CITY February 2024 by CITY Magazine

ARTS. MUSIC. CULTURE. FEBRUARY 2024 FREE | SINCE 1971

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DECEMBER 2023

FEBRUARY 2023 | Vol. 52 No. 6

Inside

ARTS

MEMORIAL ART GALLERY'S INCOMING DIRECTOR SARAH JESSE WANTS ART EXPOSURE FOR EVERYONE. BY REBECCA RAFFERTY

GOLDEN SUPPLY & MFG. CO. BRINGS LEGACY BACK

BY JESSICA L. PAVIA

ARTS

ED POPIL AND STEVE LEVINS SHARE THE STAGE. BY MICHALA SCHRAM

MUSIC

THE FUN-LOVING DJ ALLAN AND DJ DUPPYY DRAW NIGHTLIFE CROWDS.

CULTURE

FOOD AND BEVERAGE BUSINESS FIND SUCCESS IN COLLABORATION WITH OTHER ESTABLISHMENTS. BY REBECCA RAFFERTY

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EVAN DAWSON AND MEGAN MACK CREATE COMMUNITY ON "CONNECTIONS."

HOW LOW CAN YOU GO? TURNS OUT, IT ALL DEPENDS ON THE WINE YOU'RE PAIRING. BY IAN CRITICOS & ABBY QUATRO

BY ROBERT BERKMAN

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MORE ARTS, MUSIC, AND CULTURE INSIDE!

PUBLISHER Rochester Area Media Partners LLC, Norm Silverstein, chairman

EDITORIAL Editor: Leah Stacy Arts writers: Daniel J. Kushner, Rebecca Rafferty Editorial intern: Joe Morrell Contributors: Robert Berkman, Ian Criticos, Rudy Fabre, Gino Fanelli, Rob Houppert, Johanna Lester, Elise Martinez, Mike Martinez, Carl Nard, Jessica L. Pavia, Rafael Rodriguez, Michala Schram, Max Schulte, Abby Quatro, Katherine Varga CREATIVE Director, Strategy: Ryan Williamson Art director: Jacob Walsh

BY DANIEL J. KUSHNER

CULTURE

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

FOUNDERS Bill and Mary Anna Towler

ARTS

ARTS. MUSIC. CULTURE.

A UNIVERSITY AVENUE ITALIAN BAKERY MELDS CALCIO AND CULINARY. BY ROB HOUPPERT

ADVERTISING ads@rochester-citynews.com Sales director: Alison Zero Jones Advertising consultant/ Project manager: David White OPERATIONS/CIRCULATION Operations manager: Ryan Williamson Circulation manager: Katherine Stathis kstathis@rochester-citynews.com CITY is available free of charge. Additional copies of the current issue may be purchased by calling 585-784-3503. CITY may be distributed only by authorized distributors. No person may, without prior written permission of CITY, take more than one copy of each monthly issue. CITY (ISSN 1551-3262) is published monthly 12 times per year by Rochester Area Media Partners, a subsidiary of WXXI Public Broadcasting. Periodical postage paid at Rochester, NY (USPS 022-138). Address changes: CITY, 280 State Street, Rochester, NY 14614. Member of the Association of Alternative Newsmedia and the New York Press Association. Copyright by Rochester Area Media Partners LLC, 2024 - 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. ARTS. MUSIC. CULTURE. FEBRUARY 2024 FREE | SINCE 1971

On the cover: Ian Criticos and Abby Quatro. Read the full story on page 50. Photo by Abby Quatro

@ROCCITYMAG WXXI Members may inquire about free home delivery of CITY including monthly TV listings by calling 585-258-0200.

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Two are better than one EDITOR'S LETTER

BY LEAH STACY @LEAHSTACY

t would’ve been simple to make the February issue all about love. And who doesn’t enjoy a good love story? But we wanted to dig a bit deeper into pairings, couplings, doubles — to turn the spotlight on “duos” of all kinds that are making the city a better place. Our crew tackled this in myriad creative ways, from an Italian bakery that’s also a Roma soccer homage to a set of siblings intent on making great works for the local stage. You’ll notice a few new bylines as our freelance team continues to grow: writers and photographers who work full-time jobs in the community and help us expand our voice. In this issue, we even reached out to a Washington, D.C.-based photographer to capture portraits of incoming Memorial Art Gallery director Sarah Jesse before she relocates here from Maryland this month. Whether “two are better than one” brings to mind a verse from Ecclesiastes or a Boys Like Girls song (just me?), the sentiment rings true. Two are better than one — for they have good return for their labor, they will pick each other up if they fall, they will keep warm together. That brings to mind another pairing we talk a lot about here at CITY, especially since our transition to a monthly arts & culture publication: our sister newsroom, WXXI, which is tackling important stories in politics, crime, education and beyond. While those articles will occasionally print in our pages based on timing, you can find up-to-date, daily coverage of what’s happening in your hometown at wxxinews.org. And as we head further into an election year, our colleagues’ work will be more important than ever. In her poem, “Vesalius in Zante,” Edith Wharton wrote, “There are two ways of spreading light; to be The candle or the mirror that reflects it.” I hope the following pages inspire you to visit a small business, take in a show, visit a museum, hear a new-to-you band, and expand your dining palate. It takes two, and it takes a village. We’re all better together. See you around our city, L

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CITY Social

Scenes from our Best Of Rochester Awards Show at Radio Social Thursday, January 4. PHOTOS BY RUDY FABRE AND MIKE MARTINEZ

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Raison d’Art ARTS

BY REBECCA RAFFERTY @ICONOCLASSED

arah Jesse’s first seminal experience with art happened when she visited the Detroit Institute of Arts as a teen and viewed the gargantuan installation of Diego Rivera’s 1932 Detroit Industry Murals. “It was by far the most spectacular thing I had ever seen at that time in my life,” she said. “Given that my parents worked in the automotive industry, seeing the larger-than-life way that the industry was depicted instilled a sense of pride in me.” Jesse, who at the end of February will become the eighth director of the Memorial Art Gallery, said that her work leading museums has been shaped by her working class upbringing in rural Michigan, and the role that access to the arts played in her life. Those controversial Rivera murals were Jesse’s first signal about the power of pictures — that art could mean more than beauty — and the role of museums and galleries in presenting these sparks that could catch fire in the audiences. “I wanted to work in a place that could have that kind of effect on other people,” she said. “Seeing the impact that museums have had on my life makes me want to make sure that museums are living up to their public-spirited missions, and in fact, serving everyone in their community, not just the traditional museum-goer.”

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Memorial Art Gallery’s incoming director Sarah Jesse wants art exposure for everyone.

Jesse enrolled in the art history program at Oberlin College in Ohio, which enables students to rent art through a partnership with the Allen Memorial Art Museum on campus. “That’s how I came to live with a James Rosenquist and Robert Rauschenberg print in my room,” Jesse said. “It exposed me to this idea of what a museum could do for its constituents.”

She admits that’s a radical example of outreach, but the point is clear — there are tiers to arts access, and there’s a tendency to prioritize objects over our experience of them. Jesse, now 43, has more than 20 years of experience leading and raising funds for American art museums, with roles at The Museum of Contemporary Art, Chicago, The Philbrook Museum

of Art in Tulsa, Oklahoma, Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA), and Orange County Museum of Art (OCMA). She comes to the MAG from her current role as the director of the Academy Art Museum in Easton, Maryland. “The natural trajectory of the MAG, I think, is toward greater inclusivity, accessibility, and visitor-centeredness,” Jesse said.

The Memorial Art Gallery's next director, Sarah Jesse, will be the eighth leader to helm the museum. Jesse comes to Rochester from The Academy Art Museum on the eastern shores of Chesapeake Bay, and has also had leadership roles at arts institutions in Tulsa, LA, and Chicago. PHOTO BY CARL NARD

“That happens to align with my values and interests and expertise in the museum field.” Across the board, museums in the last decade have been focused on telling a fuller narrative of art history. “But we’ve learned that you need to go one step further,” said Jesse. “If you build it, people won’t necessarily come — you have to implement extra measures to make people feel really invited to come and to participate.” Jesse’s predecessor at the Memorial Art Gallery, Jonathan Binstock, led the MAG for a decade. During his tenure, Binstock broke out of the whitewalled box and connected with artists and audiences at alternative spaces, street art festivals, and brought early-career artists into the MAG through exhibitions and collections. “He saw himself as a part of, not apart from, the community,” said Wall\Therapy founder and MAG board member Ian Wilson, adding that Binstock’s willingness to personally connect yielded programmatic success at the museum. He hopes the institution will continue to meet people on their level. “Connecting with community organizations and organizers — the people who are interfacing with some of the most disenfranchised people in our city — would lead to another astronomical step forward in the MAG’s evolution as an institution,” said Wilson. Jesse is looking forward to learning about the MAG’s collection, Rochesterians, and the landscape of offerings that exist within the community and how the museum can play a larger role. “Museums, when they are at their best, are vital institutions in their communities,” Jesse said. “But that is not by default. That is something that you have to intentionally work toward.” This is a shortened version of CITY’s profile on Sarah Jesse. Read the full version at roccitymag.com.

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Golden Supply & Mfg. Co. brings legacy back.

Make to last CULTURE

BY JESSICA L. PAVIA

thin piece of white fabric with red lettering welcomes customers in from the winter air. Towering storefront windows, dressed in a rich black paint, are almost golden this late at night. Inside, green leaves push themselves against the window, where hand-stitched banners and embroidered t-shirts stand emblematic. Inside the Golden Supply & Manufacturing Company space on South Avenue is a collection of pendants pulled from estate sales pinned against the wall, all in various stages of disarray and telling stories of past adventures. Leaning by a nearly room-sized table hiding bins of scrap wool is a whiteboard, where the three men behind this apparel and lifestyle goods brand are keeping track of orders. On any given day, a symphony of sounds: the chew of industrial sewing machines line-stitching appliques; the squeak of an old screen-printing machine as designs are lowered over t-shirts; the harsh spray of water as paint is rinsed off. “It’s like an opera,” said Erik Florez, one third of the team. CONTINUED ON PAGE 10

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From left, Erik Florez, Dalvin Porter, Adam Scheffler, co-owners of Golden Supply & Manufacturing Co. PHOTOS BY JACOB WALSH

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Golden Supply is run by Florez, Adam Scheffler, and Dalvin Porter. The latter two connected in 2016, working together on embroidery and apparel until they met Erik in 2021, when he was crafting banners and pendants. Porter said that’s when things really clicked. Their first official order as a company was through a creative agency for the Boston Marathon — they handmade about 1,500 miniature banners. “Every one of us was on the machine until late,” said Florez.

“We finished it and Adam took the majority of [the banners] and drove them—after working all night—to Boston.” And there’s plenty of similar stories. Scheffler nearly speaks fondly about a night he and Florez slept on the store floor after binge-watching “Ghostbusters” all night while finishing an order. Golden Supply has made items for myriad local and national companies — everything from ViceLand to Flower City Photo Club. Pendants and banners have

Handmade banners and pennants. PHOTOS BY JACOB WALSH

a history of capturing moments, portraying places, frozen in time. As a group, they craft tangible, visual stories. And at the end of the day, nearly every one has been touched by one of the three owners. “When I think of Golden Supply, it’s not just about what

they make,” said Allison Wise, illustrator and tattoo artist behind the private animal-inspired studio, Here to Pet Dogs. “(It’s) also who they are as people. That’s what keeps me coming back.” Wise and Golden Supply worked on a pendant for a tattoo

NOW H IRIN G EVE N T P LANNER/EVENT ORGANIZER FOR THE LOWER FALLS NEIGHBORH O O D S The Lower Falls Foundation’s work is focused on the neighborhoods within one mile (East and West) of the Lower Falls on the Genesee River. The ideal candidate will organize and schedule exceptional outdoor and indoor events to be held within a one-mile radius of the Lower Falls on the Genesee River. This person will also create unique experiences that will be held in the neighborhoods near the Falls, such as Art, Music, Lectures, Dance, History, Theater and general celebrations.

■ Promote these events via all platforms (print, electronic, social media, etc.) to encourage the public to attend and participate. ■ Ensure coverage during and after these events from newspapers, television and other outlets. ■ Promote the history of the neighborhoods and the importance/ impact they have provided to Rochester and Monroe County.

INTERESTED CANDIDATES SHOULD EMAIL LOWERFALLSFOUNDATION@GMAIL.COM 10 CITY FEBRUARY 2024

We believe that these neighborhoods around the Lower Falls gorge have the greatest potential for a better future and we want to bring opportunities for residents and visitors to enjoy this section of the City that has been overlooked in recent years. We also want to help reduce the levels of poverty by adding energy and prosperity in these neighborhoods.

Top, Dalvin Porter shows off screens used for printing. PHOTOS BY JACOB WALSH

convention she attended, where “everyone would always ask if it was for sale.” After saying no one-too-many times, Wise and the guys worked together to create miniature versions this past holiday season. In 2024, the Golden Supply team is hoping to refocus a bit and step back from accepting every commission request based on necessity in order to further build their brand. “We’ll always have a line of goods that we specialize in and offer,” Florez said. “But we’re going to be more selective moving forward.” At its core, Golden Supply is an ode to the golden era of manufacturing, when things were well-made, and made slowly. Visitors can walk through the door at any point during open hours and catch at least one of them working on the machines, creating these items. “It would be cool to see that

one day, someone will have had our pendants for 10 years,” Porter said. “We’ll be with these people for a while.” For a brand built on storytelling, they hope to one day have everything offered in the shop—in addition to the candles, selvedge denim, and various accessories they already sell— connected to or made by them in some way. Until then, Golden Supply is insistent that quality goods last a lifetime, and are, indeed, a craft. goldensupplyco.com.

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Sharing the stage ARTS

BY KATHERINE VARGA

ario and MJ Savastano understand why people can’t imagine working with their siblings. Over a decade ago, they would have agreed. Now, they are co-artistic directors of Dream Visualize Create Theatre Company and have directed four shows together as the Sav Sibs. The secret to their collaboration? “Some people might call it arguing,” Mario joked. “Positive arguing is great.” An English teacher at Wilson High School, Mario first founded DVC more than 20 years ago as a drama video club for students interested in making art afterschool. A Rochester native, he grew up writing and loved theater. He also noticed the positive effect the arts had on his younger sibling, MJ. The school club expanded into a community theater group that performs original and offbeat work at the Multi-Use Community Cultural Center. Many members are former Wilson students who have made theater a part of their adult lives. MJ got involved in DVC in 2011, after returning from living in Brooklyn. “My heart wasn’t there,” they said. “I knew Rochester would always be my home base.” With a theater degree from Nazareth, MJ has worn many hats in the Rochester theater scene, with credits as a stage manager, producer, playwright, costume

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Savvy siblings help build the local theater scene.

PHOTO BY RAFAEL RODRIGUEZ

From left, Mario and MJ Savastano. PHOTO BY RAFAEL RODRIGUEZ

designer, and educator. They’ve acted professionally with Geva and Blackfriars, and helped found two theater companies, Method Machine and Lady Parts Theatre Co. MJ brings this background to DVC along with a clear passion for their brother’s vision, which prioritizes affordability and diversity. “It’s about doing challenging works that make people think, that deal with issues a lot of people aren’t willing to address,” they said. DVC’s work is ambitious and challenging, always driven by purpose. Before each production, Mario asks,“Let’s look at the world. What do we want to say about the world right now? How do we do that?” The projects span from a reimagining of “Romeo and Juliet” as a tale between two teenage girls in modern day Moscow (who both live in the end), to MJ’s adaptation of the dense Irish novel “At Swim, Two Boys,” written with direct

permission from the author. Last summer, to honor their 20-year anniversary, they staged Mario’s original musical “More Than This,” which uses Vanessa Carlton’s music, also with her blessing. The siblings began consulting with each other on projects once they settled into their adult lives. They officially began directing together as the Sav Sibs when DVC returned to doing shows in-person after quarantine restrictions were lifted. It’s uncommon for a production to have two directors, but their teamwork reflects the supportive, collaborative nature of DVC. “(They) are respectful to everyone, including each other, and are always open for suggestions and interpretations while also maintaining their vision overall,” said actor Kiyomi Oliver, who joined DVC over a year ago and has performed in three shows with them. Mario said MJ helps him see the big picture of a production

— pushing him to articulate the concept, then looking for ways to make sure lights, sound, staging, and costumes all come together to achieve the goal. Meanwhile, MJ appreciates Mario’s laidback, nonconfrontational directing style. A self-proclaimed perfectionist, it’s helped them realize “we can find perfection in the way we play.” DVC has the MuCCC booked through 2026, with shows planned each July and November. Next up for this summer is an original piece by Mario called “The Alamo’s Last Stand,” a dance-heavy show inspired by the musical “Cabaret” and set in a modern-day queer club in Texas. Just as the siblings have grown over the years toward working together, they hope their shows inspire others to reflect and connect with each other. “Art is a fundamental part of who you are,” said Mario. “You want to learn and grow and change as a result.” roccitymag.com CITY 13

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Gettin’ figgy with it ARTS

BY ELISE MARTINEZ

s the rumble of an airplane fills the skies above Los Angeles on a January day, Crystal Stanley stepped onto the patio for a moment in the sun. More than 3,000 miles away, Ellie Rothfuss settled into a snug corner of a warm, wood-paneled room at a friend’s cottage in Central America. The co-owners of Figgy Studio and Shop were enjoying a well-earned break following the whirlwind of their first holiday season on Park Avenue. The duo’s story began almost a decade ago. Their paths interlaced when Rothfuss, a graduate student at the time, was placed in Stanley’s classroom as a teacher’s assistant. Though they didn’t connect initially, the friendship bloomed rapidly after a serendipitous encounter outside work. “From there, it became instant, we even started doing things together with our families,” Stanley recalls. “Ellie would be like, ‘Come try this with me, come craft with me,’ and then one day we started making jewelry and never stopped.” Figgy Studio and Shop offers refined jewelry, stylish accessories, and sassy novelties — a split reflected in the contrasting blend of the owners’ personalities. Pulling from their roots as public servants, they mirror each other, and that’s building them a reputation beyond retail goods. Alongside curated items from local makers, Figgy is a hub for 14 CITY FEBRUARY 2024

From left, Ellie Rothfuss and Crystal Stanley. PHOTO BY RAFAEL RODRIGUEZ

With roots in education, boutique owners continue to serve.

pop-up Rochester Brainery classes and fundraising events. Last year, the duo raised several thousand dollars for local animal shelters and 13Thirty Cancer Connect. “They really care about the Rochester community and making it better,” said Clare McKenna, program manager at 13Thirty. “Their ability and willingness to help and connect others, especially local organizations and businesses, really sets the tone for how our community should be.” Long before community collaborations, there were impromptu sales for friends and family in Rothfuss’s backyard turned weekends attending pop-ups and maker fairs. As the operation grew, the pair imagined a full-time future sharing their jewelry alongside local artists in a brick-and-mortar location. “Working in education isn’t about money,” said Rothfuss. “Most people in roles like ours have a side gig.” Last year, a tip on the current property from neighboring Statement Boutique owner Courtney Smith catapulted that side gig from a modest Elton Street storefront to an entire house on Park Ave.

The workshop and classroom space on the second floor of Figgy. PHOTO BY RAFAEL RODRIGUEZ

Today, on the newly remodeled second floor, the glow of a neon sign reads “Gettin’ Figgy with It.” It’s an expansion that brings endless possibilities, from custom jewelry making classes to “Kitten Yoga” which includes, you guessed it, mindful stretching with adorable (and adoptable!) kittens. One level below, the boutique is packed with items from over 60 local makers, including Ink and Pine Design, Petite Paper Stories, and Soul Love Candles. From

handmade wares by Spirit and Thread Crochet to stylish Buffalo Bills-branded merch, there’s something for everyone. A fuschia journal pops among the displays. In green metallic lettering it reads, “Be the girl who decided to effing go for it” — a phrase that captures the essence of Rothfuss and Stanley’s journey. They are those girls, and they’re not stopping now. figgypuddingart.com roccitymag.com CITY 15

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Dual roles ARTS

BY MICHALA SCHRAM

ocal drag queen Mrs. Kasha Davis is more than a witty 1950s housewife character who found national fame on seasons seven and eight of “RuPaul’s Drag Race.” When not in drag, Davis is Ed Popil, a beloved performer in the western New York area who works in tandem with his partner, Steve Levins, the behind-the-scenes force of Popil’s artistic journey. Popil moved to Rochester in 1999 from Scranton, P.A. to open a local office of telemarketing company DialAmerica. He came out as gay shortly after moving to Rochester. Raised in nearby Batavia, Genesee County, Levins graduated from the University of Buffalo with a medical technology degree, and after eight years of commuting from his home in Batavia to Kodak for work, he moved to Rochester following a divorce. “We had known each other [and] seen each other out,” said Popil. “He thought I was too crazy. I thought he was too shy. And we never approached each other.” Popil decided to make the first move in 2003 by messaging Levins on gay.com. They talked for a few weeks. Levins had two daughters; for Popil, it was a bonus that has lasted now 21 years. “[Levins’s daughters have] a wonderful mother and a wonderful father already,” he said. “I get to be there as a bonus stepparent and have no need to take

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Steve Levins and Ed Popil share the stage and life.

From left, Ed Popil and Steve Levins. PHOTO BY MAX SCHULTE

Steve Levins and Mrs. Kasha Davis on the set of “Imagination Station,” at Blackfriars Theatre. PHOTO BY MAX SCHULTE

over anyone’s position.” Their partnership embodies more than just a marriage; they’ve been a business duo since the birth of Mrs. Kasha Davis in 2004. The couple, along with Aggy Dune, are the pioneers in taking Rochester drag out of night clubs and into the mainstream. They started “Big Wigs,” at Golden Ponds in Greece with Mrs. Kasha Davis and Aggy Dune as the stars and Levins as the DJ. “Everybody’s mother, grandmother, straight, gay; anybody’s welcome,” Popil said. Welcoming everyone with open arms is just one of the impactful traits the couple has. Blackfriars Theatre Executive Director Mary Tiballi Hoffman has known the couple since 2010. “They’re like the aunt and uncle

(whose house) you really love going to,” she said. “They’re just so sweet and kind, warm and generous.” SUNY Brockport theater professor and artist at Blackfriars Theatre Danny Hoskins has also known them since 2010 and said they’re a great match in work settings. “If Ed’s the electricity, [Steve is] the wire that grounds him,” said Hoskins. “He’s the one that will volunteer to make sure that Ed is calm, he’s confident, he’s secure, [and] that he has everything he needs. And he knows how to do everything he needs.” With the rising success of Popil as Mrs. Kasha Davis, it doesn’t go unnoticed how vital a role Levins plays in supporting Popil’s performances. “Levins is the man behind the curtain,” said Tiballi Hoffman. “He takes care of the

thankless logistics.” When they have free time, both love to get outside and explore nature — as well as spend a cozy night in. “It took me until my sobriety to begin to be grateful for the simple things,” said Popil. “And now, we look forward to a fabulous night together on our matching recliners with our dog at our feet.” The couple also cited communication as important in their relationship — as well as finding time to have their own independence. “There’s something really special about just being honest with each other and knowing that you’re both in it for the long haul,” said Levins. “Then you know there’s nothing you can’t overcome.” roccitymag.com CITY 17

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

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

BY JOHANNA LESTER

elcome to CITY R.E.P.O.R.T.S., a monthly questionnaire inspired by a popular TikTok trend — here’s what a few of your fellow CITY readers in and around Rochester are (R)eading, (E)ating, (P)laying, (O) bsessing over, (R)ecommending, (T) reating themselves to, and who—or what—they’re (S)houting out. REPORTERS: The Little Theatre’s own Matt DeTurck, 40, and Adam Lubitow, 40. Matt (from Honeoye Falls) is the artistic director; Adam (from Henrietta) is a projectionist and programmer. You can find them on social @dalboz17

and @adamlubitow. READING: For Adam, it’s “The Little Book of Aliens” by Adam Frank. “With the eclipse coming up, I’m thinking about all things space-y, and the author is an astrophysicist and professor at the University of Rochester,” he said. Matt’s reading “Intersecting Film, Music, and Queerness” by Jack Curtis Dubowsky. “I’ve been researching transgender film composers after hearing a really wonderful talk about the music of “Watership Down” by Angela Morley at the Dryden Theatre,” he said. EATING: Since we both work at The

Little, we frequently grab a quick bite nearby when we can duck out (one cannot survive on popcorn alone): Shema Sushi, Skylark, or a chocolate and pretzel cookie from Goodman Bakes. We both love Indian cuisine: Thali of India on Winton has been our recent go-to. And we’ve always frequented Jay’s Diner—on the Brighton/Henrietta border, across from Movies 10—with bright neon, talkative servers, and club sandwiches (though we deeply lament 18 CITY FEBRUARY 2024

they’re no longer open past 10 p.m.). PLAYING: For Matt, “I am ever-so-slow-

ly working my way through Octopath Traveler II (I love a good RPG) but I frequently revert to Rollercoaster Tycoon as a 32-bit way to both build little worlds and relieve stress without limits... or consequences.” On regular rotation for Adam: “Orville Peck, Motown playlists, the ‘Maximum Film’ podcast, “and whatever film/TV score Matt has on in the background.” (Currently “Past Lives” by Grizzly Bear’s Christopher Bear and Daniel Rossen, and “The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power” by Bear McCreary.)

OBSESSING OVER: Andrew Haigh’s

new film ‘All Of Us Strangers’—Sad

gay boys! Family issues! Ghosts! — and the continued quest to find the perfect breakfast sandwich. (Matt’s egg-intolerant, so Tree Town Cafe’s vegan breakfast menu has been a game-changer.) RECOMMENDING: Patronize your local library. Eat more poutine. Watch a movie at one of our many local film festivals, hosting unique, curated cinematic experiences. People travel to Rochester from all over the world to see The Nitrate Picture Show at the George Eastman Museum! You should too! It’s fun and educational! TREATING MYSELF TO: “We have a

wood-burning fireplace,” said Adam. “I

wrap myself in blankets and eat pizza. It’s so cozy.” Matt has restarted taking walks in local public parks, all around the county: “My job is very collaborative and high energy, so solo walks have been a great way to relax, get fresh air away from a glowing screen, and be by myself for a bit.” SHOUTING OUT: The restaurant kitchens open late. Our friends at the Lunchador Podcast Network. Every independent bookstore. The most supportive person in town, Taurus Savant. And our amazing team at the Anomaly Film Festival, who keep us laughing and put up with all our shit.

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

CALL FOR CREATIVES CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS

"Under the Eclipse" Young Playwrights Festival The Actor's Studio of Rochester, Geva Theatre, Writers & Books, and the Rochester Museum & Science Center Middle and high school students (ages 1318) who live in the six-county area (Monroe, Livingston, Wayne, Orleans, Ontario, and Genesee) are invited to write and submit short, eclipse-themed scripts, five of which will be selected for further development and inclusion in the script-in-hand readings on Mar. 30 at RMSC. Deadline: Feb. 14 actorsstudiorochester.org GRANTS

The Gallery Grant

Hannah Bell, Aaron Steffer, and Unique Fair-Smith are three of the current artists in residence at C.O.M.P. Studios, which offers free space to emerging creatives. Not pictured is fourth resident Rae Wiggins. PHOTO PROVIDED

ARTISTS UN-LEASED At downtown’s C.O.M.P. Studios, emerging artists are free to flex their creativity.

ost visual artists don’t have an office they report to, and either work from home or rent a space. But Rochester has a limited number of studios, and the cost of leasing one can be prohibitive for unestablished artists who already struggle with living expenses. One piece of a solution is C.O.M.P. Studios, a new collective studio that opened at 339 East Ave. in the fall. There, painter Unique Fair-Smith and three other artists create, enjoy camaraderie, and showcase their work. And they don’t have to pay a dime. Fair-Smith, 27, creates portraits of people from marginalized groups who have historically been left out of or debased by the classical art canon. He said C.O.M.P. has enabled him to work on larger canvases, and sell directly to First Friday visitors who witness the artistic process unfold. “I’ve had several people who’ve had the chance to see one of my works practically from start to finish,” Fair-Smith said. “I’ve been able to say, ‘come back next month and you’ll see it more developed.’” C.O.M.P. stands for Creative Opportunities Made Public, and it’s supported by The New York State Council for the Arts and ChaShaMa, a NYC-based organization that provides affordable spaces to artists. “Chashama is excited to be working with several visionary artists from Rochester and we look forward to being a part of C.O.M.P. Studios Fall Residency Exhibitions,” said Chashama's artistic director, Anita Durst. The studio is down the street from Rochester Contemporary Art Center, which serves as its facilitator. RoCo director Bleu Cease said C.O.M.P. functions as a residency for artists to work on specific projects for a minimum of two months. “There’s a known need for affordable, permanent studio spaces in Rochester, especially closer to downtown,” Cease said. “This is not intended to replace those — we continue to advocate for other opportunities for artists to have affordable studios on a permanent basis.” In addition to Fair-Smith, the current residents are artists Aaron Steffer, whose portraits deal with the subconscious and loss; Hannah Bell, whose recent work has tackled the racial disparity in maternal mortality rates; and Rae Wiggins, who makes stark and colorful images inspired by growing up trans in a small, conservative town. “If visitors are interested in digging in and taking the pulse of a city,” Cease said, “visiting the small, grassroots arts organizations on a gallery night and meeting young, emerging artists is a great way to more fully understand your own art community.” Applications are accepted on a rolling basis at rochestercontemporary.org/exhibitions. — BY REBECCA RAFFERTY

The Gallery in the Valley This extremely open-ended grant will give one artist $1,500 toward creating a body of work over the course of one year, followed by a celebratory party at The Gallery in Geneseo, NY. Deadline: Feb. 11 thegalleryinthevalley.com

Creative Capital 2025 Open Call In celebration of its 25th Anniversary in 2025, Creative Capital welcomes innovative and original new project proposals in visual arts, performing arts, film/moving image, technology, literature, multidisciplinary, and socially engaged forms. Unrestricted project grants of up to $50,000 will be awarded via a democratic, national, open call, external review process. Approximately 50 individual artists creating conceptually, aesthetically, and formally challenging, risk-taking, and never-before-seen projects will be funded. Deadline: April 4. creative-captial.org MISCELLANEOUS

2024 Teaching Artist Cohort The Center for Craft, Asheville, NC and The Windgate Foundation Twenty mid-career craft artists who teach will be awarded a $10,000 grant and a 6-month cohort experience with workshops designed to help participants sustain a generative practice as artists and educators and develop a network of craft artists through peer-to-peer learning. Deadline: March 11. centerforcraft.org/grantsand-fellowships/teaching-artistcohort — COMPILED BY REBECCA RAFFERTY

See more listings online. roccitymag.com CITY 19

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Come be yourself MUSIC

BY DANIEL J. KUSHNER @DANIELJKUSHNER

ightlife duo DJ Allan and DJ Duppyy projects a simple motto that says a lot about the parties they throw, whether it’s “R&B Night” or the more uptempo “Sultry Sounds” — on every promo is the phrase, “Come be yourself.” They embodied this ethos as they sat together in the secondfloor seating area of Sanctuary in the High Falls neighborhood. The pair was good natured and relaxed as they explained the reasoning behind their mantra. “People come with a front — this tough-guy front, or ‘I’m cool’ front, ‘I’m the most beautiful in here’ front,’” Duppyy explained. “We want to deter that.” Duppyy, whose real name is J.J. Inthavong, recalled a night in 2016 when he walked out of a club to stray bullets flying after a celebration of life for a friend who was killed in an act of gun violence. No one was injured or killed that night, but it stuck in his mind as an example of the behavior he doesn’t want partygoers to bring to shows. DJ Allan, whose full name is Allan Johnson, agreed. “We don’t need people to have their guard up,” Allan said. “We don’t want them to have something to prove, like J.J. said. That’s what we’re trying to deter. We’re not trying to tell people ‘Hey, don’t come here.’ We just want you to know that when you

20 CITY FEBRUARY 2024

The fun-loving and DJ Duppyy and DJ Allan draw nightlife crowds.

From left, DJ Duppyy and DJ Allan. PHOTO BY RUDY FABRE

come here, you don’t need to be something you’re not.” Duppyy and Allan first met in 2014 as students at School of the Arts, where they both studied creative writing as their academic focus. They started working together at clubs and other venues in 2019. Both DJs enjoy playing R&B, and Allan also leans toward melodic, New Age hip-hop, while Duppyy favors amapiano, a style of South African house music with aspects of jazz and lounge. Duppyy has noticed differences in the way he and Allan approach the music they play. “You embody the moment way better than I do,” Duppyy said to Allan. “You be livin’ it. As for me, I’m more analytical. But you just have a blast when you’re on.” Both DJs want to elicit an emotional response from the partygoers, which can often mean going back in time. “Nostalgia is one of those emotions,” said Duppyy. “So we like to play shit that your parents were playing when you were little. When we drop it, everybody explodes.” Swan Dive, a restaurant and bar on Alexander Street, is where Allan and Duppyy draw their largest crowds. Co-owner Paulina Swan said their goal is to book DJs who play a variety of styles, from hip-hop and amapiano to R&B, techno, and Latin music. “We also really focus on bringing in DJs who have their own signature style,” she said. While the duo continues to play shows in Rochester, their ambition is to perform internationally. “We want to DJ in Toronto regularly,” Allan said. “Not a one-off thing. We really feel like our sound would fit in well out there. And our time there has inspired our sound a lot, so it’ll be full-circle if we can start working out there.” Ultimately, they get the most enjoyment out of the music they play for each other. “It’s more fun to learn how to do it when you’re with somebody,” Allan said. “When we practice, it’s some of the most fun DJing that we do.”

PHOTO BY RUDY FABRE

roccitymag.com CITY 21

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Eastman School of Music and Empire Film and Media Ensemble bring live music to the cinematic experience.

Silver screen symphony MUSIC

BY DANIEL J. KUSHNER DANIEL@ROCCITYMAG.COM

he movie “Star Wars: Episode IV — A New Hope” is a cultural classic at this point, so making the viewing experience a fresh one is a daunting task. That’s where groups like the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra, who performed the score live as the film played on a big screen in January at West Herr Auditorium Theatre, come in. It can make the music sound new, and draw attention to visual details that familiarity has made easy to ignore. Live-to-picture performances of films from the Star Wars and Harry Potter franchises are now an indispensable part of orchestral programs throughout the country due to the overwhelming popularity of the concerts. And the RPO isn’t the only group to present such events locally. The Empire Film and Media Ensemble has worked regularly with Eastman School of Music’s Beal Institute of Film Music and Contemporary Media. Last month, Empire Film performed the world premiere of a score composed by four Beal Institute students for a screening of the classic 1931 film “Frankenstein.” On February 16, the Empire ensemble will play live alongside director Damien Chazelle’s 2016 film “La La Land,” 22 CITY FEBRUARY 2023

PHOTO PROVIDED

starring Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling, at Eastman Theatre’s Kodak Hall. The performance will be conducted by Mark Watters, the Beal Institute’s director. “Normally, (when) you watch the movie, you take in all the elements of it, including the music,” Watters said. “But when you do it live in concert, the music is just kind of amped up, like the experience is on steroids.” The coexistence of film and live music has everything to do with timing and coordination. Brett Miller, the artistic director of Empire Film and Media Ensemble, said there are multiple ways to successfully conduct live with a film screening. One way is to have the conductor lead the ensemble in front of a small video screen playing the film with visual cues called “punches” and “streamers,” which together act as a kind of visual metronome to help the conductor effectively synchronize with the movie’s action. Another option is to have both the conductor and the musicians perform with a click track keeping time in their ears. In the case of silent films, it’s common for the musicians to play with no outside timing assistance. The Empire musicians typically play to a click track. Miller said for the live performance of “La La Land,” the combined use of punches and streamers for the conductor, plus click tracks in everyone’s ears, will be the preferred approach, since

there are vocalists singing in prerecorded tracks, rather than utilizing live singers. Empire Film and Media Ensemble is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization separate from the Eastman School of Music, although they work closely together. By exclusively contracting Eastman students to play in the 30-plusmember ensemble and regularly performing the works of Beal Institute students, Empire provides numerous opportunities for performers and composers alike. Students enrolled in the Beal Institute pursue a master’s degree in contemporary media and film composition. It was founded in 2016 by Eastman School alumnus and composer Jeff Beal, best known for his scores in the Ed Harris feature film “Pollock,” the documentary “Blackfish,” and the critically acclaimed TV show “House of Cards.” “Eastman is one of the best music schools in the country, in the world,” said Beal. “I think it’s also a very special place because it has this history of film in its DNA. I want (Beal Institute) to be a place where some of the best film composers, the most literate and gifted people, will study and really move this art form forward.” The Empire Film and Media Ensemble performs “La La Land” on Friday, February 16, at 7:30 p.m., at Kodak Hall at Eastman Theatre. $22$61. esm.rochester.edu/theatre roccitymag.com CITY 23

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The

Dish

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

BITE-SIZED NEWS

Sushi Samba has opened at 381 Gregory St., in the building formerly occupied by Tap & Mallet, which closed in 2021. Owned by Mark Teng (Furoshiki, Revolution Chinese, JBC Rice Noodles and Ramen), the restaurant is anchored by a sushi bar — where customers can watch the chef create rolls and sashimi — that replaced the rows of craft beer taps that lined the pine. The restaurant has an all-you-can-eat model ($20.99 for lunch, $30.99 for dinner), but in lieu of a buffet, items are made to order. The menu features classic as well as specialty rolls, such as the Green Diamond roll with crab meat, avocado, mango, and kiwi, or the Pink Lady that pairs shrimp tempura and cucumber. Visitors can also choose from bento boxes, dumplings, teriyaki dishes, noodles, and tempura, all with vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free options. sushisamba585.com Comfort food and dessert joint House of Whacks has moved from the flatiron building on Andrews St. to The Mercantile on Main in Sibley Square (260 E. Main St.). The restaurant offers mango salsa chicken, oxtail platters, pot roast, fried haddock, and desserts like peach cobbler and its house specialty, the Cracked Cake. houseofwhacks585. square.site Mexican-themed bar Aqua Vitae is now open at 320 East Ave., next to Wall Street Bar & Grill. Owners Matt Green (Flour City Station) and Joe Soto gave the bar a Latin name that translates to “water of life,” and the watering hole features a tequila menu and cocktails mixers made inhouse. The current menu includes the “Cardiaq,” which pairs banana, lime, and cardamom flavors, and the “Love, Uma,” made with fig vodka, spiced demerara, cranberry, and soda. The lounge will have tequila tastings each Thursday. instagram.com/aquavitaeroc Busy Bean Café, which has been open in Victor since 2020, launched a second location at 2157 Penfield Rd. in the Penfield Wegmans plaza. The new spot boasts a bigger kitchen and seating for several dozen. In addition to coffee, espresso drinks, smoothies 24 CITY FEBRUARY 2024

and frappes, the menu includes baked goods, breakfast platters from the griddle, salads, wraps, sandwiches, and more. instagram.com/busybeancafe20 The ever-popular Restaurant Good Luck will finally be open on Tuesday nights for dinner. This marks the first such change for the 15-year-old spot; previously Tuesdays were staffed only for private events. The additional dinner service begins Tuesday, February 6; reservations are open now at exploretock.com/goodluck. There are few places in Rochester where one can get a full Irish breakfast — eggs, sausage, rashers, stewed mushrooms, potatoes, black and white pudding, and toast — year round. But since Caifé Erin opened at 1350 Pittsford Mendon Rd., diners can order the hearty meal whenever they want, along with boxty (Irish potato pancakes with varying ingredients), and fish and chips. Dublin native Richard Baker and partner Addie Neary took over the old Crabby Dan’s Grill space in late January. The menu also includes non-Irish fare, including the Italian red sauce dish ‘eggs in purgatory,’ Japanese cloud pancakes, and a Hawaiian burger with pineapple. WHET YOUR PALATE

Popular fried chicken joint Chick’n Out Roc is expanding its 37 Charlotte St. location, with plans to reopen as a full dining space this spring. The restaurant launched in 2019 as a popup eatery at Blossom Road Pub before eventually moving to the kitchen at the old East End Tavern, where customers could order at a counter for carry-out or grab a seat at the bar. The tavern closed permanently in 2022, and Chick’n Out owner Adam Bierton bought the space last August. The kitchen is open for pickup orders through construction. instagram.com/chicknoutroc Roc Pho Shop, sister restaurant to SEA Restaurant, Sea Me Go, and Broth on Main, will open soon at 339 Jefferson Rd. in Henrietta. The dine-in and takeout restaurant will serve Vietnamese and Thai food and beverages. instagram.com/rocphoshop

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MUSIC REVIEWS

FOR THE LOCAVORES

Local chef Stephen Rees has founded a culinary resource called Little Home in the Universe, a website featuring short instructional videos that encourage viewers to make their home dining experience as special as a night out, guiding them through kitchen tips and tricks as well as specific recipes. Supplementing these fun, accessible videos is a quick-read blog with topics from balancing flavor notes to the art of hosting, and an online shop filled with gourmet chocolate, tinned fish, signature sauces, mustards, grains, and more. Rees was the former owner of Relish on South Ave., which closed during the pandemic in 2020. littlehomeintheuniverse.com FOOD FÊTES

On Wednesday, February 14, Radio Social is offering a special V-Day package for up to six people per table featuring a four-course, prix fixe menu, bubbly toast, and an hour of bowling prior to dining. Seatings from 5:30 p.m. to 9:45 p.m., tickets are $79/pp including hospitality and tax. radio-social.com Shell Restaurant, the forthcoming center city spot from Chef Cruz Nieves, is currently operating as a monthly pop-up in residence at Pearson’s Market & Café on Somerton St. While a three-day February engagement with a la carte menu items already sold out, March dates will be announced soon. Visit instagram.com/shellrestaurant and instagram.com/ilovepearsonsroc for updates. For those seeking a unique dining experience, 24 Supper Club is a monthly, themed prix fixe dinner at Redd, 24 Winthrop St. January’s theme was well-known international food cities like New Orleans, Barcelona, and Tokyo, with cocktail or wine pairings to complement the generously portioned courses. Redd is closed to the public during each event, with seats reserved in the bar area for ticket holders only. 24 Supper Club begins at $150/pp; the next date is Monday, February 26. reddrochester.com

“ALL HE DOES IS SMILE” BY SALLY LOUISE Rochester singer-songwriter Sally Drutman — who goes by the moniker Sally Louise — seems to be having a blast on the music video for her latest single, “All He Does Is Smile,” released on January 26. The sultry soul-pop number starts out with a simple bossa nova rhythm and tropical island vibes before quickly morphing into a brisk toe-tapper with hyperactive drums. Listeners would never know Drutman is also a trained opera singer, but it doesn’t hurt the performance either. She has fantastic vocal control, but there’s also plenty of freedom in her tone. Although the visuals of the music video, which premiered on February 2, were inspired by the fashion and sensibility of the ’80s, sonically “All He Does Is Smile” seems more indebted to the ’70s, albeit with a 21st-century sheen. A nostalgic Bruno Mars-ification, if you will. The song is about unrequited love — and being infatuated with the idea of someone rather than the real person — but the melody is so bouncy and sweet, it’s hard to tell. Then again, it makes perfect sense that the sound would match the hue of the rosecolored glasses the singer chooses to metaphorically don here. Former Rochesterian Blake Pattengale of the projects Two Truths and Redbeard Samurai provides his engineering expertise, with balanced mixing and mastering and intuitive production skills. There’s a lot happening in a brief threeand-a-half minute span, but things never feel too busy. Sally Louise’s self-confidence comes across loud and clear here, and her pandemic-era emergence as a talented songwriter with great vocal chops feels as fully realized as ever. Whatever new music we hear from the singer — she’s planning to release additional singles this year — listeners can expect something sophisticated, accessible, and top-quality. — BY DANIEL J. KUSHNER roccitymag.com CITY 25

ARTS, MUSIC AND CULTURE EVENTS FOR THE SOCIALLY RESTLESS

DAILY Full calendar of events online at roccitymag.com THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 1

todo

they have more in common than they realized. “Kinky Boots” is the winner of six Tonys including Best Musical and the Grammy for Best Musical Theatre album. Tickets start at $47.

off their chests. Her efforts have yielded large-scale, beautiful black and white portraits paired with often gut-punch anecdotes hand-written by each subject that include issues of body image, race, and coming out. The project is a simple yet poignant reminder of the invisible heft weighing on just about everyone around us, and the show’s title alludes to the fragility and combustibility of our emotions. Ashlee is presenting this work at The Yards this month, and an opening reception takes place tonight from 6 to 9 p.m. Free to attend. REBECCA RAFFERTY

LEAH STACY

MUSIC

The Joshua Redman Group MUSIC

Dan Bern

Abilene Bar and Lounge, abilenebarandlounge.com Upon hearing singer-songwriter Dan Bern’s nasal vocals and acoustic folk aesthetic, it’s hard not to make a Bob Dylan comparison. But Bern possesses an earnestness and accessibility that his comp has not always exhibited in his career. Bern’s been putting out music since the mid-90s, with a frank storytelling style and endearing melodies in songs such as “God Said No,” “Kurt,” and “Jerusalem.’ This intimate show at Abilene is sure to be a winner. Doors open at 4 p.m., and the show starts at 7:30 p.m. $15-$20.

Hochstein Performance Hall, roclive.live Few jazz artists today have the name recognition of saxophonist Joshua Redman. For more than three decades, he has been a prominent performer and composer with more than 20 albums. His latest record, “where we are,” is notable for multiple reasons, being his first release for legendary Blue Note Records and his first album to include vocals. The album’s featured singer, Gabrielle Cavassa, joins Redman and his band at Hochstein for what is sure to be a riveting performance. Tickets start at $41. 8 p.m. DK FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 2

DANIEL J. KUSHNER

Lux Bar, lux666.com No Rochester venue puts on a sweaty, booze-soaked rock ‘n’ roll show quite like the dive bar Lux, and no Finger Lakes-area group does old-school rock quite like Bobby Henrie and the Goners. Whether he’s playing a bluesy shuffle or a rockabilly barnburner, Henrie knows his way around an uptempo tune. You’ll want to bring your dancin’ shoes to this shindig. 10 p.m. $5 cover. DK

“The Winter’s Tale”

“Kinky Boots”

26 CITY FEBRUARY 2024

Bobby Henrie & The Goners

THEATER

OFC Creations, ofccreations.com The latest in the Broadway in Brighton Series from OFC Creations stars Rochester native and Seattlebased actor Nicholas Japaul Bernard as Lola alongside a cast of professional actors. “Kinky Boots” follows Charlie Price, who has reluctantly inherited his father’s shoe factory, which is on the verge of bankruptcy. While trying to live up to his father’s legacy and save the family business, Charlie finds inspiration in Lola, a fabulous entertainer in need of some sturdy stilettos. As they work to turn the factory around, this unlikely pair finds

MUSIC

ART

“Paper Lanterns”

The Yards, theyardsrochester.com Photographer Michele Ashlee’s recent artistic endeavor involved not only sensitive portrait sessions with a diverse range of folks, but also asking some community members to disclose things they want to get

MuCCC, muccc.org The oldest community theater in New York State, Rochester Community Players, presents their annual Shakespeare Program production. “The Winter’s Tale” is told from an entirely new and tragic perspective: that of Perdita, the banished daughter to King Leontes of Sicilia and the late Queen Hermione, as she navigates Time (the play’s Chorus) as a means to witness her family’s past and influence her future. The show runs through Saturday, February 10; tickets are $15 for students and seniors, $20 for adults. LS

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 3

SPORTS

Harlem Globetrotters 2024 Tour

Blue Cross Arena, bluecrossarena.com Will the Globetrotters beat their longtime rivals the Washington Generals? You know the answer, but the game isn’t why you see the Globetrotters. It’s all about the show — the dizzying dribbling, the aweinspiring trick shots, the clever passes, and lots of laughs. And that whistled rendition of “Sweet Georgia Brown.” The on-court antics start at 2 p.m. and tickets start at $46. JEREMY MOULE

MUSIC

Band of Horses

State Theatre of Ithaca, stateofithaca.org Somewhere between straightforward folk and cryptic indie rock is the anthemic and atmospheric sound of the Seattle group Band of Horses. Led by frontman Ben Bridwell with his reverberant tenor voice, the group’s been putting out cinematic songs soaked in the echoes of electric guitars since 2006. Band of Horses’ latest record is 2022’s “Things Are Great.” Fans of groups like Fleet Foxes and Lord Huron will likely take comfort the Horses’ sound. Doors for the allages show open at 7 p.m., with music at 8 p.m. $46. DK

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 6 THEATER

Dial M for Murder

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 4 BENEFIT

Rochester Polar Plunge

Ontario Beach Park, polarplunge.net In February, Lake Ontario hovers around 35 to 38 degrees typically — more than 10 degrees chillier than a cold shower. But the daring people who turn out to run en masse into those chilly waters — some in costume, some in Speedos, and others in jeans and t-shirts — are ‘Freezin’ for a Reason.’ For over 20 years, the Polar Plunge has been a fundraiser for Special Olympics New York. If you needed a reason to take an invigorating dip, there it is. JM

Geva Theatre Center, gevatheatre.org Murder, mystery, and intrigue all combine in “Dial M for Murder,” written in 1952 by English playwright Frederick Knott (who also later wrote the creepy “Wait Until Dark”). Knott adapted “Dial M” into a cinematic classic just a couple years later with director Alfred Hitchcock, which is how it is mostly known today. Experience this classic thriller on stage in a new adaptation from Jeffrey Hatcher and directed by Rachel Alderman — just a few more chances to catch this show before it closes February 11. Tickets start at $71. MONA SEGHATOLESLAMI CONTINUED ON PAGE 28

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 5 ART EXHIBIT

“Our Nature: Illustrations and Design from the Singer Family”

Central Library, roccitylibrary.org Look, it’s early February, so it’s gray, and it’s slushy, and there isn’t much green in sight. Nature may be slumbering, but you can get a heavenly dose of flora and fauna, at least in picture-form, at an exhibit of artworks by four members of the Singer family on view now at the Central Library. RIT professor and artist Alan Singer may be known for his innovative use of writing code to make futuristic-looking environments, entities, and abstractions, but his roots were in painting portraits of birds alongside his late father, master wildlife artist Arthur Singer, for a series of postage stamps. Patriarch Arthur, matriarch Judy, and sons Paul and Alan together published more than 50 art books in 65 years. View the earthly and imaginative delights they immortalized in this exhibit through May 18. Free to attend. RR roccitymag.com CITY 27

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 7

PARTY

CITY Magazine’s February Social

Stacy K Floral, roccitymag.com Chat with the CITY team, grab a copy of our February issue, pitch a story idea, and sip a cocktail from Nosh or a latte from Winter Swan at the collaborative gathering space inside Stacy K Floral on Russell Street. Free to attend, all are welcome. LS

MUSIC

RPO presents “Fantastic Symphony”

Kodak Hall at Eastman Theatre, rpo.org When it comes to classical music programs, it takes a lot to excite me these days. It typically takes pairing a 21st-century composition with an unlikely, complementary classic. The Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra’s memorable 2022 performance of Brahms’s “German Reqiuem” and the world premiere of “A Rage of Peace” by Derrick Skye. The RPO and its Artistic director Andreas Delfs are poised to deliver again with Benjamin Britten’s beguiling Violin Concerto, alongside contemporary composer Bright Sheng’s “Tibetan Love Song and Swing.” Add the Berlioz masterpiece “Symphonie Fantastique,” and you may just need to strap yourself into your seat at Kodak Hall for this one. Violinist Benjamin Beilman is the featured soloist. The encore performance is on February 10. $18-$104. 7:30 p.m. DK

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 8 FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 9

MUSIC

Hélène Grimaud

Kilbourn Hall, Eastman School of Music, eastmantheatre.org French pianist Hélène Grimaud has performed extensively in both orchestral settings as a soloist with the likes of the London Symphony Orchestra, the Philadelphia Orchestra, and the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra and as chamber musician. But it’s as a recitalist that her musical intuition and articulation of subtle yet evocative phrases stand out. Grimaud brings those skills to the Eastman School’s Kilbourn Hall for the first time, in a program featuring the work of classical music’s “Three B’s”: Bach (as transcribed by early-20th century composer Ferrucio Busoni), Beethoven, and Brahms. 7:30 p.m. $23-$65. DK 28 CITY FEBRUARY 2024

MUSIC

Oliver Burdo

Birdhouse Brewing Co., Honeoye, birdhousebrewing.beer A good song and a hearty beer can be a great combination, especially in the middle of frigid upstate New York winter. Finger Lakes songwriter Oliver Burdo brings his conversational brand of indie folk to Birdhouse. He sings like he’s just bellied up to the bar to tell me his life story. In most cases, I’d probably shift uncomfortably in my seat and look for a quick exit. But with Burdo, I’m happy to lend my ear, especially with earnest charmers like the song “Carousel,” from his 2022 album “Bella Donna.” 5:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. DK

MUSIC

Felix Free & The Rxcketeers with DJ Ease

Three Heads Brewing, threeheadsbrewing.com Three Heads has been a great place to catch local musicians live for a while now. But it hasn’t hosted hiphop acts very often. Enter rapper Felix Free and his backing band The Rocketeers who play hypnotic, groove-based music that feels jam band-friendly while also hinting at the rhythmic flow of ’80s and ’90s rap. DJ Ease opens the show. Doors open at 7:30 p.m. $10. DK

artists. Proceeds benefit the nonprofit organization Sample Soap, which collects and distributes toiletries to shelters and other human service agencies in town. The event takes place 3 to 7 p.m. Unclaimed bowls will be available for purchase at a last-chance sale on Friday, Feb. 16 at Cat Clay Studios at The Hungerford Building. RR SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 11

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 10

FOOD + BEV

Bougie Bowl

FESTIVAL

Lunar New Year Festival

Flynn Campus Center at MCC, apapa.org/rochester The Lunar New Year is celebrated in several Asian countries and cultures, including in China, Korea, and Vietnam. Local AAPI group APAPA [Asian Pacific Islander American Public Affairs] is putting on a free festival to welcome in the Year of the Dragon with food, music, cultural demonstrations, and kids’ activities at the Flynn Campus Center at MCC, 1000 E Henrietta Rd. The festival runs 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. MS BENEFIT

Winter’s Warmth

Radio Social, catclay.com Presented for more than 15 years by pottery studio Cat Clay, this ‘empty bowl’ charity event is an annual draw for art collectors and pottery lovers, or for anyone who just wants an eclectic new bowl to add to their cupboard. Attendees donate $25, and in return they get to choose from hundreds of handmade bowls donated by

The Highline Rochester, thehighlinerochester.com Looking for an elevated way to spend your big game day? The Highline is hosting an upscale party with premium craft cocktails, tapas offerings from Avvino, and cigar rolling all game long. The event runs from 5:30 to 11 p.m. and will feature DJs, games, a raw bar, bourbon + tequila flights, and screenings of the big game. The all-inclusive tickets are $120 and are available online. This is a perfect event for local foodies looking to elevate the biggest game day of the year. JOE E. MORRELL

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 12 FILM

Free Movie Mondays Roc Cinema, roccinema.com Mondays at Roc Cinema in Swillburg feature a rotation of classic movies all at the bargain price of $0. This week, they are offering a 6 p.m. showing of The Wedding Singer, a late 90s romcom classic starring Adam Sandler and Drew Barrymore. The low price gives you the chance to get a taste of the cinema’s extensive beer/wine/cocktail list and food menu featuring offerings, from charcuterie boards to flatbreads and wraps. Tickets are available on their website. JEM

CONTINUED ON PAGE 30

roccitymag.com CITY 29

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 13 FOOD + BEV

Rohrbachs is For Lovers

Rohrbach Brewing Co, rohrbachs.com Beef short ribs with oyster mushroom gravy and Scotch Ale ... Yes, please. Rohrbach Brewing Co. is hosting a four-course, Valentine’s themed food and beer pairing at their Railroad St. location. The event runs from 6:30 to 8 p.m. and will feature a preset menu that is paired with some of their latest craft brews. Full menu descriptions can be found online, along with tickets ($50/pp), which must be purchased in advance. Cheers to the season of love. JEM

Boy finds out, and undergoes the same procedure. That’s roughly the plot of Michel Gondry’s 2004 film “Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind,” which asks viewers to consider the measures we’re willing to take to alleviate the pain of loss, whether there’s really something to that second part of ‘forgive and forget,’ and the value of deciding to remain open through vulnerability. With its lovely visuals and ace soundtrack, the movie is a great choice for a Valentine’s Day screening — pushing through the more formulaic mush, this narrative has us sit longer with the hardest parts of love. Tonight’s screening is at 7:30 p.m., and there’s an encore showing at 4 p.m. on Sunday, Feb. 18. $11 general admission, discounted tickets $5-$7. RR

THEATER

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 15

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 16

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 14

“OEDIPUS REX”

Temple Building Theater, thecompanytheatreroc.org The Company Theatre continues its season with Sophocles’s “OEDIPUS REX,” the classic tragedy about the King of Thebes. This translation of the Greek text melds traditional poeticism with today’s language for an accessible text that will allow the audience to focus more on this story of fate and destiny. "OEDIPUS REX" runs through February 25 at the historic Temple Building, 50 Liberty Pole Way. Tickets are $28 general admission, $25 students/seniors and available online or at the door. There will be an ASLinterpreted performance Saturday, Feb. 17, and a pay-what-you-will performance Thursday, Feb. 22. LS

THEATER

“Robin Hood: The Legend Begins”

FILM

“Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind” The Little Theatre, thelittle.org Boy meets girl. Boy and girl fall in love, but experience strife. Girl has every memory of boy professionally wiped from her mind in a covert, experimental treatment for brains that share a body with ailing hearts.

30 CITY FEBRUARY 2024

MuCCC, muccc.org The Open Road Theatre presents a rescheduled run of “Robin Hood: The Legend Begins” through February 17 at MuCCC, 142 Atlantic Ave. The production features 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 by Eva SarachanDubay, and directed by Karen Dieruf. Recommended for ages 8+, tickets are $17 online or $20 at the door. LS

LITERATURE

Sad Girl Book Night

Archivist Books, instagram.com/ archivist.books Archivist Books owner Taylor posted about this event with the statement that, “If it weren’t for Aquarians, I would dub February my least favorite month because it always

brings in a case of the doldrums.” As an Aquarius who has distant memories of her birthplace in the milder (albeit otherwise troubling) state of Florida, I can confirm that having an early February birthday in Rochester is rough. And I deeply appreciate it when there’s something cool to do that doesn’t involve Super Bowl parties. Archivist Books is presenting a night of weepy-themed cocktails and mocktails like the “pity party” and the “girls club,” curated book browsing, and a sad-girl indie playlist that includes such cathartic greats as Mitski, Boy Genius, Pheobe Bridgers, Men I Trust, Lana del Rey, Japanese Breakfast, and more. If Valentine’s Day was a bust, get ready to chat about the beauty in melancholy and what you do to anti-depress. The free event takes place from 6 to 9 p.m. RR ADULTS ONLY

After Dark: The Science of Sex

Rochester Museum & Science Center, rmsc.org Valentine’s Day may have passed, but lust is eternal, and the plant and animal kingdoms are full of diverse, colorful, and astounding methods of attraction and courtship. When it comes to combining education and a fun night out, the Rochester Museum & Science Center aims to exceed ‘sexpectations’ with this month’s iteration of its After Dark adult-only social events. Experts will be on hand to discuss flirty plumage, flower anatomy, and more, while you flex your mating trivia chops, play games like match-the-sperm-to-theanimal, and learn about sexual health and wellness from area organizations. CONTINUED ON PAGE 37

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

Shuttlesworth Monday, February 5 at 9 p.m. on WXXI-TV The story of the unknown Freedom Fighter who started a Movement that changed the world.

The Niagara Movement: The Early Battle for Civil Rights Monday, February 12 at 8 p.m. on WXXI-WORLD Explores the Black elite and intellectual society at the turn of the 20th century, a class rarely presented. Also airs 2/19 at 9 p.m. on WXXI-TV.

Becoming Frederick Douglass Monday, February 26 at 9:30 p.m. on WXXI-TV Discover how a man born into slavery became one of the nation’s most influential leaders.

For more specials in honor of Black History Month, visit WXXI.org/bh.

TELEVISION PROGRAMS TO LOVE IN FEBRUARY

CREATE Showcase: Samantha Brown’s Places To Love Saturday, February 10 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. + Sunday, February 11 from 12-5 p.m. on WXXI-CREATE For over 15 years, Samantha Brown has traversed continents, experienced culture, and tasted adventure — applying her singular brand of warmth and inclusion along the way. Fall in love with destinations near and far as she explores the hidden gems of the places you are sure to love.

Stories from the Stage Fridays at 2:30 p.m. and Mondays at 9:30 p.m. on WXXI-WORLD Stories have the power to astonish us, make us laugh and cry, and open our hearts to the world. Hosted by Wes Hazard and Theresa Okokon, Stories from the Stage invites storytellers from around the world to share extraordinary tales of what it means to be human. Each episode features both on-stage performances and interviews about their inspirations and craft, and the meaning behind their stories. Photo provided by Stories from the Stage

Super Drama Sunday Sunday, February 11 from 12 p.m. to 11 p.m. on WXXI-TV If watching the big game isn’t your cup of tea, spend the afternoon binging Victoria on Masterpiece. Jenna Coleman stars as her fearless Majesty Queen Victoria. We’re treated to the queen’s remarkable and emotional story, from her giddy ascension to the British throne at age 18, infatuation with dashing mentor Lord Melbourne, passionate romance and early marriage to Germany’s Prince Albert, and the growth into her royal role. The drama continues at 8 p.m. with Miss Scarlet and the Duke followed by All Creatures Great and Small. Photo: Jenna Coleman as Victoria • Provided by PBS

Independent Lens: Breaking the News Monday, February 19 at 10 p.m. on WXXI-TV Who decides which stories get told? A scrappy group of women and LGBTQ+ journalists buck the white maledominated status quo, banding together to launch The 19th*, a digital news startup aiming to combat misinformation. A story of an America in flux, and the voices often left out of the narrative, the documentary shows change doesn’t come easy. Photo: Editor-at-large Errin Haines • Credit: Heather Courtney

American Experience: Fly with Me Tuesday, February 20 at 9 p.m. on WXXI-TV Meet the pioneering women who changed the world while flying it. Maligned as feminist sellouts, “stewardesses,” as they were called, knew different: they were on the frontlines of a battle to assert gender equality and transform the workplace. Photo provided by Delta Air Lines

American Masters: Groucho & Cavett Saturday, February 24 at 10 p.m. on WXXI-TV Discover the enduring friendship between television personality Dick Cavett and his mentor iconic comedian Groucho Marx. Their relationship is chronicled through interviews with Cavett, archival footage, and interviews with George Burns and others. Photo: Groucho Marx and Dick Cavett on the Dick Cavett Show, June 1968 • Credit: Ron Baldwin

Freddie Mercury: The Tribute Concert

Friday, February 23 at 9 p.m. on WXXI-TV Honor one of the most beloved stars in country music history with this all-star tribute concert featuring Brad Paisley, Dierks Bentley, Wynonna, Jelly Roll, Tanya Tucker, Travis Tritt, Lorrie Morgan, Justin Moore, Trace Adkins and more.

Sunday, February 25 at 4 p.m. on WXXI-TV On April 20, 1992, Roger Taylor, Brian May, and John Deacon – the surviving members of Queen – took the stage of London’s legendary Wembley Stadium to announce the start of one of the biggest events in rock history: a tribute to the incomparable Freddie Mercury with a glittering array of guests, including Elton John, Robert Plant, Annie Lennox, Liza Minnelli, David Bowie, George Michael and many more.

Photo provided by PBS

Photo provided by APT

Great Performances George Jones: Still Playin’ Possum

RADIO TO LOVE IN FEBRUARY The Year of the Dragon: A Joyful Celebration Saturday, February 10 at 12 p.m. on WXXI Classical The Chinese Lunar New Year of the Dragon is commemorated with traditions and rituals observed in everything from food to clothing. Ancestors are honored, and peace and happiness are bestowed on family and friends. The history, rituals, and traditions of Chinese New Year are celebrated alongside traditional Chinese music in this one-hour special, hosted and produced by Dr. Wanda Yang Temk.

Take Me to the Water Monday, February 19 at 3 p.m. on WXXI Classical Hosted by Vernon Neal, this special focuses on harpist Ashley Jackson’s program Take Me to the Water, an immersive audio experience that touches on themes from African mythology, the antebellum spiritual tradition, and water’s transportive, transmogrifying nature. Photo: Ashley Jackson • Credit: Julia Comita

Selected Shorts: A Celebration of Langston Hughes Sunday, February 4 at 9 p.m. on WXXI News Hosted by stage and film actor Teagle F. Bougere, this Selected Shorts celebrates the protean literary master and social activist Langston Hughes (1901-1967). It features two of his most striking works – “Passing” and “The Blues I’m Playing.” Both stories reflect Hughes’ explorations of questions of race, identity, and personal destiny.

Beyond “Reality” TV: Inside the Lives of Older Singles Sunday, February 11 at 9 p.m. on WXXI News ABC’s “The Golden Bachelor” brought long-overdue attention to the dating lives of older singles. But how much of the reality TV show rang true? In this special, Dating While Gray host Laura Stassi sifts through research and talks to older singles about our dating lives, including tools and strategies to make love connections, ways we’re incorporating – and discarding – traditional arrangements for marriage and living together 24/7, and how we’re navigating new romance around already established family commitments. Photo provided by APM

Whole Lotta Shaking with Mike Murray Saturdays at 4 p.m. on The Route Since 1984 host Mike Murphy has been playing music inspired by the rock ‘n’ roll explosion of 1955-66. It’s Greasy R&B, Rockabilly, Instrumental, Surf, Twist, British Invasion, Garage Rock, Novelty, Glam, Pub Rock, a bit of ‘late 1970s & Punk/New Wave for good measure, and all the artists who have sparked the rock ‘n’ roll revivals starting in the 1980’s and still going strong today, with an emphasis on music created right here in Rockin’ Rochester!

Breakfast with the Beatles with Dave Kane Sundays at 10 a.m. on The Route Each week, longtime Rochester radio host Dave Kane celebrates the art, the influence, and the legacy of the music of The Beatles by taking a deep dive into their expansive catalog. He also serves up hearty helpings of their solo work, while providing background information on the songs, giving historical perspectives, and discussing The Beatles’ ongoing, everlasting impact on the world.

240 East Ave thelittle.org

hen their relationship turns sour, a couple undergoes a medical procedure to have each other erased from their memories forever. A bonafide modern masterpiece — celebrating its 20th anniversary this year, and a frequent request of patrons and staff alike — Eternal Sunshine is a look at every facet of a relationship as only director Michel Gondry and writer Charlie Kaufman could concoct. The fantastic cast is led by Kate Winslet and Jim Carrey — providing a through-line of jumping memories — with pitch-perfect support from Tom Wilkinson, Kirsten Dunst, Elijah Wood, and Mark Ruffalo.

HUNDREDS OF BEAVERS

ONE NIGHT ONLY!

ost on the dreary Oregon coast, Fran (Daisy Ridley) finds solace in her cubicle, listening to the constant hum of officemates and occasionally daydreaming to pass the time. She is ghosting through life, unable to pop her bubble of isolation, when a friendly new coworker, Robert (Dave Merheje), persistently tries to connect with her. Though it goes against every fiber of her being, she may have to give this guy a chance. Director Rachel Lambert and team have crafted a beautiful film for this delicately told story of love for the socially awkward and emotionally challenged. Made all the more human by its lovely cast — most prominent in the penetrating eyes of lead actress/ producer, Daisy Ridley (Star Wars: The Force Awakens), and the caring smile of lead actor, Dave Merheje — Sometimes I Think About Dying is an unexpected fable on the virtues of living.

Screening in February

OSCAR-NOMINATED SHORT FILMS Opens Feb. 16 • Tickets at thelittle.org

A Little fan favorite retrurns! The best in the year’s short films, collected into 2024 Oscar-Nominated Animated, Live Action, and Documentary programs.

Friday, February 9, 2024 | 7:30pm | Tickets at thelittle.org The cast & crew of Hundreds of Beavers, the comedy cult-hit of the 2023 festival circuit, are coming to town to host a rowdy screening of their surreal slapstick winter comedy that has to be seen to be believed!

All animals are played by puppets and mascot costumes, and the result is a bizarre concoction that’s part Funniest Home Videos, part Looney Tunes, with wild nods to silent film, video games, and Monty Python.

In this 19th century black & white epic, a drunken applejack salesman must go from zero to hero and become the greatest fur trapper by defeating hundreds of beavers.

The director and star will be in attendance with all of their furry friends for a film and Q&A experience that, not to be dramatic, will change your life.

The Oscar for Best Live Action Short Film is an award presented at the annual Academy Awards ceremony. The award has existed, under various names, since 1957

Food and specialty cocktails will be available for purchase. Get it on from 6:30 to 10:30 p.m. Tickets are $34, 21+ only. RR

and “Blackmail” is by no means as popular as “Psycho,” “Rear Window,” “Vertigo,” or “The Birds.” However, the studio behind it also released a version with sound, making it the first British talkie with synchronized recorded sound and one of the first successful European talkies. The silent version of “Blackmail” screens at 7:30 p.m. and tickets are $11 for nonmembers, $7 for members, $5 for students. The talkie version screens at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 20. JM SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 17

“La La Land” in concert

FILM

“Blackmail” (silent version)

Dryden Theatre, eastman.org The Dryden Theatre is showcasing some fantastic, inimitable directors in February — Spike Lee, Ingmar Bergman, and Alfred Hitchcock among them. Hitchcock had a long and prolific career as a director

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 20

SPORTS

MUSIC

Rochester Amerks vs. Utica Comets

FILM

Kodak Hall at Eastman Theatre, eastmantheatre.org If you’re about to see a film with live orchestral accompaniment, nine times out of 10, you’re going to hear the music of John Williams. The ubiquitous movie composer’s popularity notwithstanding, it’s downright refreshing that music lovers and film buffs alike can experience some variety with the likes of composer Justin Hurwitz’s score for the 2016 movie “La La Land,” a jazz-tinged ode to Los Angeles starring Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling, directed by Damien Chazelle. 7:30 p.m. $22-$61. DK

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 18

MUSIC

Grace Serene & the Super Clean Album Release Show Essex, essexroc.com The newest club on the Rochester scene continues to book some of the city’s most promising homegrown musicians. Grace Serene & the Super Clean is the latest in a string of high-profile performances including Danielle Ponder, Mikaela Davis, Joywave, and Chi the Realist. While Avon native and dynamic Super Clean vocalist Grace Levendusky, AKA Grace Serene, is now based in Nashville, her band (which includes Essex co-owner Zack Mikida) continues to hold things down in the 585. The Essex show marks the release of the rock-soul band’s debut album, “Super Clean Vol. 1.” The headlining performance would make the show more than worth the price of admission, but the bill is downright loaded, with supporting sets from Aaron Rizzo Band and The Sideways. High-energy pop, rock, and soul await the savvy concertgoer. 7 p.m. $30. DK

Blue Cross Arena, amerks.com Of the many fun things to do in Rochester, somehow checking out an Amerks hockey game has always been on my “to do” list, but I still haven’t been able to check it off that list in a dozen years living here. I always have fun at minor league baseball, and AHL hockey seems to offer some of the same vibe, whether you’re into the game itself or some of the zaniness that surrounds the main event. For Kids Day, they are promising activities and giveaways along with discount tickets for kids, while sweetening the deal with $3 beers for adults. The puck drops at 3:05 p.m. Tickets are $15-45. MS MONDAY, FEBRUARY 19

YOUTH

Video Game Creation Workshop

The Strong National Museum of Play, museumofplay.org Every young gamer’s dream is to spend February break battling in the worlds of Fortnite or Call of Duty, but the Museum of Play is hosting an alternative option for young game lovers. This weeklong video game creation workshop is led by Rochester-based programmer and video game designer Ian Schreiber and is open to students ages 12-17. The five sessions will give students an opportunity to learn the ins and outs of video game creation from design to animation. Sessions run from 3 to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Wednesday and 3 to 8 p.m. on the final two evenings. Tickets are $138, and available online. JEM

Stick Men

Lovin’ Cup, bopshop.com Named for the guitar-like Chapman Stick that features in the band’s instrumentation, Stick Men return to Rochester with their sludgy brand of prog rock. The trio consists of Pat Mastelotto, Markus Reuter and Eastman School of Music alumnus Tony Levin, who mix metal influences, idiosyncratic soundscapes, and a tendency to improvise. The results are mesmerizing. Presented by Bop Shop Records, the 8 p.m. show takes place at Lovin’ Cup. Tickets are $30 in advance, $35 at the door. DK THEATER

10th Annual Bronze Collective Theatre Fest

MUCCC, muccc.org This year’s fest spans multiple days and includes a plethora of offerings for families to include in their Black History Month celebrations. Local producers will showcase variations of Black life through the vehicles of theatrical drama, stand-up comedy, and moviemaking. Shows run at 7:30 p.m. nightly (plus a 2 p.m. matinee on Saturday, February 24), culminating with a 2 p.m. discussion and closing reception on Sunday, February 25. Tickets are $10 for kids, $20 ($25 at the door) for adults. LS CONTINUED ON PAGE 38

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WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 21 MUSIC

Nashville Songwriters Association International: Rochester Chapter Meeting

Artisan Church, nashvillesongwriters.com Whether you’re an aspiring songwriter or a seasoned professional, networking with like-minded artists can be a great way to get inspired and light a creative spark. The monthly meeting of the local chapter of NSAI, which was formed in 1967, is a source for music news as well as an opportunity to workshop a song with peers. Search “NSAI Rochester” for meeting details and to submit a song for feedback. 6:30 p.m. DK THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 22 LECTURE

“Science on the Edge: Preparing for Totality”

Rochester Museum & Science Center, rmsc.org By now you may have detected the buzz about the total solar eclipse that Rochester will experience on Monday, April 8. If you’re in the dark about why folks are excited to experience this rare phenomenon, RMSC’s Eclipse Program Coordinator Dan Schneiderman will present on the science and history of eclipses, the ways this eclipse will impact our region, and how to prepare to best enjoy the sky show. 7 p.m. Tickets are $15, $11 for college students and ages 5-18. RR MUSIC

Journey

Blue Cross Arena, bluecrossarena.com With the exception of Hall & Oates, I’d argue no band’s music is as synonymous with the ’80s as the hits of Journey. And for my money, no group is as polarizing. Like it or not, Steve Perry’s soaring vocals on iconic songs such as “Don’t Stop Believin’” and “Open Arms” have helped to sear the San Francisco-based band’s music into the public consciousness. These days the soft rock group is fronted by 38 CITY FEBRUARY 2024

Filipino vocalist Arnel Pineda, who was discovered by lead guitarist Neal Schon on YouTube in 2007. Pineda has lead the band into Rochester as part of its 50th Anniversary Freedom Tour. Fellow rock legacy act Toto plays in support. Doors open at 6 p.m., and the show starts at 7:30 p.m. Available tickets start at $68. DK FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 23 JAZZ

Mostly Other People Do the Killing

Bop Shop Records, bopshop.com I’m not what you’d call a jazz afficionado, but as I read a description of Mostly Other People Do The Killing, I felt compelled to check out the NYC trio. Half of the highbrow description bounced off me. But I was savvy enough to get that they did a concept album around the lingering effects of the Three Mile Island meltdown and other disasters in Pennsylvania. Their stated goal on “Disasters Vol. 1” was to “make audible the experience of disaster.” The result: a sort of freewheeling, experimental, chaotic jazz that smolders like the burning coal mine below Centralia. The show starts at 8 p.m.; tickets are $20. JM SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 24

FESTIVAL

Festival of Inclusion

Golisano Training Center at Nazareth University, golisanofoundation.org Join WXXI’s Move to Include initiative and 80+ other participating organizations for an afternoon of interactive family friendly games, activities, and prizes. The third annual event runs 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., and the event is free for all ages. Food will be available for purchase. SARAH MURPHY ABBAMONTE

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 25 MUSIC

St. Paul & The Broken Bones

State Theatre of Ithaca, stateofithaca.org Alabama soul band St. Paul & the Broken Bones has been wooing audiences for well over a decade now, but the eight-piece sounds as refreshing as ever. Led by the impossibly charismatic vocal performance of frontman Paul Janeway, the BBs are touring behind their fifth studio album, 2023’s seductive “Angels in Science Fiction.” Sugadaisy plays in support. Doors at 7 p.m., music at 8 p.m. Tickets start at $28. DK MONDAY, FEBRUARY 26 MUSIC

Kristin Korb with Bob Sneider

Bop Shop Records, bopshop.com There’s something about musicians who sing and play upright bass simultaneously that never ceases to impress me. I think it’s because between the cornerstone structure of the bass line and the essential ornamentation of the melody, you’ve got the whole song. American musician Kristin Korb seems to encapsulate the charm of jazz with every tune she interprets, from the iconic standard “Moon River” to the Huey Lewis poprock hit “The Power of Love.” Korb, who now lives in Denmark, will be joined at Bop Shop by Rochester’s own Bob Sneider on guitar. For those who can’t wait for the jazz fest to roll into town, I can’t recommend this concert more highly. 8 p.m. $10 for students, $15 general admission. DK TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 27 DISCUSSION

In Conversation with Roc’s Black Leaders: Melanie Funchess

Online, hpl.org Melanie Funchess, the focus of a new chapbook highlighting the work of Black leaders in Rochester, spent her earliest years in survival mode. When her mother was no longer able to care for her, she went to live

with extended family where she dealt with abuse and neglect, ending up in and out of shelters. At 15, she met a missionary who turned her life around. Join Funchess and the book’s creative team, essayist Quajay Donnell and photographer Natalia Lauer, via Zoom for a discussion moderated by Amanda Chestnut, curator of the chapbook series “In This Moment” published by Visual Studies Workshop. “In This Moment” chapbooks are available at local public libraries, sponsor of the event. LS WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 28 MUSIC

Happy Hour with The Cool Club & The Lipker Sisters

Record Archive, recordarchive.com The Lipker Sisters put a contemporary spin on the boogie-woogie harmonies made popular by The Andrews Sisters in the late ’30s and early ’40s. Their backing band The Cool Club complete the swing sound. Be ready for a fun throwback. This free show runs from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., but Happy Hour starts at 5. DK

CROSSWORD PUZZLE ANSWERS

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 29

PUZZLE ON PAGE 58. NO PEEKING!

MUSIC

“Rhapsody in Blue at 100”

Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra rpo.org It was a century ago that audiences first heard the iconic clarinet slide at the opening of George Gershwin’s jazzinfused piano concerto, “Rhapsody in Blue” on a snowy Tuesday afternoon at Aeolian Hall in New York City, with the composer at the keyboard and Paul Whiteman conducting. This music still sounds fresh 100 years later, and it will be a treat to hear it live with Jon Nakamatsu on the keys and Jeff Tyzik conducting the RPO at 7:30 p.m in Eastman Theatre. (A second show takes place Saturday night at 8 p.m.) It’s part of a program of all bangers: the lush melodies of Sergei Rachmaninov’s Piano Concerto No. 2, rich orchestral colors in Ottorino Respighi’s “Pines of Rome,” and the irresistible energy of Arturo Marquez’s Danzón No. 2. Tickets are $30-$115. MS

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Food and beverage businesses find success in collaboration with other establishments.

Partnership perks CULTURE

BY REBECCA RAFFERTY @ICONOCLASSED

t’s no secret that the overhead of running a business can be substantial, so it’s little wonder that some food and beverage spots get their start doing pop-up events or as food trucks before springing for their own brick and mortar. But some food and beverage businesses, whether they’ve had a storefront or not, are sharing space with other businesses — splitting the rent, utilities, insurance, and other costs, with the added benefit of expanded exposure through one another’s customer base. Here, we spotlight five food- and beverage-based businesses —and one florist —operating in collaborative pairs. Some had already forged friendships and goals in common. For others, the seemingly disparate services just made sense when combined. Read on to learn how these dynamic duos got together — and why it works for them.

PUBLIC PROVISIONS @ FLOUR CITY BREAD 45 Public Market | public-provisions.com, flourcitybread.com

Before last fall, it may not have seemed like the Rochester Public Market needed another restaurant in and around its grounds. But Public Provisions — which in July 2023 moved into a single story, spacious building next to Cure/Java’s — 40 CITY FEBRUARY 2024

From left, Keith Myers and Cassidy Broman. PHOTOS BY MIKE MARTINEZ

A surf-and-turf entrée with a side of Flour City bread. PHOTOS BY MIKE MARTINEZ

fits the market vibe so well, it feels like it’s always been there. The restaurant not only offers marketgoers a spot to grab a coffee and breakfast bite—and crucially, ample seating—before or after navigating the crowded produce stalls on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays, but is open later in the day as a full-service casual restaurant, serving customers six days a week (with varying hours). “Wednesday through Saturday, we’re open from sun up to 9 p.m., and the kitchen never closes between breakfast, lunch, and dinner,” Public Provisions co-owner and chef Cassidy Broman said. “If I’m there, I’ll make you anything that’s on those three menus.” Those menus include savory, drippy-yolk breakfast sammies on fresh croissants and buttermilk biscuits; toasted bagels with the works; sandwiches on sourdough, ciabatta, or focaccia; inventive salads with bright flavors, and hearty surf-and-turf dishes. The breads, rolls, and other bakery items come from in-house: Flour City Bread Co., the 15-

year market mainstay owned by Public Provisions’ co-owner, Keith Myers, recently relocated into the same space from two doors down. Proteins are sourced locally from farms like Seven Bridges, and produce from regional Amish farmers. “But the bread really is the bones of the menu, it’s food that everyone can relate to,” said Broman, who was most recently sous chef at The Cub Room. “Same thing with our beverage program — it’s beer and wine that’s approachable and affordable, and canned cocktails that are not too bitter and not too sweet.” Broman, now 36, was a teenager interning at Rooney’s when he met Myers, who was using that kitchen to experiment with bread making while working at Richardson’s Canal House. Broman attended the Culinary Institute of America before working in restaurants in Chicago, New York City, and Rochester. But he and Myers kept crossing paths throughout their careers — they collaborated on some presentations at the Wegmans

restaurant Tastings, and they both worked for Broman’s father, who owned a restaurant and catering company, Chapel’s Restaurant and Catering (he has since sold the company). Broman worked at Flour City for the past few years while holding down other kitchen jobs. The two have honed not only their cooking and baking chops, but also their friendship over the past two decades. “We’ve always kind of joked about opening a restaurant,” Broman said. “Then he had the opportunity to buy the building Public Provisions is in, and he gave me a phone call.” In what can be a high-pressure, stressful line of work, all-day levity and mutual respect for the work they’ve put into their respective kitchen experience keep things light and moving smoothly along, Broman said. “That’s pretty much tattooed on us.” CONTINUED ON PAGE 42

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From left, Stacy Ercan and Quynh Bui. PHOTOS BY MIKE MARTINEZ

WINTER SWAN COFFEE @ STACY K FLORAL 43 Russell St. | winterswancoffee.com, stacykfloral.com

When a bride-to-be walks into a florist shop for a wedding consultation, being able to order a latte on site is an added perk. Similarly, meeting a colleague for an out-of-office coffee while surrounded by greenery and bathed in natural light when it’s icy outside is just the ticket. However visitors arrive at the counter of Winter Swan Coffee, housed within Stacy K Floral on Russell St., the ‘Swan Cloud’—their version of a Vietnamese coffee—is a must-try. The decadent drink—a hot or iced, dark roast coffee made velvety and sweet with condensed milk and topped with a biscoff cookie crumble—pairs well with a 42 CITY FEBRUARY 2024

conversation or book while relaxing in the central oasis of the 1910 brick building that’s also home to Nosh, Scratch Bakeshop and Old Pueblo Grill. Winter Swan owner Quynh Bui was born in Vietnam and at age 16, moved to America. After graduating from college and working in the business analytics world, she decided to open a coffee shop that reflected the quality of life she remembered from back home. Americans’ habit of constantly rushing around was one of the most intense culture shocks for Bui. In Vietnam, coffee culture isn’t about fueling a whirlwind day. “We have a slow-pace of living, and coffee for us is really about the connection with friends,” Bui said. “Even at night, we go out to grab a cup of coffee and just touch base with friends.” The airy, exposed-beamed, skylight-laden space on Russell St. is

ideal for settling in for a sense-bath that also includes potted plants, elegant home goods, sweet treats, and extraordinary beverages that are so pretty they beg to be ’grammed

— particularly the dreamy bluehued Butterfly Pea Latte or the lime green Pandan Latte, made with a tropical plant that has rose and almond flavor notes.

The environment is courtesy of Stacy Ercan, owner of Stacy K Floral, and Bui says they’ve had glowing feedback from visitors. “People are just really enjoying the space,” she said. “They appreciate that it feels like an experience versus just going to a coffee shop to get a coffee, because immediately when you walk in, the store is filled with flowers and greenery and plants.” Ercan founded her flower business in 2006, first from her home, then to a shop on Park Avenue before expanding into the current storefront on Russell St. in 2016. Stacy K Floral expanded further into the same space in 2023; an additional 4,500-square-feet became the collaborative Design Lab, which also houses custom candle boutique The Fleurish Co. Studio owned by Lainey Schmidt. Bui came onboard last August after launching her business as a pop-up hosted at different venues in 2022. Ever since she visited a flower shop-and-cafe model on a trip to San Francisco in 2017, Ercan knew she wanted a coffee shop in the space. She met Bui through mutual friends, and Winter Swan joined the women-owned businesses; a cohort that is supportive by design. Winter Swan and Fleurish not only gain exposure to Stacy K’s walk-in customers (and vice versa), but their services are also available for hire by folks who book the florist for weddings and other special events. “It’s really neat to see them skip some steps to get ahead faster in this situation that we’ve cultivated,” Ercan said. The Eden-like layout of the shop is periodically refreshed, as is the drink menu at Winter Swan — Bui said to look out for a Pink Rose Latte in February. CONTINUED ON PAGE 44

roccitymag.com CITY 43

From left, Catt Hsu and Michael Goode. PHOTOS BY MIKE MARTINEZ

ROC CITY RAMEN @ HAPPY GUT SANCTUARY 229 Mill St. | roccityramen.org, happygutsanctuary.com

After High Falls staple Fina’s Cafe and Bakery closed in 2020, the area’s options for a daytime bite or caffeinated beverage were next to nil — until Happy Gut Sanctuary and Roc City Ramen opened together in that spot in late November 2023. Together, the businesses offer a variety of fermented teas, coffee, and both Japanese fare and American comfort foods with an Asian flair. Though the businesses existed separately before taking over space on Mill Street, the owners have history. “We’ve known each other since just about the dawn of both businesses,” said Catt Hsu, who coowns Happy Gut with her partner, Robert Heffner. 44 CITY FEBRUARY 2024

Happy Gut, which specializes in fermented teas, loose leaf teas, and tea- or coffee-based specialty beverages, originally opened in the summer of 2018 on Park Ave. About six months earlier, Michael Goode opened Roc City Ramen just around the corner on Alexander Street. “When I was renovating our Park Ave. space I would get hungry and go get some ramen,” Hsu said. “Michael basically fed me a couple of times a week, and our friendship grew from there.” Goode carried Happy Gut’s kombucha, and whenever Hsu made Korean kimchi, Goode would use it in his gyozas (Japanese-style panfried dumplings). Goode opened a second ramen shop in Corn Hill in late 2019, and Happy Gut moved to The Hungerford Building in December 2020. Both businesses weathered the pandemic by shutting down the

restaurants and offering contact-free delivery or to-go options. Happy Gut was part of a rolling wave of businesses that left The Hungerford in 2023, though its kombucha production remains in that building while Hsu and Heffner sort out where it will relocate. Hsu’s Mill St. landlord, JADD Management, wanted a restaurant for the two-story space. But she didn’t have a commercial food background, and had only offered a couple of dishes at her old shop. When it came to selecting a food business partner, Hsu — who was born and raised in Taiwan until age 10 — knew she wanted to bring in someone who took pride in showcasing their Asian heritage as well. “Happy Gut has been an avenue for me to be able to showcase my roots,” Hsu said. Goode’s mother is from Japan

and his father is African American. He founded Roc City Ramen as a noodle shop, but over time expanded his menu to include curries and dumplings, drawing inspiration from his mother’s recipes. “There is that homey feel in his food that I really love,” Hsu said. At Mill St., fans of both businesses will find familiar drinks and fare, including Happy Gut’s tea eggs, but Roc City Ramen’s menu has evolved further to include torikatsu and tonkatsu — pankocrusted chicken and pork cutlets — that are served over rice bowls with sweet cabbage and Japanese barbecue sauce, or in sandwich form. “It’s still following the lines of what I grew up eating, what my mother used to make for me and still makes for my kids,” Goode said. The menu also includes house soups, salads, grilled cheese, and breakfast sandwiches offered in the

morning. These familiar comfort foods are meant to satisfy the palates of those working in the High Falls district, but each has a little Asian flair to it, Goode said. For example, the breakfast sandwich has an add-on of bacon or chashu (marinated pork belly also used in the ramen dishes). “I’d like to keep to the traditional roots of my mother’s recipes,” Goode said. “But I found that in this area, for there to be survivability, there has to be some adaptability as well.” Hsu said the menu will keep expanding. “We’re both very keen on servicing the customers in this new neighborhood,” she said. “Feedback is always great and we’re always down to accommodate what we can.”

On Saturday, Feb. 10, Happy Gut Sanctuary will present a Lunar New Year Latte Art Throwdown, which will include an Asian American artisan market from 4 to 7 p.m. Roc City Ramen will serve its Japanese menu from 4 to 6 p.m., and the throwdown begins at 6 p.m. $5 to play, with prizes from local businesses.

PHOTOS BY MIKE MARTINEZ

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Keepers of the town square CULTURE

BY ROBERT BERKMAN

“I

tried to warn you.” That’s how Megan Mack, producer of WXXI’s daytime radio show, “Connections with Evan Dawson,” gently admonished host Dawson when he disregarded her advice not to take a call from someone she felt might be too belligerent. “I have thick skin,” said Dawson, who just reached his tenth year as host. “I don’t mind callers being belligerent.” Mack smiled. “He enjoys it.” Mack and Dawson, like any professional duo working closely together, have learned how to figure out each other’s ways. Dawson now regularly follows her advice, though he does want to know why someone on the line might be angry, and relishes taking on the challenge of finding common ground with just about anybody. “Connections with Evan Dawson” airs from noon to 2 p.m. each day on WXXI-AM 1370 and serves as a kind of town square for “what matters to you,” as its tagline states. Dawson began in January 2014 after the previous host, Bob Smith, retired after 25 years (Smith died in March

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Evan Dawson and Megan Mack in the “Connections studio.” PHOTO BY JACOB WALSH

Evan Dawson and Megan Mack create community on “Connections.”

“Evan creates a safe space so people know they are valued and respected.” - MEGAN MACK, EXECUTIVE PRODUCER OF “CONNECTIONS”

PHOTO BY JACOB WALSH

2017). Though he is the more well-known of the two, Mack, who joined in 2016, has been called the “glue” of the show. And, of course, many others — engineers, volunteers, and other WXXI staffers — are also vital to the success of the program. But it’s the finely tuned collaboration between Mack and Dawson that is the heart of “Connections with Evan Dawson.” To prepare, Dawson wakes up extra early and reads as much as possible about that day’s guests. He emails Mack and they split up the two hours of the show to write a script for the first minute of each hour (the rest is unscripted), identify angles to explore, and review any audience questions submitted

ahead of time. Mack conducts similar background research on the guests, but she’s a night owl. She may send Dawson emails in the wee hours that he won’t see until the next day, replying, “How late were you up last night?” Her response? “How early were you up, Evan?” Mack is the one who often discovers hidden nuggets about the guests. “She is so good at this,” Dawson said. “I can’t count the times someone on the show says, ‘I’m surprised you knew that!” He adds that Megan is also adept at spotting potential pitfalls. “She makes sure we talk through everything ahead of

time,” said Dawson, “She has the best news judgment of anyone I’ve ever met. She has high standards and will challenge me when she thinks a show is not going down a good road.” As for the show’s mission, Dawson’s openness in engaging with all types of callers is much more than a kind personal trait — it’s part of his larger calling. “Today’s media is pushing us to see each other as less than human,” he said. “I try to be a bulwark against that vitriolic landscape and bring the heat down so we can hear each other, even when we do not agree. Our show interrogates ideas.” Both Dawson and Mack hope “Connections” may help someone understand the world a little better or see an ideological opponent worthy of respect, rather than denigration. “Evan creates a safe space so people know they are valued and respected,” Mack said. “I respect and admire how open-minded he is and how he sees the good in everyone.” For Dawson, a great show is one that’s compelling enough to make someone pause and listen;

choosing “Connections” from the countless ways they could spend their time. It’s also gratifying when a show makes a positive impact on the community. “We once dug through data for a show on the lack of teachers of color in the county, and that really rippled,” said Dawson. “We ended up doing a live show at the Little Theatre, which led the superintendent to tell us there was going to be real change. We also broke the story when URMC was giving preferential care to donors for COVID vaccinations; that program led to the phasing out of that concierge operation.” Dawson, an Ohio native, has learned a lot about Rochester in his 10 years as host. “(Rochester is) underrated,” he said. “It’s easy to fixate on what you don’t like, but the benefits here so outweigh the negatives.”

PHOTO BY JACOB WALSH

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For Rochester Amerks goaltenders, splitting games ‘between the pipes’ is about competition and camaraderie.

Sharing ice time CULTURE

BY DANIEL J. KUSHNER @DANIELJKUSHNER

n a brisk morning in early January, the Rochester Americans hockey team took the ice at Blue Cross Arena. The atmosphere was relaxed, but there was a palpable sense of focus coming from the players as they practiced taking shots on the goalie with a second offensive player in front of him, obstructing his view. It all felt routine. Some of the shots were saved. Others were errant and caromed off the boards, while others were successfully deflected into the net by the stick of the pesky forward in the crease. The matter-of-fact nature of the drill belied the unusual goalie situation the Amerks currently face. Sometimes, one goalie starts in the majority of games, with the backup playing occasionally to give the starting goaltender a night off. But it’s becoming more common for a team’s goalies to alternate as starter. For the first half of 2023-24 season, Amerks goalies Dustin Tokarski and Devin Cooley have split the games 50-50.

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“We’re there to help each other through tough times and support each other when things are going well, too.” From left, Amerks Goalies Devin Cooley, Eric Comrie, and Dustin Tokarski

Eric Comrie steps into the crease to replace fellow Amerks goaltender Devin Cooley during a team training session at Blue Cross Arena. PHOTOS BY JACOB WALSH

The new year has brought change. The Buffalo Sabres, the Amerks’s parent club in the National Hockey League, sent goalie Eric Comrie down to the Rochester team when no other NHL team picked up his contract. What had been a dynamic duo between the pipes for the Amerks has become a trio with unclear roles. Amerks head coach Seth Appert said the team has faith in all three goaltenders, but Comrie’s addition will likely disrupt the timeshare between Tokarski and Cooley. “Comrie will probably get more of the share than just a split, but that’s a week-to-week (decision),” Appert explained. Planning ahead is difficult because rosters change so quickly in the AHL, due to players’ sudden call-ups to the NHL. Dustin Tokarksi, known as “Tickers” to his teammates, is a 34-year-old who’s played for five different NHL teams over the course of his career and is now in his second stint with the Buffalo Sabres organization. He said pushing one another as teammates and competing for starts is part of being a professional, and they’ll support whoever starts. “I don’t think anyone envisioned there being three here right now,” said Tokarski, “but Comrie’s a good dude, Cools is a great guy.” Tokarksi and Cooley, with more shared history, have bonded over their experience in the Amerks net this season. “(Devin) works hard,” said Tokarski. “He’s a really good goalie and I think

we’ve jelled really well. We see eye-to-eye on a lot of things.” For his part, 26-year-old Cooley — who counts the Amerks as his third AHL team — said he has learned a lot from the more seasoned Tokarski. “I try to ask questions as much as I can,” Cooley said. “We’re there to help each other through tough times and support each other when things are going well, too.” Despite their chemistry as teammates, Cooley says his playing style is very different from that of Tokarski. While the latter is a “stay-at-home” goalie who likes to remain in position and play deeper in the crease to block shots, Cooley likes to take more risks, positioning himself higher up to take away the shot angles with his size and reach. Although he has learned from playing alongside Tokarski, Cooley said they don’t push each other to be better so much as they push themselves. Comrie, the 28-year-old new arrival to the Amerks’ current squad, agreed. “You don’t make it to pro hockey by being pushed by someone else,” said Comrie, who played seven games for the Sabres this season before being sent down to the minors. “You make it to pro hockey by being self-motivated.” Now he has new teammates to work with, as they compete with one another for playing time, but that fact doesn’t keep them from connecting with one another. “We’re all goalies,” said Comrie. “We’re all weird, get along well.”

Top and middle: Devin Cooley protects the net from incoming pucks during Amerks practice. Bottom: Eric Comrie covers the near post.

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How low can you go? Turns out, it all depends on the wine you’re pairing. ZWEIGLE’S RED HOT + RÉGNIÉ GUY BRETON BEAUJOLAIS 2021

CULTURE

BY IAN CRITICOS AND ABBY QUATRO

The hot dog is a rite of passage at BBQs and ballparks nationwide. Catch a whiff of dogs blistering on a charcoal grill and the scent of crispy pork skin enters your skull like a homing device. The interplay of textures from the bun’s soft chew to the satisfying snap of sausage never gets old. Condiments, the very essential ensemble of flavor, are highly contested amongst enthusiasts. Haters will write off ketchup as a child’s condiment, but sweet and salty have enjoyed a long history of playing nicely together. Top it off with that perfect squiggle of tangy mustard and that little red ween is a trifecta of Americana delight.

he wine world is notorious for being a bit stuffy. Somms proudly spout vintage variance factoids tableside, and they do matter (a lot), even if you can’t stop your eyes from glazing over. But the trouble is in the translation. Taste is simply storytelling. And, as with life, it’s not better for its complexity, but for its balance. The best food is often simple food, and if you trace most bottles back to their roots you’d be hard pressed to find more humble origins. The world of pairings has been left in a rarefied realm and eversprawling tasting menu prices that could double as mortgage financing aren’t the answer. So, let’s connect the dots. It’s time to embrace the understated indulgence of easy eats paired with badass bottles. A brief interlude for some winesplaining, just so we’re speaking the same language:

If the wine is red and it says beaujolais (boh-jhoe-lay), the grape is gamay. This light-footed BoJo leaves you floating on a cloud of red raspberries, rambling roses and woodland mischief. So easy-drinking and fun that it practically evaporates, leaving you with a spicy, mineral laden aftertaste from a bottle that went down way too fast. Kick it up a notch by popping it in the fridge while the charcoal heats up.

ACID: The fresh, tart and sour taste that makes your mouth water.

TANNIN: Makes your tongue feel “dry” and can be mouth-puckeringly bitter; mostly in red wines.

BODY: How “weighty” a wine feels

WHY IT WORKS:

in your mouth - think skim milk, 1%, 2% and whole.

DRY: A wine that has no residual sugar or isn’t sweet tasting. “Trocken” is German for “dry.”

PHOTOS BY ABBY QUATRO

The fresh, bright, humming acid and red fruit flavor of the wine begs for the salty savory hot dog blanketed in sweet ketchup and zippy mustard. Gamay has lowish tannin, but packs enough of a punch to go toe-to-toe with a dog. roccitymag.com CITY 51

SOUR CREAM & ONION CHIPS GUIBERTEAU SAUMUR BLANC 2022

FISH FRY STEIN PALMBERG RIESLING KABINETT TROCKEN ALTE REBEN 2021

Chips are universal. Flavors may vary across time zones, but everyone can relate to being elbow deep in a greasy sack of crisps. Despite the recurring disappointment of never being as full as you want, popping that bag is a nostalgic ritual with deep ties to every sense. Savoring the mushroom cloud of sweet carby fats and factory flavor fumes (polypropylene, for the nerds), you can almost hear the bell ring for lunch. But, you’re a grown-up now, which means you can have adult drinks to match. (Feel free to wipe the grease on your pants, still… we won’t tell mom.)

If you’ve lived in Rochester longer than half a second, you’ve likely enjoyed the local Friday delicacy that is a fish fry. Perhaps you’ve even found yourself in a heated debate of breaded versus beer battered (beer battered or kick rocks, in our opinion). As you walk into the greasy spoon of choice, those scents of seasoned flat top and fryer make you salivate. By the time you get that oily bag in hand, you’re weak in the knees. After applying a liberal spritz of lemon (and tartar sauce, duh), you dive in. With each bite, the crispy exterior yields a tender, flaky interior — savory and slippery, tinged with the faintest wisp of salt from the sea.

Enter chenin blanc (shen-in-blanc): specifically Guiberteau Saumur Blanc 2022, which tastes like you cracked open a beehive and found it filled with salty yellow apples, straw, dandelions and ocean rocks. This dry French chenin has stratospheric levels of minerality, always hits with roaring waves of acid, and has the benefit of yogi-level concentration.

WHY IT WORKS: The chips and wine are mirrored in their salty, savory,

herbaceous qualities. The acid from the wine sings a beautiful duet with the tang of the chip, washing down the bite and leaving your mouth watering for the next salty snack.

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To borrow an expression from the kids, the Stein Palmberg Riesling Kabinett Trocken Alte Reben 2021 rips. It’s a dry Riesling with enough acid to make your teeth chatter, and sipping it feels like flying a kite in a lightning storm while cresting a 50-foot tidal wave. Except the wave is made of lemons, limes, and green apples, and your surfboard is a slab of smoky slate. (Pro tip: drink riesling with everything. It’s truly a pairing dream date.)

WHY IT WORKS: The weight and texture of the wine are the perfect dance

partner for the light, flaky fish. The electric acidity of this dry riesling cuts through the fried-fatty-greasy goodness like a Ginsu and cleans up the bite better than your favorite party guest. The fruit in the riesling, coupled with a fresh squeeze of lemon, is chef ’s kiss.

PHOTOS BY ABBY QUATRO

SMASHBURGER

+ SCAR OF THE SEA SYRAH 2022

The smell of a sizzling burger is unrivaled in its seduction, and the practiced motion of flipping patties takes you back to simpler times. There’s some kind of magic about patties gleaming down to their crispy edges and blanketed in melty cheese. Sinking your teeth into a burger is a special kind of primal indulgence. The way you grip those buns (firm, yet gentle), juices dripping down your elbows, is pure serotonin. It’s a time capsule of nostalgia — the savory richness of beef, the velvety cascade of cheese, the creamy embrace of [insert condiments of choice] and, finally, that pop of pickle. Let yourself slip into bliss. You have arrived at flavortown. This syrah flexes with food. It tastes like fertilizing a blackberry bush with brined olives, cracked black pepper, and fresh herbs while a guardian angel showers you with purple wildflowers. It’s grown less than a stone’s throw from the ocean, so add a kick of salty sea breeze and ocean tar. Buyer beware; one bottle won’t be enough.

WHY IT WORKS: The broad tannin, crisp acidity, and medium body of the

wine clear away the charred, drippy, fatty power ballad known as charred meat and cheese. The peppery undertones add complimentary flavor while the tang of pickles and tomato enhance the wine’s fruity autotune.

BUGLES

+ RED TAIL RIDGE PINOT NOIR ROSÉ PET NAT

In the clandestine corners of culinary exploration, where the avant-garde meet the unexpected, resides a humble-yet-intoxicating snack: Bugles. These conical corn snacks are seemingly born of a whimsical marriage between a corn nut, a Funyun and a wizard’s hat. The initial airy crackle gives way to a toasty cornchip crescendo. With its woven golden ridges, the Bugle embraces saltiness and the hollow core just begs to be filled with dip (or fingers). This pet nat is all red fruit and flowers. One sip is a rocket ride to the moon, if that rocket is fueled by fresh raspberries, cranberries and roses. Your co-pilot feeds you strawberry candies that came from the bottom of Granny’s purse as you float on cloud nine. Spoiler: this style of wine is slightly bubbly, like champagne’s kid cousin.

WHY IT WORKS: Sometimes, opposites attract. The bright, red fruit in the wine is a perfect foil for the fake onion, corn nut flavor of the snack. The lush velvety feel of the body and bubbles roll over your palate and there’s just enough crisp acid to tie it all together. It just works. When it comes to pairing wine and food, half the fun is trying different combos and seeing how they land for you. For each of the pairings above, we selected accessible, quality wines that can be purchased locally. Check out Pinnacle Wine & Liquor to snag some bottles for your own pairings (or parties). pinnacleliquor.com roccitymag.com CITY 53

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Il Fornaio e il Lupo (The Baker and the Wolf) CULTURE

BY ROB HOUPPERT

weet pastry with espresso. EVOO and pretty much anything. Mourinho and Vespas. Italy and the ’06 World Cup. Forno Tony and the Serie A. Billy Antonio Gushue and the family recipes. Italy has produced impeccable pairings, some known by many and others known by few — but at Italian bakery Forno Tony, there are two favorites: calcio (soccer) and culinary arts. Anyone walking within a block of 1350 University Ave. on a Friday or Saturday is hit with the warm smell of dough coming to a perfect crisp. On a cold afternoon in January, dozens found themselves in a small space inside the massive warehouse that also houses Black Button Distilling. “Now serving 95!” The Roman-style bakery runs service deli-style. Walk in, take a paper number, place an order, and pay at the register with a picture of Italian football legend Francesco Totti on it. In line, people slide along the chest-high glass counter, ordering cuts of pizza rossa con mozzarella as it lands on the line fresh out of the oven. The walls are covered in scarves, flags, and a collection of childhood kits prominently featuring the Azzurri, A.C. Milan, and of course, Roma — an impressive showing of calcio memorabilia. Forno Tony embodies the principles of true Italian baking,

A University Ave. Italian bakery melds calcio and culinary. Left, Billy Antonio Gushue. PHOTOS BY ROB HOUPPERT

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staying close to its roots and building around quality ingredients, texture, flavor, and balance. More distinctly, though, it is Roman, producing elongated ovular shaped pizzas sold by the quarter cut most often found in Italian bakeries. A crust unique and beloved, with its airy interior and crispy outside. It’s as poetic as a Daniele de Rossi slide tackle deep in the midfield. These sights may not be uncommon in Rome, but seldom are they found outside of it — until Forno Tony. The flour-covered hands behind it all are those of Billy Antonio

Gushue: AS Roma supporter, welcoming host, lover of the city of Rome, and a person passionate about bringing true Italian offerings to Rochesterians. Gushue is a Greece native who spent most of his youth close to home, later finding himself living in L.A. and studying in Rome. Eventually, Gushue returned to Rochester, this time with a mind full of mortadella and paper-thin prosciutto. “This is what Romans eat, ya know?” he said, cutting two slices of bread. “You don’t see stuff like pizza bianca or pizza rossa much

around here, or much of the U.S.” He reached to grab a block of provolone as he continued. “I wanted to make a space where people could have daily food people eat (in Rome),” he said. Gushue and his brother/ co-owner, Ryan, trace their family roots to the town of Melfi, in south-central Italy. “It’s what you’d consider a working class town,” said Gushue. “My family came here and was involved in the textile industry, like many Italians. My grandpa eventually became the head of the (textile) union, but he’s really the one who got me into cooking.” With a final drizzle of olive oil and a few peppers, Gushue wrapped up a sandwich and Maritozzi, mini brioche sandwiches stuffed with whipped cream. PHOTO BY ROB HOUPPERT handed it across the counter to a friend. “My grandpa was a really hung Melfi scarf represents the great cook, he and his sisters made familial hometown, surrounded by sure we kept our recipes passed portraits of family throughout the down within the family,” he said. generations. “He used to make us pizzettes as One of the extraordinary things kids, which really kicked off my that food and soccer share is they passion for baking. We have recipes act as a common place for the that come from Melfi that have been communities they are born from. in the family for hundreds of years.” Often, they are the catalyst for the At the crossroads of Roman community itself. In a way, they technique, centuries-old family represent memories that are passed recipes, and modern vision, Gushue along and carried on — a kind of has found himself slinging 70 pizzas passage in time. in 90 minutes during a Saturday Just after the ‘sold out’ rush at Forno Tony — all in a wellannouncement, the final few worn Roma home kit and cap to numbers were called, an ordering match. customer leaned in closer to ask if “Sports were just on all the time, they could sub one of their middle I couldn’t help it,” he said. “Totti pieces for an end. “Of course! The was it. For me it’s also a love of the ends are the best part!” said Ryan. city. It represents everything about “Nobody knows that. You need a Rome to be a Roma fan.” coffee to go?” The accolades for soccer player Romantic prose about De Rossi Francesco Totti, who is an icon and crust aside, why these things for the Gushue brothers, speak for become a part of collective memory themselves — a single club player is most interesting. Perhaps because will always win the love, and likely the forces behind them embody disdain, of fans. A member of the triumph and tragedy central to the local Club Napoli supporters experiences like food and sport. It’s group gifted the crew at Forno places like Forno Tony and people Tony a scarf, a collaboration like Gushue who breathe life into unheard of (unless one partner those memories, keeping recipes and makes really great food). The Lazio legacy alive for years to come. scarf around the trash bin — look “Antonio was my grandpa’s away now, Ciro Immobile — is a name,” he said, “it’s my middle reminder certain rivalries are not name, and it’s my son’s name.” so easily undone, and a proudly roccitymag.com CITY 55

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Finger Lakes in a can, by way of Hollywood CULTURE

BY GINO FANELLI

ne can be forgiven for letting out a sigh of resignation upon hearing about another Hollywood-born beverage company aggressively entering a regional market. After all, George Clooney and company’s Casamigos tequila quickly became a barroom mainstay. Bryan Cranston and Aaron Paul have incessantly tried to convince us they’re honestto-God friends throughout their multimedia push of Dos Hombres Mezcal. And boy, does Ryan Reynolds think his wit is just sardonic enough to sell us Aviation Gin. Point being, the world of spirits has been flooded with celebrity investors aiming to use star power to sell products that are, well, fine. There’s nothing horribly wrong with any of the above products. There’s also nothing particularly interesting beyond the number of red carpets its purveyors have trodden. But the same cannot be said of Lake Hour, a new brand of canned craft cocktails out of Conesus founded by actor Wyatt Russell and movie producer Richard Peete. While coming from a similar heritage to other film industry drinkables, Lake Hour treads somewhat new ground. Floral-influenced, low on

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A movie producer and an actor launch a line of RTD craft cocktails.

From left, Richard Peete and Wyatt Russell. PHOTO PROVIDED

sugar, and featuring bespoke flavor combinations like rosemary yuzu and honeysuckle ginger. “I was an IPA drinker, and hanging out on the boat, as one does in the Finger Lakes, there’s only so many IPAs you can have out there, or just golfing or being out in the sun,” Peete said. Russell, son of actor Kurt Russell and actress Goldie Hawn, has appeared as a regular in the Marvel cinematic universe; comedies like “This is 40” and “22 Jump Street”; and one of the more visceral episodes of techhorror anthology series “Black Mirror.” Peete, a Geneseo native, is a producer who has worked on films including “Blue Ruin” and “A Place Beyond the Pines.” Russell and Peete met through their spouses and developed the idea to launch a drink company over a desire for an easy-drinking line of cocktails. Most canned cocktails and seltzers Russell had tried were overbearing on sugar, making them a chore to get past a can or two. “We want this to be the kind of thing where you bring out a fourpack and it’s gone in 20 minutes,” he said. “...We want to be the LaCroix of RTD (ready-to-drink) cocktails.” Unlike White Claw or Truly seltzers, which use a beer-like malt base, Lake Hour is more akin to High Noon in design, which simply mixes premade liquor with carbonated water and flavorings. This has two advantages—it allows for a more neutral backbone to build flavor blends off, and it allows a company to scale up as fast as they can buy liquor. On the latter, Lake Hour has been able to rapidly expand since launching in July 2023, hitting five states as of January 2024. On the former, a word

PHOTO BY JACOB WALSH

to describe Lake Hour’s four offerings—vodka-infused Rosemary Yuzu, Honeysuckle Ginger, Peach Jasmine, and the tequila-based Watermelon Cucumber—is “delicate.” All are mild, nuanced drinks with a clean, refreshing finish. Honeysuckle ginger was the most divisive among CITY staffers; a robust ginger backbone laced with floral accents and finished with a tight bite reminiscent of a good ginger beer, albeit a bit more subdued. “We really do want to offer something that anyone can enjoy, that you can pick up and drink on any occasion and it’s something that goes down easy without bogging you down,” Peete said. The smoky accent of the

Watermelon Cucumber juxtaposed by refreshing cucumber notes and a tart, not-quite-but-close watermelon Jolly Rancher tone is the standout. Approachable, yet complex. Yuzu and Rosemary offered an interesting layered flavor profile, although the pungent herbal oils overpowered much of the delicate citrus. The Peach Jasmine, meanwhile, with its almost non-existent dose of tea and unripe peach leaning, was drinkable, but forgettable. Three out of four ain’t bad. Lake Hour can be found in liquor stores and bars around the Rochester region. lakehour.com

roccitymag.com CITY 57

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Answers to this puzzle can be found on page 39

Candy hearts PUZZLE

BY S.J. AUSTIN & J. REYNOLDS

ACROSS

1. Does a chore using feathers

6. Rail vehicle originally pulled by horses 10. Pros’ opponents 15. What’s going on when an unknown number texts you saying, “Is this Stephanie’s phone?” (Unless your name IS Stephanie.)

50 55

20. Fred and Wilma’s aptly named pet

21. Chocolatier maker whose name, we’re begging you to realize, rhymes with the word “piece,” not the word “greasy”

22. Florence’s river

23. Electrician, at times 24. Jamie Fraser or Scrooge McDuck

73 81 87

100

26. Bathroom in Bilbao

106

32. Opposite of rural 33. Highly respected 35. Memo abbr. 37. Not chronic 39. Humdingers 41. Blueprint 43. One of the “Core Four” Yankees in the 1990s 47. Jezebel’s god 50. “Rent” role for Idina Menzel 52. Admit (to) 53. Poke 54. Vipers 57. Role for Pitt in a 2011 sports drama 58. Bring to life 60. Padre’s hermano 61. Breaks up 64. Pitcher 66. Ethereal glows 58 CITY FEBRUARY 2023

82 90

98 103

121

122

114 123

115 124

104

105 110

111

116

117

125

134

135

136

137

138

139

140

141

70. Menu promise 72. Trial by combat 74. Valentine’s brand depicted four times in this puzzle

94. Like chromium among the naturally occurring metals 96. Muscular dudes 98. Cleans (up) 100. Prefix with center 101. So, in Scotland

132

127

129

68. “Ta-ta!”

131

118

126

128

67. Eternally, to a poet

130

78 85

109

113

108

102

107

83 89

44 53

101

120

43 52

112 119

29. “Right away, boss!”

27. Word with snow or golden

31 36

25. Younger of the Coen Brothers

31. Spanish Mrs.

39 47

19. “Casey _____ Bat”

133

116. Lures 119. Software giant that developed the PDF format 122. Psychedelic substance first formulated in 1938 124. Hall of Fame linebacker Junior 126. Aromas

77. Picket line crosser

102. Corkscrews, e.g.

81. Genre for Pavoratti

105. GPS suggestions

83. Mints sold in rectangular tins

106. Frat house embrace

128. Desert whose annual temperatures may range from -40° to 113° Farenheit

85. Southern neighbor of Eur.

108. Mimics

129. Feature of a castle

86. Close, in verse

109. Arnaz and Ball’s production company

131. Office communique

89. Landed on 92. Prime meridian locale 93. 24 horas

112. “He makes _____ martini” 114. Body part that might be “lent”

133. “The Waste Land” author 134. Give off 135. Invitation heading

136. Vicinity

s the head with oxygenated blood

137. Put on TV again

55. Alphabet trio

138. Theater backgrounds

56. Informal “What if...?”

139. Paddled a canoe, say

59. Grins for the camera

140. Social media entry

62. Feature of many pre-2021 mortgages

141. Onetime producer of 74-Across 8 billion per year!

63. Perfect 65. Scandal-ridden energy company

DOWN

69. _____ Na Na

1. “That’s gonna be a no from me, _____”

71. Precursor to Windows

2. Functional 3. Politician Thurmond 4. Mark Burnett miniseries based on a religious text 5. Tranquil 6. QB achievements 7. Pasta filling 8. Shortly, quaintly 9. Melodic formula 10. Verb that sounds like its second letter 11. Brings in 12. Most populous city in Western Asia 13. Singer Hayes who composed the theme for “Shaft”

73. Laundry unit 75. Comic DeGeneres 76. Made amends 78. Military school trainee 79. Up in flames 80. Military leadership, informally 82. Take for granted 84. _____-Cone 86. Throat-clearing sound 87. California wine region 88. Dublin’s land, literarily 90. Breakfast restaurant chain that Jim Gaffigan once said should be renamed “I Barely Move” 91. Conical lodge with smoke flaps 95. Wise

14. Pres. Biden, once

97. Flat-topped hills

15. Buffalo NHLers

99. Legendary martial artist and film star who died in 1973

16. Oft-imitated food 17. Tolstoy’s Karenina 18. One of five for Pluto 28. Caribbean or Mediterranean 30. Like many entrepreneurs, personality-wise 32. Shangri-La and Arcadia 34. _____ Lock (PC key) 36. “The L Word” co-creator Chaiken 38. Second word of many fairy tales 40. Cleverly indirect 42. Once more 44. Open a crack 45. “Star Trek” character with a positronic brain 46. Fivers 47. Like some breath (not to be confused with some fishhooks) 48. French exclamation that is 80% vowels 49. Love to pieces 51. Button you might have “accidentally” kicked when you were losing at Nintendo

103. Picks up where one left off 104. 157.5° from N 107. Nuns’ garments 108. Nickname for Allen Iverson, with “The” 110. Cards checked at a barroom door 111. Alfalfa by another name 113. Polynesian greeting 115. Chart again 117. 1940s computer nicknamed the “Great Brain” 118. Stone-faced 119. A long, long time 120. Many a stadium cover 121. Last words? 123. “Dat _____” (jazz song) 125. Lead-in to space or dynamic 127. Houston MLBer, for short 129. Lowest prime number 130. The “R” of Roy G. Biv 132. Cereal staple

52. Artery that supplie roccitymag.com CITY 59

60 CITY FEBRUARY 2024