Covering Your Friends and Neighbors
Grilling Season
We hear from a grillmaster with tips for this grilling season
EX PATS: ROB RUMSEY IS FULFILLING HIS DESTINY FOOD TRUCKS ARE POPULAR AROUND THE REGION UPSTATE GEECHIE: EXPLAINS THE COLOR YOU SEE ON SPRING FLOWERS CHEF’S BEST: HILL TOP INN
Volume 01 June 2021
ISSUE 004
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SOUTHERN TIER LIFE MAGAZINE STAFF Editor In Chief Randy Reid Editorial Assistant Dee Reid Advertising Randy Reid Contributors A’Don Allen, Michael Bankston, Chris Brewster, Sheri Hughey, Sky Moss, Jaran Reid, Bob Thomas, Cathy White Contact news@southerntierlife.com Address P.O. Box 704, Elmira, New York 14902 Publisher Reid Media Group, LLC
Reid Media Group LLC is a NYS Certifed Minority Business Enterprise Southern Tier Life is published by Reid Media Group. Copyright 2021. All rights reserved
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TABLE OF CONTENTS the rise of food trucks
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Hot shots 10 Lessons from the Grillmaster
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mind your business 16 Upstate Geechie 18 Vibing w/ Cat White 20 Spotlight on Youth - Michael Bankston
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ExPats - Rob Rumsey 24 Chef’s Best - Park Inn
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What’s Happening 28
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Centuries of Experience. A Name You Can Trust.
thedunngroup.com
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Editorial It is officially the start of summer and a chance for all of us to get out of our confined environments that we spent the last 12 plus months in. Though states are opening up, we still need to be vigilante with our masking and social distancing. For one, this social distancing was a breeze for me as I’m an introvert. I know it has been challenging for school aged kids and even adults. It is important we recognize this and get them help or support them in some way. Publishing this magazine has taught me how much talent has come out of the Southern Tier. This month’s Ex-Pats feature on Rob Rumsey backs that theory up. Rob is a celebrity make up artist who struggled to find himself in high school and went on to national and international success. We would like to hear your feedback on our magazine. Reach out to us at: news@southerntierlife.com.
RANDY REID SOUTHERN TIER LIFE MAGAZINE 2021
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Southern Tier Views Photograph by Michael Bankston
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THE RISE OF FOOD TRUCKS Photo: Jaran Reid
writen by Sheri Hughey While planning a trip to the Bay Area in California four years ago, one experience ranking high on my list of things to do was grabbing some grub, grazing in the grass, and chilling at a food truck park. And behold, there I was, at the Presidio of San Francisco, on a sumptuous sunny day, the funky, “get up and shake what your momma gave ya’” music of live band, and, those aromas -- not the ones of that organic smoked substance (however, undeniably prevalent)-- but of the glorious fare representing a myriad of cuisines, from soup (Pho) to (dough) nuts, that permeated the brisk Spring air from a gazillion food trucks; well, maybe not a gazillion, but more than I could count.
1872 in Rhode Island where a vendor named Walter Scott parked his covered wagon in front of a local newspaper office in Providence. Mr. Scott peddled sandwiches, pies, and coffee. His customers were pressmen and journalists of the newspaper who worked the late shift. Other sources credit Charles Goodnight, of Texas, as the first food truck operator. Mr. Goodnight is recognized for inventing the chuckwagon which was a type of covered wagon kitchen. The chuckwagon fed cattle herders and cowboys back in the day. It is interesting that also, during this time, smoke aromas fragranced the air of the chuckwagons along the smell of Enjoying the sunny day at a Food Truck Park According to The New York Times Magprepared hearty meals. History has in San Francisco. azine, food trucks can be traced back to it recorded that Mr. Goodnight was
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a heavy smoker of tobacco but not the wacky kind. I think. Here in the Southern Tier, food truck parks are not quite on the scene yet, however, we do have the pleasure of indulging in some good eats offered by a considerable number of vendors; Global Taco, Heidi Ho’s, and My Eva Authentic Mexican Food, just to name a few. Nick Totman, Owner/Operator of Fire Dawgs BBQ and Catering, believes that there is friendly competition in the area. “I have talked and learned from other trucks in the area. We are all friendly with each other and willing to give tips and hints to each other. At the end of the day, we all just want everyone to make a profit.” Nick jumped into the food truck business in 2018. “I was working at a used car dealership as an inventory manager. While I loved what I did, I hated working for someone else. I am also an Assistant Fire Chief (Volunteer) in my local town. I heavily help with food fundraising and knew I was good at it, so I said, “what the heck, let’s try it for a job!”
As with any startup business or entrepreneurial venture, there are the challenges, demands, and unknowns that are simply par for the course. Fire Dawgs BBQ and Catering is and was not exempt. Totman states, “There are many hurdles in this business. I think the biggest hurdles were and still are the unseen side of it. The permits, licenses, insurance etc.”
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credit and appreciation to his family for their support in this endeavor. His dad was instrumental in helping him to transform a trailer into the operating food truck. “My family has been Although up and running for three crucial in this business succeeding,” years, the struggles of operation remain. Nick affirms. “Actively, hurdles include gaining and keeping employees. The days and hours According to Nick, the food truck are weird in the food truck world and “explosion” started pre-COVID and many people just can’t swing it. Oththe pandemic further pushed its er hurdles include the price of food. It growth, expansion and popularity. always varies; and with COVID, every- “People enjoy the grab and go (feathing has sky-rocketed.” Totman gives ture) of amazing food,” Nick explains. “They enjoy tasting what the food truck owners can offer with their own twist.” Fire Dawgs BBQ pop-ups can be found within approximately a 50-mile radius. Pop-ups at breweries are golden. “Breweries have proved to be the best locations for us so far. The food and beer combo is super ideal for the customers,” Totman explains. A “good day,” according to Nick is, “a minimum of a 4-digit gross right now. That’s around 50 orders.” If I were to guess, I’d say that Nick definitely experiences a “good day” consistently on a regular basis. The Fire Dawgs BBQ menu includes items such as “Cowboy Nachos,” “Pretzel Buffalo Chicken Log,” “Loaded Waffle Fries,” and a pulled pork meal. I went home with “Pretzel Pork Sliders” and the “White Horse Meal.” Yes, Nick – amazing grab and go food!
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APPARATUS Content Coordinator: Steven Bigness
S O U T H P O R T F I R E D E PA R T M E N T The month we feature the Southport Volunteer Fire Department. A 100% Volunteer Department founded through discussions between men at the Southport Corners around 1944. A group went to the Town and leased an old voting booth, on Laurel Street, which became the first station. In 1948, the Department purchased its first engine which was a 1923 American Lafrance. In 1951, members built a facility at 1000 Laurel Street, and in May 1964, a final move to the current location at 1001 Carl Street was made. The station currently houses a fleet of Pierce apparatus.
The Southport Volunteer Fire Department Fleet consists of: #1433 - 1997 Pierce Saber Engine #1441 - 2012 Pierce Velocity Ladder truck 105’ foot. #1431 - 2008 Pierce Saber Engine #1432 - 2017 Pierce Impel Rescue/Pumper The Department also has a boat and ice rescue equipment, a brush truck and 2 utility trucks.
For More information: www.townofsouthport.org All Photos Courtesy: Southport Fire Dept
facebook.com/Southport-Fire-Dept
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Their first contract as a fire protection district was signed in July of 1952. Currently the Department contracts with the Town of Southport every 3 years.
The Southport Volunteer Fire Department has approximately 40 active members, with a total of 78 members on their rolls, (including inactive life members). A Chief and two Assistant Chiefs are elected every year. The elected Chiefs run the fire aspect of the department, which is governed by a nine-member Board of Directors. The current Chief is James Allington, along with Frank Cicora, Assistant Chief nights, and Christopher Baldwin, Assistant Chief Days. The Department runs around 200 fire calls a year and has Automatic mutual aid agreements with the
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Elmira City Fire Department for structure fires. Monday is Drill Night, with around 48 drills a year, plus other special trainings. Southport VFD covers approximately 8 square miles, with a population of nine thousand residents. Fundraisers are held throughout the year, with the main fundraiser being their Famous Chicken BBQ. Money raised is shared with local Charities throughout the area, including the Arctic League, Children’s Miracle Network, Local Sports programs for kids and more. New Members are always welcome. If you are interested and live on the Southside of the city of Elmira, stop by the station to learn more and see if it something you would like to do.
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LESSONS FROM
THE GRILLFATHER
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A Guide to Better Grilling This Summer
for help of how to grill properly. In hindsight, that wasn’t a smart choice. My creations the first few times I grilled would’ve qualified for a grilling version of the hit show “Nailed It”. Too much salt, not enough salt, coals weren’t hot enough, coals were too hot, over cooked meat, undercooked meat…or my favorite, “lighter fluid chicken”, that’s the name my food
by A’Don Allen
I couldn’t wait to be a grown-up. (What a bad decision that was, but I digress...). I couldn’t wait to grow up. I couldn’t wait to drive, to drink whatever it was I couldn’t, to vote. I can count all the reasons that I couldn’t wait to be a grown-up. One of the biggest reasons, I couldn’t WAIT to be a grown-up? I wanted to cook the meat at the family reunions. I couldn’t wait to be my Uncle Harry, or my Uncle Junie. They had the best job at the family reunions. They got to grill the meat, drink beer and set the tone of the meal with their creations on the grill. Whether it was as easy as burgers and hot dogs, or chicken, ribs, or steak, my uncles and older cousins did wonders on the grill. I finally did grow up (my wife might beg to differ...), but I do remember when I got my first apartment, the first selfish purchase I bought, was a charcoal grill. And you couldn’t tell me a thing. I had watched my uncles and my father and grandfather so many times; I didn’t even need to ask
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CHARCOAL GRILLING This has always been my favorite way to go. (However, using a smoker is coming in hot...I know, bad joke) In my opinion, grilled food tastes best when grilled properly on a charcoal grill. But there are major things to watch for when using a charcoal grill:
was dubbed after not allowing the coals to get be completely ashen before beginning to cook the bird. And while I got better at grilling, I didn’t completely master the art until I mastered one major obstacle that I fought with my entire life: PATIENCE!! Grilling is an art form. There are many different avenues to that art form, which I will get into in a bit. But it does require patience. Even if you are just doing some quick grilling on the gas grill, or smoking for an entire day, add patience to the tips I am going to share with you.
1. Lighting the Coals: So growing up, lighter fluid was the way to go. And while newer methods to lighting charcoal have come up, if you are old school and you want to use lighter fluid, soak your coals, let them sit for about 10-15 minutes and then light them. Wait until your coals are an ashen color before placing your food on the grill, or your food will have a lighter fluid taste. Your best bet is a Chimney Starter. Place some newspaper in the bottom of the Chimney Starter and then place the coals on top of the newspaper and light from the bottom. Takes about 15-20 minutes, but your lighter fluid taste
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is non-existent. Again, wait until the coals are fully gray, and then place in the grill. (Continue on next page) 2. Make Sure Your Coals are Evenly Placed: This is pretty self-explanatory. You want your food to cook evenly, so make sure you spread the coals evenly. If you are cooking different things, put 2/3 of your coals to one side, that way you can cook different foods at different temperatures if needed. 3. Maintaining Temperature: Always preheat your grill. 5-10 minutes after the coals turn gray should do. That sizzle when your food touches is the best sound in the world. Also, make use of your vents on a charcoal grill. If you need to cook in somewhat of a time frame, open your vents, if not close them tighter. You will get more smoke flavor that way if that’s what you are going for.
Cutting board given to A’Don by his daughter as a gift cure. If you try to light and it doesn’t, TURN YOUR KNOBS OFF BEFORE YOU ATTEMPT TO TROUBLESHOOT!! Trust me that will not end well. Most gas grills have an automatic lighter, but if you have to light manually, light as soon as you turn the gas on. If it does not light right away manually, turn your knobs off, check your connection, then turn them on again and try again. Again, safety and patience are our friends.
GAS GRILLING: I swore off gas grilling for years. I thought it was cheating. I really did. However, I have come a long way on gas grilling. A) It’s extremely convenient. Especially when you are doing something quick like hot dogs or burgers. B) It’s also a lot easier to control the temperature with a gas grill, and it’s easier to use direct and indirect heat. My advice for gas grillers: 1. Be Careful When Lighting the Grill: Safety is number 1. Make sure the top is up. And make sure your connection to your tank is se-
2. Always Keep Your Gas Grill Clean: The grease splatter in a gas grill can cause flame ups which can scorch your food. Also, if you like the grill marks in your food and don’t want your food to stick to the grates, make sure they are clean. Soap and water on your grates should do the trick. Your gas grill should have a grease tray; clean that out about every few grill sessions. Preheat your grill for about 15 minutes before you cook on it after cleaning your grates. That is unless you like soap flavored foods.
SMOKING (Charcoal, Pellet, Electric) This has become my favorite form of grilling. It also requires the most patience, but in my opinion has the most rewarding outcomes. I have a pellet smoker and it might be my most prized and cherished possession. I mean, my kids and wife are ahead of it on the priority scale, but I let them all know that touching my smoker will result in consequences and repercussions. What should you know about smoking foods? I’m glad you asked. 1. LOW AND SLOW IS THE WAY TO GO: I have found that the most effective meals done on the smoker are meats or entrees that are smoked between 195-250 degrees Fahrenheit for a longer period of time. You can go higher if you don’t have all day, but if you don’t have time restraints, somewhere between 225-250 is the way to go. If you have a pellet or electric smoker, you normally can set the temp and forget it. But if you have a charcoal smoker, and you
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it at high heat (approximately 400 degrees for about a half hour) That’s a must or your first meat smoke will taste like a store or the box it came in. Also, clean the outside and the inside, but do NOT soap your grates. Steel 2. Make Sure You Have the Wool or wire brush any excess on the Right Accessories: For most grilling, but especially for smoking, you must grates but never use soap. have a proper working thermometer. I won’t get into recipes and dry rubs versus wet marinades, as to each is There are so many to choose from. their own. Plus, that’s truly the best I recommend if you get a smoker, part of grilling; finding and trading get one with a probe thermometer recipes and styles with your friends, attached to the smoker, but also, think about a digital and/or Bluetooth and scouring the internet and YouThermometer. The probes are great, Tube for the different ways and varithe others (Digital and/or Bluetooth) eties to prepare your favorite dishes. as back-ups are recommended. Also, Summer is here and it’s time to grill. get a great set of gloves. You do need Have Fun! Be Safe... and Be Patient! to touch your food and quite often The Grillfather has spoken! will need to touch when hot. 3. Maintain your smoker properly: Rule #1; Season that Bad Boy when you get it! Spray with oil or get fat splatter and then smoke
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Each month Southern Tier Life highlights a local business. This month we feature Boss Security in Horseheads. Describe how the business started: BOSS originally began as a side hustle by one of its founders who found an interest in IoT/IP devices servicing a few close friends and their businesses. In 2015, BOSS Security & Automation was established as a value-added service to established clients in mainly the oil and gas industry, finding traction across multiple trades and business sectors. In 2018, the company was purchased by Scott Beecher and has now evolved from a 3-person operation to a team of numerous individuals with expanded offerings in surveillance, access control, burglary, fire, and custom life safety and security systems. In 2021, BOSS acquired Endeavor Services Group to add dedicated IT services as well as to provide printer/copier/toner offerings to its client base. Tell me about your product and services: BOSS Security & Automation provides design, installation, and maintenance of both residential and commercial surveillance, access control, burglary, fire, and custom life safety and security systems. We offer a turnkey approach to system integration, lowering customer costs and while limiting installation impact on our customers day to day business. Who are your customers? BOSS services a wide array of clients in the residential, commercial, and industrial spaces mainly throughout New York and Pennsylvania; having completed multiple projects in Virginia, West Virginia, Maryland, Texas, Montana, Ohio, and even Canada as well.
Minding Your Business Address: 1250 Schweizer Road, Horseheads, NY 14845 Website: BossSecurity.com # Years in Business: 6 years Owner/Owners: Scott H. Beecher What did you do differently during COVID that kept your business alive? Fortunately, BOSS is part of a group of companies owned by Scott Beecher, residing in the former Schweizer Aircraft Facility in Horseheads. With all the businesses being under one
roof employees were able to be utilized within other business unit. During the height of the pandemic, we retooled existing machinery to begin producing face shields in our production facility. This joint effort as well as others was key in keeping our entire staff employed through-
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out the pandemic. Not a single BEST employee had to be let go, a testament to our team and shared mission. Today we are back in full operation, and are looking at a record-breaking year for the company with goals for expansion into key markets within the Northern and Southern Tiers of NY and PA.
NEW YORK
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GoodApplesny.com Elmira, NY
All Major Payment Methods Accepted
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by Sky Moss
May in upstate is color display every much as miraculous as our fall foliage. While the colors may not intertwine into a hillside quilt they are remarkable in their variance and specificity. Like all states, NY has visitors/invasives that have made a home in our biohood. Some were invited, others were not. Many have become seasonal fixtures and add beauty and contrast to our landscapes. Nature has the ability to produce colors that can defy both description and naming. The most talented J. Crew or Sherwin-Williams palette pontificator would struggle to assign accurate nomenclature. It reminds me of a story I heard about taste descriptors (words we use to describe food taste). In the west, the English language has few words to describe the array of food tastes that exist in the world. I believe Lao has the most (quantity) descriptive terms. What follows are photos I took with my phone of cultivars that struck me as beautiful over the last three to four weeks. They are immigrants or offspring thereof. Some are dangerous interlopers, truly invasive. I will do my best to accurately identify the species. If you catch an error, please contact the editor
so that I can learn. Fashion and patterning are two of my other loves. Nature is the GOAT is these realms as well. Some plants go hard for days, others for weeks and then they are gone, onto another life cycle. Frankly one much less striking although I dig greens too. Enjoy the colors and get outside and witness some on your own. No camera will ever fully capture the immediate beauty of nature. Chaenomeles: A native of SE Asia this cultivar is prized in Europe and North America as an ornamental, grown for its vibrant flowers. Many varieties are spiny with acidic hard fruits. Mine gets gangly and difficult to mow around. It is absolutely striking at peak. The color screams “salmonink” (pink/ salmon)
Prunus cerasifera: The purple leaf plum is hybrid developed by Niels Ebbeson Hanson in 1910. In 1993 it won the Royal Horticultural Society award of garden merit. A stylish tree the spring presentation is a charismatic mash up of purples and pinks (the leaves and the blossoms). They can be messy and require cleanup and pruning. The unique contrast of colors suggests the naming “70’s Tuxedo”. This one lives at CCC.
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Syringa vulgaris: Ahhh, the lilac, few upstate flowers rival its penetrating aroma. In many ways it dominates May. When I coached my daughter in youth softball, I chose “Lilacs” as our team name. This native of Eastern Europe and temperate zone Asia arrived with settlers in the America’s. Some say the estate of Governor Wentworth in New Hampshire was the first colonial locale to feature them. They come in many shades. These grow in my yard. I dub these “purple ivory”
Sky Moss is an Associate Professor at Corning Community College
Hesperis matronalis: The most kick-ass named and dangerous of the group, Dames Rocket is a hardy member of the mustard family often confused with Phlox. A native to the Mediterranean and Central Asia it went rogue as a garden addition and now threatens to exterminate native plants and microecosystems in several USA zone. It releases an intoxicating hot chia aroma in the evenings. It comes in white and various purples. My name is “violetator”. Berberis vulgaris: Barberry. It is native to Central and Southern Europe, North Africa and Western Asia. Ubiquitous throughout North America it is a favorite landscaping plant with relatively modest taming requirements. Its berries are edible yet highly acidic. They are packed with vitamin C and can be dried and used in various ways. The prickly nature of the plant makes harvesting difficulty. The shrub is also known to have anti-inflammatory properties and is coveted in parts of the Maghrib and Middle East for this reason. This is one of mine after a severe Covid pruning. The new growth color contrast is fly. Name “psychedelic spring”
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June’s ExPats features former Southern Tier resident Robert Rumsey, makeup artist extraordinaire and one of my best friends since high school. (Link to Rob’s Story) Apropos that Rob is featured during Pride month. He has every reason to be proud of his life, his journey and his accomplishments. From the neighborhoods of westside Elmira to the center of Los Angeles music and entertainment, Rob has traveled the world and works surrounded by unbridled creativity, diversity and inclusivity. Not to mention power, influence and money. I met Rob at Ernie Davis Middle School in the early 1980s. It was definitely NOT love at first sight. I know there’s more work to be done, crucial work, in LGBTQIA++ rights, but we really have come a very long way from the 1980s, when Rob felt it necessary to hide his sexuality. He hid it behind a razor sharp, sarcastic sense of humor who could cut ANYONE down with a one-liner. I’m not sure exactly when I first met Rob but the first memory I have is of him insulting my “Dorito breath” in the ED lunchroom, which erupted with laughter because, like me, Rob is LOUD! I realized much later, like the end of high school, that Rob just made extremely hurtful (and hilarious) comments because he was figuring out how to be his true self in a community that wasn’t openly welcoming to its LGBTQIA++ members. “It wasn’t a safe or prosperous place for “others”,” Rob said. While interviewing Rob for ExPats, we reminisced about
Vibing w/Cat White
growing up in Elmira and the lack of safe spaces or mentors for youth who were “different” - defined as “creative,” “artistic,” “gay” when we were coming of age. Even when Angles Ultimate Dance Club, which promoted itself as an alternative dance club – code: safe space for LGBTQIA++, opened in the 1990s, it was located on what Rob accurately described as a “random street by the railroad tracks with no open businesses around.”
“Even as a little kid I knew it (Elmira) wasn’t my place,” he said. “I wanted to experience different things and people, not just read about them.” In high school, Rob and I got closer, and he seemed to find his voice as an artist and performer, with support, he stresses, from the young women in his life, starting with his older sister Candy. “My sister was so supportive and beautiful to me,” Rob said. In addition to, mostly, older women in Elmira who encouraged and supported his artistic pursuits, accepting Rob for who he was. Sharon Bernard, owner of several
“Over the Rainbow” daycare centers in the southern tier, hired Rob to paint colorful murals on one of her preschool’s walls when he was in high school. “She would pick me up after school to paint at her school, pay me and make sure I got home in the evenings,” Rob says. Community businesswomen like Bernard, and teachers like Mrs. Price, an art teacher at EFA who encouraged Rob to try out for a movie filming in the area were instrumental in making safe spaces in his hometown. “They acknowledged and nurtured my talents. These women lifted me up.” He was happy to reconnect with former classmates when he returned in 2017 to help his ailing father. To learn that today’s area youth have that supportive, strong foundation of local women – teachers, businesswomen, social workers – nurturing all community kids, including the ones who may be a little “different” brought Rob peace. He’s inspired when he sees a high school friend proudly post photos
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of her daughter and her daughter’s partner on social media. While the Southern Tier may not be as inclusive as L.A., it’s certainly more tolerant and celebratory of those who are different than in the past.
the gig I was promoted to Features reporter. In the beginning my “beat” was local events. My first New Years I was tasked with finding a local event to highlight in a brief (eight lines instead of two). As I scanned the submissions, my eye stopped on Angles. I’d been Before leaving New York for good, Rob away at school so I wasn’t quite sure what Angles was at the time, but its stayed with me and my family briefly. Even though we argued like true New Years Eve festivities included club siblings in the short time we cohabidancing until 2 a.m., a comedian, a tated, it cemented our friendship and drag show, food until 6 a.m., and door prizes. And it was open to 18 and older fierce support for each other over the (I think. This was also decades ago.) As decades. I am incredibly proud (and amazed) at how bright Rob’s star is shining! In reflection, my relationship with Rob could be considered the root of my support for LGBTQIA++ community. I mean, there were others – mom’s flamboyant hairdresser, the neighborhood Rob Rumsey (L) with Cat White (R) taken in 1989 restaurant or bar owner, certain a young person at the time, this soundlandscapers, teachers; not to mention family or friend’s family – people that ed like such a unique experience for I knew to be caring and helpful, often Elmira, NY. So, I highlighted the Angles event. The following week, lively and always memorable. Angles bar manager reached out to me with flowers, a thank you card and reI began working at the Star-Gazette in early 2001, shortly after graduating quest to meet. They wanted to express their gratitude at the mention and let from SUNY New Paltz. I started as a news assistant – I answered the news- me know of all the good work that Angles was doing for the local communiroom phone, did some data entry for ty. Angles staff and patrons frequently recurring sections of the newspaper and, basically, did whatever tasks were organized fundraisers – many featuring drag shows – that benefited an array of needed. A little over six months into
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local charities. Club management also encouraged LGBTQIA++ youth - the creative artistic young people looking for a safe space to express themselves through performance, stage design, communications and promotion, entertainment planning and talent procurement (Lady Bunny’s performed there, y’all!). Angles was a family of young, old, gay, straight, all ethnicities and income levels, coming together to dance, laugh, love and enthusiastically celebrate each other’s dreams while trying to find a place in their community to live their true authentic life. Elmira, the Southern Tier, have a history of social justice. It was a stop on the Underground Railroad. The Park Church was part of the abolition movement and was also one of the first in the area to become an “Open and Affirming Congregation,” welcoming LGBTQIA++ “to worship and participate in communal life.” Like Rob, although I no longer live in the region, I’m pleased to see those in the community supporting area youth who choose to speak up, who may be a little different. I also love seeing so many southern tier youth donating their time, creativity, and even birthday presents, to local causes like the Arctic League, area animal shelters and current community issues. I’m proud of where I come from and grateful for the people I’ve been lucky enough to know throughout the Twin Tiers. Happy PRIDE month, y’all!
June 12 12pm-4pm Pride in the Park Event Binghamton
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SPOTLIGHTING OUR TALENTED YOUTH
This month we are featuring photographs taken by Michael Bankston of Corning. Michael is a Senior at Corning Painted Post High School. He will attend Savannah College of Art and Design and Major in Photography.
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Location New York, USA Photograph by. Randy Reid Instagram @reidmediagroup
Aliquam erat magna, volutpat quis lorem vel, mattis tempus erat. Proin ac ornare purus, ornare commodo magna. Quisque elit nulla, iaculis orci.
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ROB RUMSEY- FULFILLING HIS DESTINY by Cat White
“As quaint as Elmira was, it wasn’t a safe place for me to prosper,” says Robert Rumsey, former Southern Tier resident turned makeup artist whose work has graced the covers of Rolling Stone, Vanity Fair and many other fashion and entertainment magazines that he was enamored with as a young, gay kid growing up in the 1970s and 80s in the Upstate NY region. “Because I was a young, gay creative, there was no future there for me,” he says. Rumsey attended Ernie Davis Middle School, participated in Long-distance running at Elmira Free Academy and expressed his creativity through art, photography, and theater growing up in Westside Elmira.
“I wanted to have actual experiences, not just read about them.” After working retail and food service gigs, Rumsey decided to get serious and pursue his artistic interests professionally. He has spent the past 30 years steadily building a career as a makeup artist, starting at department store makeup counters and rising to work with some of America’s hottest entertainers, including Carly Rae Jepson, Tate McRae, Finneas, Gracie Abrams and many others. He traveled the globe with Miley Cyrus’ 2014 Bangerz world tour, worked an array of entertainment awards shows, in addition to donating his time and talents to many charitable events and causes in the Los Angeles LGBTQIA++ community, where he currently lives. “The best way to break down barriers is to interact with people different from you,” Rumsey explains. “I need to be informed by experience.” Most recently, Rumsey accomplished one of his lifelong dreams and received some well-deserved recognition working with one of the most enigmatic popular musicians in recent history, Billie Eilish, on her latest obsessively discussed British Vogue cover, which features a new look. Rumsey was even interviewed about his technique in the magazine he revered as a young gay man coming into his own, when he first left the Southern Tier and moved to Ithaca.
Rob is a 1989 graduate of Elmira Free Academy “Opportunities for self-expression were limited.” Rumsey, who remembers being bullied as a youth and made painfully aware by some classmates that he didn’t fit in, moved first to Corning at age 19, then to Ithaca, before taking a big leap and heading west to San Francisco in 1991.
After three decades of working in the entertainment industry, Rumsey marvels at the diverse inclusive environments in which he now finds himself collaborating with the young progressive artists currently pushing the boundaries of popular culture, music and fashion. He’s worked hard, building a reputation for easygoing flawless artistry and has established a loyal clientele. As Rumsey hustled to build a successful career in a competitive trade, he’d occasionally return to the Southern Tier to visit with family and friends, and like many ex-pats, frequent popular local
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businesses and restaurants. In 2017, Rumsey returned to the Southern Tier to help care for his ailing father. In addition to spending quality time with his father and family, Rumsey was reminded of some of the simple charms of small-town life. He was able to help prepare his father’s garden for spring planting, mowed the lawn, and reveled at the lack of rush hour traffic. He also cherished the kindness, as well as the emotional and financial support of local friends who helped him pay his L.A. rent and bills so he could spend time with his father towards the end of his life. It was during this special Rob with singer Billie Eilish on the set of Bury a Friend video. time that Rumsey was able to Knoll, and several others, whom he says are crucial reconnect with childhood allies who’ve grown into members of the Southern Tier, carrying on the a diverse network of women in the Southern Tier tradition of supporting those who may be “different.” who support and nurture each other, area youth and the community, generally. Friends who teach, “Every generation, if they’re lucky, has those integral own businesses and support their families and community members with open minds and hearts, community, standing up for the most vulnerable willing to stand up for others,” Rumsey says. and providing a positive example of acceptance and inclusion. Rumsey mentioned women like It’s these supportive friends, along with his older sister Katie Boland, Shelley Green, Kim Eveland, Robyn Candace and some key adults, like the high school art Anderson, Michelle Augustine, Kellie Traugottteacher who encouraged him to audition for a role in the 1995 movie “The Street Corner Kids: The Sequel,” filmed in Elmira, that Rumsey appreciates most about growing up in the Southern Tier. “Being a creative young queer kid who was frequently chased off the bus, these women lifted me up,” he says. “They made Elmira a safe space for me and encouraged my talents.” Rumsey’s grateful for his connections to the Southern Tier and many of the memories he has of his hometown region. “I think you’re only stuck someplace if you’re not fulfilling your destiny.” Rob touchng up the makeup of Carly Rae Jepson
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Southern Tier Life / June 2021 / ISSUE 004
by Bob Thomas
www.hill-top-inn.com
“Destination Dining” – one of those buzz phrases heard on Food Network or the Travel Channel. Here in Chemung County, one restaurant comes to mind that fits the bill, Hill Top Inn, atop Jerusalem Hill in Elmira. Hill Top Inn is known for having, ‘the view that inspired Mark Twain.’ Twain spent 22 summers in Elmira and wrote many of his most famous works from East Hill, where the restaurant is perched. More than just a view, Hill Top Inn is the “OG” of the restaurant scene in Chemung County. The doors opened in 1933, making it the oldest licensed restaurant in the county. Oldest does not mean old. Every year current owner Mike Sullivan updates and expands the facility, which has now become a local favorite for weddings, reunions, and special events.
families. Family owned by the Sullivan family from the start. Now it is where families come to celebrate milestone moments and holidays. My wife Marisa and I made the short drive from our Hourseheads home, East on I-86 and up Jerusalem Hill on a hazy and hot May evening for a Chef ’s Best date night.
activity. A wedding reception was ‘Electric Sliding’ their way across the patio, the first of the season according to owner Mike Sullivan. Beige and white clad servers were buzzing inside and out. They moved with a smile and a purpose. All the while Sullivan was working the room and ensuring no details was left unattended.
“While we pride ourselves on providing excellent food and beverages, it is more than what is on the plate,” Sullivan said. “ Relax and dine overlooking the Chemung Valley while enjoying Irish Hospitality that goes back three generations.”
We entered the restaurant, took in the view and the day melted away. We opted for a cozy indoor booth in the bar area. There is a seating option for everyone, indoor, outdoor, intimate or open.
Hill Top Inn is about family, and for
The place was alive, a beehive of
The wine list at Hill Top Inn is expanisve, but the 85 degree day called for coktails. The recommended drinks fit the bill perfectly; a cool and refreshing Cucumber Elderflower Gimlet and the Crab Trap, a beach-ready beverage with fruit juices and tropical rums.
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Prior to the meal, Sullivan offered insight into how the menu was developed. “We strive to have something for everyone,” Sullivan said. “We incorporate locally grown and produced foods and beverages whenever possible. We have an amazing culinary team who work cohesively and take pride in every dish they create.” My Chef ’s Best meal began with the ‘Kickin’ Calamari’. Delicate rings of squid, paired with hot cherry peppers and lemon zest, with chipotle remou-
lade and marinara for dipping. I am a calamari fan, and this dish did not disappoint. The pop of the peppers, offset the subtle sweetness of the squid perfectly. The batter was light and crispy. Sullivan went over the top when presenting the entrée, putting two options on the plate. Saturday is Prime Rib day at Hill Top Inn, something you have to get before it is gone. I was presented with a Queen Cut of Iowa Premium Beef, aged to perfection and slow-roasted for at least 14 hours. The beef was accompanied by seasonal vegetables and an Irish favorite, Colcannon Potatoes.
Not to be forgotten, the second entrée on the plate, the Orange Roughy special. According to Sullivan the special hasn’t been on the menu in more than 15 years. If you see it on the menu, get it on your plate. Sullivan describes the dish as, “very light and mild in flavor, this deep-sea whitefish is a perfect light summer entrée. We top ours with a fresh tomato and basil bruschetta and serve it on cous cous.” There were multiple standouts on the massive plate. I do love prime rib, and this version did not disappoint. I can understand why it is quick to sell out on a Saturday night. In all the times I have been to Hill Top Inn, this is the first time I have had their Colcannon Potatoes. To me, the potatoes were not just a side. They were 88 years of Sullivan Tradition on the plate.
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The Orange Roughy was delightful. It was light, as Sullivan described. The fish was cooked to perfection, and the dish just made me smile. I am a meat and potatoes guy when dining out; thankfully I got the best of both worlds with the addition of this entrée to my meal. Do yourself a favor, chose Hill Top Inn for your next special occasion, for any reason or for no reason at all. Their deck is open for dining Tuesday through Saturday. I personally recommend a vist on Wednesday or Friday night to their Tiki Deck and Raw Bar. Celebrate Family Tradition with the Sullivans as every Thursday night is Irish Night with entertainment and special menu features. No matter the reason, or the season, take in the view that inspired Mark Twain at Hill Top Inn. When you dine just ask for the Chef ’s Best!
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WHAT’S HAPPENING JUNE June 4th Eldridge Park Opens for the season June 4th 6pm-9pm June First Friday Art Walk in Downtown Binghamton June 12th 9am-12pm Guided River Tours - Kayak Rentals Available June 18 6pm-8pm Vaudville Trio- Johnson City(Firehouse Stage)
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