester. “Long story short, I was over school, didn’t feel it was leading me down the path I wanted to take,” he said.

Still drawn to creating art, Clark landed a job managing a local tattoo shop and worked his way to an apprenticeship.

From there, as they say, the rest is history.

2024 will mark 20 years in the tattoo industry for Clark. In that time, he’s only worked at two local shops up until opening AOK Tattoo in May 2022. Running a 6 CITY

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Adrien Moses Clark, owner of AOK Tattoo lines up a stencil on a client.

PHOTOS BY RUDY FABRE

business wasn’t always the goal, but the pandemic lit a fire in Clark.

“It made me more focused on others,” he said. “I’ve always had that in me, but I wanted to really use what I have to do more than I had been doing.”

The shop’s name is a play on words: “axe” of kindness versus “acts” of kindness.

“I’m a little bit of a pun nerd,” said Clark. “and it’s also pretty common to hear me ask in the middle of a tattoo, ‘how ya doing, are ya A-OK?’” The ‘kindness’ bit is because AOK Tattoo donates 10% of all sales, including tattoos, merchandise, and gift cards, to community nonprofits like Bivona Child Advocacy Center, Willow Domestic Violence Center, Urban League of Rochester, and more. There are some mainstays each month — for instance, Clark is a member of Bivona Child Advocacy Center’s Circle of Hope, a giving program where organizations or individuals commit to a certain level of unrestricted funds for three consecutive years.

“The fact (Adrien) has created this environment where he wants to encourage others to have that same ‘give back to your community’ view is heartwarming,” said Bridget Martin, senior development manager for Bivona Child Advocacy Center.

“He genuinely gets it, and we are lucky enough to be a part of that.”

Bivona Child Advocacy Center provides services for children who are victims of abuse or severe crime, offering assistance through 23 partner agencies in the same building. The goal is to minimize each child’s time spent reliving trauma.

“Imagine if you experienced the worst thing in your life and then had to tell the story over and over,” said Martin. “Everything we do is trauma-informed, so children come here and tell their story one time.”

In-house, Bivona Child Advocacy Center provides services to 2,000 children from the Greater Rochester region as well as maintaining a presence in 22 school districts — that’s approximately 50,000 children empowered annually to keep themselves and others safe.

“Adrien is great about letting people know we exist and donating, but he is also always willing to volunteer,” said Martin. “There are so many ways people can be involved.

It’s not always about writing a check.”

Clark is a father himself to 11-year-old Darien. On days off, the duo is likely getting in a pick-up game of basketball, cheering on the Chicago Bulls, or embarking on an adventure with Clark’s girlfriend, Ronnie, who co-owns restaurant Petit Poutinerie on Elton Street and the longstanding Le Petit Poutine food trucks.

And while Clark is an enthusiastic supporter of local arts and culture, he emphasizes that his contribution to the scene is second to his charitable contributions.

“There are so many talented artists in general here,” he said, “and so many tattoo shops doing absolutely wonderful work. I can’t tattoo everybody in Rochester, I’m not the right choice for everybody.

I’m thankful for those I do fit with.”

Early on, Clark was tattooing up to five people daily, mostly smaller tattoos. Now, he accepts fewer clients and focuses on bigger projects.

“The work that stands out is when someone has a story behind why,” he said. “It’s a form of therapy almost, they tell me about it while they get tattooed. On the ‘kindness’ side of things, it’s nice to know I’m helping somebody get through something.”

Clark employs two other artists: Alice Bliss, who recently relocated from Israel with her daughter who attends RIT; and Colby June, who is currently splitting time between Rochester and North Carolina.

In 2024, AOK Tattoo is exploring another location in Kentucky with the same donation model — an opportunity that came about organically through a friend of Colby’s.

“I was hoping others would carry the torch in the same fashion, but I didn’t consider having almost a franchise of this location,” said Clark. “It’s exciting that more people want to give back.” axeofkindnessroc.com

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Local author Mackenzie Reed on her YA debut.

The story reveals itself ARTS

BY JESSICA L. PAVIA @JESS_PAVIA

L

ily’s family is the matriarch of their town, keeper of oldworld wealth from a luxury coat line and an awe-inducing mansion. While living with her grandmother, Lily feels even closer to everything she loves—including the fashion business. But when Gram dies unexpectedly, the inheritance goes with her. Erased.

In the rubble, Lily is left with coded clues that she and author Mackenzie Reed’s additional band of characters must follow to track down the missing fortune.

This is the premise of Rochester native Reed’s debut novel with HarperTeen, “The Rosewood Hunt.” But it isn’t the 25-year-old’s first book, really. Reed, who grew up in Charlotte, has been writing since high school, before becoming serious about it as a Nazareth College student. Still, she’s almost apologetic whenever the debut, which promises to be a pageturning thriller, comes up. “Luck” escapes her lips often, even as she recounts the work and industry knowledge it took to get here.

“The book I got my agent with was about a teenage arsonist, and I got a lot of feedback saying, ‘we like this, but we wouldn’t know where to put it on a shelf,’” said Reed. “So I took that and said, ‘I’m going to write a book where there’s no question what it is, no question where to put it.’”

It’s clear Reed has always wanted to be a storyteller. She went into college as a theater kid at first, majoring in songwriting before communications and marketing.

Now, she works full-time in

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Greece native Mackenzie Reed landed a six-figure, two-book deal with HarperTeen.

PHOTO BY JACOB WALSH

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marketing while also making a name for herself amongst the YA genre with another book already in the works and eyes set for an expansive horizon.

“One day I’d like to write adult and middle grade, but I think my heart will always be in YA,” she said. “Sometimes I still feel like I’m a teenager, so I love writing about them. I love the voice.”

Reed’s writing process is “indulgent” and “wacky,” drawing inspiration from “Knives Out” and “Outer Banks” to “One of Us is Lying” by Karen McManus.

“I had in my head that I needed magic to be enthralled,” Reed said.

“McManus’s book made me realize you can have all the elements of fantasy in the real world, as long as you have a plot to support it.”

Because she has a 9-5 job, Reed carves out time in the morning and at night to write. For her, and so many authors, the process is quite simply about getting words down. It’s only later in revisions, or under the watchful eye of an editor, that a story reveals itself.

But writing alone won’t sell books, so it isn’t the only work Reed has been doing. Since 2021, 10 CITY DECEMBER 2023

she has made a niche for herself on BookTok, the colloquial term for a community of readers on TikTok. There, she posts short clips about being a debut author, finding an agent, and becoming published.

“People pay attention, even if it takes them a while to engage,” Reed said. “Consistency really is key and it’s introduced me to some really fantastic opportunities that wouldn’t have come otherwise.”

In early October, Reed received the first hard copies of her book, and her first local public appearance took place on October 31 (the book’s official release date) at Pittsford Barnes and Noble. As she continues to work on her second novel, “The Rosewood Hunt” keeps her company on her desk, reminding Reed the importance of the worlds she builds; of the dynamic characters and found families.

“I want ‘The Rosewood Hunt’ to reach anyone who feels a little alone in the world,” she said. “I hope it finds anyone who wants a fun story that will leave them a bit happier than it found them.” mackenziemreed.com

28 s. main st. pittsford village great books, delightful shopping

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Artist Richmond Futch, Jr. works to make creative expression accessible to people of all walks.

Drawn in ARTS

BY REBECCA RAFFERTY @ICONOCLASSED

O

n an overcast Friday morning in November, artist Richmond Futch Jr. stood at an easel in a small upper room at St. Joseph’s House of Hospitality, applying thin washes of paint to a work-in-progress. The walls of the space were lined with his paintings and those made by people who join his Revelation Rochester Art Sessions each week, taking time away from dire concerns over unsafe housing situations, addiction, abusive relationships, and other traumas to sit together and make art. The sessions are specifically for folks who don’t otherwise have access to creative materials and space to express themselves, but anyone who is 18 or older is welcome.

“It’s like a little family,” Futch said. “There’s a core group who always show up. We talk about our childhoods, reminisce about what we used to do when we were younger.”

Joanna Mingo, 40, was a participant that Friday morning. She still struggles with childhood traumas and is an addict in recovery, but she’s in the process of working to improve her housing and work circumstances.

“I started to do art in school to take my mind off the bad things that happened to me,” Mingo said as she sat at a table filled with art supplies, drinking coffee and filling in springthemed coloring pages. “And the reason I do art now is because I’m still going through some hard things.”

Futch, 63, has been providing people with this separate peace for about 12 years. He’ll put on some 12 CITY DECEMBER 2023

Artist Richmond Futch, Jr. (right) watches over Joanna Mingo as she takes part in the weekly free art sessions he holds at St. Joseph’s House of Hospitality. PHOTO BY JACOB WALSH

jazz and set up art stations where participants can work in silence or chat if they feel like it. The yearround gatherings are hosted at St.

Joseph’s (402 South Ave.) on Friday mornings and at House of Mercy (285 Ormond St.) on Wednesday afternoons.

The Revelation Rochester sessions aim to acknowledge everyone’s dignity and help expand access to the benefits of creative expression, which include a sense of serenity, community, and ability to participate in creating beauty. “I supply a safe environment and time for relaxation and reflection,” said Futch, “where they can forget about the troubles and the challenges outside of that room that they go through every day.”

This past September, Revelation Rochester received a $10,000 ArtsBloom grant from the city of Rochester to support its efforts.

Futch said that the money will help support the purchase of arts supplies and launch an exhibition of work by the art session participants in summer 2024. artsrichmondfutchjr.com

CALL FOR CREATIVES

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

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

never thought I deserved it. Now, I am treating myself to so many new things. Facials with Chantal of Chantal Monique Ascetics; a massage at Ape and Canary; and I really only go to the gym to use the steam room. It’s less about the service, and more about finding time to slow down and take care of myself.”

BY JOHANNA LESTER

M

eet Vanessa J. Cheeks, a 35-year-old communications manager and freelance reporter. Hometown: Irondequoit (Seabreeze). Find her on Instagram and X @CheeksV

READING: “I am smack in the middle

of a novel called “After Tonight, Everything Will be Different” by Adam Gnade. The book uses food—a specific or special meal—to shape the story of Gnade’s thoughts, his childhood, and his family’s extreme poverty. There are setbacks in the form of fish tacos and triumphs by way of finding the last Kraft Single in an otherwise empty fridge. It is an erratic and energetic writing style, but I really have found some profound moments.”

EATING: “The Roc Deli & Grill Corp

on South Goodman has a fish plate that I think about at least once a day.

I know what you’re thinking. Fish... from a corner store? Yes. It’s a simple fried fish with the lightest amount of breading you will ever find. They serve it over yellow rice and a small salad and it’s delicious. They also have an extensive beverage selection.”

PLAYING: “I saw Samara Joy at the

Rochester International Jazz Festival this year and have had her album “Linger Awhile” on repeat. I also recently started listening to the Blueshift Big Band. I saw them perform in Chicago last month and they play originally composed music, but also theme music from video games. By no means am I a jazz aficionado. I love other music as well, but jazz is something I can always listen to no matter what mood I am in.”

SHOUTING OUT: “I want

OBSESSING OVER: “I am obsessed with my neighborhood. I have lived in the Park Avenue area for three years and it never ceases to amaze me. I love being able to walk to my favorite restaurant (Roux) or coffee shop (Hydra). This time of year I like to admire the old homes and their Christmas lights.

I know just about every dog in the neighborhood, too. It is a closer community than some might think.”

to give a shout-out to my friends in the Rochester Ladies Card Club!

I started the club as a way to be in community with the women in my life, find a hobby that is strictly offline, and meet new people. Since then it has blossomed into something I never could have anticipated. In January we will be celebrating one year as a club. We have T-shirts and everything, it’s great.”

RECOMMENDING: “I recommend going to see the Rochester Community Players at the Highland Bowl this summer.

They put on Shakespeare in the Park every year. It’s free and a nice way to spend an evening outside. I really like that they put a unique twist on the play or how they tell the story each time.”

Deadline: Jan. 8, 2024 | Light Work An opportunity for media artists to come to Syracuse and make new video/electronic work for public exhibition at the projection site on the facade of the Everson Museum of Art in 2024. Residencies occur in 2-4 consecutive weeks. Commissioned work will be exhibited during the program year following the period of residency. Residency comes with a commission fee of $10,000, accommodation in the Light Work AIR apartment, complimentary Light Work membership, and 24 hour access to lab facilities. lightwork.org/uvp-commission

Call for teaching artists Deadline: Rolling | Teaching Artists ROC Are you interested in sharing your expertise and getting paid to do so? Teaching Artists ROC places teaching artists from all disciplines in area schools, after-school programs, senior centers, civic/cultural spaces and local events. Mentorship and presentation coaching are provided. Apply to join the roster of presenters online. teachingartistsroc.org

C.O.M.P. Studios Ongoing | Rochester Contemporary Art Center C.O.M.P. Studios gives selected artists free studio space for 1 or 2 month engagements, culminating in public open studio hours on First Fridays. rochestercontemporary.org

Equipment Access Grant for Filmmakers

TREATING MYSELF TO: ”My recent

journey to prioritizing self-care has been hard. I never made time for it,

UVP Residential Commission

The Rochester Ladies Card Club.

PHOTO PROVIDED

Deadline: Rolling | Squeaky Wheel Recipients will receive up to $1,000 worth of equipment usage and facilities time, and a free 1-year Squeaky Wheel membership.

Anyone in Western New York is eligible, and BIPOC, women, queer, trans and gender nonconforming people are especially encouraged to apply. squeaky.org/accessgrant - COMPILED BY REBECCA RAFFERTY

Interested in being a CITY REPORTS interviewee? Send an email to leah@rochester-citynews.com roccitymag.com CITY 13

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Things are looking up for Negus Irap, whose latest album is making waves.

Long live the king MUSIC

BY DANIEL J. KUSHNER @DANIELJKUSHNER

C

orey Waterman, AKA Rochester-based hip hop artist Negus Irap, has an immediately identifiable voice.

He sings with a melodious tone channeled through a thin, slightly raspy tenor. When he turns to rap, however, his delivery becomes punky, with quick, decisive jabs that can leave a listener dizzy from the flurry of clever rhymes.

Waterman wasn’t always a fan of his own voice. “It was too high for me,” he said. “There was a point in time — you could go check out some of my older records — I used to put a deeper effect on the vocal, but that didn’t really work for me either.”

Despite that early hangup, Waterman appears to have become comfortable with his sound. He released his sophomore full-length album, “King Pari,” in August with much the same swagger as his 2021 debut “My Name Is Guss,” but this new record features particularly tight production from Bo$ton Trillion and ETO. Waterman thinks “King Pari” is an improvement, citing more money invested in the project and a patient approach in which he valued quality over quantity during the studio sessions.

The rapper’s goal for audience reach was a modest one: 40,000 digital album streams in a year.

Within two months, “King Pari” had surpassed that achievement

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Negus Irap performed at the "King Pari" album release show at Water Street Music Hall on November 11. “‘My Name Is Guss’ was a darker time in my life,” Irap said of his first album. “With ‘King Pari’ I purposely wanted to make it feel more bright, a little bit more happy — because I’m more at peace.”

PHOTOS BY FRED MCCOY

with 60,000 streams. Before the album’s release, Negus Irap had received a single signing offer from a record label. After the new music dropped, he got seven different offers in a matter of three weeks.

Local producer Josh Pettinger, whose Wicked Squid Studios hosted a cypher video featuring Negus Irap in 2020, describes his verses as one describes a master at his craft. “At times they are brutally clever and witty and at other times pointed and sometimes even deeply emotional and revealing,” Pettinger said. “He is also quite clearly a scholar of internal rhyme schemes. This enables him to weave fantastic trains of thought together in a way that feels both playful and effortless.”

Waterman still has his day job, owning a local moving company fittingly called Waterman Moving.

He does, however, see a move to music full-time on the horizon.

But Waterman says a hip hop career might not have been an option at all without one important local artist. “I probably wouldn’t even be rapping if it wasn’t for Hassan Mackey,” he said. Waterman recalls that, as a schoolkid, he paid another student to put the music of rapper Tyga in his mp3 player. After listening to it for several months, Waterman participated in a rap battle at lunch and borrowed some of the lyrics he had heard. It turns out, they weren’t Tyga’s rhymes after all — a friend pointed out that those were Mackey’s words. That night, Waterman began writing his own raps for the first time.

He’s come a long way since leaning on other rappers for a solid flow, and Negus Irap’s newest offering is in stark contrast to his previous album. “‘My Name Is Guss’ was a darker time in my life,” Waterman said. “With ‘King Pari’ I purposely wanted to make it feel more bright, a little bit more happy — because I’m more at peace.” roccitymag.com CITY 15

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The music genre that took culture by storm shares

a 50th birthday with a prominent curator of local street art.

Hip-hop don’t stop MUSIC

BY DANIEL J. KUSHNER @DANIELJKUSHNER

T

his year, Dr. Ian Wilson, a Rochester-based independent physician specializing in interventional radiology, is celebrating his 50th birthday. But there’s another half-century commemoration on his mind in 2023.

Hip-hop — the cultural phenomenon encapsulating rap music, turntablism, breakdancing, graffiti, beatboxing and fashion — also turned 50. “I’ve grown up within hip-hop culture,” Wilson said.

“I don’t remember a time when I wasn’t aware of hip-hop culture in various forms, whether it was in the ’70s at block parties, my brother as neighborhood DJ, (or) the graffiti that was running on the trains in New York City.”

Born in the Brownsville neighborhood of Brooklyn, Wilson grew up in nearby East New York, where violence was prevalent and neighborhood gangs ran rampant. He recalled today’s sidewalk coffee shop neighborhoods as difficult places to live back then.

“Bedford-Stuyvesant, Bushwick, Williamsburg — those were rough areas, man,” he said.

“If you didn’t know someone in those areas and you got off the subway train, and someone asked you where you were going or who you knew, then you might get robbed, you might get beat CONTINUED ON PAGE 18

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“One of the most miraculous things about hip-hop is that it grew out of seemingly infertile ground,” said Dr. Ian Wilson, who founded Wall\Therapy. PHOTO BY RAFAEL RODRIGUEZ

“One of the most miraculous things about hip-hop is that it grew out of seemingly infertile ground.”

- DR. IAN WILSON

A Wall\Therapy mural by South African artist Freddie Sam, located in Troup Street Park. FILE PHOTO

up, just for kicks, you know? That’s the Brooklyn that I grew up in.”

Wilson said hip-hop came out of a natural need for self-expression. It was a release valve, a way to make sense of life, despite the fact that all around was proof of constriction, disillusionment, and fear. The multifaceted art form was a survival mechanism.

“One of the most miraculous things about hip-hop is that it grew out of seemingly infertile ground,” he said. “What was fertile was the diversity of people who made up the soil. So while the conditions weren’t favorable, there were elements still present in that environment that made something like hip-hop possible — positivity, hope for a better future, the need to celebrate what you had even if you didn’t have much.”

From b-boys using cardboard boxes to hone their dance form to graffiti writers taking old spray nozzles from household products and putting them on spray paint cans, repurposing leftover, disregarded or undervalued items — musical or mundane — and creating new art subsets is at the heart of hip-hop’s magic.

“I think hip-hop’s calling card is making something out of nothing,” said Bakari Kitwana, who wrote the 18 CITY DECEMBER 2023

book “The Hip-Hop Generation: Young Blacks and the Crisis in African American Culture.” He is also the 2023-2024 Distinguished Visit Scholar in Africana and American Studies at the University at Buffalo and a University of Rochester alumnus.

Kitwana sees hiphop as a generational phenomenon, and “defined the hip-hop generation as young Blacks born between the years 1965 and 1984.” The younger end of that generation is now approaching their 40s, but hip-hop appeals to people across age brackets and speaks to each in distinctive ways.

Hip-hop was a way for marginalized people to claim their own identity and assert themselves in a positive way. Wilson said the socioeconomic environment from which hip-hop sprang makes it truly miraculous.

“Usually when people are in

tough situations, they don’t create something that is beautiful while they’re in those circumstances — while they’re just trying to survive, while they’re trying to stay safe, while they’re trying to feed their families,” he said. “In the hierarchy of needs, the base of the pyramid has to be satisfied first before you can build anything.”

Wilson credits music figures like Grand Wizzard Theodore and Grandmaster Flash as gamechangers in how people listen to music, from the use of loops to the significance of instrumental breaks. Visually, the Rochester doctor and founder of the local mural project Wall\ Therapy praises innovators such as Dondi, Blade, and Zephyr for deconstructing letter forms and reimagining them in a different way that later gave rise to subsequent street art and mural movements.

Wall\Therapy, which originated as Visual Intervention in 2011, would never have existed in

Rochester without the graffiti art of New York City. “The medium of leaving a message on a surface that would just be a constant presence, yes, that idea came from my experience in Brooklyn with graffiti, and the handball courts that were painted in the neighborhood as well,” Wilson said.

“They were constant masterpieces of art that were just always there.”

So, he figured, why not do the same?

“If you want to communicate a message in a way that’s enduring, use the walls the way that I remember them being used in my early days, he said.”

For Wilson, hip-hop culture’s greatest enduring gift is its aspirational identity.

“There’s a saying in hip-hop: ‘It ain’t where you’re from, it’s where you’re at,’” he said. “Hopefully, where you end up in life is far from where you started, and hopefully for the better. That’s something that you’re reminded of when you think about the originators of this culture. They believed they had something to give, and they had the courage to bring it forth.”

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MUSIC REVIEWS

“AFTER THE NIGHT”

BY SOVIET DOLLS As a young child in the ’80s, my perception of the era’s music was as an idealized dreamscape, unsullied by the darker realities of adolescence and young adulthood yet to come. “After the Night,” a new six-track EP from Soviet Dolls released on October 31, is the most blatantly nostalgic music I’ve heard in recent memory, and perpetuates that dream. Instrumentalists and coproducers Matthew Cavallaro and Greg Stella continue to mine retro sounds with Emily Brown providing smooth, stardustsprinkled vocals.

Since its first EP, 2014’s “Secrets, Lies,” the Rochester group has leaned mightily on various electronic keyboard sounds to propel its dance-friendly sound. The earlier music was moodier and more modern-sounding, particularly when it came to the vocal melodies of previous singers Hannah Gouldrick and Alex Wendt. Any sense of the 2010s is abandoned on “After the Night” — gone is the prevalence of stepwise melodies found on the band’s full-length debut “Dream in Rhythm,” and in its place are Brown’s subtle vocal jumps that, while unpredictable, are easy enough to follow.

The hazier the sound, the more retro the music. The EP’s opener “Not So Desperate” features the sputtering rhythm of the chord progression as an arpeggiating bass line employed with hypnotic results. The vocal melody and lyrics sound like they could have been pulled from a Debbie Gibson demo.

The title track, “Hooks,” and “Younger Still” all build on the first song’s reverb-soaked mystique and heightened romantic stakes. The entirely instrumental track “All Night” and mostly wordless “Gossip (I want you now)” add emotional weight to the collection in anticipation of the cathartic payoff. If you’re looking for freshly made music to magically turn back time several decades, “After the Night” is a great place to start.

— BY DANIEL J. KUSHNER roccitymag.com CITY 21

ARTS, MUSIC AND CULTURE EVENTS FOR THE SOCIALLY RESTLESS

DAILY Full calendar of events online at roccitymag.com FRIDAY, DECEMBER 1 ART CRAWL

“A Wooly-ful Night”

The Hungerford, thehungerford.com Each month the artists at The Hungerford host a First Friday studio crawl, and each December that crawl is holiday-themed and focused on giving back. This year, the organizers are asking visitors to bring a new pair of socks, hat, or mittens, which will be distributed to shelters and other emergency agencies by local nonprofit Sample Soap. In addition to the usual art displays, gift shopping, food, and music, there is a contest for the best festive foot, head, and hand coverings – just take a selfie in one of the studios and post on social for a chance to win a prize. Admission is free and the event takes place from 5 to 9 p.m.

REBECCA RAFFERTY

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of Appreciation’ program, which allows guests to pre-purchase a pint for active or veteran military members throughout December. The tree lighting will take place at 25 Cataract St. from 5–9 p.m., with the lighting at 6:30 p.m. There will be four beer trucks, food trucks, and the return of cinnamon Cream Ale, AKA “Keg Tree Ale.” All ages are welcome. LEAH STACY

Genesee Keg Tree Lighting

Genesee Brewery, geneseebeer.com The annual tradition continues with 642 empty kegs towering over 30 feet high, strung with 25,000 twinkling lights set to holiday music and a rotating neon Genesee sign as its ‘star.’ This year’s theme is “Home for the Holidays” to honor local military. Genesee will make a $10,000 donation to the Veterans Outreach Center and launch a ‘Beers 22 CITY DECEMBER 2023

Roc Holiday Village

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Park, rocholidayvillage.com The City of Rochester Roc Holiday Village presented by Five Star Bank returns for the fifth year with additional days featuring free craft activities for kids, ice skating, visits and photo opps with Santa, Igloo Inns bookable for up to 40 people, plenty of food and drink, outdoor fire pits, and a local shopping village. Mini maker markets are planned for Dec. 13 and 20, and there will be two free Silent Discos on the ice rink on Dec. 7 and 14. Roc Holiday Village runs for 17 days: Dec. 1–3, 6–10, 13–17, and 20–23. Free entry for all ages. LS SATURDAY, DECEMBER 2

PUBLIC RADIO

The Wait Wait Stand Up Tour

Kodak Center, kodakcenter.com Emmy Blotnick, Hari Kondabolu, and Faith Salie are frequent panelists on NPR’s ultra-popular news quiz show “Wait Wait...Don’t Tell Me!” And because they are among the funniest, they’ve hit the road on The Wait Wait Stand Up Tour. If these folks make you laugh on air, you’re bound to be in stitches. Tickets are $25 to $99.50 and the comedy starts at 8 p.m. JM EVENT

EVENT

Krampus Ball 2023: Carnival of Horrors

BEER

FESTIVAL

Photo City Music Hall, photocitymusichall.com When it comes to holiday characters, why should Santa and Frosty hog the spotlight? Make way for Krampus, whose gift to unruly children is terror and beatings – look, he originated in Medieval Germany and society has come a long way since. The Krampus Ball is all in good fun, though. It’s a night of goth, industrial, and EDM tunes spun by The Raye Black, DJ Dresden, and DJ Darkwave. There is a dress code for the event and that’s formal, goth, fetish, costumes, or all black. Don’t wear sweatpants or jeans, unless those jeans are black. Tickets are $25 at the door or $20 in advance from Aaron’s Alley and Medusas. The festivities start at 8 p.m. JEREMY MOULE

MUSIC

Laser Taylor Swift

Strasenburgh Planetarium, rmsc.org If you thought laser light shows were just for Pink Floyd and Rush (are we dating ourselves?), you need to calm down and shake it off. The Swifties have taken over this arena, too–with 9:30 p.m. shows throughout the month of December (other dates are Dec. 9, 16, 23 and 30). The popular 55-minute production “takes her biggest hits and brings them to life in dazzling laser light.” Ready for it? Tickets go on sale weekly, can be purchased online and continue to sell out quickly. Prices are $12 for adults, $10 for seniors, college students and children (must be 5 or older).

BRIAN SHARP

Circus Cabaret Show and Prohibition Repeal Day Celebration Black Button Distilling, blackbuttondistilling.com If ever there was something worth celebrating, it’s the anniversary of Prohibition’s repeal. And why not celebrate it at Black Button Distilling, which became the first distillery to operate in the city of Rochester since Prohibition when it opened in 2012.

Cocktails will flow in the tasting room and the event doubles as a launch for the distillery’s new Pre-Prohibition Straight Bourbon whiskey, notable for being the distillery’s first whiskey to be aged for five years. But the centerpiece will be a pair of cabaret shows – one starting at 5 p.m. with an encore at 7 p.m. – performed by the aerialists of Roc City Circus.

Tickets for the cabaret shows are $12 advance or $15 at the door. A limited number of VIP tickets, which get you a complimentary cocktail along with reserved seating for the show and some swag, are available for $25. JM

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LITERATURE

Archivist Books After Dark

La Luna High Falls, instagram.com/ archivist.books The queer and fantasy forward bookseller Archivist Books is holding a holiday pop-up at High Falls tonight, from 7 to 10 p.m. It’s an opportunity to shop for the booklovers on your list, enjoy themed cocktails, and join other bookworms out of the margins and in a warm social setting.

There will be book-ish gift boxes for purchase, as well as raffles. RR SUNDAY, DECEMBER 3

FILM

Movie and Mimosas “Kusama: Infinity”

Memorial Art Gallery, mag.rochester.edu You’re only allowed a single minute to experience the inside of Yayoi Kusama’s funhouse-like installation, “Infinity Mirrored Room: Let’s Survive Forever,” at the Memorial Art Gallery. If you’d like to spend more time with the artist’s works, now is your chance: today the MAG is hosting a screening of the documentary, “Kusama: Infinity.” Be warned – the film includes nudity and a visual recreation of a suicide attempt. Tickets cost $25 ($15 for teens and college students) and include complimentary pastries in the pavilion before the noon screening.

A cash bar will be available to visitors over the age of 21. The event takes place from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. RR

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MONDAY, DECEMBER 4

MUSIC

Bill Kirchen’s Honky Tonk Holiday Show

Lovin’ Cup, lovincup.com At this point, guitarist Bill Kirchen’s holiday performances are as traditional a homecooked pie, and just as tasty.

With understated charm, Kirchen rocks and rolls his way through classic Christmas tunes and clever originals alike, all with a special rockabilly flair.

Fans of classic rock with a country flavor will want to make sure there’s plenty of room for dancing at this show, presented by Bop Shop Records.

Doors open at 6 p.m., music starts at 7 p.m. $30 in advance, $35 at the door. DANIEL J. KUSHNER LITERATURE

Bookluck

Flower City Arts Center, flowercityarts.org Join Flower City Art Center, 713 Monroe Ave., for a literary show-andtell every first Monday of the month.

Bring a book you love, and browse fellow book lovers’ personal favorites: artists’ books, zines, small press publications, unique, and limitededition books are all welcome. (Due to the potential rarity of books present, there will be no food or drink.) This event is free and open to the public. LS TUESDAY, DECEMBER 5 MUSIC

The Lone Bellow

The Theater at Innovation Square, theaterais.com It’s been a decade since indie Americana trio The Lone Bellow released its selftitled debut album, with songs such as “Green Eyes and a Heart of Gold” and “Bleeding Out” making a dent in the Billboard charts. With winning harmonies and an ear for anthemic hooks, The Lone Bellow continues to

make its mark, most recently with the 2022 album “Love Songs for Losers.”

Solid pop songs for the NPR set.

Stephen Wilson Jr. Plays in support.

The doors open at 6:45 pm, and opener Stephen Wilson Jr. Plays at 7:30 p.m.

Tickets start at $27. DK

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 7

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 6

LITERATURE

“In This Moment” chapbook launch COMEDY

Bert Kreischer

Blue Cross Arena, bluecrossarena.com Los Angeles-based standup comedian Bert Kreischer is a character. Arguably as well-known for performing shirtless as he is for his now-legendary story about temporarily joining the Russian mob, Kreischer is the lovable and irreverent middle-aged frat boy who never grew up. In addition to performing live comedy, he is the co-host of the popular podcast “Two Bears, One Cave” with fellow comedian Tom Segura. If you like jokes and having a good time, you’ll likely be on board with Bert and his “Tops Off World Tour.” 7 p.m.

Tickets start at $51. DK MUSIC

Another Michael

Bug Jar, bugjar.com Despite the name, Another Michael isn’t a solo act but rather several indie Americana musicians. Led by songwriter Michael Doherty, this Philadelphia band makes catchy songs that’ll make you involuntarily bob your head. The group is touring in support of the 2023 album “Wishes to Fulfill.” The delivery is simple, but the songs are cleverly crafted and rendered irresistible by Doherty’s charming, easy-going tenor. Be warned: those catchy melodies will sneak up on you.

JODI, Comfy, and Pluck all play in support. Doors at 8 p.m., music at 9 p.m. 18 +. $14-$17. DK

The Little Theatre, vsw.org The release party for the two newest chapbooks in volume two of “In This Moment: Revolution Reckoning Reparation” will feature the book launch as well as a panel discussion with contributors. ITM is a project that spotlights Black leaders across many fields in Rochester, with essays

by Black writers and portraits by Black photographers. This round features Shawn Nelms, EdD, vice president of community partnerships at the UR, with images by Marke Anderson and words by Robert Vickers, and neurosurgeon Dr. David A. Paul, founder of Bold and Gritty Coffee, with images by Allison McDonald and words by Christopher Coles. The talk will be moderated by Hernease Davis, assistant curator at Visual Studies Workshop. Registration is required for the free event, and guests will receive complimentary copies of the new chapbooks – true Rochester collector’s items that provide a snapshot of good work being done here and now. 7 - 9 p.m. in Little Theatre 1. RR MUSIC

“Thirst Thursdays w/ DJ Chreath” Radio Social, radio-social.com A Thursday night in December? The week might as well be over – so why not dance it out with a good cocktail and Detroit pizza slice in hand. No cover. 21+ only after 9 p.m.

NOELLE EVANS

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roccitymag.com CITY 25

happens to be owned by Bob and Phil’s former army commander. Each of the six musicals in the “Broadway in Brighton” series at OFC Creations features professional actors from New York City, Los Angeles, and throughout the country. Tickets start at $35. LS FUNDRAISER

FILM

“The Muppet Christmas Carol”

Dryden Theatre, eastman.org There are many fine film adaptations of Charles Dickens’s classic “A Christmas Carol,” but for me, two of them rise above the others. One is “Scrooged” and the other is “The Muppet Christmas Carol.” It’s genuinely heartwarming and a ton of fun – there’s one scene with Rizzo the Rat that makes me laugh so hard every single time I see it. The movie starts at 7:30 p.m., and tickets are $11, $7 for members, and $5 for children. The film screens again on Dec. 22. JM FRIDAY, DECEMBER 8

THEATER

“White Christmas: The Musical”

OFC Creations Theatre Center, ofccreations.com OFC Creations’ “Broadway in Brighton” series presents Irving Berlin’s nostalgic holiday musical “White Christmas” through December 23. The timeless plot follows veterans Bob Wallace and Phil Davis, who have a successful song-and-dance act after World War II. With romance in mind, the two follow a duo of beautiful singing sisters on their way to a Christmas show at a Vermont lodge, which just 26 CITY DECEMBER 2023

“Nine Tanks Tonight”

Lovin’ Cup, ugandanwaterproject. com/9tanks Lima-based 501 (c)(3) nonprofit organization the Ugandan Water Project will hold its eighth annual live concert to raise money for rainwater collection tanks. The event will take place 7 to 11 p.m. and feature food, raffles, and music from local acts Violet Mary, Blue 22, and Banned From the Tavern. Since 2015, the Tanks Tonight fundraising event has raised over $91,000, providing safe water for 12,791 people and funding 21 tanks throughout Uganda. $5 donation at the door. LS SATURDAY, DECEMBER 9 SHOPPING

The Yards Collective’s Holiday Bazaar

The Yards Collective, theyardsrochester.com The Yards has been a bastion for local artists and their work since its inception. Its annual holiday sale, now in its 12th year, is a great time to patronize the city’s creatives while getting something thoughtful and hand-crafted for your loved ones. A wide spectrum of artistic mediums are represented, from jewelry to paintings to textiles,10 a.m. through 3 p.m.

The Holiday Bazaar continues on December 10, 14, 16, and 17. Hours vary. Featured artists vary by day. DK MUSIC

Mikaela Davis and Southern Star

Essex, essexroc.com It’s been a big year for Rochester native Mikaela Davis. The singersongwriter and harpist and her band Southern Star released their debut album on the beloved indie label Kill Rock Stars, and the idiosyncratic ensemble continues to

MONDAY, DECEMBER 11 EVENT

Celebrate Hanukkah

Jewish Community Center, jccrochester.org You don’t have to be a member of the JCC to join in a festive meal and concert, but you must register by Dec. 3. Dinner is $10; the concert is free.

The event runs 5:30 to 8 p.m. at 1200 Edgewood Ave., with music from Rick Recht at 7 p.m. BS tour successfully around the country.

But Davis and company are coming back home as one of Flour City’s most popular musical exports, and they have the tunes to back it up.

Equally adept at string-rich originals and Grateful Dead covers, the band’s distinctive instrumentation and subtly brilliant musicianship put it in a class by itself. Maybird opens the show. 7 p.m. $30. DK

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 12

MUSIC

Madrigalia Holiday Concert

Asbury First Methodist, madrigalia.org Madrigalia Holiday Concerts, which has a decades-long history of presenting inspirational choral music from around the world to Rochester audiences, will be “celebrating light in the darkness” with a three-day local engagement, including this 7:30 p.m. performance at Asbury.

The 18-member group will be joined

by The Bach Children’s Chorus of Rochester. Additional shows take place 7:30 p.m. December 8 at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, Pittsford and 4 p.m. December 10 at St. Luke’s Church in Brockport. The concerts are free and open to all. LS

MUSIC

Metal Meltdown Kryst-mas

Record Archive, recordarchive.com Even heathens, heshers, and rockers like to get in on the holiday fun. Local thrashers Kryst are headlining this bash, which is part of the monthly Metal Meltdown happy hour. The hosts will start spinning metal records at 5 p.m. and the band will have you banging your head starting at 6 p.m.

The event is free and it takes place in the Archive’s Backroom Lounge, where beer and wine flow (but you have to pay for that). JM

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 10

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 13

MUSIC

MUSIC

Kodak Hall, rochestertubachristmas.org Tuba Christmas didn’t originate in Rochester, but it’s been happening for 40 years and has become a quirky local mainstay. This year’s event will feature 100 tuba and euphonium players of all ages and abilities rumbling through Christmas carols while the audience sings along.

Tickets are free but required and the event will also be livestreamed. The performance starts at 3 p.m. JM

Kodak Hall, events.rochester.edu The Eastman Musica Nova gives its final concert of the semester, including a world premiere by faculty composer Carlos Sanchez-Gutierrez, who retires from Eastman School of Music at the end of the academic year. George Lewis’s “Hexis” and Hannah Kendall’s “fervent shouting forever into the receiver” round out the program. Brad Lubman and master’s conducting student Luke Poepell lead from the podium. Free and open to the public. LS

Tuba Christmas

Musica Nova

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BUY A $50 GIFT CARD AND GET AN EXTRA $10 AT ANY ONE OF OUR LOCATIONS!

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 14 THEATER

“Robin Hood: The Legend Begins” BUY 1 GET 1!

850 EAST RIDGE ROAD • 585-475-0716 MONDAY - SUNDAY 11:00AM - 9:00PM

THANK YOU ROCHESTER!

VOTED ‘BEST MECHANIC’

BEST OF ROCHESTER

MuCCC, muccc.org The Open Road Theatre presents “Robin Hood: The Legend Begins” through December 17 at MuCCC, 142 Atlantic Ave. The production features 22 local actors of all ages in this classic tale of the struggle between the Normans (King John, Queen Eleanor, Maid Marian, Sheriff of Nottingham, Sir Guy Gisborne) and the Saxons (Robin Hood, Will Scarlet, Little John, Friar Tuck with Forest Band People). Historical period costuming by Shelly Jo Stam, fight choreography Eva SarachanDubay, and directed by Karen Dieruf.

Recommended for ages 8+, tickets are $15 online or $20 at the door. LS FILM

December One Take Doc Series

The Little, thelittle.org This month’s series is a collection of new local documentary films curated

by Linda Moroney for One Take.

Four shorts will screen from directors Cat Ashworth, Don Casper, Logan Gridlestone, and Tayton T. Troidl.

One Take presents a unique monthly mix of documentaries–ranging from film festival favorites to unheralded gems–followed by panel discussions and filmmaker Q&As in partnership with The Little Theatre and Rochester Documentary Filmmakers (Roc Doc Group). The films begin at 7:15 p.m. and run about 100 minutes. Tickets start at $5 for Little members, $7 for students, and $11 non-members. The films screen again on Saturday, Dec. 16 at 3:15 p.m. LS

Rosie Newton and guitarist Richie Stearns are sure to delight with their mesmerizing take on folk and Americana. Music doesn’t get much more wonderfully “down-home” than this, and the musicians’ technical prowess and harmonies are spot-on. 9 p.m. $20 in advance, $25 at the door.

DK

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 16

COMEDY

“Carlos Mencia: No Hate, No Fear”

Del Lago Resort & Casino, Waterloo Comedian Carlos Mencia gets back to his roots on the “No Hate, No Fear” tour, which finds him playing to smaller audiences in intimate venues. Drawing on both personal and current events, Mencia is known for his unfiltered style of comedy as showcased on albums, TV shows and movies. He’s also currently starring as Felix Boulevardez in Disney+’s “The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder,” the revival of the groundbreaking animated series “The Proud Family” heading into its second season. Tickets are $30-$70. JIM CATALANO SUNDAY, DECEMBER 17 SHOPPING

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 15 MUSIC

“Hollerhome Concert Series: Richie & Rosie”

Hollerhorn Distilling, hollerhorn.com If you wish house shows were equipped with craft cocktails featuring top-quality local liquor, you’re in luck. Hollerhorn Distilling in Naples is hosting a new concert series in its revamped tasting room. The Trumansburg-based duo of fiddler 28 CITY DECEMBER 2023

The Lucky Flea

Radio Social, theluckyflea.com Get a jump on holiday gifting at this weekly vintage market featuring local creatives, collectors and curators.

Browse more than 25 booths featuring everything from standout t-shirts and home goods to handmade earrings and candles. The market takes place 11 a.m. – 3 p.m. every Sunday (except 12/24 and 12/31) in Radio Social’s backyard gaming area. LS

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MONDAY, DECEMBER 18 MUSIC

A musical tribute to “A Charlie Brown Christmas”

Old Farm Café, ofccreations.com Pianist Vince Guaraldi’s music for the TV special “A Charlie Brown Christmas” endures as a yuletide classic more than a half-century after it was written, and has become arguably the quintessential holiday jazz soundtrack.

Pianist Max Robbins and others will take to the stage to interpret Guaraldi’s indelible melodies and beautifully crafted harmonizations at OFC’s The Old Farm Café from 5 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. for this free event. DK TUESDAY, DECEMBER 19 THEATER

“A Christmas Carol” Geva Theatre Center, gevatheatre.org The crowd-pleasing classic returns to Wilson Stage, featuring a handful of appearances by local actors. On Christmas Eve, Scrooge is visited by

30 CITY DECEMBER 2023

a series of ghosts who remind him who he was and what he might yet become. He learns the true meaning of the season and that it’s never too late to make a new start. The famous tale of redemption for the most despised man in London comes to life in Geva’s critically acclaimed adaptation. Runs through Dec. 30. Ticket prices vary by production day. LS

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 21

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 22 MUSIC

Emo Night with Cut Me Up Genny

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 20 HOLIDAY

Holiday Afternoon Tea

Genesee Country Village & Museum, gcv.org Taking in a tea service – or mimosa or wine – by a roaring fire in a quaint village decked for the holidays is the kind of cozy time out I’d like to indulge in this month. Four Holiday Afternoon Teas take place this month: from 1 to 3 p.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 13 and Thursdays, Dec. 14 and 21, and from 2 to 4 p.m. today, Wednesday, Dec. 20.

Tickets include a selection of teas, finger sandwiches, and sweets (boozy options cost extra) and can be reserved for $50, or $45 for members. RR

for full events listing. Tickets are $125, with the option of a discounted room rate for the two days. LS

FITNESS

Winter Solstice yoga retreat

The Lake House on Canandaigua, lakehousecanandaigua.com In celebration of the longest hours of darkness and the rebirth of the sun this two-day retreat (Dec. 2122) begins at solstice and takes participants on a mindful exploration of the senses. Combine breathwork and yoga with a create-your-own solstice painting and conclude with a mindful eating exercise and closing meditation. Part of The Lake House’s new wellness series; see their website

Radio Social, radio-social.com Millennials – it’s time to break out the skinny jeans and sharpen your black eyeliner. Local emo tribute band Cut Me Up Genny is taking back Friday at Radio Social with a set featuring everything from Paramore to Dashboard Confessional. Grab a Pink Rabbits from the bar and stand front and center to mosh with your fellow Postal Service stans. Music at 8 p.m.; $5 cover at the door. 21+ only after 9 p.m. LS

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INSIDE WXXI PUBLIC MEDIA | WXXI-TV PBS | WXXI NEWS/NPR WXXI CLASSICAL | WRUR-FM 88.5 | THE LITTLE THEATRE

10 GIFT IDEAS FOR THE HOLIDAYS 1. For the Scrooge

7. For the kids

Take them to “Live from Hochstein: A Cup of Good Cheer,” a free lunchtime concert on 12/13 at 12:10 p.m. at the Hochstein School, or Watkins and the Rapiers Christmas Show on 12/13 at 7:30 p.m. at the Little Theatre. Both are sure to put any Ebenezer in your life in a jolly mood.

Make a personalized coloring book or plan a special craft day using the PBS Kids “Find Ways to Play” at pbskidsforparents.org.

2. For the traveler Create a “Doc + Day Trip” package where you watch “Fantastic New York: Boldt Castle” (on-demand on video.wxxi.org) together & then plan a visit to the Castle when it opens for the season in May.

3. For the movie buff Purchase a 5-pack of tickets to the Little Theatre for $45.

4. For the music lover Make a Spotify playlist using a playlist from The Route or WXXI Classical.

5. For the foodie Make a sweet treat using a recipe from PBS Foods.

6. For the wine connoisseur Purchase a spot for two to the French Wine Tasting with Rick Steves virtual event, where Rick shares stories about France and a professional sommelier talks about a selection of French wines. Small bottles of the wine will be shipped to you to taste during the event. Tickets are $150.

8. For the art, music, and culture aficionado Give the gift of CITY with a subscription mailed monthly for just $50. (Also makes a perfect gift to stay connected to that friend who moved out of town and is missing Rochester.)

9. For the choreographer of all things Watch “Prelude I The Legacy of Garth Fagan Dance” (on-demand on video.wxxi.org) and then see The Rite of Spring: Featuring Garth Fagan Dance at Kodak Hall at Eastman Theatre on January 11 or 13.

10. For the opera zealot Give the gift of a Met Opera performance on the big screen. Buy tickets to see Verdi’s “Nabucco” (1/6) Bizet’s “Carmen” (1/27), or Verdi’s “La Forza del Destino” (3/9) – all playing at Tinseltown, Webster 12, and Eastview Mall 13.

For details and links to all these suggestions, visit WXXI.org/holiday.

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Live from Hochstein: Eastman Horn Choir

CREATE Showcase: Home for the Holidays

Wednesday, December 6 at 12:10 p.m. on WXXI Classical (and in-person at the Hochstein School)

Saturday, December 9 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on WXXI-CREATE

15 SPECIALS to Put You in the Holiday Spirit

Hanukkah Lights 2023

Chanukah Memories & Melodies

Sunday, December 10 at 9 p.m. on WXXI News/NPR

Monday, December 11 at 3 p.m. on WXXI Classical

Real Bedford Falls: It’s a Wonderful Life

Seasons of Light: Christmas with the Tabernacle Choir

Tuesday, December 12 at 9:30 p.m. on WXXI-TV

Tuesday, December 12 at 8 p.m. on WXXI-TV

Mary Berry’s Ultimate Christmas

Christmas with Madrigalia 2023

The One Special Holiday Recipe

Thursday, December 14 at 5 p.m. on WXXI-TV

Friday, December 15 at 3 p.m. on WXXI Classical

Saturday, December 17 at 9 p.m. on WXXI News/NPR

Dreaming of a Jewish Christmas Monday, December 18 at 10 p.m. on WXXI-TV

Ella Wishes You a Swinging Christmas with Vanessa Williams Saturday, December 23 at 8 p.m. on WXXI-TV

Wild Kratts: A Creature Christmas Thursday, December 21 at 9:30 a.m. on WXXI-TV

Karamu: Feast for the 7th Day

Nature: Santa’s Wild Home

Cultural Expressions: Kwanzaa

Saturday, December 23 at 3:30 p.m. on WXXI-TV

Sunday, December 24 at 8 p.m. on WXXI-WORLD

Thursday, December 28 at 10 p.m. on WXXI-TV

Visit WXXI.org/holiday for program descriptions and more specials.

COMMUNITY CHAMPION AWARD

It’s your Hibernation App. With winter coming, it’s time to bundle up and hunker down. And with the PBS App that proposal became a lot more fun! Watch the best of PBS and WXXI anytime, anywhere on the PBS App. Download the free PBS App wherever you get your apps and curl up with a great collection of programming.

The PBS App

Congrats to WXXI and Golisano Foundation’s Move to Include™ initiative for being named one of Starbridge’s “Community Champions” at the organization’s Cause for Celebration Event on October 18.

Starbridge’s Community Champion Awards honor individuals and organizations creating positive change in the lives of people with disabilities in the Finger Lakes region. Together in partnership, Community Champions work to transform communities to include everyone – all abilities, races, ethnicities, gender identities, national origin, and other identity groups.

“Our long-standing partnership with WXXI has been invaluable in fulfilling our mission to make the world a better place for those with intellectual and developmental disabilities, and this award serves as validation for the credibility and significance of Move to Include.”

— Erica Dayton, MSL, Executive Director, Golisano Foundation

The best that WXXI & PBS has to offer!

PLUS HUNDREDS AND HUNDREDS MORE!

You can get started at: video.wxxi.org

34 CITY DECEMBER 2023

“Since 2014, we have had the privilege of partnering with the Golisano Foundation on this initiative that uses the power of public media to ensure that a diverse set of voices is heard on our air, online, and in digital and community spaces.”

— Norm Silverstein, WXXI President

top picks for your december media consumption American Experience Sandra Day O’Connor: The First Tuesday, December 5 at 8 p.m. on WXXI-TV Discover the story of the Supreme Court’s first female justice. Forty years after her confirmation, American Experience recounts the life of a pioneering woman who both reflected and shaped an era.

Photo: Sandra Day O’Connor in the Rose Garden with Reagan Credit: Courtesy of Ronald Reagan Presidential Library

In a Different Key Thursday, December 14 at 9 p.m. on WXXI-TV A mother tracks down the first person ever diagnosed with autism, now an elderly man living in rural Mississippi, to learn if his life story holds promise for her own autistic son. (movetoinclude.org) Photo: Title card Credit: WGBH

Eastman at 100: A Centennial Celebration

100 Years from Mississippi

Thursday, December 7 at 8 p.m. on WXXI-TV Take a look back at the story of George Eastman and how his vision for a school dedicated to scholarship, musicianship, and an inclusive community campus came to be.

Tuesday, December 26 at 8 p.m. on WXXI-TV This film profiles the life of Mamie Lang Kirkland, who left Mississippi at seven years old to escape racial violence and would not return to the state until a century later.

Credit: WXXI

Photo provided by APT

Big Sonia Monday, December 11 at 9 p.m. on WXXI-TV Standing tall at 4’8”, Sonia is one of the last remaining Holocaust survivors in Kansas City and one of the only survivors there who speaks publicly about her wartime experience.

Photo provided by PBS

Support public media.

Become a WXXI Member!

Visit WXXI.org/give to choose the membership that works for you. roccitymag.com CITY 35

240 East Ave thelittle.org

RENAISSANCE: A FILM BY BEYONCÉ

Maestro OPENS DEC. 15 | A portrait of Leonard Bernstein’s singular charisma and passion for music as he rose to fame as America’s first native born, world-renowned conductor, all along following his ambition to compose both symphonic and popular Broadway works. Bradley Cooper stars, alongside Carey Mulligan as Bernstein’s wife, actress Felicia Montealegre.

NOW PLAYING | RENAISSANCE: A FILM

BY BEYONCÉ accentuates the journey of RENAISSANCE WORLD TOUR, from its inception to the opening in Stockholm, Sweden, to the finale in Kansas City, Missouri

The Color Purple

Dream Scenario NOW PLAYING | Paul Matthews (Nicolas Cage) finds his life turned upside down when millions of strangers suddenly start seeing him in their dreams.

The Boy and the Heron OPENS DEC. 8 | Hayao Miyazaki’s first feature film in 10 years, The Boy and the Heron is a hand-drawn, original story written and directed by the Academy Award-winning director. The Little will screen both the Japanese and English language versions.

OPENS DEC. 25 | A musical adaptation of Alice Walker’s novel about the extraordinary sisterhood of three women who share one unbreakable bond.

Ferrari OPENS DEC. 25 | A biopic of automotive mogul Enzo Ferrari, whose family redefined the idea of the high-powered Italian sports car and practically spawned the concept of Formula One racing.

Michael Mann directs and Adam Driver stars.

Poor Things

American Fiction

OPENS DEC. 8 | From filmmaker Yorgos Lanthimos (The Favourite) comes the incredible tale and fantastical evolution of Bella Baxter (Emma Stone), a young woman brought back to life by the brilliant and unorthodox scientist (Willem Dafoe).

OPENS DECEMBER | Thelonious “Monk” Ellison’s (Jeffrey Wright) writing career has stalled because his work isn’t deemed “Black enough.” Monk, a writer and English professor, writes a satirical novel under a pseudonym, aiming to expose the publishing world’s hypocrisies. The book becomes a huge hit. Comedy ensues.

Shop The Little This Holiday Season!

Gift memberships, Little gift certificates, dinner + movie passes, and more merch are available at thelittle.org and in-person!

36 CITY DECEMBER 2023

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 23

cookies bring us together

MONDAY, DECEMBER 25

GAMING

High Point Holiday Party

Warhammer High Point, facebook. com/warhammerhighpoint If last-minute shopping has brought you to Eastview Mall, but you’d rather be gaming or painting fantasy minis, join your kindred spirits at Warhammer’s holiday party. The team will be running games, sharing cookies, customizing minis with holiday themes, and participating in a Secret Gobbo gift exchange (sign up any time before the party.) Free to participate. RR SUNDAY, DECEMBER 24

RECREATION

Pointless Hills Bay Ride

Shamrock Jack’s Irish Pub, facebook.com/groups/jfgcycling This free weekly Sunday bike ride hosted by Barry Cherney and Just for Giggles Cycling takes participants around Irondequoit Bay, and today offers a little chance for peace and a quiet headspace from visiting family and holiday chaos. It’s an almost 33-mile ride with 8 to 14 hills – depending on the exact route the ride leader chooses that day – and participants depart promptly at 10 a.m. from Shamrock Jack’s. If you’re up for it, grab a beer and some grub back at the bar after the ride. You can download the base route from ridewithgps.com (search Pointless Hills Bay ride) to see what you’re getting into. Dress in layers, bring water, and depending on weather, a more aggressive tire tread is recommended. RR

getcakedroc.com

(585) 319-4314

FILM

“Wonka”

Cinemark Tinseltown Rochester and IMAX, cinemark.com One consistent tradition in my family when I was growing up was the Christmas-Day visit to the movie theater. If it’s a tradition in your household too, the new movie “Wonka,” starring Timothée Chalamet as the eccentric chocolatier, seems like a good fit for holiday flick-watching. “Wonka” is a kind of stand-alone prequel to the original 1971 film ”Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory,” in which Gene Wilder played the spellbinding if unpredictable candymaker created by author Roald Dahl. “Wonka” viewers should expect plenty of callbacks to the classic, and a fittingly whimsical sensibility, a slightly different take on the wacky title character. Various times. $9-$11. DK ART

George Eastman Museum’s collections online

George Eastman Museum, eastman. org/collections-online Getting stir-crazy around the house?

Bored of everything on Netflix and didn’t get enough library books to last the holiday? Despite it looking like nothing’s open, you can still check out some cool treasures from museums online. The George Eastman Museum has thousands of photographs and films digitized, including the only known recording of Eastman’s voice, and a recording from the Kodacolor Party, featuring Thomas Edison.

MONA SEGHATOLESLAMI

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TUESDAY, DECEMBER 26

CROSSWORD PUZZLE ANSWERS

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SCENE AN EVENTS NEWSLETTER FOR THE SOCIALLY RESTLESS

STEAM Through the Ages

Rochester Museum & Science Center, rmsc.org Kids have this week off of school, but may get a little restless in the days following Christmas. Rochester Museum & Science Center is hosting its annual Winter Break activities, with an emphasis on advances in STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art, and math) throughout history. Hands-on exhibits and activities in the safe, warm museum environment will keep the kids engaged and away from too much screen time. The Winter Break specific activities take place from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tuesday, December 26 through Saturday, December 30. Tickets are included with general admission ($18$20). RR WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 27

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 28

BLUES

Son House Blues Night

The Record Archive, recordarchive.com It’s the last Son House Blues Night of 2023, and as always, it’s hosted

by Genesee Johnny. From 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. this free show will transport listeners in the way only the blues can.

Simple, visceral, and soulful, there’s no art form quite as honest and the blues.

And with an impassioned guide like Genesee Johnny, you know it’s going to be a good trip. DK

THEATER

“Anansi Tales for the Holidays”

MuCCC, muccc.org The {theatre}+{náfsi} FOR Youth presents “Anansi Tales for the Holidays,” a family friendly show featuring a mixture of African, Caribbean, and African American folklore told through interactive theatre, storytelling, and puppetry.

Directed by Reuben J. Tapp, this production offers special onstage seating for kids throughout the performance, inviting them to interact with villagers, hornets, calabash, and animals. The {theatre}+{náfsi} FOR Youth’s goal is to illuminate the human condition through the prism of people from the African Diaspora (náfsi means ‘soul’ in Swahili). The show runs through December 30, and December 27 is a pay-what-you38 CITY DECEMBER 2023

will performance. Tickets for the remaining nights are $10 kids, $20 adults in advance; $25 adults at the door. LS

ART

Figure Drawing

The Yards Collective, theyardsrochester.com If your resolutions involve honing your art skills, get a jump on the goal a few days early with a couple of relaxing hours of nude figure drawing.

The Yards director Kristina Kaiser hosts the session, which will provide models, drawing horses, chairs and tables. Bring your own paper and drawing materials. The session takes place from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. and costs $15 to participate – space is limited, so RSVP in advance. RR CONTINUED ON PAGE 40

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p.m. Tickets are $15 in advance, $20 at the door. 18+. RR FRIDAY, DECEMBER 29

and the blues. As the year nears an end, it’s a great time to party with Public Water Supply. Doors open at 7:30 p.m. $20. DK SATURDAY, DECEMBER 30 MUSIC

moe.

DANCE

Ugly Silent Disco Sweater Party

Photo City Music Hall, photocitymusichall.com Dance off some of that holiday sugar rush, while giving those ugly sweaters one more night out this season. Don your silliest threads and head to Photo City where DJs KEETS, ALLMY-T, and Godspeed will be spinning tracks on three different channels.

Don’t like the tune bumping in your headphones? Change the channel to choose from hip-hop throwbacks and Billboard anthems, dubstep, or Top 40 dance tracks and EDM. Doors open at 7:30 p.m. and the music starts at 8

40 CITY DECEMBER 2023

MUSIC

Public Water Supply Three Heads Brewing, threeheadsbrewing.com The name of this band may sound purely utilitarian, but its sound is anything but that. With three songwriters in its ranks, the indie rock-Americana quintet plays energetic originals that demonstrate polished technical skill and a refined knowledge of rock ‘n’ roll, country,

Kodak Center, kodakcenter.com Jam bands playing a stand of shows to ring in the New Year is nothing new. But having originated in Buffalo, moe. has always had a special connection to upstate New York, and has a longstanding relationship with Rochester. The band’s two-night run at Kodak Center will undoubtedly feature its relentless groove and hairpin rhythmic turns. Available tickets start at $55 for the Saturday night show, and $62 for New Year’s Eve. Tickets for both nights can be purchased for as little as $105. 8 p.m. DK

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 31 MUSIC

Dirty Blanket

Three Heads Brewing, threeheadsbrewing.com Dirty Blanket isn’t exactly a traditional bluegrass band, but the quintet comes mighty close. If the music doesn’t give you those warm backwoods vibes, I don’t know what will. With multiple lead vocalists, you never know who will take the mic next, but you know the tempo will be up and that New Year’s feeling will be in the air. Expect a rollicking time! Doors open at 8 p.m. $20 in advance, $25 at the door.

DK

NYE

Sober New Year’s Eve Party

ROCovery Fitness, rocoveryfitness.org It can be hard to find a family-friendly New Year’s Eve bash, but this gettogether hosted by ROCovery Fitness fits that billing. Expect a potluck meal, music, and dancing. Bringing a dish to pass is recommended. The party’s theme is “Dress to Impress.”

The event is free, and open to anyone with at least 48 hours of sustained sobriety. 9 p.m. DK

MUSIC

New Year’s Eve Bash with the Televisionaries

Radio Social, radio-social.com Ring in 2024 with retro vibes, menu specials, and bubbles at midnight. $15 tickets are available online or at the door and required for entry after 9 p.m.; music starts at 9:30 p.m. in the backyard. 21+ only after 9 p.m.

DIDN'T GET WHAT YOU WERE ASKING FOR? roccitymag.com/events

NE

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Warm up to winter CULTURE

BY REBECCA RAFFERTY @ICONOCLASSED

A

fter that first cinematic, pristine snowfall, I’ve had my fill of winter.

I’m quickly over the gray skies and the dirty slush, and the grim expressions of passersby as they brace against the gales. I crave warmth and signs of life, and daylight that stretches before and after office hours. I become a happy homebody, but there’s only so much time one can spend wearing outfits made of blankets and Netflix’ing away the chill before cabin fever sets in.

Each year we try to be creative in our search for things to do that warm the body, quicken the mind, and stoke the soul. Here’s our winter 2023-24 list. Hang in there.

SWEAT IT OUT Proponents of infrared sauna sessions swear by the treatment’s therapeutic benefits, claiming it can ease stress, help you lose weight, fight aging, and detox your body. There’s more — according to an article on the Mayo Clinic’s website, studies have shown that using infrared saunas to treat depression, inflammation, high blood pressure, chronic headaches, type 2 diabetes, arthritis, Alzheimer’s Disease, and other ailments can boost the effects of standard medical interventions. At the very least, spending time in a warm environment that simulates 42 CITY DECEMBER 2023

Seven mind, body, and soul-warming things to do this winter.

exercise can help chase away the winter blues.

Unlike regular saunas which heat the air in a room, infrared saunas use infrared light to heat the body directly, so they’re ideal for people who have a low tolerance to higher temperatures but want the same boost to the circulatory system. And typically, you’re surrounded by a dense red glow — frankly, a welcome change from the gray atmosphere outdoors. If you’re down to try it, there are a handful of Rochester businesses that offer infrared saunas, from spas and wellness centers to fitness clubs and chiropractors’ offices.

In late 2022, University Ave. juice bar Just Juice 4 Life owner Damaris Pinedo expanded her holistic operations to the space next door, where she opened day spa Amor Sanas (love heals, in Spanish) at 712 University Ave. instagram.com/amor_sanas “We offer infrared sauna sessions, cold plunge, and a combo of both,” Pinedo said, adding that other treatments include compression therapy, red light therapy, salt booth sessions, acupuncture, massage therapy, tarot readings, and breathwork classes.

The OG spot in town, Lumos Infrared Sauna Studio (145 Culver Road and 2593 W. Ridge Road, lumosinfraredsauna.com) opened in 2019 as the first place in Rochester dedicated specifically to infrared saunas.

No matter where you go, expect to pay between $30 and $40 for a 30-minute session. And many places accept HSA and FSA payments — because this is healthcare, too.

SEEK THE FLAME

Amor Sanas, a day spa from Just Juice 4 Life. PHOTO BY ABBY QUATRO

The last thing you might expect to see midwinter is an open flame dancing behind a waterfall, but you can spot this exact sight at Eternal Flame Falls in Orchard Park, just a bit south of Buffalo.

The flame can be seen behind the curtain of a prettily tiered, modest waterfall in a small grotto

The cold plunge room at Amor Sanas.

PHOTO BY ABBY QUATRO

tucked into a hiking trail in Shale Creek Preserve, part of Chestnut Ridge Park in Erie County.

Known by Indigenous people and recorded by settlers, the flame has thousands of years of history.

Geologists thought that deep tectonic activity opened faults in the shale, allowing a ‘macro seep’ of natural gas to escape. Someone lit the gas and ever since, visitors have been mesmerized by the kind of primal, sacred-space feeling that erupts during an encounter with such a striking clash of contrasting elements. The flame ranges between four and eight inches in height — small, but kind of a profound symbol of resilience to meditate upon.

It’s dreamy to think of the many private thoughts and rituals that may have taken place before the veiled flame, and tragic to consider it might have an older name lost to time.

‘Eternal’ is a wee misnomer, as heavy rains and snows have occasionally extinguished the fire, but hikers always relight the flame. After being featured in books about secret places and weird phenomena on earth, the spot has seen increased visitation, which resulted in greater accessibility measures being installed to the challenging hike, but also brought the bad things that come with more people

(like litter). If you go, wear waterproof footwear with good grips, tread carefully, and pick up after yourself. No admission fee. nyfalls.com/waterfalls/eternalflame-falls

WAKE UP IN WINE COUNTRY During the cold months Rochester can feel pretty bleak, what with the blanket of gray clouds and equally gray slush. If you’re in the market for a little getaway paired with pampering, look to the Finger Lakes, and more specifically, the Inns of Aurora Resort and Spa (391 Main St., Aurora), which Travel+Leisure World’s Best List 2022 rated as the #1 resort hotel in New York State.

Located in the one-square-mile, 18th-century village of Aurora on Cayuga Lake, the five inns have a storybook quaintness while offering supreme amenities. You can choose from luxurious guest rooms in the Aurora Inn or one of the historic grand estates, or book the private cottage.

Onsite there’s a world-class spa, the farm-to-table restaurant 1833 Kitchen, a casual pub, village market, activities center, and more. The resort offers ice fishing, bird watching, archery, and other wilderness activities; along with CONTINUED ON PAGE 44

roccitymag.com CITY 43

A cup is prepared at Happy Earth Tea, 696 South Ave. PHOTOS BY ABBY QUATRO

workshops on the lake and nature trails, all led by two experienced outdoorsmen on staff in the heart of New York’s wine trails.

Of course you don’t have to spend any time outside, if you don’t want to — hole up in your cozy room and order decadent food service, or head to the spa for head-to-toe treatments.

Accommodations range from $225 to about $625 per night depending on the space you choose, day of the week, and season, and there are many spa and retreat packages to select from. innsofaurora.com

CREATING ART WITH FIRE This one’s for the art lovers, or for anyone who loves to watch how things are made. Tucked in the Upper Monroe neighborhood, More Fire Glass Studio (36 Field St.) is a woman-owned gem currently celebrating 25 years in business. Artists Elizabeth Lyons (founder), Jennifer Schinzing

44 CITY DECEMBER 2023

which is filled with the dazzling, colorful results of their labors.

Each holiday season this includes a handmade ornament that benefits a local non-profit organization.

Proceeds from sales of this year’s green and blue twisty “Heart to Heart” ornament go to Person Centered Housing Options.

CHASE AWAY THE CHILL (studio manager), and Michael Krupiarz (studio coordinator) spend their days taming flames in which they spin and shape molten glass into vessels, ornaments, and sculptures.

More Fire occasionally hosts open studio dates during which the public is invited to watch glassblowing demos; catch the next one from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 3, and watch morefireglass.com for future dates.

Otherwise, More Fire keeps regular retail hours for its shop,

Founded in 2011 by husband and wife team Niraj Lama and Mary Boland, Happy Earth Tea (696 South Ave.) specializes in palatepleasing tea blends curated from ingredients sourced around the globe. Lama is from Darjeeling, India, where he and Boland operated Darjeeling Tea Exclusive before relocating to the US. In 2017, a CNN travel writer named Lama and Boland’s business, then called Leaf Tea Bar, among the ‘11 best tea houses in the world,’ with its peers on the list located in Myanmar, Tajikistan, Japan,

China, England, and a handful of North American cities. In 2022, “Bon Appétit” recommended Happy Earth among just six international tea purveyors who work directly with farmers.

The cozy shop beckons passersby with its warmly-lit storefront on the corner of South and Gregory, and rewards visitors with soothing, sharp herbal aromas and friendly conversation at the counter, where you can order hand-poured teas, flights, and bakery items. Pop in and choose from among nuanced varieties of tea from around the world as well as speciality blends — Ginger Honey, Winter Spice, Diamond Dew, and Cacao Kisses are all good bets — teaware, and books to take home.

In addition to travels where they learn about and buy ingredients, the couple is passionate about educating people on the health and wellness benefits

of drinking tea. Happy Earth’s website includes an active blog that contains info about the history, ethics, and diversity of tea, recipes, and more. Visit the shop from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Sundays. happyearthtea.com

COFFEE AND CATS There are few things cozier in the winter months than having a pet snuggle up. Like — hello, look at us, we are a little pack, this little beast chose me for the cuddle puddle.

Personal opinion: it’s even more cozy if your fuzzy friend purrs in contentment and slow-blinks affection at you while you hang out together.

If that sounds great but you’re not ready to commit to your very own lap cat, visit a cat cafe, where you can enjoy a beverage while getting to know the resident felines, and in the best case scenario, adopt one.

There are three cat cafés in Rochester, all su-purr-bly named: The Pawsitive Cat Cafe (120 East Ave. #100, pawsitivecatcafe. com), Nine Lives Cat Café (3240 Chili Ave., ninelivesshopandadopt. com), and Lazy Cat Cafe and Lounge (Eastview Mall, Victor, lazycatlongueandcafe.com). Before you head out, check the websites for individual hours, guidelines, and how to book a visit if that’s required.

GET YOUR GREENS One of the best places to visit during a Rochester winter is Lamberton Conservatory (180 Reservoir Road), which is open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. every day of the year except Thanksgiving and Christmas. It’s not

Lamberton Conservatory, 180 Reservoir Rd. PHOTOS BY ABBY QUATRO

a secret spot by any means, but it’s easy to forget that there’s a fantastic glass-walled oasis packed with growing things, blessed humidity, and free-ranging animals available for a near-anytime injection of vibrancy.

Built in 1911 in the renowned arboretum designed by Frederic Law Olmstead, the conservatory is named for Alexander B. Lamberton,

who served as president of the Monroe County parks board from 1902 to 1915. It was taken apart and rebuilt in 2007 for a complete restoration. The ornate greenhouse at Highland Park boasts 1,800 square feet with hundreds of plant species growing from the ground, in rows of pots, and suspended from above, fully immersing visitors in

tropical and desert sights and scents.

Turtles, button quail, and fish also inhabit the place.

General admission is $3, $2 for seniors, and free to kids 5 and younger. Or spring for the annual membership, which is only $10 ($30 for families). monroecounty.gov/parks-conservatory

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Meet the founder of Mackenzie’s Table and Crosby La

Pull up a chair CULTURE

BY JESSICA L. PAVIA

T

he loading dock door opens with a flourish.

Outlined by the light cascading from inside, Mackenzie Piccarreto appears, wearing black Dansko clogs and a denim Hedley & Bennett apron, the ampersand clear against its dark blue embroidery.

Piccarreto, a Greece native, moves quickly but steadily in her commercial kitchen, eyes flitting back and forth between a black binder of laminated recipes and the vibrant beet hummus she’s building. The silver nail polish on her fingers flashes with each turn of the knife. Her energy is fluid, meticulous.

It’s easy to see Piccarreto grew up intuitively cooking. Those ‘grab whatever you can from the pantry and throw them into a plastic tupperware’ type recipes.

“They were never good,” she said. “It’d be like banana muffins with basil and paprika. Really terrible things, but I was confident and liked playing around.”

In 2016, the self-taught chef moved back to Rochester from New York City and began keeping a blog to share food recipes. Around the same time, she attended the virtual Institute for Integrative Nutrition (IIN).

Cooking and wellness collided for her, and Piccarreto embarked on crafting recipes that were always whole-food and health focused, but not — as she’s quick to insist — dogmatic.

“I do care about ingredients, but that doesn’t mean I’m

46 CITY DECEMBER 2023

thinking about them in everything I eat,” she said. “I’ve always wanted the food I make to be nourishing but also really delicious.”

Her blog slowly grew, but it wasn’t until she went to F.L.X Table, the seasonal communaldining experience in Geneva, for her 30th birthday that the goal of cooking for others sparked.

Piccarreto liked the idea of highlighting locally sourced food and gathering strangers around a table over a shared meal, but wanted to do it more in her style.

She started doing pop-up dinners at Living Roots in their smaller private tasting room before later moving to Jackrabbit Club, Good Luck’s event space on Anderson Avenue.

“I said I was going to do it until tickets stopped selling,” she said. “And they never did.”

After the pandemic hit, Piccarreto transitioned into booking private, in-home dinners. To this day, she’s mostly based on referrals and word of mouth, doing about four to five events a month.

Crosby Lane, the second half of her business, is a virtual whole foods bakery that opened in 2021.

Named after her childhood street, Crosby Lane is direct-to-consumer, offering mostly vegan and glutenfree desserts made with real ingredients and sweetened with things like dates or honey.

“Wellness has evolved over

the years,” Piccarreto said. “I’ve always come from a place of zero deprivation, not dieting, just always having good quality foods. There can be so many reasons to eat besides fuel, like nostalgia and joy.”

The response to Crosby Lane has been especially kind amongst people with severe dietary allergies who have found their favorite treats reimagined in a way they can enjoy — for instance, her raw cinnamon buns are available at Pearson’s Market & Café, which opened in the former Glen Edith space on Elton Street.

More of the chef ’s community can be found on her Instagram, @mackenzies_table. Much of

ane.

Mackenzie Piccarreto poses with Crosby Lane bakery offerings.

PHOTOS BY ABBY QUATRO

Piccarreto’s business comes from the site, where she entertains 13,000 followers with photos of local produce, bright orange and green vegetables stacked atop plates from dinners, or videos of her concocting recipes.

One of her many followers was Jessica Dorofy, who recently hired the chef to cook for her birthday party.

“I host often, and this event truly was the best time I’ve had and that was in large part because of Mackenzie’s Table,” Dorofy said. “It was such a relief to not worry about this part of event planning. We still talk about her roasted carrots.”

While the internet can also be a dangerous, or triggering, place when it comes to the wellness scene, it’s clear to her followers—Dorofy included—that Piccarreto’s feed seems to offer a break from the onslaught, with delicious (and healthy) flavors taking precedence.

“Without (Instagram), I don’t think I’d have a business,” said Piccarreto. “The landscape has changed a lot. I love the connection of it, but then there’s the side of obligation.”

These days, Piccarreto is looking to the future, and what’s next not only for Mackenzie’s Table, but Crosby Lane. In her sights? Possibly, her own space.

“There was something magical about strangers coming together, sitting at a table, and caring enough about food to come to a surprise menu,” she said. “I miss that energy. I want to somehow get that back.”

With Crosby, her hobby became her work, which can be hard for anyone. The recipes can feel monotonous, even as the work is rewarding. Still, the kitchen beckons.

With all its quirks: the whoosh of a ginormous refrigerator opening in front of you, the meditative rhythm of knife hitting board.

It’s in these moments Piccarreto is her childlike self again: not measuring or worrying, intuitively testing a new idea, following the jolts of inspiration and joy.

Mackenzie’s hosting tips

With the holidays coming up, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed between all the dishes, meals, and expectations. While the night can be elaborate, Mackenzie wants to enjoy herself, too — here are some of her tips for doing just that: Be prepared. Mackenzie suggests prepping whatever you can ahead of time, saying: “I don’t want to be in the kitchen all night.” Do what you can ahead of time to enjoy the day.

Like Mackenzie, many of us can get caught up in making everything perfect, but the chef says, “I don’t need to fully impress. Anything you can do, people will be happy with because we’re all together.”

“The most important thing is to be with family,” Mackenzie says. While something might go wrong or burn, remember other people probably won’t care as much as you do.

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24 bottles of beer on the wall CULTURE

BY GINO FANELLI @GINOFANELLI

Naked LollipopBuffalo (blue raspberry, strawberry, marshmallow) Froth Brewing Company Expletives flew in the CITY newsroom as we poured this beer into a glass. I don’t know what I expected, but the color of murky Windex was certainly not it. Differing from the pulpy sludge that has defined the Liquid Lollipop series, this beer is lighter, with a bit more clarity, and more subdued candy and fruit notes juxtaposed by a bright tartness. Go Bills.

It Was Written (Berry Pomegranate Sour IPA) Rising Storm Brewing Company The sour ale provocateurs from Avon/Penfield have made a name for themselves through the It Was Written series, a lineup of tart IPAs imbued with a revolving roster of fruits. This offering relishes in the complex flavors of pomegranate, allowing for the stony sweetness to rise to the forefront while keeping a healthy sharp bite of tart and bitterness on the finish.

Berry Naked Black Raspberry Ale Naked Dove Brewing Company A pioneering fruited beer from a legendary Canandaigua brewery, Berry Naked is an exercise in restraint that has held up flawlessly over the years. A perfectly balanced amber ale is given a healthy dose of sweet berry flavors culminating in a clean, smooth finish.

Fall into Grapeness Young Lion Brewing Company A celebration of the humble Concord grape, this sour ale from Young Lion embraces the candy sweet nature of the berry while juxtaposing a winefeel that brings out the more nuanced character beyond the sugars. It’s candy sweet as much as it is acetic, making it a delicate beer ripe with contrast. Moreover, it’s refreshing as hell.

Big Head Stout Three Heads Brewing Company The righteous dudes over at Three Heads have certainly carved out their niche in the local neo-hippie IPA market with the Rochester classic The Kind, and it’s almosttoo-many derivatives. But it’s really this seasonal stout offering that’s the star of the roster. The reason is simple: it’s a damn-near perfect American stout. Roast-y, malty, and chocolate-y with a faint whiff of coffee, it’s the kind of beer that warms the soul after a day of sledding or a bundled-up walk in the snow.

Habanero Ale Keuka Brewing Company Yes, alright, it sounds like some kind of prank more than it does a serviceable brew. But this blonde ale offering from Keuka is less of an exercise of sadism and more of a parsing of the weak from the strong.

The spice intolerant will find this beer to be unbearable. The bolder among us will find a delicate, caramel-accented beer laced with waves of pleasant warmth, its herbal chili notes blending seamlessly with Chinook hops.

Del’s Shandy Narragansett Brewing Company Read the can, buddy — this Rhode Island staple beer is brewed right here in Rochester at a top-secret compound that I certainly would not want to violate any legal agreements to announce. Big place, though. Anyway, this beer is sublime, a truly magical brew. It’s a sweet, easydrinking beer just pumped with candied lemon and zest undertones. Or overtones.

It’s not exactly subtle.

Highland Lager Rohrbach Brewing Company These days, the tap list from Rochester’s original craft brewer has grown from modest, classic offerings to a tapestry of new-age experimentation and trendy brews. But good old Highland Lager maintains its place as an iconic Flower City beer. Simple, easy-drinking, and laced with notes of toast, caramel, and toffee, it is a delight today just as it was 20 years ago.

East v. West Round 10 Iron Tug Brewing Company The East v. West series from Iron Tug is a love letter to IPAs. Not quite New England, not quite West Coast, these beers are a divine mashup taking the best of both worlds to create juicy, fruity, and pleasantly bitter concoction. Each edition comes with a fresh new hop edition, with this one highlighting some high-octane West Coast favorites like Simcoe, El Dorado, and Citra.

Wicker Bins Fifth Frame Brewing Company To my mind, Jon Mervine and the St. Paul Street auteurs at Fifth Frame brew the best IPAs in the region.

Moreover, they brew a lot of them. This “experimental” offering sets out to create true everyman’s IPA. It’s packed with juicy notes of peach, citrus, stone fruit, and even hints of berry, yet finishes with a crisp, clear bite. At 7.2% alcohol, it’s shockingly mellow, covering up the booze in a way a lesser brewery would struggle in at 5%.

IPA Swiftwater Brewing Company If brevity is the soul of wit, this beer is a regular Rodney Dangerfield. Take one look at the can and the name and you know exactly what you’re in for. It’s a damn near perfect and elegant IPA, packed with as much abrasion as it is delicacy.

Citrus Pils Genesee Brewing Company The inexhaustible march of time feeds the bleeding of days into one another.

Faces blend together into indistinguishable fleshy masses. Love is had and lost. The wrinkles around your eyes grow deeper, flowing like estuaries into the river of aging. Everything that is familiar and comforting will one day feel foreign and foreboding. But there’s always a new Genesee seasonal — hell yeah.

48 CITY DECEMBER 2023

Gino Fanelli returns for a fourth year of his reader favorite Beer Advent Calendar.

Coffee Stout Abandon Brewing/Finger Lakes Coffee Roasters We all love a good local mashup and a good 10 a.m.

Saturday morning beer. Kill two birds with one stone by drinking this lovely light stout laced with freshbrewed coffee character.

It finishes bitter, roast-y, and warming. A filling and belly-warming beer that, at 4.6% alcohol, will keep you coherent throughout holiday shenanigans.

Sad Devotion to Ancient Religion Prison City Brewing Company I could sit here and talk about the diversity of Prison City, how well tuned those Auburn kids are at doing a crazy wide range of styles; how this Germanstyle Schwarzbier is a masterwork in balancing dark roast with light, refreshing character.

I could do all of that, it’s all true. But the star of the show is the absolute banger of a beer name. Just really inspired stuff.

Scotch Ale K2 Brothers Brewing The dudes at K2 have made a name for themselves with their rotating sour ale series. But really, where they shine is brewing traditional, less sexy beers. Case in point, this cocoa and coffee beauty just begs to be sipped by a roaring fire.

Nectaron Chroma Other Half Brewing Company The Chroma series is a native-to-the-Finger-Lakes IPA offering from Other Half which sets out to truly explore the depth and character of single hops in a double dry-hopped IPA. This version captures the character of the new wave hop darling Nectaron, bursting with sweet orange, sharp citrus flavors, and just a hint of candied zest.

Beer Genesee Brewing Company Good old red eye. The wind beneath my wings. The quiet after a storm. The butter on my bread.

I love you.

First Frost Grow Brewing Company If Geneva start-up Grow has no devotees, I am no longer alive. Every single beer from them is at worst, very good and at best, absolutely remarkable.

This slow-fermented IPA is rich in malt character that provides a perfect juxtaposition to the fruity pebble hop undertones. It’s a delightful beer.

Signal Hopping War Horse Brewing Company War Horse has, over the past five years or so, truly thrown its hat in the ring as one of the region’s better IPA brewers. This one? It’s a modest offering, low in alcohol but exceedingly well-balanced with a mild, refreshing bitterness.

Defies Logic Underground Beer Lab Our only entry giving Syracuse love this year is perhaps the most deserved. Underground Beer Lab is, for my money, the best brewery in the city, and their specialty is, unsurprisingly, great IPAs. This one is no exception.

Crisp, juicy, easy-drinking, yet nuanced.

It, uhhh, well — just read the name.

Fuggly Sweater Ithaca Brewing Company A culinary hill I’ll die on is that many traditional “dessert” spices, particularly cloves, are actually just underused in western savory dishes.

The good people at Ithaca Brewing get me. This beer is dry and sessionable, with a modest brown ale composition serving as a venue for the humble clove.

Mosaic Foundation Noble Shepherd The introduction of mosaic hops marked a sea change for beer when they first hit the scene back in 2012; the distinctively tropical character became the must-have of every fledgling brewer in the market. In turn, we got a lot of mediocre IPAs made by those who didn’t know how to use the hops to their full potential. The people at Noble Shepherd do, and they prove it with this delightfully complex, challenging beer.

Alt-Bier Beer Tree Brewing Company What the hell is an Alt-Bier, anyway? To the best of my knowledge, it’s a lager brewed with yeast on the top, like an ale, rather than at the bottom, as is tradition. What does that mean? It’s just a bit of a darker lager. Rich in character, light in body. It’s my favorite beer style, even if I have no idea what I’m talking about.

Cream Ale Genesee Brewing Company This is it. The classic. A Rochester original. A blessing and a blight all in one. It’s a slightly sweetened ale dosed with corn. It’s $6 per six-pack, drinks as smooth as anything out there, and makes being interrogated by your extended family about why you haven’t gotten married yet just a bit easier. Happy holidays!

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Wheels go (year) round CULTURE

BY DANIEL J. KUSHNER @DANIELJKUSHNER

I

f you’re a bicyclist in the Rochester area, there is no shortage of groups that meet for regular rides: Rochester Bike Club, Wheel Women of Tryon, Rochester Bike Kids, Black Girls Do Bike Rochester, Rochester Bicycle Time! and Reconnect Rochester — by no means an exhaustive list.

And while many of the riders in these groups stick to a fairweather riding schedule in spring, summer, and fall, there are hearty local cyclists who are active yearround.

One such cyclist is Barry Cherney, the founder of Just for Giggles Cycling. He started the group in 2012, when Full Moon Vista’s Scott Page stopped running Tuesday Night Urban Assault (TUNA) Rides. The nowdefunct rides often served as a training session and a springboard for competitive racing for anywhere from 20 to 70 bikers.

Cherney decided he wanted to do something similar with his own group, and things began modestly with Just for Giggles — three or four riders doing 20-mile trips through Durand Eastman Park, Irondequoit, and Rochester.

Now, Just for Giggles typically hosts three rides per week: the 20-mile flagship ride on Mondays, which meets at Three Heads Brewing; a Thursday trail race ride that starts and ends at Collins Pavilion at Schoen Place consisting of roughly 40 miles on an unpaved route such as gravel; and a weekend ride.

50 CITY DECEMBER 2023

In Rochester’s active cycling scene, many don’t take the snowy season off.

Bike riders from Just for Giggles Cycling assemble outside Three Heads Brewing for the group’s Monday night ride.

PHOTO BY JACOB WALSH

The Pointless Hills ride through Irondequoit Bay runs on Sundays from November 1 through April 1, while in the summer there’s a Saturday morning coffee ride.

Additional options include Wednesday’s Hump Day Ride and a wintertime ride on Saturdays for fat bikes with four to five-inchwide tires.

A significant difference between the former TUNA rides and the current Giggle rides is intention. “Our goal is ‘just for giggles,’” Cherney said. “Our goal is to have fun. A lot of our rides start and end with beer and are brewery destination rides.

Sometimes we ride fast, sometimes we ride slow, but we always have fun.”

Marty Petrella, a lifelong cyclist who has ridden more than 2,000 miles with Just for Giggles this year, says the consistency of the rides and the camaraderie between riders is what keeps him coming back.

He remembers a deal-making moment early on in his time with the group during a difficult hill ride through Irondequoit Bay. “I was dying to keep up,” Petrella said. “But when I got to the top, Barry was there and he said, ‘Good job, Marty. You keep trying, I’ll keep waiting for you.’

And that was like music to my ears.”

The group sticks to Cherney’s motto, “No Giggle left behind.”

Every rider clears the hill before the entourage moves on, and if a new rider gets a flat tire, others will stop to help. All the rides are clearly identified beforehand, so cyclists know whether they’re getting themselves into a slow ride, a hill ride, a training ride, or something in between.

For Cherney, the reasons to choose cycling are clear. “Biking

allows you the freedom to move great distances over a reasonable amount of time,” he said. “It gets you out of your life and it puts you out of your comfort zone once you start riding harder, and allows you to achieve a lot.

I always say, it’s hard to become a good runner. It’s not hard to become a good cyclist.”

Just for Giggles is serious about being a year-round group. To Cherney’s memory, there’s never been a canceled ride since the group’s inception, although on rare occasions rides have been cut short due to storms.

In addition to regular winter rides, Just for Giggles Cycling hosts an annual holiday fundraising event called the Santa Ride. It’s a jolly, 10 to 12mile affair for which riders don Santa, elf, reindeer, and penguin costumes, sing Christmas carols, and donate gift cards to Center for

Youth. In recent years, Cherney says the group has donated close to $3,000 in gift cards.

If you’re intent on cycling in the winter, there are key strategies to keep in mind. Cherney recommends an inexpensive winter bike (perhaps a fat bike) that’s OK to get additional wearand-tear from Rochester’s salted roads, in addition to owning a road bike for paved surfaces and a gravel bike or mountain bike that can handle trails.

Jesse Peers, cycling manager at Reconnect Rochester, stands by studded tires, which can keep cyclists from slipping on the ice where a fat bike might falter. He also emphasizes the importance of layering and warns against overdressing in cold weather.

“Dress as you would if it were 15 or 20 degrees warmer,” Peers said. “The first five minutes are always the most uncomfortable.

But once you get into a rhythm and you’re moving, you warm up rather quickly.”

And as for warming up to cycling itself, Cherney recommends novice bikers join a group ride with an unfamiliar route and location as a quick way to improve. “That feeling of ‘you have to keep up’ is the greatest training regimen there is,” he said.

“That’s how I learned.” facebook.com/groups/jfgcycling roccitymag.com CITY 51

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Like it’s 1803 CULTURE

BY PATRICK HOSKEN @PATRICKHOSKEN

M

ost modern craft breweries pride themselves on their flagship pours. Often, the star of the show is a hoppy IPA. But at the Genesee Country Village & Museum — a period-appropriate destination for, among other local historical elements, beer — two distinct 19th-century recipes take center stage.

Neither are particularly hoppy. Beer in the 1800s wasn’t brewed with hops like many contemporary beers.

Instead, the museum offers the Fat Ox brown ale and the Stocking Hill ale, an American wheat beer made with ginger.

Both are produced in sevenbarrel small batches by Rohrbach Brewing Company at its Buffalo Road brewpub, only 15 miles from the museum.

“These beers are traditional styles you would’ve found 200 years ago in a pub,” said Joel Will, Rohrbach’s director of brewing. “They don’t have all these crazy modern frills that people throw into beers now.

Ginger is the kind of ingredient that would’ve been added back in the day before we started widely using hops to help with preserving the beer and add a bitterness or zest that counteracts the sweetness of the malts.”

In addition to ginger, 19thcentury brewers used plants like juniper, anise, caraway, and even herb mixtures of sage and rosemary for a balanced taste.

52 CITY DECEMBER 2023

Genesee Country Village and Museum brews beer from a pre-hops era.

The brewery and hop house at Genesee Country Village and Museum PHOTO BY RYAN WILLIAMSON

PHOTO PROVIDED

That’s the kind of history the museum digs into at its own working brewery and hop house, both located at its pioneer settlement.

The brewery was reconstructed from one in the Geneva area, thanks to design records dating back to the early 1800s. The building itself incorporates materials from Rochester’s Enright Brewery, which shuttered in 1907.

Though the Fat Ox and Stocking Hill ales are produced

by Rohrbach, the museum’s brewery is fully operational.

Twice a year, brewers fire up the process as it would have happened in the early 1800s, aided in large part by gravity, according to Paige Engard, the museum’s director of communications.

“What’s so cool about beer is that it really does not taste or behave all that different from century to century,” Engard said. “It’s just the equipment that we’re using to make it that changes, and the safety and the manpower behind it.”

During the museum’s annual Hop Harvest and History on Tap summer events, brewers produce beer using hand pumps, ladles, wooden mash rakes and barrels, and a 250-gallon copper brew kettle in accordance with 19th-century methods and tools. Given the materials involved, the beer produced is solely for demonstration, not consumption. Using contemporary stainless steel

Mary Challman, GCV&M senior director of interpretation, stands in a field of winter rye that will be plowed into the field this spring in preparation for 'Bere Barley', a 9th century-heirloom used for brewing.

PHOTO BY RYAN WILLIAMSON

equipment due to modern food safety regulations, Rohrbach handles what ends up on tap at the museum.

Fat Ox and Stocking Hill were originally brewed by CB Craft Brewers in Honeoye Falls, which closed in 2019. The recipes then moved to Buffalo’s Flying Bison Brewing Company, but Engard said the museum’s need outgrew what that facility was able to produce.

Two final pieces of the puzzle for brewing at the museum, even

just for demonstration purposes, are wheat and barley. Neither is currently grown on site. But Engard said the museum staff are planning ahead.

“We are actually planting fields this winter to be able to harvest wheat and barley in coming seasons,” Engard said. “That’s something we’re looking to be able to do in the village and produce all of the ingredients necessary to make beer.” gcv.org

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Making spiritless bright CULTURE

BY ELISE MARTINEZ

N

avigating the holidays as an alcohol-free person isn’t always fun, but being spiritless through the season doesn’t make you a Grinch. Whether it’s due to health and wellness goals, pregnancy, or simply a desire to skip the hangover, the decision to ditch alcohol is a personal one.

From scouting mocktail menus to educating yourself as an ally, writer and non-drinker Elise Martinez shares five ways to support the zero-proof people in your life.

GOING OUT While they may not be hitting up happy hour, non-drinkers still want to be invited for a night out.

No, not just as a designated driver.

Just as you might for friends with other dietary restrictions, take a moment to review menus for nonalcoholic options.

For an upscale experience, book a table at Redd, 24 Winthrop St. in the East End. In addition to their dinner menu from Michelin- star rated chef and owner Richard Reddington, they offer an entire menu of carefully curated mocktails. Or, if cozy and casual is your vibe, stop into Caramel Bakery and Bar, 645 Park Ave., where you’ll find a list of seasonal spiritless specials and decadent desserts to pair.

A mocktail at Caramel Bakery and Bar, 645 Park Ave. PHOTO BY MIKE MARTINEZ

54 CITY DECEMBER 2023

Support the zero-proof people in your life this holiday season.

STAYING IN

If you or a loved one is battling alcohol addiction, it’s important to get professional help. SAMHSA’s National Hotline is available 24/7, 365 days a year, for free information and confidential treatment referrals.

TAKE INTEREST

Whether playing host or going as a guest, making sure your friends feel comfortable is the courteous thing to do. With the zero-proof beverage industry at an all-time high, there’s no excuse to show up with sparkling grape juice.

Go local and low effort with something from local pop-up AltBar’s Bottle Shop (altbarroc. square.site), or grab a growler of kombucha from Katboocha. If you want to go the extra mile, pick up supplies for a festive mocktail. It can be as easy as cranberry juice, lime, seltzer, and simple syrup.

Tokens of encouragement: With the holidays around the corner, it’s the perfect time to exercise the love language of giftgiving. It can also be one of the most challenging times of year to manage as a non-drinker, so a little encouragement makes a big difference.

Keep the love local with something from Ash + Willow Co., which offers gifts such as alcohol-free milestone celebration cards, encouraging embroidered goods, and prints with messaging like “sobriety is tough, but you are tougher.” For the friend who is sober-curious, try a gift card for wellness-focused drinks like smoothies at Just Juice or tea from Happy Earth.

A flight from Just Juice 4 Life, 710 University Ave. PHOTO BY RYAN WILLIAMSON

You’ve probably heard of Dry January, but you don’t need to wait until the first of the year to take a break from booze. While quitting in solidarity is a powerful way to show support, you can always be an educated ally if you’re not looking for a lifestyle change.

Investing time to understand why the zero-proof lifestyle is gaining popularity shows you care and prepares you to be supportive in social situations. Start with a podcast focused on just the facts, like Dr. Andrew Huberman’s “What Alcohol Does to Your Body, Brain, and Health,” or take a more niche look at drinking culture with Holly Whitaker’s book “Quit Like a Woman.”

Finally, don’t make it weird: There’s nothing worse than being put in the spotlight for a decision as personal as quitting drinking.

Getting clarity on a friend’s comfort level around alcohol can be a huge help when you don’t know where to start. It’s OK to ask if it hasn’t already been communicated.

The important thing to remember is that a friend’s choice to ditch drinking doesn’t make your desire to enjoy a cocktail wrong. After all, Rochester is home to some of the best bars and restaurants in the country. So however you celebrate this season, cheers to the ones we love.

roccitymag.com CITY 55

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Kalia and Kania W

Twin flames CULTURE

BY RACQUEL STEPHEN RSTEPHEN@WXXI.ORG

R

ochester Fire Chief Stefano Napolitano was beaming.

He was in his office overlooking downtown Rochester staring at a photo of two Black women, identical twin sisters, clad in firefighting gear aboard a Rochester Protectives truck.

They were smiling back at him.

“Those are the people I’m looking for,” Napolitano said.

“That’s the million-dollar smile.

That’s (saying), ‘This is where I belong.’”

The twins, 22-year-old Kalia and Kania Williams, are not firefighters. Not yet, anyway.

They are members of the Rochester Protectives, a volunteer force that works alongside firefighters to safeguard and salvage property, who are waiting to take their physical fitness test to determine their admission to the Fire Department.

If they make it there, they would be a rarity. In a department composed overwhelmingly of white men, women are outliers. A Black female firefighter would be even rarer. Twins? Now that’s a unicorn.

But the twins said they feel the Fire Department is where they belong, and that they are happy to bide their time as protectives until the call comes.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 58

56 CITY DECEMBER 2023

their time

Williams volunteer with the Rochester Protectives.

Kania Williams and her twin sister Kalia Williams are both volunteering with the Rochester Fire Department’s Protectives as a path to become full-time firefighters. PHOTO BY MAX SCHULTE

roccitymag.com CITY 57

Tatiana Ortiz washes the RFD Protectives truck at the start of her shift as a volunteer firefighter on an all-woman detail that aspires to become full-time firefighters. PHOTO BY MAX SCHULTE

58 CITY DECEMBER 2023

“It’s not really something that we grew up knowing that we wanted to do,” Kania said. “We just knew that we wanted to help people to the best capacity that we could.”

Women comprise 9% of firefighters nationwide and 11% of fire service volunteers, according to the National Fire Protection Association. Just 8% of all firefighters are Black, according to federal Labor statistics.

While the twins are defying the odds, that doesn’t affect how they approach their duties. They said being Black women, in a field dominated by white men, was never discouraging.

“Because we know our work ethic, and we know that we do our jobs, and we do it well,” Kania said.

As volunteer protectives, the twins are tasked with setting up lighting at fire scenes and changing air bottles for the fire fighters. But primarily they are in charge of covering and protecting the victim’s property.

“To be on the other hand of helping save the rest of the material that they do have in the house so that they can leave with something — it’s amazing,” Kalia said. “It’s great being in this environment.”

The twins are part of a threewoman Protectives crew, which also includes Tatiana Ortiz. The all-female squad is led by Deputy Chief Joey Kirchgessner, who called the team “solid.” He added that he wants to see a diverse department.

“Male, female, doesn’t matter in my book as long as we’re doing what we have to do,” Kirchgessner said. “Once that bell rings, we’re doing our jobs for the city.”

Critics have long pressed the department to be more inclusive.

That’s also been a focus of fire departments across the country, and the new Rochester chief has put diversifying his department’s force high on his agenda. Napolitano calls himself a “culture change agent,” and said his goal is to build

a department that is representative of the community it serves.

“The city of Rochester is a melting pot of different nationalities, religions, ethnicities, and sexual orientations,” Napolitano said. “We just want to serve and to make sure our department reflects that to the best of our abilities.”

Kalia and Kania Williams hope to serve as full-fledged firefighters one day. They’ve already passed the civil service exam and are now awaiting the physical test. Despite some occasional sibling rivalry — like who gets dressed faster when the alarm goes off, which Kalia humbly admitted is her sister — the twins depend on each other to make a difference.

“If I was doing it by myself, I would be so nervous,” Kalia said.

“But having my twin sister here doing it with me, it helps a lot.”

Kalia Williams and twin sister Kania Williams wash the truck they work on as volunteer firefighters with the Rochester Fire Department’s Protectives.

Both want to become full-time firefighters with RFD. PHOTO BY MAX SCHULTE

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Take care CULTURE

Keep these items on hand to help those in need.

BY REBECCA RAFFERTY @ICONOCLASSED

R

ochester has thousands of unhoused and housinginsecure people who rely on limited services, and winter is upon us. It’s easy to feel helpless when considering the scope of this trouble, but there are small yet significant ways each of us can make someone’s life a bit more comfortable. One manageable idea is to keep a care kit or two in your vehicle — a collection of useful items to help someone get warm, clean, and nourished that can be packed into a freezer bag and handed to someone in need of help.

“Community members willing to hand out care packages — that’s huge on a lot of levels,” said Andy Carey, cofounder of MC Collaborative and chair of Reach Advocacy, two local organizations that work to link people with emergency housing and lobby for lasting solutions to chronic homelessness. “I think it’s critical, not only just in a basic-needs manner, helping them survive in the winter, but also just as a showing of a community that cares. It’s sometimes the one thing that gives people a beacon of hope and helps them decide that, oh, maybe there are good people in this world and life can be a little different.”

Many care kit items can be purchased at dollar stores or in the travel-size section of supermarkets, and some things, like cracker packs or disposable razors, can be bought in bulk and split into several kits. The following list is a good place to start: 60 CITY DECEMBER 2023

- Warm winter socks - Warm gloves - Winter hat - Shelf-stable food (soft power bars, cracker packs, and dried fruit) - Reusable utensil - Bottle of water - Toothbrush and paste - Hand sanitizer - Face masks - Wet wipes - Tissue packs - Bandaids - Antibiotic ointment - Body lotion - Disposable razors for shaving - Feminine hygiene products - Hand warmers - Mylar blankets - Bus pass (use a sharpie to write the dollar amount that’s loaded on it) - Note of support and encouragement - Small flier with addresses to shelters and other resources

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The Dish

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

Frenchman Street is the newest eatery to join The Mercantile on Main (Sibley Center, 240 E. Main St.) and offers New Orleans-style comfort food (think po’boys, cajun charcuterie, jumbo shrimp and grits). Head chef Jason Lambert hails from Lafayette, Louisiana, and honed his culinary skills at Toups’ South, Toups’ Meatery, and Emeril Lagasse’s Delmonico in New Orleans. instagram.com/frenchmanstreetroc

Isotope Ice Cream and Treats is now open in Provisions’ former spot at 1316 Culver Road. The shop is owned

by Jennifer Johnson, whose vegan joint Misfit Treats and Eats closed in 2021. Since fall 2022, Johnson has held pop-ups and taken custom orders for imaginative all-vegan treats like blood orange ginger ice cream doughnuts and ice cream “chicken wings.” instagram.com/isotopedesserts WHET YOUR PALATE

Neighborhood of the Arts eatery Nosh has found new ownership in Vicky Chanthavisinh-Carey, who previously owned Perinton restaurant Yellow Elephant from 2018 – 2020.

Located at 47 Russell St., Nosh was opened in 2016 by Pete Lezeska and John Nacca. Former executive chef Joseph Zolnierowski is cooking exclusively for Old Pueblo Grill, while Nosh chef R.J. Wood has taken over the executive chef spot. noshroc.com December might seem like a risky time to open an ice cream shop, but

Vinalia Urbana, a new dining concept from the teams at Pourin’ Joy and wine pairing pop-up Abbina, is slated to open soon at 230 Monroe Ave., in the former Dac-hoa location.

Sommelier JJ Cutaia will leave his longstanding position at Good Luck to manage the operation.

Puerto Rican restaurant Que Chèvere, which opened at The Commissary in 2021, will take over Sticky Lips Pitt BBQ’s old spot at 625 Culver Road in mid-December.

Owner-chef Lisa Malavez creates

dining mainstay that closed in 2012, has been purchased by Greece native Katherine Mott-Formicola, who also owns Monroe’s Restaurant in Pittsford. The Edgemere Drive venue is slotted for reopening in May 2024.

FOR THE LOCAVORES

modern twists on island fare, like a layered mofongo bowl, stuffed yuca or potato balls, and a Latin-style Impossible Burger. instagram.com/quechevere585 The Rosen Krown, formerly Monty’s Krown, will reopen as Bar Bad Ending in winter 2024. It’ll be helmed by Fred McCoy, a former Krown bartender who also shoots for CITY, and his wife Melissa Feldman, food and bev director for the Good Luck group. barbadending.com Crescent Beach, a waterfront fine

Provisions, a shop that emphasized local food businesses, closed its 1316 Culver Road storefront in August.

It’ll reopen at 682 N. Winton Rd. in December, predominantly offering baked goods by Jen Dondero and pared down groceries. instagram.com/provisionsroc FOOD FÊTES

SRFUS, a collaborative dinner series from Chefs Sean Wolf and Andy Zalar, will host an ‘iconoclastic prix fixe dining experience’ called “Our Nephew Earnest,” at Pearson’s Market & Café from December 12— January 25. Details and reservations forthcoming online. srfus.com

roccitymag.com CITY 61

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Answers to this puzzle can be found on page 38

Hidden talent PUZZLE

1

2

3

bands in other words d2-2

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

19

20

21

22

BY S.J. AUSTIN & J. REYNOLDS

23

24

25

26

ACROSS

27

1. Wedding reception staple

32

33

5. Total jerk

38

9. Creators of “Buddy Holly” 15. “___ from New York, it’s ...”

19. Give _____ (yank) 20. Start of an incantation 21. “Boyish” weather system portrayed by Chris Farley on Saturday Night Live 22. Seeing red

44

45

57

77 83

26. “Death in Venice” author

89

78

35. How a detective may act

65

92

86

87

94

95

115

103

111

116

104

112

113

114

39. O’Hare airport code

120

121

122

123

40. They share names with ingredients found in many recipes

124

125

126

127

38. Tic-_____-toe

106

96

100

102 110

105

88

99

109

73

71

82

98

108

72

67

76

93

101

43

62

66

85 91

42

55

61

81

84 90

54

70

80

97

107

60

75

79

30. Meeting guide 32. “Intergalactic” trio

59

74

25. “_____ your heart be troubled” (John 14:1)

53

69

41 49

52

64

18

37

48

58

68

36

17

31

40

51

63

24. Tim Cook and Marillyn Hewson, for two

29. Ending for speed, team, or prank

35

34

47

50 56

30

39

46

23. Timber wolf

27. Signs up

29

28

16

117

118

119

44. Stockpile 47. Golfer’s concern 48. Suffix for sooth or gain

68. An expression of anger towards automated systems

91. Boxing ring borders

of Unfortunate Events”

94. Verbal pauses

114. Wind or water

95. Trash can insert

117. Hand: Sp. 119. Barber’s target

49. Parasite that is (still!) used in medicinal practices

74. 1997 title role for Depp

50. Landscaper’s purchase

76. Fundamental, as an urge

97. What you might call a sightless gourd

51. Sherman T. Potter, e.g.

77. Pet safety org.

99. GPS output

120. _____ Bing! (Strip club/mob front on “The Sopranos”)

53. Dwarven brother in “The Hobbit”

80. Stand-up act in a stadium?

100. Charged particle

121. Low tie score

55. Citrusy beverage

101. Noble beasts

122. App customer

56. Self-contradictory statement

82. Where experienced swimmers may jump in

102. A metaphorical place for auditory flora

123. Aliases, by another name

59. DNA component

83. Largest U.S. union

62. Major or Minor constellation

84. Allow

107. Step one in PC troubleshooting

63. Coating for a Dutch oven

85. Experience sharers

110. Course taken before calc

64. Eponymous 1988 country album

88. One of 11,478 for Roger Federer

112. Conflagration

126. One of nine daughters of Zeus and Mnemosyne

66. Author of “The Joy Luck Club”

89. Beginner skateboard trick

113. Conniving “count” in “A Series

127. Mountain stream

62 CITY DECEMBER 2023

75. Superlative suffix

124. Makes less clear 125. Spoiled

DOWN

58. Letter opener?

1. Biblical spy

60. Opposites of yeahs

2. Make amends

61. “How _____ Your Mother”

3. Coleridge’s “_____ Kahn”

62. Not cool

4. “Me” types

64. Base for a burrito bowl

5. Strategic maneuver

65. Sufficient, to Shakespeare

6. Medical descriptor indicating a BMI greater than 30

67. Farmer’s measurement

7. Gold, in Granada 8. The “L” of UNLV 9. Paintball mementos

69. Victim of a boring beetle 70. Many a high-schooler 71. Clarifying words

10. Gen. Robert _____

72. 1930s vice president John _____ Garner

11. State of thermodynamic disorder

73. Respected community member

12. Cab alternative

77. Hoity-toity sort

13. Ambient musician Brian

78. Kind of student grant

14. Twirl

79. State for Frisco and Sac-town

15. Desert you can open with a key?

81. Prayer ender

16. Country north of the Persian Gulf

82. Med school grads

17. Sell, as in a machine

84. Resulted in

18. Name hiding in “named names”

86. Ballerina’s garb

28. Boarding spots: Abbr.

87. Bad sign

29. Hip-hop artist whose name once ended with “tha Kyd”

90. To the extent that

31. 2003 Lopez/Affleck flop 33. Simmer 34. Good name for a black and white cat 36. Never: Ger. 37. Initialism that can be pronounced as a word 40. Black Friday event 41. Raise up 42. Some TVs 43. Stadium replaced by Citi Field 44. “_____ my last email...”

45. Polynesian Disney heroine 46. No fun at all 47. Common bagel topping 48. Tranquilizers 51. Rochester divinity school, familiarly

92. Like a 73-Across 93. Fellowship recipient at a research lab, perhaps 95. Bread unit 96. Getting help getting clean 98. Shooting star 99. Baseball’s Maris, for short 100. Pay no attention to 102. Fathered 103. Feasts 104. Male duck 105. Giant computer of the 1940s 106. Native language in Oslo 107. Stark son on “Game of Thrones” 108. Israeli airline 109.

111. Renaissance painter Guido 115. Genetic messenger

52. Snatches

116. Wine: Prefix

54. Records again

117. (Keep) silent

57. Single-celled organism

118. Tempe party school roccitymag.com CITY 63

64 CITY DECEMBER 2023