Table Hopping March 2023

Busi ness of Interest

by NaNcy RoBeRts

Biscotti Café & Gelateria

“If you’re happy and you’re full of the love of what you do it shows in the end product.” –Deb and Geoff Camire, owners, Biscotti’s Café. I couldn’t think of a better way to start a story on one of Syracuse’s most iconic “it’s time for a treat” locations – Biscotti’s. The Camire’s clearly love what they do, and their many customers in the CNY community appreciate it heartily!

Completely unconnected, some friends joined me for dinner not too long ago, and brought dessert – a cake from Biscotti’s. It was a chocolate cake, and its weight tucked neatly in a small box belied its size. But when I sliced into it to serve it for dessert, I understood – it was thick and rich, with a raspberry filling between the layers, lovely to look at and certainly delightful to taste. It wasn’t just serving a dessert – it was, in its own way, an experience of dessert.

Deb and Geoff seemed destined to have brought Biscotti’s to Syracuse. Each came to baking following a unique, though somewhat parallel path. Deb grew up in Syracuse “at Dominick’s with my dad, but while I knew I wanted to be in food service, I wanted something more creative, more artsy. So when I went to culinary school, I chose pastries.”

Geoff knew as early as High School when he chose a culinary vocational school that his future was in the food service industry.

Though both attended the Culinary Institute of America (CIA), they met when they were both working at the Four Seasons in Boston, and finally, after deciding to marry and start a family, gave in to Deb’s dad’s pleas to “come to Syracuse and start a bakery.” That was over 25 years ago, and if it seems some things are meant to be, the success of Biscotti’s might indicate that.

But the truth is that fate and hard work are both needed for success, and Biscotti’s is more than a little of both. It was only 4 years into the venture when a devastating fire required the couple to reinvent, including selecting their present location on Salina Street, and eventually including expansion from an over-thecounter and custom bakeshop to their present configuration as a Café, wholesale bakery, custom and catering operation, including many partnerships with local restaurants and businesses, one of them being Syracuse University, where they recently opened an outlet at the Schine Student Center on campus. Students can now stop in for a bit of the delicious between classes!

When I remarked that I had no idea how many operations they kept moving and in synch, Deb replied with a laugh, “That’s why we call Geoff ‘the maestro!’” She added

that many people come into the shop and Café and assume that the showcases filled with cakes, cannoli, pies, tarts, and cookies, and the home-made luncheon wraps, soups, Focaccia, salads and sandwiches are “the business.”

Behind the scenes, Biscotti’s is busy preparing baked goods not just for S.U., but also for area favorites like The Grotto, Brick and Brew, Doubletree, OnCenter, Mi Casita, Brickhouse Billiards, Peacock Restaurant, and for restaurants and establishments as far away as Altmar, and Lake Placid. While, of course, readying special orders for birthday, holiday and anniversary cakes, or those once-in-a-lifetime events like weddings – when everything has to be just perfect.

“And of course a holiday comes along like Valentine’s Day,” Deb adds, “and we had all the specials going, then

continued on pg 4

““We learned plating and presentation in culinary school,” Deb says. “But I think that what attracted me most to baking was the artistry. To find ways to really make the pastries look beautiful, or fun, unique.”

Deb & Geoff Camire, owners

the SU delivery – one thousand mini pastries – a special order for the Dome, and an order for one thousand heart cookies.”

As Deb and Geoff explained their approach to their work, part of the appeal to going “out to eat” is that the food tastes good. And part of it is that it be appealing to the eye, as well. “We learned plating and presentation in culinary school,” Deb says. “But I think that what attracted me most to baking was the artistry. To find ways to really make the pastries look beautiful, or fun, unique.”

It’s no surprise, then, that when you mention Biscotti’s most people in town will immediately come back with their favorite item from the establishment. Or that they have a wall full of “Best Bakery,” “Best Cake,” and other awards from our own paper and other organizations. Or that in 2020, the mayor of Syracuse officially created Biscotti Café Day to celebrate the community favorite every April 17th!

But the Camire’s have added that one ingredient that really makes any local business stand out: they really, really like, and appreciate their customers. “Like any small business, we appreciate ‘shop local,’” says Deb. “But even more we enjoy

Biscotti Café continued from pg 2

“When I remarked that I had no idea how many operations they kept moving and in synch, Deb replied with a laugh, “That’s why we call Geoff ‘the maestro!’”

making friends of our customers. Get to know them. They’ve been with us all these years, they watched our kids grow up and work in the store.” And when I asked them what they most wanted to include in this profile article, their response was quick: “How much we appreciate our customers and their support.”

With all of that, I had just one more question: “What do you do for fun?”

“Well, Sunday we had a Super Bowl party for about twenty-five people,” Geoff said, I’m pretty sure with a straight face. “We like to cook!”

Many lunch options

Beauty

& Fashion

by JohN RusseLL

Keep That Natural Beauty Look Forever

Sophia Loren is a great example of an aging star who still would be considered as one the most beautiful women in the world. You too can keep that natural beauty look forever. A lot has been written about natural beauty and most articles talk about natural beauty being related to drinking water, eating fresh fruits and vegetables, taking vitamins, exercising, and so on. It is commonly said that natural beauty look starts from within. While mature natural beauty is a complicated and detailed subject, an in depth review of the literature really boils it down to the following items.

1. Not drinking coffee, and certainly not to an excess, is a major contributor to longlasting natural beauty. Drink tea instead, which actually promotes healthy collagen and a youthful look.

2. Using all-natural cosmetics and enhancers.

3. If you want to have natural beauty and have the look last forever, avoid, avoid, avoid

direct sun on your skin. Always wear a hat or other skin covering to protect the skin’s collagen. Never leave the house without at least an SPF 8-15 that protects from all of the sun’s harmful rays.

4. Not smoking may be the most significant thing you can do to enhance natural beauty. As we know, smoking has a number of other critical health issues as well.

5. Eat healthy and natural beauty will enhance mature natural beauty over your lifetime. We all know not to eat deep-fried greasy foods, an excess of meat, and foods high in sugar and poor carbohydrates. Recent studies indicate the two most significant factors leading to premature skin aging are cigarette smoking and drinking coffee. In order to keep that natural beauty look forever, avoiding the direct sunlight is an absolute must. Direct sunlight, in combination with smoking and coffee, are a guaranteed recipe for early age skin wrinkling, puffiness, and rough texture. To keep that natural beauty look forever, it is imperative, even while we are young, to carefully plan for our later years. While we probably all should have started all of the above items sooner in our lives, we can improve our natural beauty immediately by embracing the five steps to mature natural beauty. All natural anti-aging skin care cream, lotions, acne treatments, sun block enhance the natural beauty tips and advice so readily given. While healthy skin does start from within, anti-aging skin care products are the final touch.

“All natural skin care treatments are one solution to keep that natural beauty look forever.”

tales from the vine

by NaNcy WhItmaN

10 Wine Gifts for Wine Connoisseurs

Finding a gift for winos isn’t as hard as what you might think. You just need to be a bit creative and think out of the box.

You can give them some of their favorite wine, but they might have enough wine. These are some of the best wine gifts for winos that you can give. And, you will know for sure that they will love it.

Wine Sealers

A great gift for any wino. Wine sealers. For those days where you don’t finish a bottle of wine. Then they can use their wine sealers to ensure that their wine is sealed for the next time they are using it. You won’t need to worry that they might have this already, because a wine lover can never have enough wine sealers. This can be found everywhere.

Corkscrew

Yes, they might have a corkscrew already, but the pulltap double-hinged waiters corkscrew is a high-quality, easy to use a corkscrew. They will never struggle to open their bottles of wine or champagne again. This is a bit more expensive than the wine sealers but will be the perfect gift for winos that are still struggling with the old type of corkscrew.

Specialized Wine Cooler

There is the normal wine cooler where you are putting the wine in an ice bucket. But this is messy when the ice starts to melt. The specialized wine cooler is the perfect way to keep wine cool, without the ice that can make everything wet. The only problem is that the specialized wine cooler is delicate and can be quite expensive to buy. But, it will make the perfect gift.

Global Wine Glasses

Winos will already have wine glasses, yes. But they will not have global wine glasses. Or, they might not have a full set of wine glasses anymore. This is the thing about wine glasses. They are delicate and can break easily. It is always a great gift to give to wine

drinkers. They will always need wine glasses when they are having friends and family over for a get-together.

Wine Subscription

This is a fun gift that you can give to your winos. A wine of the month club subscription where they are getting a different type of wine each month. With a wine club subscription, a bottle of wine will be delivered to their doorstep each month. They will never know what type of wine (premium, red wine or otherwise) will be delivered next. And, this is a gift that will continue for a year, if this is a year subscription.

Exterior Wine Glass

For the person who loves to party outside. Now, there will not be any accidents where the wine glass is falling over and getting broken. The perfect gift for winos that are always on the patio or outside, enjoying their wine.

A Traditional Wine Guide Reading Book

A great gift to make sure that your winos know what type of wine to serve with what food.

This is a mistake that many people are making. And, if you are giving a wino this type of gift, then they will know what type of wine will go with what meal. Making sure that everyone at the dinner table will enjoy the food and wine.

Wall-Mounted Wine Rack

Winos will never have enough storage for their wine. With a wall-mounted wine rack, they can store their wines on the wall, making choosing a wine easier. And it’s a great way for collectors to showcase their wine to their guests. This is something that you can always purchase for wine lovers. They will never have enough wine racks.

Wine Stem Glass Holder

Great for parties, where you want to use your hands to eat or to greet people. This is the problem with wine drinkers. The wine glass is always in the one hand, leaving just one hand to eat and to hold a plate. With the wine stem glass holder, the glass is being held around your neck similar to a necklace leaving two hands free and ready for whatever else needs to be done.

Wine Cooler Bag

A high-quality wine cooler bag for those days when you are going to friends and taking your own wine with you. With a modern cooler bag, you will not be embarrassed to carry your cooler bag with you anymore. Something that you can give to any wino. With these 10 gifts that you can give a wine connoisseur, you will always have the perfect gift in mind, never be without an idea, and the best part is that they will always love your gifts.

“A wine lover can never have enough wine sealers.”

April 8, 2023

CNY Regional Market, Bldg F

2100 Park Street. Syracuse NY

Syracuse Wine Festival

Admission includes:

Unlimited sampling of Wines, Spirits, and Specialty Foods

DJ • Paint-n-Sip • Photo Booth •••

There will also be full meals and beverages for sale (not included with the ticket price) from select food trucks, and other artisan vendors selling their items. •••

Session 1: 1-4pm, $25

Session 2: 6-9pm, $30

VIP: 5-9pm, $35

Details, tickets, and more online at Tickets are limited so don’t wait!

EMPIRESTATEWINEEVENTS.COM/SYRACUSE-WINE-FESTIVAL

by kRIstIN meRRItt

Women’s History Month Craft Beer Edition

Who run the world? Girls.

Beyoncé definitely said it best.

March is Women’s History Month with March 8th marking International Women’s Day.

So, you might be asking yourself, “What does craft beer have to do with women?!”

The answer is: EVERYTHING. Like or not, believe it or not, come to grips with it or not, that beer in your hand, starts (and ends) with women.

The earliest written recipe for beer

hearkens back to ancient Mesopotamia, year 1800 B.C., known as The Hymn to Ninkasi. Ninkasi is the Sumerian goddess of brewing, whose name literally means “you who fill my mouth so full.” Contained in this ancient writing, the hymn praises the goddess while also providing a recipe on how to make beer from barley bread and discusses brewing techniques.

Ancient Mesopotamia was largely a patriarchal society, and whereas Sumerian women did not have many opportunities outside of being a wife, mother and keeping house, women did brew beer, and were allowed to open their own taverns. The Code of Hammurabi, which contained approximately 300 laws governing this ancient land, gave complete and total jurisdiction over brewing and beer to women, even going as far as to use the word “she” in describing every tavern owner.

In ancient Egypt, study of hieroglyphics, sculptures and other art forms, note that brewing was performed mostly by women as a domestic chore, with ancient goddesses being important to the process of brewing as well. Hathor is such a goddess, being depicted as the “inventress of brewing,” and even having had a festival every year in her name to celebrate her “drunkenness.”

In South America, especially in the Incan Empire and culture, corn beer or chicha, was brewed as a part of every day life, used as a form of currency, held importance at feasts and festivals, and held significance in religious practices. In this culture, the elite women of society brewed beer.

Moving to the Medieval Ages and through the Renaissance, women continued to be the primary producers and sellers of beer. Throughout England and much of Europe, beer was brewed not only for social occasions, but also as a necessity to supplement a person’s diet with vital nutrients. The term for English women who brewed beer were referred to as “Brewsters.” Still with little opportunity outside of the home during this period in world history, brewing gave women an ability to make a living, in addition to running taverns, boarding houses, and more primitive versions of restaurants.

Eventually, moving into the modern era, as the profession of brewing beer became marketable and profitable, women would be cut out almost entirely. Technological advancements which allowed for beer brewing to be done on a much larger scale starting in the 18th century, did not allow for women to move upwards within the industry due to women not having the capital or investment opportunities that men did. In addition, during the 19th-century, the “new science” of brewing was touted as a “man’s realm” which had no place for women and their “feeble minds,” regardless of the fact that women had been creating beer with said “new science” since the dawn of time.

Today, that notion is ever-changing as women continually fight an up-hill battle against the outdated view of beer being “for men” while staking-out their territory within the heavily male-dominated beer and craft beer industry. One only has to open their eyes

“One only has to open their eyes and take a look around the Syracuse and greater-CNY area to see that growth in-action as women are prevalent and continue to grow in number and influence.”

and take a look around the Syracuse and greater-CNY area to see that growth in-action as women are prevalent and continue to grow in number and influence.

Middle Ages Brewing Co. opened its doors in 1995, making it the oldest standalone or “production” brewery in Syracuse. At the time, it was one of only 858 breweries in the entire United States – compared to a whopping 9,500 today. Marc and Mary Rubenstein, a husband-and-wife team, opened the brewery together, expanding upon their mutual love and hobby of home-brewing. Mary held the title of company President, and while she has since passed, her passion for beer lives on with her son Isaac who continues to grow the brewery, while her legacy continues in the community by having paved a path for other women in the craft beer industry who have followed since.

Red Hawk Brewing Company, situated in a big red barn, overlooks the countryside on Onondaga Hill. Kathy Dodge, who was once working a career as a nurse, is Founder and Head Brewer specializing in Old World and Belgian-style beers. She and her husband Bob, opened the brewery in 2015 after many years as homebrewers. Kathy also credits her love of brewing and innovation to her grandmother, Anna, an immigrant from Russia, who created her own beer, wine and other spirits at home.

Seneca Street Brew Pub and Erie Canal Brewing Company located in Manlius, NY and Canastota, NY, respectively, are owned by the Menikheim family. Seneca Street opened in April 2016, and Erie Canal in the fall of 2015. Brooke Menikheim is the head Brewmaster, who studied at Seibel Institute of Technology’s World Brewing Academy in Chicago. Her wife, Heidi Menikheim is Assistant Brewer and oversees service and operations of the brewery, along with Brooke’s mother and father, Joyce and Bob. Together they are producing some of the best beers in the Syracuse area – I personally suggest the Black IPA!

ONCO Fermentations opened in the spring of 2019 by Brian and Erin Bullard, a collaborative husbandand-wife duo. Brian does the brewing, while Erin runs the rest of the business as the Vice President and Tasting Room Manager. These co-founders started out as homebrewers and were partners in a hops farm, and now run the wildly successful brewery with recent expansion of both their taproom and kitchen in Tully, NY.

Freight Yard Brewing Company, located up in Clay along Route 31, is co-owned by Lou Sotherden and her husband Bryan, but it’s Lou who creates all the original recipes and brews all the beer as head brewer for this taproom, open since 2019. She learned how to brew at Chatham Brewery, south of Albany, NY, and currently, this is still where she brews all the beer for Freight Yard. She hopes to eventually be able to brew on location. Lou’s

brewery also proudly carries the title of being a NYS Farm Brewery which means that the ingredients made to produce their beer are sourced almost entirely from New York State.

Talking Cursive Brewing Company, across the street from the historic Niagara Mohawk building in downtown Syracuse touts itself as a “woman and veteran-owned” brewery. Andrew and Patricia Brooks, another husband-and-wife team, along with friend and business-partner, Susan Kimmel, opened the establishment in 2019. Patricia and Andrew started off as home-brewers who had won numerous awards for their entries into several New York competitions. While Andrew is the main brewer, Patricia is one of the owners and Susan joined the brewery in a partnership and advisory role.

Crafted Minds, founded here in Syracuse in 2020 by Gloria Rakowsky, a 10-plus-year veteran in the craft beer industry as a writer, brand ambassador, sales representative, and current taproom manager at Willow Rock Brewing Company, is dedicated to beer education as a whole. The company she has created offers in-person and online classes from beginner to advanced, designed to teach everything from beer history and ingredients, to beer brewing and food pairings. Some of her most popular classes that she offers to the community are her beer pairing courses which combine beer from local breweries paired with food offerings from local businesses with The Curd Nerd and Nostalgia Chocolates as a couple of recent examples. Her next event on Sunday, March 5th, is a Craft Beer & Girl Scout Cookie pairing at Willow Rock Brewing Company. Tickets can be found on her website – www.craftedmindsllc.com

and Mary

Middle

Kathy and Bob Dodge, Red Hawk

by Salt City Women of Craft Beer was recently founded in January of this year. It all came together after three craft-beer loving ladies (myself being one of them!), who didn’t know each other prior, met up at A.W. Wander in Manlius for a pint and a bite, and the rest, as they say, is history. A Facebook group was created, and the goal of the group is for women to be able to meet other women at both pre-arranged events and in casual, spur-of-themoment settings to enjoy a craft beverage, socialize, and make new friends. Anyone can join, and anyone can initiate a meet-up. Our next scheduled meetup is at Bullfinch Brew Pub on Friday 3/10 from 5-7pm – please come on out!

Girls Pint Out – Auburn Chapter, is another local women’s craft beer group. Their group is part of a larger national organization, who’s mission is “to build a community of women who love craft beer and who are an active, contributing part of the greater craft beer community.” The original Girls Pint Out was founded in Indianapolis, IN in 2010 and today there are more than 90 chapters throughout the United States. The local chapter has a Facebook page, and they are an active group of women!

Pink Boots Society® is a national organization dedicated to “assist, inspire, and encourage women and non-binary individuals in the fermented/alcoholic beverage industry through education.” Every year, in partnership with Yakima Chief Hops, the Society formulates a special hop-blend that they promote just in time for March’s

International Women’s Day. Breweries and groups around the country purchase this blend to create individually unique beers in celebration of women in the craft beer industry. Every year, Prison City Brewing Company and Girls Pint Out members schedule a day to brew – this year they are brewing on 3/3 – with the completed beer being released at a later date. ONCO Fermentations is doing the same with members of the Salt City Women of Craft Beer group and others in the community on February 21st. ONCO will be brewing a NEIPA using the Pink Boots hops-blend of Loral, Ekuanot and HBC 586, with the finished brew released at a date TBD. If you missed a brew day this year, keep your eyes peeled next January/February to join in on the fun, and remember, you can still show your support by purchasing a pint when these beers are made available for consumption!

In addition, this month is boasting a couple of special women-oriented events:

Brave Brews 2023 – Located in Auburn, NY during March 3-5, this collaborative event supports women and non-binary individuals in the craft beer industry. There will be a Pink Boots Collaboration Brew Day® at Prison City, an ice carving competition, film screenings, yoga classes, special tours, food and beer tastings, live music, tap takeovers and more at this second annual event. Two special guests will be speaking during the event: Tara Nurin, a craft beverage expert and author of A Woman’s Place is in the Brewhouse, who will be speaking and conducting a book signing at the NYS Equal Rights Heritage Center from 5-6pm on Friday 3/3, and Teri Fahrendorf, an award-winning Brewmaster and Pink Boots Society® Founder, who is hosting a 3-course beer-pairing lunch and meet-and-greet from 11am-1pm on Saturday 3/4 at Prison City Brewery.

The weekend also encompasses Prison City’s Fire & Ice Festival – on March 4th from 4-8pm. There will be ice sculptures, drink luges, outdoor games, and an outside bar in addition to fire pits, live entertainment, food trucks, plenty of beverage tastings, and a fireworks display at the end of the night! Tickets are $35 per person, they include a glass and tasting tickets, and must be purchased in-advance online. Proceeds of the event will be going towards local and global women’s charities.

I would also be remiss to include myself in this month’s article, because I, too, am a woman in the craft-beer industry! I had always had a different palate when it came to beer, even in my undergrad days at Le Moyne College. While everyone else was drinking Keystone Light, I was drinking Molson Golden – or as my girlfriends used to call it: “Kristin’s man-beer.” Ever since then, my beer-drinking shenanigans have been continually expanding, and along the way I have brewed 2 different beers with a group of gals at IBU Brewing, celebrated Oktoberfest in Munich, Germany in 2018, and I have been writing for Table Hopping as their Brew Time craft beer columnist for over 5 years now, among so many more opportunities! I’ve met so many interesting and unique people, sampled exceptional brews, traveled around the world and experienced loads of fun in my craft brew adventures. I may be an RN by day, but when I’m not in the hospital, you can typically find me engaged somewhere within in the craft beer realm.

Who are we? What we run? We run the world

Who run the world? GIRLS. CHEERS!

References: www.winemag.com/2020/12/22/women-beer-history/

Craft Beer Edition continued from pg 13

Andrew and Patricia Brooks, Talking Cursive

Write

Golf

By NIck BayLey

The Golf Grip

How Hard Should You Hold It?

In this article I give golfers a simple exercise that will help them learn how hard they should hold the golf grip. Keeping a solid and firm golf grip while swinging is critical to your golfing consistency and success. Now there are many different “ideas” on how hard you should grip the golf club, e.g. hold the grip as though you’re holding a baby bird OR

hold the grip as tight as you would a loaf of bread etc., etc. But the bottom line really is not so much how hard you hold the grip but it’s how hard you don’t hold it.

What do I mean?

Well in an ideal world you should hold the golf grip just hard enough so it doesn t slip or move around when you swing. Now how hard that is for you or me varies greatly on the strength of our hands.

If you have very strong hands then you may not need to hold the golf grip as hard as, say, I would. So the defining line on how hard to grip a club is by how much it moves and here’s a great way to determine your golf grip movement.

Line up 6 balls in a row on tees and then start at the first one and hit it and don’t alter your golf grip and then hit the next ball and the next one. And if you come to a point when you can’t hit the ball because your golf grip is nothing like it should be then you know that your golf grip has slipped when you’ve swung. If you can’t hit the second shot because of your grip movement then you’ve got a grip slippage problem that needs fixing fast.

The main key to your grip slipping will most probably be due to your top hand moving. So here’s a simple exercise you can do to help fix this.

Grip the golf club as normal. But just before you swing place a golf tee between the pad of your left hand and the golf grip. Now this golf tee should be securely in place by the pressure that you’re placing on the golf grip with your left hand. Once it is you simply need to swing as normal and keep the tee in place.

This can only happen if you don’t move your top hand grip. And this will happen naturally just by you being aware of the golf tee and trying to keep it in place. Then after some practice with this exercise go back and do the 6 ball exercise and see if you’ve improved your grip security.

I’m sure you will find you have improved it. So try this and see for yourself.

exercise & Fitness

by JeNNIFeR NastasI GuzeLak

Invest in Your Health

No matter your age or what shape you are in, investing in your health is one of the most important investments you can make. After all, your body will be around a lot longer than that fancy car, expensive handbag or new iPhone.

Here’s the thing about being healthy. It isn’t always the cheapest option. Choosing to cook a healthy dinner for your family may cost you more than picking up a pizza. Paying for a gym membership will cost more than, well, not paying for a gym membership. However, health is created in the home and at the grocery store in the course of day-to-day living.

People who develop conditions like heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes and some types of cancer are cutting their life short by decades. In fact, studies have shown that a poor diet and lack of exercise can reduce our lifespan by as much as twenty-three years. It is estimated that around eighty percent of these cases could be prevented by simply maintaining a healthy weight, exercising daily, making healthy food choices and not abusing alcohol and tobacco.

Remember, there are no guarantees in life. Here are a few ways to invest in your health now.

Work with a Fitness Professional

If you’re new to the fitness world, paying for a personal trainer can seem like a huge investment. I want you to forget about the dollar signs for a moment, and just

think about your life. How much would you pay to feel good in your own skin? To build your confidence? To increase your energy and improve your mood? Whether it’s a one-on-one session with a personal trainer, a group fitness class or a gym membership, there are many reasons to invest in yourself. In fact, working with a fitness professional can be one of the best investments you’ll ever make.

Invest in Good Food

Food is fuel for your body. It has a direct impact on how you feel as well as on your overall health. In this day and age, the list of unhealthy foods for us to choose from is endless. Fast, convenient and cheap food is everywhere, it’s easily accessible, and it is almost impossible to ignore. All of this food we hate to love? It’s processed and contains large amounts of added sugar, carbohydrates, unhealthy fats, and salt (sodium).

Get Moving

A hundred years ago, humans were up and moving around more than eight hours a day. Now, more than a quarter of us spend that much time just sitting around. Incorporate movement into your daily routine by getting out of your chair regularly. Take a walk with a co-worker on your lunch break. Park farther away from your destination when you’re out and about. Choose the stairs over the elevator.

Stay Hydrated

This is simple. Drink more water! Staying hydrated helps the heart pump blood to the muscles, facilitates healthy bowel function and nourishes cells. Aim to drink half your body weight in ounces throughout the day. This means if you are one hundred and sixty pounds, you should consume at least eighty ounces of water each day.

Try Intermittent Fasting

A growing body of research highlights the power of intermittent fasting to help support healthy insulin levels, blood pressure and liver function, as well as enhance cellular-repair processes and reduce inflammation.

The most common method involves fasting for about sixteen hours between dinner and breakfast. This signals your metabolism to burn fat and allows your body to experience a longer-thannormal period of low insulin in the blood, which is a powerful reset.

Take Digital Breaks

Our digital lives creep out of work and into our homes. These devices are designed to tap into the brain’s reward system, triggering the release of tiny hits of dopamine, leaving us simultaneously hyperstimulated and exhausted. Taking digital breaks can boost mental and emotional health, improve sleep and help prevent the physical side effects (such as dry eyes and spinal misalignment from hunching over phones and computers) of constant digital immersion.

The next time you’re out running errands, visiting with friends or getting some fresh

“Investing in your health is one of the most important investments you can make. After all, your body will be around a lot longer than that fancy car, expensive handbag or new iPhone.”

air, do yourself a favor and leave your phone behind. It will be a good break for your mind, body and soul.

Practice an Elimination Diet

Eliminating certain foods from your diet can be an effective and informative strategy when you’re not feeling well and suspect that a food sensitivity or intolerance may be the cause. Everyone wants a quick, easy answer from a lab, but the gold standard for detecting a food sensitivity is to eat an easy-todigest basic diet and then progressively add back in various food categories to see if you get a response.

If you discover a sensitivity to a food or ingredient, like gluten, you’ll know enough to temporarily avoid it to relieve your symptoms. Who knows, a few months without it may be all you need to resolve your issues.

Get a Good Night’s Rest

It’s amazing how good we can feel after a good night’s rest. People sleep best when they go to bed and rise at or around the same time each day. Insufficient sleep has been linked to chronic conditions, such as obesity, type 2 diabetes, and cardiovascular disease. One study found that people who averaged less than seven hours of sleep a night were about three times more likely to develop cold symptoms than those who slept at least eight hours.

Learn to Manage Stress

These days, stress is a part of our everyday lives. Excess stress is harmful to our health. Sometimes the demands placed on us (such as work, school or relationships) exceed our ability to cope. An extreme amount of stress can result in a variety of health consequences and take a severe emotional toll. You will be at your best if you can find balance in both your personal and professional life.

Make Connections

The best things in life – love, relationships, leisure, adventure – may not have a price tag, but the things that nurture them often do. Whether it’s a family vacation or dinner out with friends, investing time and money in activities that support relationships and our own sense of enjoyment is rarely a bad idea.

Relationships are key to better health, and experiences inspire greater satisfaction than material things. Just know that you’re making a positive investment to improve your health.

In Conclusion:

Good health is the greatest blessing of life. Act. Don’t sit there waiting. Being an active participant in your health maximizes your chances of living a long, healthy and productive life.

The true cost of an unhealthy lifestyle, is years taken off your life. Remember, tomorrow is promised to no one. Invest in your health now.

I have been a personal trainer for over eighteen years and I absolutely love what I do. I honestly feel that I have one of the best jobs out there! The most rewarding part of my profession is helping one of my clients succeed at reaching their personal fitness goals. Making a difference in someone’s life makes it all worthwhile. I am currently certified by the National Sports Conditioning Association, Apex Fitness Group, and the International Sports Science Association.

dining out

by keRILyN e mIcaLe

Euclid Family Restaurant

With the Saint Patrick’s day upon us many of us are looking to improve our luck. To this I just have to add that if you’re looking for a great meal then you are in luck, as you need not look any further than the Euclid restaurant. Whether your luck takes the form of an incredible Reuben, the freshest fish,

been a restaurant and an inn, and they proudly boast that it is the oldest establishment in town that is still being used for its original purpose! How have they been a success while others have not? The Euclid has found the simple answer: treat your customers like family, keep your prices fair, and above all else, serve fantastic food! One of the cool things about the Euclid is that somehow they manage to cater to

something for everybody at the Euclid. The Euclid is located at the corner of Morgan Road and Route 31 at

everyone! They have a children’s menu aka the Kiddie Korner, and a seniors menu. The daily specials are a real treat at the Euclid. On Tuesdays they have homemade Chicken and Biscuits and on Wednesday they have delicious Sauerbraten served with red cabbage and egg noodles. If you are a pasta lover then you certainly

4285 State Route, close to all of the shopping on Route 31. They are open Tuesday through Sunday from 11:30 am to 9:00 pm. Their entire menu is available for dine in or take out. For reservations or to place your take out order give them a call at (315) 622-2750 or visit their website for convenient online ordering at www.euclidrestaurant.com.

You may have noticed that the Euclid has recently received a facelift with a completely new exterior! The beautiful exterior matches the energy of the amazing bar in the dining room that it contains. The Euclid has been a part of Central New York for over 200 years. The Euclid is one of the cool hidden historical gems of our area. Built in 1817 and changing to accommodate the times and customers the Euclid had

don’t want to miss Thursday’s special of all you can eat pasta! Choose from spaghetti or ziti served with your choice of two meatballs or one sausage. Head to the Euclid on Friday if you are a fish lover and delight your taste buds with the Euclid Fish Fry served with French fries and coleslaw. On Sunday you can choose your special because they have two: Chicken and Biscuits and Sauerbraten! Let the Eucilid do the cooking!

We are approaching the best time of the year to go to visit the Euclid. Clear your schedule this March because it just wouldn’t be St. Patrick’s Day without one of the Euclid’s famous Reuben Sandwich Open-Faced with mounds of thinly sliced corned beef, sauerkraut, Russian dressing and Swiss cheese grilled on rye or the Red Reuben Open-Faced which is the same as the Reuben served with red cabbage for an interesting but delicious twist! The Euclid is also the best place to stop on a Friday (whether or not Lent is your thing!) because they have an amazing selection of fresh fish! Whether you are into Lake Perch, Walleye, Haddock, Shrimp, Clam Strips, or even Scallops, the Euclid is the perfect place to get your fish fix! I would also highly recommend the Boom Boom Shrimp which is shrimp battered in a sizzling, savory sauce that brings the flavor and attitude!

The kids, Kyle, and I went for dinner at the Euclid on a chilly February night. We knew we were in for a treat as we can always count on a meal that is consistently good every single time we visit. As we walked in we both commented on how nice the exterior

“Whether your luck takes the form of an incredible Reuben, the freshest fish, or a mouthwatering prime rib there’s certainly something for everybody at the Euclid.”

Something for everyone

Sauerbraten

Open-Faced Reuben

looked. We were quickly seated at a cozy table and greeted by our friendly server. We couldn’t help but notice all of the cheery St. Patrick’s Day decorations throughout the restaurant; it definitely made us smile! Once we were seated and settled in we glanced at the new and improved menu. We noticed that our old favorites were still there and there were additional new dishes that we couldn’t wait to try! For an appetizer, we decided on the Euclid Fried Combo, a perfectly fried plate of Mushrooms, Cheese sticks, Chicken fingers, and a ton of Onion rings all served with dipping sauces. Maggie absolutely loves chicken fingers and Johnny loved the onion rings! We also couldn’t pass up trying the Breaded Garlic Cheese Curds – these golden balls of cheesy garlic perfection served with a side of marinara was a huge hit! For those that don’t know, the Euclid has the best slow roasted prime

won’t even have to do the dishes. Since the Euclid specializes in comfort food, they have daily specials featuring some of their favorites! At the Euclid you will find delicious food, huge portions, great value and a friendly and comfortable atmosphere. Stop in for a full meal complete with a wine selection from the fantastic wine menu or just for a cocktail or a snack. You will never be disappointed with a visit to the Euclid. The Euclid, operating under the current owners, has been a favorite of Central New Yorkers since 1981, stop in today and taste the deliciousness that has stood the test of time.

every day! This tender cut of beef is roasted to perfection every day at the Euclid and you can pick from the 9 oz. house cut, the 12 oz. queen cut, the 16 oz. king cut, or the Cattleman’s Cut 24 oz. This huge cut used to only be available on Tuesday but now you an find it on the menu every day! Of course this is what Kyle ordered; as could have been predicted he devoured it along with his salad and french fries. I have to admit I may have had a bite or two. For my entree I had a really hard time picking because I know everything on the menu is delicious. Ultimately I decided on the fresh broiled scallops, french fries and a salad with crumbly blue. The scallops were cooked to tender perfection and they just about melted in your mouth. We decided to get dessert to go because we couldn’t pass up on a slice of rich and creamy peanut butter pie and coconut cream pie. These were the perfect way to end a perfect meal – a meal that we were lucky enough to enjoy! If comfort food is what you are looking for, then you are in luck because you can head over to the Euclid! A meal at the Euclid is just as good (or better!) than home cooked and the best part is you

A perfect way to end a perfect meal

Chicken Dinner

All-You-Can-Eat Pasta

Walleye Dinner

the Write stuff

by NaNcy RoBeRts

The Mouse and His Child

by Russell Hoban, pictures by Lillian Hoban

Its publication date of 1967 might explain how I missed this unusual children’s book until now. Or, can it be called a children’s book?

Certainly the characters are the stuff of kid’s entertainment: a windup mechanical mouse and his little mouse son; a toyshop at Christmas with a fancy doll house, a mechanical elephant and performing seal.

Then things get a little darker and more perhaps sophisticated: a rat master who uses discarded mechanical toys to gather spoils from a dump; wars conducted among the hunting birds and the weasels; a fortune telling Frog in a glove; a performance of The Last Visible Dog by The Caws of Art...

Let’s begin at the proper place, shall we? The beginning.

In a toyshop one Christmas, the windup toys are performing for the delight of youngsters visiting the shop. At some point, the son of the clockwork mouse father – who, upon being wound up, walks in a circle raising and lowering his young son on his outstretched arms –breaks the rules of windup toys and begins to cry as he wants the lovely doll house for his home, the elephant for his Mama, and the performing seal as a sister. Crying,

he alarms the cat, who jumps, causing everything to fall into a heap and break, and ultimately get thrown away as broken bits of refuse.

In the dump, the evil Manny Rat scavenges the scraps, and restores those mechanical creatures that he can to somewhat working order, and sends them out to gather supplies to keep him and his minions fed and clothed.

Having already taken a slightly dark turn for a child’s book, the tale turns quirkier still, as a frog (“Frog,” and eventually “Uncle Frog”) clothed in a glove rescues the mouse pair, and thus begins a series of strange adventures.

On the snowy slopes of the forest, the shrews and the weasels make a bloody and vicious war, and Frog is carted away (we presume to his death) by an owl. The Mouse and Child are left to the mercies of some creature or another to wind them up so they can continue – eventually their quest becomes to become self-winding, the mechanical toy’s version of a “real boy.”

While winding down to their fate, they encounter some crows busy preparing for their troop, The Caws of Art, the theatrical The Last Visible Dog. This play is built upon the image of a dog on the label of a discarded dog food can which appears holding a tray upon which there is a can of dog food, and on that can is a dog holding a tray with a can of dog food and on the label is... well, on it goes until, yes, the last visible dog.

The play isn’t all that well-received until the Mouse and his Child are sent on stage to save the day, and are eventually rescued and carried off by Euterpe the parrot, who delivers them to the intellectual den of the Muskrat, who begins the scientific exploration of the question of self-winding with formulae such as “Key times Winding equals Go.”

The book is a language-lovers delight, playing as it does with words and phrases, sounds, names and juxtapositions, and as such would make a great one-chapter-anight read-aloud book, where any questions about the “goodies” and the “baddies” can be answered. It isn’t afraid to explore what it unflinchingly calls the hierarchy of nature – in which the smaller and less defendable creatures are gobbled up by the predators, and some characters are downright nasty (while some are delightful and reliably good). And yes, it does end “happily ever after,” though within its own boundaries, and not without one disappointing change of heart at the end.

The volume I read was a paperback edition published by Avon Camelot, with illustrations by Lillian Hoban, but it has been published several times with different illustrators, and even made into an animated film in 1977.

“The book is a language-lovers delight, playing as it does with words and phrases, sounds, names and juxtapositions, and as such would make a great one-chapter-a-night read-aloud book, where any questions about the “goodies” and the “baddies” can be answered.”

Apizza Regionale

Byblos Mediterranean Cafe

Café Kubal - Creekwalk Commons

Café Kubal - Dey’s Plaza

Danny’s Steaks

Darwin on Clinton

Decir Algo (@ Danny’s Steaks)

Epicuse (To Go)

Firecracker Thai Kitchen

317@Montgomery

A Mano Kitchen & Bar

Apizza Regionale

Board & Bar Charcuterie

Byblos Mediterranean Cafe

Clinton Street Pub

Danny’s Steaks

Decir Algo (@ Danny’s Steaks)

Dinosaur Bar-B-Que

Eleven Waters

Epicuse (To Go)

The Evergreen

Firecracker Thai Kitchen

210 Teas

Cake Bar - Salt City Market

Cake Bar - The Cafe

Funk ‘n Waffles

The Hops Spot

Kasai

Kitty Hoynes Irish Pub

Mamma Hai

Modern Malt

Original Grain

Pita Dream

ProntoFresh

The Fish Friar

Funk ‘n Waffles

Habiba’s Ethiopian Kitchen

The Hops Spot

Kasai

Kitty Hoynes Irish Pub

Le Mélange

Lemon Grass

Mamma Hai

Modern Malt

Oh My Darling

Otro Cinco

SWEET TREATS

Cathy’s Cookie Kitchen

Farm Girl Juicery

Glazed & Confused

Pastabilities

Pasta’s Daily Bread

Pork & Knife

Salt City Coffee & Bar

Salt City Smash Burger (@Danny’s Steaks)

Shaughnessy’s Irish Pub

The Sweet Praxis

Water Street Bagel Co.

Pastabilities

Pita Dream

Prime Steakhouse

Salt City Coffee & Bar

Salt City Smash Burger (@ Danny’s Steaks)

Shaughnessy’s Irish Pub

Talking Cursive Brewing

The Tallman Cocktail Co.

The Tasting Room & Cheese Bar at Epicuse

Three Lives

Peace, Love & Cupcakes

Sweet on Chocolate

The Sweet Praxis

Word on the street

by BILL mccLeLLaN

George

Santos vs.

The Lies of the Rest

First, I will begin with my now 40-year cry in Table Hopping. “Remove money from politics and this all goes away.”

Let’s lay down a little Congressional analogy to help frame what is happening in this land. And why George Santos is merely a loud representation of what has been going on for decades: “You are walking alone, lost, deep in an unfamiliar forest. (A bribed America) It is getting late and you can hear the sounds of nature. You have heard stories of grave danger as you have heard that wolves (Bought Politicians) have invaded and control this very forest. You are afraid. Evil people (Wealth) have been feeding the wolves for years. The wolves are fed well and they reciprocate catering to every cruel whim of their feeders. The feeders are the essence of evil. The wolves became the same. The wolves are sly, cunning and vile, and attack as directed with stealth so conceived that most victims are not sure of the origin. The feeders have an insatiable appetite to devour the forest without regard for the life that depends on it. The wolves became their evil cunning tool.”

Yet even in the animal kingdom mental illness can impair in ways that expose cunning and stealth. Such a wolf (George Santos) cannot hide their deceit and evil. It is on full display for all to see. The damage this wolf inflicts is nothing compared to the pack as his efforts are on display. His evil is clear. Much chaos ensues when such a wolf

manages to become part of the pack of evil and deceit that has taken over the forest and allowed it to burn. They fear his blatant, clear, and obvious attempts at deception because he is them, out in the open, glaring and exposing the filthy underbelly roiling under their thin veneer.

George Santos is a glaring symptom of the lies and deceit of the rest, and the lies and American sacrifice they are willing to cause for their job. For them to make an example of him while ignoring themselves is the highest form of hypocrisy. Yet a hypocrisy protected by the same filthy lies and deceit fully embraced by our system of bribery. Personally, I would rather see filth on your sleeve than hidden disguised in your heart. Permeating bribery has caused fertile ground that has enormous appeal to the very worst of us in both parties. All but a few out of 535, cowardly watch and reap the greedy self-serving rewards. I will offer Webster’s definition of hypocrisy so that the full meaning of what is causing our demise is clear. Hypocrisy – A feigning to be what one is not or to believe what one does not: behavior that contradicts what one claims to believe or feel. (In short accepting bribes and doing what they are told at enormous cost to American health and life and lying to the American people about it)

I have mentioned many times, that for decades lobbyists, special interests, and corporations write their own law. They pay and what they write becomes law. Largely not even read. This is why wherever you turn you have been asking yourself “How did this happen?” From the demise of considerate, efficient and kind customer service to supporting the demise of democracy, the very thread that holds this land together, to a million pages of selfish greedy legislation in between, self-interest has won. Our quality of life, siphoned for greed. They wrote and live their own greedy law. No words describe the despicability of the leadership that has allowed this.

This is what happens to a great land with a poisoned system. When there are no rules to protect us from the human weaknesses of greed and power. “Free reign greed” is the greatest threat to the safety and health of all humanity. It fostered a system of bribery on every level. Our one hope was the Constitution, perhaps the finest document ever written. That gave way to the arbiters; the Supreme Court which is chosen and financed by Wealth. Thus, bribery clearly manipulates easy to see intent to serve their greed and power. The Supreme Court of the United States today is chosen by and saturated with wealth compliant sycophants. The processes are hidden in layers of bureaucracy so they could lie. Pure heartless politics. They do what they are told and lie about the reason. Kind of worse than George Santos.

Just to cement with unalterable truth what happens, from sea to shining sea, when you allow corruption to take hold, I offer a few representations of our utter disgrace. “Brought on by money in politics”:

Foremost, our Constitution, the intent brutalized to serve wealth. Thus, creating a government so devoid of honor and character that leaders are willing to sacrifice democracy to protect their poisoned job.

Next: As I write, at least a million lives are being cruelly emotionally raped in

an ignored incorrectly designed judicial system that does not provide humane rehabilitative process. With private “for-profit” prisons leading the way “paying leaders for” regulations that fills their jails. For the naysayer, this is not about being easy on real crime. It calls for the horrific unalterable recognition that in our system an easy million people in confinement pose no threat and serve sentences incompatible with decency and justice. Their humanity ignored and abused.

dispense their products, often needlessly designed for recurring us. The Sackler’s of Purdue Pharma gave us the Heroin epidemic. Their fine was a few percent of their profit as the poor and addicted rot in jails and graves. All of this is supported by your leaders for money. They made a reservation with pure evil and kept up their part of the bargain.

Next: Much of our Congress knowingly promotes lies about elections, the very heart of who we are purely to protect themselves. These people believe they are more important than the well-being of our land of 325 million. Money forces the most unworthy among us upon us. The list goes on and on and on and on.

Next: Big oil is destroying the planet. A few thousand powerful executives wise enough to keep their regulators financially appeased ensuring the absence of meaningful regulation, as doom awaits our not too far off posterity.

Next: Tobacco has been relentlessly murdering us without remorse for generations. Vapes and tobacco product advertising is deceitfully designed to reach our kids. (that is what vapes are all about – They need to kill into perpetuity to survive and they do)

Next: The same approach is pursued by pharmaceuticals. They saturate the market with useless or cruel medications. They

Then there is the most cunning manipulation of all. I mentioned perpetuity. Bribery is the most vital and essential tool that wealth has to retain power. Soft money, big money, citizens united, a Supreme Court, chosen by the wealthy saying that corporations are people and on and on. These issues are an added assortment of tools the wealthy use to cement as several pillars of law to protect bribery. Get rid of one or all of these and nothing will change. Wealth would still bribe our leaders. The only answer is to REMOVE MONEY FROM POLITICS. Clean and complete. No assortment of wealthy manipulations.

These injustices are of a severity that they disgrace humanity’s hope to be a special creature of good. They blind America’s once glowing beacon of hope. So, you see, George Santos is merely a sideline of lies among Monsters of lies. He is a minor leak in the veneer. When you peak through you are blinded by the glare of staggering evil.

“Vapes and tobacco product advertising is deceitfully designed to reach our kids. (that is what vapes are all about –They need to kill into perpetuity to survive and they do).”

Preventive medicine

by dR. BaRRy

New Memory Program on the Block

Pretty much everyone agrees that heart disease and cancer are the top two killers of Americans. There is some dispute about the third leading cause of death with either dementia or doctors as number three. Don’t believe that doctors could be a leading cause of death? The study was published by Johns Hopkins in 2018. But there are many other studies that point in the same direction. So many people getting so much care mistakes inevitably will happen. Many of them revolve around medications and most of you are on multiple meds and that puts you at risk. I’m not telling you to stop your pills. I am telling you to focus on the underlying problem, not the symptoms.

When your blood pressure is up you can treat the number by taking medication or you can find out what you are doing wrong that is causing your blood pressure to go up.

That’s what transformed my practice of medicine over the years. A shift in focus from the symptoms to what’s really wrong and that’s your lifestyle and diet most of the time.

Today I want to focus on the other leading cause of death...dementia. Just as cancer affects every family so too has dementia and from vast experience I know that living with someone with dementia is much much more difficult than living with someone with heart disease or cancer. Dementia is usually insidious and progressive and the few FDA medications approved usually have very limited benefit. Most doctors and patients think there is really nothing that can be done. But like the guy says in the commercial... ”There is always something that can be done.”

Dr. Dale Bredesen, author of the book, “The End of Alzhiemers,” is a world expert in dementia. He has established a program called ReCode which is by far and away the most comprehensive program I have encountered for ANY disease process.

ReCODE “is a comprehensive and personalized multi-therapeutic program for reversing symptoms of cognitive decline and optimizing brain health, using a targeted algorithm based on biochemical and genetic risk factors for cognitive decline.” This program does everything from evaluating for unsuspected sleep apnea, testing for toxins, checking for the genetic risk of dementia, measuring brain size, and routinely doing brain exercises. There is a big focus on changing the diet which is consistent with the metabolic dysfunction model of dementia. People refer to Alzhiemers as diabetes type 3 which alludes to insulin’s role in inflaming the brain and the need to lower insulin which leads to better health overall. The ReCode program is for people who have current dementia and there is a PreCode program for people who want to prevent

dementia in the first place. It’s a combination of web based interactions as well as health care practitioner visits to evaluate progress.

This is not a theory. This has been put to the test. Dr. Bredesen conducted a trial with 255 people with all stages of dementia...PMID: 34680464. It looks like every metabolic parameter measured was improved in the treatment group. People with really advanced dementia did not seem to be helped but the people with moderate and mild dementia had improved scores on a very common memory test. These results were statistically significant. The results weren’t off the chart so to speak, but they were all in the right direction. Many drugs get FDA approval for less impressive results. The original study got positive results with a simpler and less comprehensive approach than they use now. The program evolves based on ongoing research which is another thing I like about it.

I visit a lot of websites. I have been involved in multiple interventions where some organizations try to interact with patients to achieve better health outcomes. The website for the ReCode program blows all the others away. It’s incredibly user friendly and comprehensive in its offerings. I’ve never seen anything else like it. The website is apollohealthco. com. When I first checked out the website, after reading his books and doing other research there were no local providers. There are now. I am one of them. I don’t need the extra work. You would not become full patients in the practice, these visits are like going to a specialty clinic. My practice is full but I feel so strongly about this issue and this program that I felt compelled to get involved. My mother suffered from dementia and I saw first hand how her diet and lifestyle contributed to her decline.

I’m not sure she would have done the program if it was available but at least now people have an option. If someone else becomes a local provider I am happy to give them the work. Check out the apollohealthco.com website for details.

Until next month...get well and stay well.

J T BARRY MD

The website for the ReCode Program

streaming Flicks

by BRIaN mILLeR

The Last of Us

When it comes to video games being adapted into live-action movies or television shows, the results have been largely abysmal. Despite valiant efforts to keep the genre moving forward, it has been one miss after another, with the only memorable titles are those that are so awful, they live in infamy within cinematic lore. Remember ALONE IN THE DARK? If you don’t, you’re one of the lucky few.

Seven episodes in, it’s safe to say that the HBO series THE LAST OF US has finally broken the curse. Based on the popular Playstation series, the show follows Joel (Pedro Pascal) and Ellie (Bella Ramsey) as they make their way across the country. What makes this trek a little more perilous than most road adventures is that

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an infection has decimated the population of the United States. The infected now live as parasitic hordes. The manifestation of their infection takes on many different forms, but no matter how their physical appearance was altered, two things remain constant; They are ugly, and they are ravenous.

I suppose it is important to note that I never played the game, so I am writing this as someone who is taking in the material for the very first time. What truly makes the series stand apart from other adaptations, is that it has found a way to separate itself from its origins. From the research I’ve done, it appears that painstaking efforts have been made to stuff each episode with Easter eggs that will delight fans, but at the same time, it is not beholden to this audience. Created by Craig Mazin, who already delivered a modern classic for HBO with the devastating limited series CHERNOBYL,

THE

LAST

OF

US is such an engaging and beautiful production that at times, I honestly forget that zombie-like creatures could spring out at any moment. The series focuses more on characters and humanity than it does the infected, so it is not merely a shoot-‘em-up cavalcade of violence. In fact, had I not known that this was based on a video game, I’m not sure that I ever would have guessed.

THE LAST OF US makes the most out of each episode, introducing endearing characters (Anna Torv, Nico Parker, Melanie Lynskey, Lamar Johnson, Keivonn Woodward) with complex backgrounds who may or may not make it through the end of their respective episodes. The one thing that can be guaranteed at the start of each installment is that you don’t know who will survive to appear the following week. As the great Joe Bob Briggs taught me back in the 90’s, this is the key to any great horror movie, and turns out, works pretty darn well on television, too. As a result, each episode feels like an individual story within a larger narrative, progressing the story of Joel and Ellie while also highlighting the humanity, love, and struggles of the apocalypse. There is no greater example of this than episode three, entitled “The Ballad of Bill and Frank.” There is absolutely no doubt in my mind that there are numerous Emmy nominations in its future. It works as both a stand-alone story and part of the larger plan and features magnificent and haunting performances by Murray Bartlett and Nick Offerman.

By limiting the “monster” moments, the LAST OF US not only ratchets up the intensity, but it also, I believe, keeps itself far more accessible to a wider audience. If each moment was saturated with blood-thirsty creatures and blasting machine guns, far less viewers would tune in week after week. As it stands now, the show is one of the most popular programs on television, even outpacing HOUSE OF THE DRAGON in the Nielson ratings. The dynamic and relationship between Joel and Ellie is also what keeps audiences coming back for more, and this is obviously attributed to the performances of Pascal and Ramsay. The two, veterans of two immensely popular shows in their own right (THE MANDALORIAN and GAME OF THRONES, respectively) feel like a natural fit, and their evolving relationship is palpably believable. There is a level of natural comfort that exists between the pair, one that will surely shine as they grow closer with each chapter.

THE LAST OF US has already received the green-light for season two, and admittedly, I’m bummed the current season has almost reached its conclusion. It has already become a comfort and leaves audiences counting down the days until the release of the next installment. Not bad for a title in a genre that probably should have been put out of its misery years ago.

THE LAST OF US- A

Now airing on HBO and streaming on HBO Max.

Bella Ramsey as Ellie

Pedro Pascal as Joel

my mind to yours

by deBRa meRRyWeatheR

Everybody’s History

Writers William Faulkner and James Baldwin both suggest the past is never past; we carry history in us. People’s stories show how this is so. One recent PBS chronicle explores an actor’s complex mixed roots history. Three movies that zoom in on war, religious misogyny, and a conflict between friends are among the many films competing for a single “Best Picture” 2022 Academy Award.

Doesn’t competition for something underly everything?

Synopses and spoilers follow.

“All’s Quiet on the Western Front,” based on Erich Maria Remarques’ novel, follows protagonist Paul Baumer, an optimistic, naïve student turned soldier. Paul’s enthusiasm quickly dissipates when he is assigned to collecting dead soldiers’ ID tags amid mud and blood in a German trench in France. Paul lives through battles, respite, and more death to eventually wait with fellow soldiers for the armistice to start on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month of 1919. Instead, fifteen minutes before that 11th hour, Paul’s commander, citing the German suffering that will follow the Treaty of Versailles, orders Paul and his fellows to attack French troops who are themselves waiting for peace nearby. Like automatons, Paul and his fellow soldiers march forward. WWI history suggests that both sides launched last minute attacks on each other.

While most WWI German soldiers fought for turf from trenches, soldiers stationed with Germany’s Ottoman allies were present while the Turkish government attacked the Armenians. For centuries, the Ottoman Muslim majority marginalized Armenians for being infidels (Christians,) being educated, and for prospering. Adolph Hitler, preparing for his lebensraum aggression, would scapegoat German Jews for similar reasons. Hitler is said to have remarked that no one would care about German Jews because no one remembered the “annihilation of the Armenians.”

Diaspora stories often play as survival stories. Survival stories involve more.

In PBS’s “Finding Your Roots,” Henry Louis Gates often asks his guests how they feel about discovering some heroic, ignoble, or tragic stories in their ancestries. In a recent “Finding Your Roots,” actor Joe Manganiello learned how his Armenian Greatgrandmother Rose survived the slaughter that befell her family. Then, Rose was picked up by relief workers and taken to a camp where she became pregnant by a German soldier. Rose’s child is Joe Manganiello’s grandmother. Manganiello seemed stunned at how he resembles his German great-grandfather, a soldier who returned to his hometown after the war. Further, Joe Manganiello’s paternal DNA revealed the hidden roots of Joe’s father’s strained relationship with his father.

In both war and even peace, women are particularly vulnerable to ethnic, religious, and cultural judgments linked to paternity. Women get pregnant. Women bear children.

“Women Talking,” is a film based on Miriam Toew’s novel inspired by rapes in a

Mennonite community from 2005-2009. The attackers drugged women with bovine tranquilizer. In the film, one attacker implicates others in the ongoing assaults that religious elders had long attributed to demonic activity and wild female imaginations. The women have two days before the men return home from jail to decide whether to just forgive the men, to stay and fight, or to leave.

The women can neither read nor write so they warily agree to trust the community’s schoolteacher, August, to record their deliberations. August is the returned son of a mother banished for non-conformity. The community despite needing August to teach the boys how to read, write, and do math, marginalizes August as a “failed farmer” and “two-bit teacher.”

August offers to marry Ona who, pregnant from rape, is called out as a “whore” who should keep quiet. Ona speaks anyway. Drugged like the other victims, Ona can’t be sure who attacked her and knows that if she stays, the community will take and place her child with another family, maybe even with her attacker’s family. In their representative-democratic discussions, the women consider life in the world and the afterlife. Ona suggests that mandated forgiveness might not be true forgiveness. Ona believes in love.

Salome’s tiny daughter was raped, and Salome believes she herself will commit murder if she stays in the community. Salome’s adolescent son does not wish to leave.

The fictional “The Banshees of Inisherin” takes place on an island off Ireland’s west coast where folk musician Colm abruptly rejects his friend and neighbor Padraic. Hurt, confused, and wanting to repair the rift, Padraic repeatedly asks Colm to tell him what’s wrong. Eventually, Colm tells Padraic that he, Colm will amputate his own fingers, one at a time, any time Padraic tries to talk to him.

The film depicts Colm in the Confessional, confessing “impure thoughts” while bristling when his priest suggests Colm’s silence toward Padraic might be wrong. Outside the “box,” when Colm’s bloody masochistic

offering harms Padraic’s beloved pet, Padraic’s hurt grows into anger.

Life is an assemblage of stories about people who couldn’t see or believe what was happening to them. Post-traumatic stress is everywhere. Feelings stored in individual and collective bodies are stronger than facts.

Movies help us see.

sounds syracuse

Jazz in the Burbs

Life on Earth with Dave Kaspar

Chuck Schiele: As a jazz promoter in the Central New York area, how do you see the situation, and tell us all what you do about it?

Dave Kaspar: The Jazz scene is slowly growing again in the Syracuse Area. We lost Syracuse Suds Wednesday program, but Pasta’s has restarted, Jazz at The Fitz, Jazz on The Rocks, the restart of Syracuse Jazz Fest, and of course #JazzinTheBurbs.

CS: Please elaborate on Jazz in the Burbs. How did it come about?

DK: I started looking for a place for a friend to continue a residency he had for seven years. I found the room, but he wasn’t interested in continuing the residency. So I pitched Philippe (owner of Green Gate) a four week series. That went well, then a six week series, then eight, now I book thirty weeks a year.

CS: I know you as an aficionado of jazz. Do you play?

“To me, jazz is the most supreme of all musical universes. And it often ecompasses and includes the bones and blood of all the other styles and genres out there.

DK: No, I’m not a musician. I played trombone in Elementary school, but didn’t practice, and was encouraged to stop if I wasn’t going to do the work. My love of live music is how I entered the scene.

CS: Elaborate on your history as a jazz energy in the area.

DK: I was an active member of the jazz audience for many years. Attending many Central New York Jazz Orchestra shows including, Jimmy Heath, Rob McConnell, Joe Lovano. I attended every act of Syracuse Jazz Fest since 1994. Trips to Saratoga and Rochester for their festivals. In 2017, I started #JazzinTheBurbs and last year #JazzByTheLake.

CS: Cool. Super cool. How did you come to appreciate jazz the way you do?

DK: It’s a story I love to tell. I was at the first Syracuse Jazz Fest at Oliver’s on Erie Blvd. in the early eighties. One of the headliners was Nancy Kelly. She came out in a white Marilyn Monroe style halter dress, and sang ‘All of Me.’ I thought to myself, I think I love jazz! That was the entry point. My main genre of music I enjoyed back then was Southern Rock. But that was also an entry with the improvisational aspect of the live jams from those groups as well.

CS: What are some of the highlights in your path as a jazz promoter?

DK: Some highlights include watching #JazzinTheBurbs grow to a thirty week a year showcase. Also my production of “The Young Lions of Jazz” at the Palace Theater in 2018, and now starting a new series at The Oswego Music Hall called #JazzByTheLake.

CS: What would you like to see for the Syracuse jazz scene, right now and in the future?

DK: Ultimately the increase in either Jazz Clubs or rooms that have a continuous Jazz series. This area is loaded with outstanding jazz talent with limited venues to showcase that ability.

CS: What does jazz mean to you, personally? What do you love about it?

DK: It’s the improvisational aspect that I really enjoy, watching talented musicians listening to each other, and playing off each other. Also I love watching young talent grow from jamming, to being sidemen in groups, to becoming group leaders. Leading a group is a big jump, putting together a group, setting a playlist, interacting with an audience from the stage. To see that growth in a musician is something special.

CS: Who made the first impressions on you as artists; and who’s in your radar, nowadays?

DK: Locally, well obviously Nancy Kelly, Ronnie Leigh, Jeff Stockham, Joe Carello, John Rohde, Rick Montalbano, and Jimmy Johns to name just a few. Nowadays, Will Gorman, Theo Curtan, Michael Passarelli Jr., Jake Lawless, again just to name a few. These artists are the future of the jazz scene.

CS: What (else) is in your near future?

DK: I just started a new series in Oswego at the Oswego Music Hall. It’s called #JazzByTheLake. It’s a Guest Curator Program. I was invited by Mark and Ellen Wahl to submit a proposal for a jazz series. They accepted a two concert series, have extended it

to two more shows, one on April 1st featuring The Latin Groove Connection, and on May 6th with The Jazz Horn Legacy Sextet. Now there’s a possibility of six more shows in the fall of 2023 and the Spring of 2024.

CS: How do we keep in touch with you and your shows?

DK: I promote both series through Facebook, Instagram and for my non-social media followers at CNYALIVE.COM. And lastly at area live music shows where I promote the old fashioned way, face to face, and by pressing the flesh.

CS: Thank you, David. I appreciate your time to talk with us here at Sounds of Syracuse. See you out there!

DK: Chuck, I appreciate your efforts in keeping the CNY area music scene strong, and taking the time to support others trying to do the same. Thanks brother, look forward to seeing you soon!

Chuck Schiele, Creative Services

https://chuckschielecreative.crevado.com/ Chuck Schiele Music

https://chuckschielemusic.com/home

Dave Kaspar, right

Mu SIC

March 1

Jazz At Timber Banks • 6-9pm Timber Banks, Baldwinsville

March 1

Flogging Molly • 7:30pm

The Landmark Theatre, Syracuse

March 1

Just Joe • 5pm

Jake’s Grub & Grog, Central Square

March 2

Gary Van Brocklin • 5-8pm Lakeview Lanes, Fulton

March 2

Jambulance LIVE

Bullfinch Brewpub, Destiny USA, Syracuse

March 3

Mike MacDonald • 6:30-9:30pm Western Ranch, Syracuse

March 3

John /Spillett Jazz/Pop Duo • 6-9pm Lemon Grass on Walton, Syracuse

March 3

Josh Jay • 7-10pm

Lakeview Lanes, Fulton

March 3

Mark Zane • 8-11pm

Harvey’s Garden, Syracuse

March 3

Bad Bunny XRauw

Alejandro Night • 9pm

The Westcott Theatre, Syracuse

March 3

Jude Roberts - presented by the Folkus Project • 8pm

May Memorial Unitarian Universalist Society, Syracuse

March 3

Max Eyle LIVE

Bullfinch Brewpub, Destiny USA, Syracuse

March 3

Cait Devin • 6:30-9pm

Middle Ages Brewing, Syracuse

March 4

The Dirty Doves • 7-10pm

Brian’s Landing, Jamesville

March 4

Aqueous With Litz • 8pm

The Westcott Theatre, Syracuse

March 4

Chris Taylor Trio • 6-9pm

Lakeview Lanes, Fulton

March 4

Angel • 6-10pm

Sharkey’s Event Center, Liverpool

March 4

Sympathy & Bad Bloom • 6pm

The Lost Horizon, Syracuse

March 4

Sean Rowe • 7-9:30pm

443 Social Club & Lounge, Syracuse

March 4

Wagner3000 • 6:30-9pm

Middle Ages Brewing, Syracuse

March 5

Symphoria Casual III: Onward • 3pm

St. Paul’s Cathedral, Syracuse

March 5

Marissa Mulder • 6-8pm

443 Social Club & Lounge, Syracuse

March 6

The Dirty Doves • 6-8pm

Meier’s Creek Brewing Co., Syracuse

March 9

Jamie Cunningham • 8-11pm

Limerick Pub, Syracuse

March 9

Patrick Young • 5-8pm

Lakeview Lanes, Fulton

March 9

Janet Batch & The Four Bangers • 7-9pm

443 Social Club & Lounge, Syracuse

March 10

The Dirty Doves • 7-10pm

The Irish Inn, Oswego

March 10

John /Spillett Jazz/Pop Duo • 6-9pm

Lemon Grass on Walton, Syracuse

March 10

Paul Davie • 7-10pm

Lakeview Lanes, Fulton

March 10

Mark Zane • 7-10pm

Oswego Music Hall, Oswego

March 10

The Kicks: “Disorder”

Album Release Show • 6pm

The Lost Horizon, Syracuse

March 10

Motley 2 • 8pm

The Showroom at Turning Stone, Verona

March 10

Dead to the Core • 7-9:30pm

443 Social Club & Lounge, Syracuse

March 10

Raedwald Howland-Bolton • 6:30-9pm

Middle Ages Brewing, Syracuse

March 11

Mike Farrar & House Rockers • 7-10pm Western Ranch, Syracuse

March 11

The Dirty Doves • 8-11pm

Gibby’s Irish Pub, Oswego

March 11

Mark Zane • 12-2pm

Aurora’s Cafe, North Syracuse

March 11

The Cool Kids • 6-9pm

Lakeview Lanes, Fulton

March 11

Thank You Scientist • 7pm

The Westcott Theatre, Syracuse

March 11

Symphoria Casual VI: American Voices

Crouse Hinds Theatre, Syracuse

March 11

Jeffrey Gaines • 7-9:30pm

443 Social Club & Lounge, Syracuse

March 11

Josh Breen • 6:30-9pm

Middle Ages Brewing, Syracuse

March 12

The Dirty Doves Trio • 10pm-1am

Al’s Wine & Whiskey Lounge, Syracuse

March 12

John /Spillett Jazz/ Pop Duo • 11am-2pm

Blue Water Grill, Skaneateles

March 12

Sunday Music Event

Cecile Community Center, Syracuse

March 12

Victor Vanderstelt • 2-4pm

Second Sundays Music Series, Cecile Community Center, Syracuse

March 13

The Adam Ezra Group • 7-9pm

443 Social Club & Lounge, Syracuse

March 15

Chastity Brown • 7-9pm

443 Social Club & Lounge, Syracuse

March 16

Ben Wayne • 5-8pm

Lakeview Lanes, Fulton

March 16

Irv Lyons Jr. and Loren Barrigar

Meier’s Creek Brewing Co., Cazenovia

March 16

The Sea The Sea • 7-9pm

443 Social Club & Lounge, Syracuse

March 17

Freeway • 6:30-9:30pm

Western Ranch, Syracuse

March 17

John /Spillett Jazz/Pop Duo • 6-9pm

Lemon Grass on Walton, Syracuse

March 17

Bryan Syrell • 7-10pm

Lakeview Lanes, Fulton

March 17

Cold “Year of the Spider”

Anniversary Tour • 6pm

The Lost Horizon, Syracuse

March 17

Rani Arbo & Daisy Mayhempresented by the Folkus Project

May Memorial Unitarian

Universalist Society, Syracuse

March 17

That Arena Rock Show • 8pm del Lago Resort & Casino, Waterloo

March 17

Mark Zane • 6-9pm

Aloft Hotel, WXYZ Bar, Syracuse

March 17

Mardi Gras in March w/Curley Taylor & Zydeco Trouble • 7pm

443 Social Club & Lounge, Syracuse

March 17

Connor Campbell • 6:30-9pm

Middle Ages Brewing, Syracuse

March 18

Domicolo and Barlow • 6-9pm

Lakeview Lanes, Fulton

March 18

Kansas Wine, A tribute to Primus • 8pm

The Westcott Theatre, Syracuse

March 18

Symphoria Casual IV: Fantasia of Dance

Crouse Hinds Theatre, Syracuse

March 18

Syracuse Friends of Chamber Music: Hub New Music Concert St. Paul’s Cathedral, Syracuse

March 18

Aztec Two-Step • 2-3:30pm & 7-9:30pm

443 Social Club & Lounge, Syracuse

March 18

Thrift Store Gypsies • 6:30-9pm

Middle Ages Brewing, Syracuse

March 19

The Dirty Doves • 11:30am-2:30pm

Brian’s Landing, Jamesville

March 19

Women’s Voices Music Series: Diana Jacobs Trio

Liverpool Public Library, Liverpool

March 19

Nachos & Blancos • 12-4pm

443 Social Club & Lounge, Syracuse

March 23

Tiger • 5-8pm

Lakeview Lanes, Fulton

March 23

Killer Queen, A Tribute to Queen • 7:30pm The Landmark Theatre, Syracuse

March 24

John /Spillett Jazz/Pop Duo • 6-9pm Lemon Grass on Walton, Syracuse

March 24

The Dirty Doves • 6-9pm

DeMatteo’s Restaurant, Rome

March 24

Dixie North • 7-10pm

Lakeview Lanes, Fulton

March 24

Mark Zane • 6-9pm

Trapper II Pizza & Pub, Minoa

March 24

Picture Us Tiny • 7pm

The Lost Horizon, Syracuse

March 24

Colin & Max • 7-9pm

443 Social Club & Lounge, Syracuse

March 24

John Mc Connell • 5:30-8pm

Middle Ages Brewing, Syracuse

March 25

Damn Dog Duo • 6-9pm

Lakeview Lanes, Fulton

March 25

Brothers w/Lite • 6:30-9:30pm Western Ranch, Syracuse

March 25

Pop Evil • 7pm

del Lago Resort & Casino, Waterloo

March 25

The Shylock’s 5th Anniversary Blues Bash • 6-10pm

443 Social Club & Lounge, Syracuse

March 25

Mc Ardell & Westers • 5:30-8pm Middle Ages Brewing, Syracuse

March 26

The Furious Bongos • 8pm

The Westcott Theatre, Syracuse

March 26

Yarn • 1-3pm & 6-8:30pm

443 Social Club & Lounge, Syracuse

March 28

Rolling Loud Presents: Young Nudy • 8pm

The Westcott Theatre, Syracuse

March 29

Prince Daddy & The Hyena + Drug Church • 6pm

The Lost Horizon, Syracuse

March 30

Steve Maclean • 5-8pm Lakeview Lanes, Fulton

March 30

The Concert, A Tribute to ABBA • 8 pm

del Lago Resort & Casino, Waterloo

March 30

Mark Zane • 6-9pm

Litterio’s Tavern, Camden

March 30

Trapper Schoepp • 7-9pm

443 Social Club & Lounge, Syracuse

March 31

Mike MacDonald • 6:30-9:30pm Western Ranch, Syracuse

March 31

Sam Vecchio • 7-10pm

Lakeview Lanes, Fulton

March 31

John /Spillett Jazz/Pop Duo • 6-9pm

Lemon Grass on Walton, Syracuse

March 31

1DRFL And Friends Part 2 • 8pm

The Westcott Theatre, Syracuse

March 31

Scott Bradlee’s

Post Modern Jukebox • 8pm

The Showroom at Turning Stone, Verona

March 31

Joshua Hyslop • 7-9pm

443 Social Club & Lounge, Syracuse

March 31

Colin Aberdeen • 6:30-9pm

Middle Ages Brewing, Syracuse

April 1

Stryper • 7pm

del Lago Resort & Casino, Waterloo

April 1

Earth Crisis “Firestorm”

30th Anniversary • 6pm

The Lost Horizon, Syracuse

April 1

The Moxie Stings • 7-9pm

443 Social Club & Lounge, Syracuse

April 1

JT Horne • 6:30-9pm

Middle Ages Brewing, Syracuse A R t

March 1-5

Creative Cortland Community Visual Arts Exhibition

Cortland Repertory Theatre, Cortland

March 1-11

Portrait of a Village, Ukraine –

Photographs by Lida Suchy

ArtRage Gallery, Syracuse

March 1-12

CNY Artist Initiative: Jamie Young Exhibit

Everson Museum of Art, Syracuse

March 1-31

Emergence, A Wood

Turning Journey

Cazenovia Artisan Gallery, Cazenovia

thru March 31

The Degenerate Art Show of Germany, 1937

The Station – Artist Collective and Gallery, Syracuse

March 1-May 7

Chromania

Everson Museum of Art, Syracuse

March 1-May 14

Take Me To The Palace of Love

Syracuse University Art Museum, Syracuse

March 1-May 21

Hoop Dreams: Basketball and Contemporary Art

Everson Museum of Art, Syracuse thru April 9

Common Ground

Everson Museum of Art, Syracuse thru May 14

50th Anniversary: Selections from Light Work Collection

Everson Museum of Art, Syracuse thru May 15

Stephanie H. Shih: My Sweetie Has No Pockmarks Syracuse University Art Museum, Syracuse thru May 21

Hoop Dreams: Basketball and Contemporary Art

Everson Museum of Art, Syracuse

Ev EN t S

March 1

PalmerTrolls • 7:30pm

Funny Bone, Syracuse

March 3

Sammy’s Awards Show • 7:30pm

The Palace Theatre, Syracuse (virtual)

March 3

Creed Bratton – An Evening of Music and Comedy • 8pm

del Lago Resort & Casino, Waterloo

March 3-5

Brave Brews Festival • 9am

City of Auburn, Auburn

March 4

Family Adventures: Grossology

Rosamond Gifford Zoo, Syracuse

March 4

Larry the Cable Guy • 7pm

del Lago Resort & Casino, Waterloo

March 9

Macramé & Margaritas • 6pm

Civic Center Theatres, Syracuse

March 9

Ain’t It Grand, Spring Fundraiser

The Fitz (Oh My Darling), Syracuse

March 10

Spring Montezuma Field Trip

Baltimore Woods

Nature Center, Marcellus

March 10

Landmark Green Beer

Tour • 5:30pm

The Landmark Theatre, Syracuse

March 10-12

Big East Camping & Outdoor Sports Show

Turning Stone Resort & Casino, Verona

March 17

Syracuse Official St. Patrick’s Day

Bar Crawl • 4pm

Various Venues, Syracuse

March 18

Syracuse Shamrock Stroll

St. Patrick’s Day Weekend

Bar Crawl • 1pm

Various Venues, Syracuse

March 24

Swifties Sour Night • 8pm

The Westcott Theatre, Syracuse

April 2

The Peking Acrobats • 7pm

The Showroom at Turning Stone, Verona

tHEAt RE

thru March 5

Espejos: Clean

Syracuse Stage Complex, Syracuse

thru March 5

By The Way, Meet Vera Stark

The Red House, Syracuse

March 10-11

The Lightning Thief: The Percy Jackson Musical • 2pm

The OnCenter, Syracuse

March 17-18

Bluey’s Big Play

Landmark Theatre, Syracuse

March 25

Sister’s Easter Catechism: Will My Bunny Go to Heaven • 7:30pm

The OnCenter, Syracuse

April 4-16

Our Town

Syracuse Stage Complex, Syracuse

May 9-14

Dear Evan Hansen

Landmark Theatre, Syracuse

May 12-21

The Bridges of Madison County, In Search of Love

The Red House, Syracuse

May 26

Disney Juniors Dino Ranch • 6pm

Landmark Theatre, Syracuse

May 31-June 20

Evita

The REV Theatre Co., Syracuse

Spo R t S

March 1

Syracuse Crunch vs. Cleveland Monsters • 7pm

The OnCenter War Memorial, Syracuse

March 3

Syracuse Crunch vs. Lehigh Velley Phantoms • 7pm

The OnCenter War Memorial, Syracuse

March 4

Syracuse University

Men’s Basketball vs. Wake Forest • 5pm

Syracuse University, Syracuse

March 4

WWE Road to WrestleMania • 7:30pm

The OnCenter War Memorial, Syracuse

March 10

Syracuse Crunch vs. Laval Rockets • 7pm

The OnCenter War Memorial, Syracuse

March 11

Syracuse Crunch vs. Rochester Americans • 7pm

The OnCenter War Memorial, Syracuse

March 12

PBLA Lacrosse: Syracuse Spark vs. Trenton Terror • 7pm

The OnCenter War Memorial, Syracuse

March 17

PBLA Lacrosse: Syracuse Spark vs. Elmira Renegades • 7pm

The OnCenter War Memorial, Syracuse

March 18

Syracuse Crunch vs. Wilkes-Barre/ Scranton Penguins • 7pm

The OnCenter War Memorial, Syracuse

March 25

Syracuse Crunch vs. Hershey Bears • 7pm

The OnCenter War Memorial, Syracuse March 26

Syracuse Crunch vs. Utica Comets • 7pm

The OnCenter War Memorial, Syracuse March 31

Syracuse Crunch vs. Belleview Senators • 7pm

The OnCenter War Memorial, Syracuse

April 7

Syracuse Crunch vs. Rochester Americans • 7pm

The OnCenter War Memorial, Syracuse

Now Playing

by BRIaN mILLeR

Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania

About thirty minutes into ANT-MAN AND THE WASP: QUANTUMANIA there were two movie star of all time. The ease in which he commands the screen is unparalleled, and

he genuinely makes you feel as if you are watching a friend. He is ageless and hilarious, elevating any and all material simply by speaking.

The other thought I had, and it was one that came to me frequently throughout the latest MCU adventure was, “Man, AVATAR: THE WAY OF WATER was really good.”

Unfortunately for the MCU, and really any action extravaganza coming our way over the next couple of years, this comparison is inevitable. The visuals James Cameron delivered in THE WAY OF WATER were so far superior to virtually anything we have ever seen before, that when you place it next to similar projects, it’s not even a competition. And, given the fact that most of QUANTUMANIA is spent in a CGI world, the comparisons are even more glaring.

Scott Lang (Rudd) is living his best life. Sure, he disappeared for five years

Daily Specials

Dyne (Evangeline Lilly), he doesn’t have to pay for coffee, folks get excited to see him on the street, he has become a published author, and he even gets asked to take pictures with people’s dogs on a regular basis.

when Thanos snapped his fingers, but for the most part, things worked out. He may have missed a large chunk of his daughter Cassie’s (Kathryn Newton) life, but he did pretty much save the world, so it wasn’t all bad. He has a great relationship with Hope van

Speaking of Cassie, much like her father, she has a bit of a rebellious streak. She is not afraid to thumb her nose at authority, but also is longing to come to the aid of those who need assistance. Turns out, she is a genius to boot. She has invented a device that will allow her to send a signal back and forth to the quantum realm, which will then allow her to map out the entire environment. While Scott, Hope, and Hank van Dyne (Michael Douglas) are beyond impressed with her invention, Janet van Dyne (Michelle Pfieffer) is a little less stoked. She had spent 30 years trapped in the realm before being saved in ANT-MAN AND THE

“The ease in which he commands the screen is unparalleled, and he genuinely makes you feel as if you are watching a friend. He is ageless and hilarious, elevating any and all material simply by speaking.”

Evangeline Lilly as Hope van Dyne

Michelle Pfieffer as Janet van Dyne

WASP and she wasn’t exactly forthcoming with what it was like down there. Hope had spent time trying to learn what happened, but Janet never wanted to talk about it.

Mom probably should have been a little more open with her daughter, because after initiating the signal, the whole crew is sucked down into the quantum

moments where I was pretty sure that content had been cut along the way that was supposed to be there, but it’s as if director Peyton Reed ran out of time to patch the holes. That’s not to say that the latest ANT-MAN AND THE WASP isn’t entertaining, because there are enjoyable moments throughout. There are plenty of laughs, as to be expected, and Majors and Newton are excellent additions to the MCU. The thing is, whereas each installment of the Marvel Universe used to be an event, there are now so many entries with so many different characters and timelines, that it’s starting to lose its luster. The film earned over $100 million in its opening weekend, so audiences are still engaged, but at the same time, the MCU is going to need to evolve to stay relevant in the post WAY OF WATER world.

ANT-MAN AND THE WASP: QUANUMANIA- BNow playing in theaters.

realm. Filled with unique creatures and trippy landscapes, it’s a place that looks pretty amazing but still can’t hold a candle to Pandora. Though I thought of the effects of AVATAR, the setting and characters reminded me a lot more of another franchise. I wasn’t alone in this, as my 13 year-old daughter leaned in at one point and said “This is giving me serious STAR WARS vibes.” It was an astute observation, and one that permeated throughout the production.

Scott and Cassie get separated from Hope, Hank, and Janet, and the two different factions realize they must find one another if they ever hope to get home. Janet, who knows her way around the realm and is in a constant state of panic, tries to use her decades of residency to her benefit, but dangers seem to lurk around every corner. Meanwhile, Scott and Cassie are largely unaware of the dangers they face, and meet a group of rebels who seem menacing at first, but are in actuality wacky side characters whom we are going to grow to love.

Overseeing the quantum realm is the new Thanos. His name is Kang the Conqueror and as played by Jonathon Majors, he is a formidable foe. There’s a lot going on with his backstory and motivations, and while I could dive deep into it here, what you need to know is that he is shockingly powerful and will gleefully destroy universes, galaxies, and even timelines in the multi-verse if the mood strikes him. Majors instantly becomes an excellent addition to the MCU, and with a subdued fury (until it’s not) commands every scene that he is a part of.

Despite the best efforts of the entire cast, QUANTUMANIA never develops into the movie that it could have been. The visuals are eye catching but also don’t have the same natural feel of AVATAR. Not quite as clunky as they were in DOCTOR STRANGE AND THE MULTI-VERSE OF MADNESS, but still, felt video-gamey and animated. There are sequences and scenes that are cut short and choppy, leading to

“The thing is, whereas each installment of the Marvel Universe used to be an event, there are now so many entries with so many different characters and timelines, that it’s starting to lose its luster.”

Thanos played by Jonathon Majors

sports take

by mIke LINdsLey

2023 NY Yankees Preview

We enter another baseball season in the Bronx and 2009 is going to be printed on a t-shirt in Boston pretty soon.

That, of course, is the last Yankee World Series appearance, and win, for that matter.

They have added some pitching, say they’re counting on the kids and hope health finally is on their side. Here are a few reasons why the Yanks will win the World Series, a few why they won’t and much more. 3 reasons why the Yankees win the World Series.

1. They are so due. 2009. Last appearance. Last win. The time is now.

2. AL is weak. It’s a Houston and New York world. There are many solid teams, but are they really a threat to make an October run? Cleveland? Seattle? Toronto? Not likely.

3. Aaron Judge, Gerrit Cole and playoff Giancarlo Stanton? It still comes down to almost a billion dollars between the three. They need to be at their best for

NY to win it all. Stay healthy, dominate playoffs, win a ring. The pressure is especially on Judge, the new captain with the new contract and poor playoff numbers overall. 3 reasons why the Yankees won’t win the World Series:

1. Offense lacking in October. Hits with two outs? Not enough. Strikeouts? Too many. This offense is regular season-based and cannot seem to deliver in October for whatever reason (s). The Yanks really need a full, healthy lineup for October, with home field advantage and for Judge, Anthony Rizzo, Stanton, Harrison Bader, DJ LeMahieu and others to finally produce when it matters most.

“Oswaldo Cabrera and Oswald Peraza should have key roles this year at left field and shortstop, respectively.”

Oswald Peraza

2. Lack of pitching. Cole, Carlos Rodon’s addition and Nestor Cortes (already with a hamstring strain) all look nice but the 4 and 5 spots in the rotation? Potential disaster.

Frankie Montas is already injured and you cannot ever count on Luis Severino. Clarke Schmidt the savior? How many times can you really get quality starts out of a guy who you don’t really know who he is, a starter or reliever?

3. Houston is better. They have been and will be until the Yankees prove everyone wrong. Key pitcher:

Luis Severino. His rollercoaster Yankee career continues. As mentioned, the top three should be fine in the rotation if they all stay healthy. What if Sevy actually gives them a full, great season from Spring until and through October? Game changes quickly. Key position player:

DJ LeMahieu and Giancarlo Stanton. Picked two here because if DJL is back and healthy, the offense changes. He sets the tone, he hits to contact and is tremendous defensively at multiple positions. Stanton will get hurt, of course, probably multiple times, but the Yanks need him most in October. When he gets hot, he is arguably the scariest hitter in the game. If he gets hot in October? You like New York’s chances. Welcome, kids!

Oswaldo Cabrera and Oswald Peraza should have key roles this year at left field and shortstop, respectively. We saw plenty of the former last year at left and short and his energy was unmatched. He will backup left field for Aaron Hicks (until he gets hurt, of course) and Oswald Peraza will platoon shortstop with Isiah Kiner-Falefa who is back, which makes zero sense. Brian Cashman needs to trade him and give the keys to Peraza. You’re next, hopefully, Anthony Volpe. The Yankees roster has been aging quickly. They must get younger. The Astros and Phillies started a rookie at shortstop in

Bullpen potential?

If the Yanks get deep starts from the staff like they did last year in the first half after asking the powers that be if they could go deeper into games, it obviously protects the bullpen. But once starts were shorter and injuries started and the season got late, the bullpen was exposed. Aaron Boone cannot burn guys out. It’s not easy, but something has to be done. Michael King going down last year changed the season. He doesn’t need surgery which is amazing news considering he would be out all of this year if he got it. Wandy Peralta is a great lefty option and backs down from nothing. But the Yankees really need Clay Holmes and Jonathan Loaisiga to be elite from start to finish. Projected record: 101-61.

Postseason prediction: AL East champs. Lose in ALCS to Astros.

It’s a Houston and New York American League world. But the Yankees haven’t proved anything in October against Houston. Until they do, it’s hard to pick them. Prove me wrong, fellas.

Mike Lindsley has been in sports media for 25 years. He is the host of the ML Sports Platter Podcast. Follow and subscribe to his Twitter and YouTube channels @ MikeLSports.

Therese Risley

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computers & the Web

by NaNcy RoBeRts

Passcodes and Passkeys

Passcodes are a necessary part of life, and to a degree, the bane of many an existence.

Once upon a time, in the pre-cyber world, the game was all about keys, locks, and the sheer physical strength of a door, drawer, box or other enclosure that kept any but the owner of the enclosed space from accessing it. But those days also pre-dated, at least to a large degree, data as an asset. While that’s not entirely true, as things like social security numbers, birth records, even things like, say, a marriage license, or a chemical formula, as data, held a

value and could thus be mis-appropriated for gain, this data was stored physically, and would have to be removed physically (or at least copied) to provide any value to someone taking it.

But once data became digitized, it could be taken digitally, without so much as, necessarily, a sign that anyone had broken into it until such time as it was used to gain access to a bank account, or take the personal information

of hundreds or hundreds of thousands of users. Passwords/passcodes were the locking mechanism of digital “safes.” While at first just a recommendation, eventually many storage spaces insisted that a password contain certain elements that would make it harder and harder to, using computing power, simply keep trying until a password could be assembled. “Your password must contain an uppercase letter, two lowercase letters,

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“While at first just a recommendation, eventually many storage spaces insisted that a password contain certain elements that would make it harder and harder to, using computing power, simply keep trying until a password could be assembled.”

at least one special character and three numbers and must contain at least 7 characters.” I had a programmer friend who had worked out a very good system, in my estimation at any rate, to overcome the hurdle of trying to remember all those passwords without writing them down – the risk, of course, of having 50 passwords to remember. He had a formula which was his own secret code – something like the fourth letter of this third child plus his mother’s birth year plus the third three letters of the location being accessed (or something similar) so that it had a pattern but always had elements that were unique to the specific situation. And with a little thought, it could be made even more one-of-a-kind, so that if, for example, the location (YouTube, for example) started with a letter in the second half of the alphabet, it would be the third letter of the second child in his family – thus becoming even more particular to a given situation and harder to break, yet no harder to remember once the code was devised. The one challenge was that you had to be rigorous in your application of your formula, else it would be pointless.

While I still like the system, as is always the case with things technological, the proliferation of technology itself may hold another solution.

Who reading this article doesn’t have multiple devices? The most Luddite among us, or the most unwilling to “adopt” is likely to have at least a smart phone and a tablet and/or PC (at least). That provides the ingredients for a “passkey.”

Actually, the germ of a passkey has been around and in use for quite a while. We have had “recovery” accounts for other accounts for a long time. This was typically an email account to which you would send a “lost password” or “recover password” email. Assuming only you had access to that account, if you couldn’t remember your password, you could reset it using this message.

Passkeys take this idea, but use it as the “password.” When you log on to an account, you don’t enter a password – you send a request to an “authenticator.” This would typically be a smart phone, or possibly another device with a notification system of some kind on it.

Then, you would be requested to log in to the account you’re trying to access on your authenticator, using typically a PIN or perhaps (and probably safest) a form of biometric (thumb print, facial recognition, for example).

Once that is done, your account, on whatever device you requested access, would be granted. Anyone attempting to hack into your account would need a) the account; b) the authenticator; c) access to your . (Cue the stolen “eyeballs” or “thumbs” memes here.)

It certainly makes sense if a given account offers two-step authentication to go ahead and use it – even if it’s just occasionally asking for a secret question, or to send a verification code to a mobile phone every so often when you log in. Certainly request, if available, that an unrecognized device or IP address be challenged with a two-step authentication for your protection.

PREP TIME 10 min.

TOTAL TIME

10 hrs. 40 min.

SERVINGS

8 MARCH from Allrecipes

recipe

Slow Cooker Corned Beef and Cabbage

INGREDIENTS

1/2 lb. baby carrots

1/2 lb. small yellow potatoes

1 sweet onion, cut into bite-size pieces

4 cups water

DIRECTIONS

4 3/4 lbs. corned beef brisket, with spice packet

3 tbsp. onion powder

3 tbsp. garlic powder

1 bottle Irish stout beer

1 med. head cabbage, quartered

Step 1 • Spread baby carrots, potatoes, and onion into the bottom of a slow cooker crock. Pour water over the vegetables.

Step 2 • Season the lean side of the corned beef brisket with onion powder and garlic powder. Set seasoned brisket onto the vegetables with the fatty side facing upwards. Pour beer over the brisket. Sprinkle contents of the spice packet over the brisket.

Step 3 • Cook on low for 10 hours.

Step 4 • Remove brisket to a cutting board. Stir cabbage into the liquid and vegetable mixture remaining in the slow cooker.

Step 5 • Cook cabbage on high until tender, 30 to 45 minutes.

Step 6 • Slice corned beef and serve with cabbage mixture.

Passcodes, a necessary part of life