Family
Several of you might roll your eyes in disgust once realizing this story is a head-first leap into a Christmas-related story. Yes, already. Sick indeed, but see, when holiday commercials are airing before Halloween, and stores (*cough*Wegmans*cough*) have trees and sparkling lights up promptly on November 1, it's not that
Choice Events
Once upon a time there was a man named Sam Patch. He liked to jump off things, and people liked to watch. He famously leapt into the Niagara River near Niagara Falls, gaining daredevil status. When Patch decided to come to Rochester, he wanted to have a go at
Choice Events
As the winter slowly approaches, this weekend the Cumming Nature Center will be taking the chill out of the air by collecting warm clothing items to give to local charities. Bring any new or gently used jackets, hats, boots, mittens, or gloves directly to the nature center, and add
Choice Events
Some of Poland's finest films hit Rochester this week, in what'll be a look at the past, present, and future of Polish cinema. "Tomorrow We Are Going to the Movies" commemorates the 70th anniversary of the beginning of WWII; after the screening, there will be live interviews with WWII survivors
Choice Events
Mercury Opera's rendition of "The Three Little Pigs" is just as we remember it, but with a few twists. This time around, some of Mozart's most popular songs will underscore the performance, but all of the characters are back, still trying to create the perfect home to fend off that
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All you've really gotta hear are the words "chocolate dessert buffet" to know that this Cobblestone School benefit is going to be worth a stop. The Chocolate Decadence Dessert Buffet & Silent Auction will feature chocolate creations from the Little Bakery, Cheesy Eddie's, Savoia Pastry Shoppe, Eco Bella, and
Choice Events
You can shield your eyes from the Christmas displays at the shops, refuse to flip the calendar to November, and even stubbornly leave your winter coat at home, but you can't deny that winter, and with it that hyped-up holiday called Christmas, are both around the corner. Sure, Thanksgiving hasn't even
Choice Events
It is the height of the Prohibition Era, and two murderesses are put on death row for murder, duking it out to escape the tainted American justice system with a little bit of help from a corrupt, sweet-talking lawyer and a bribable prison matron. The musical "Chicago" is known for
Stage
"Lipstick Massacre" is an original murder-mystery comedy written by Michael Steck, best known to Rochester audiences as drag queen Pandora Boxx. It's a frothy pastiche of several genres, including bawdy drag comedy, over-the-top soap opera, and the high camp found in the films of directors like John Waters and Charles
Nightlife Articles
When I heard the name "Scotland Yard," my head conjured up images of the pubs I visited on my trip to England a few years back. At the new Scotland Yard Pub in the St. Paul Quarter, the closest thing I saw to that was the valet parking sign with
Music Articles
Close your eyes and Ballbreaker sounds just like AC/DC. And for years, that's pretty much what the band was trying to achieve: it covered AC/DC's music with alarming accuracy. Call it redemption if you want, but on record Ballbreaker finds its own voice within the genre that it used to emulate,
Choice Concerts
Sometimes my hunches are actually right, goddammit. I've been rooting for The Sunstreak since the boys in the band were flipping burgers backstage at The Warped Tour. The Rochester-based band has worked its collective ass off, made the Billboard charts without a label, and crashed a van or too on
Choice Concerts
I wonder if "for a good time call The Hot Seats" is written on every bathroom wall in Richmond, Virginia. It should be, and perhaps we can carry on the tradition up here. A highly entertaining band, with songs about sleepover parties of giggling girls, The Hot Seats is just
Choice Concerts
Originally the drummer for the classic 70's R&B outfit L.T.D. until he was called up to sing lead, Jeffrey Osborne had already put his baritone signature on a string of hits by the time he went solo in the early 80's. Much like, say, Lionel Richie, Osborne successfully navigated R&B's
Choice Concerts
This weekend, pianist Gary Palmer will present the 20th anniversary of his Night of Encores concert to benefit the Lupus Foundation. Palmer started Night of Encores in 1989 after one of his young piano students died from complications related to the disease. Since then the concert has been performed annually
Choice Concerts
It seems like the Trans-Siberian Orchestra has been around since the dawn of the holiday shopping season, but the group actually first convened in the mid-90's. Since then TSO has essentially become synonymous with Christmas (like eggnog and ill-fitting sweaters as gifts), touring around the holidays with its wildly eclectic
Choice Concerts
Dawn Thomson is that rare jazz singer who is also a formidable instrumentalist. Between verses, sung in a cool, understated style, she is likely to launch into a knock-out guitar solo. Thomson has shared the stage with Milt Jackson, Dave Liebman, Renee Rosnes, and many others. She'll be sharing the
Choice Concerts
Whether or not its purveyors want to admit it or not, gospel is as responsible for rock 'n' roll as blues or country. In fact, those that traffic in the once-accused "devil's music" do a better job when they stay closer to the path of righteousness. Listen to The Voices
Guides
Best Pizza Joint Pontillo's Many area locations, pontillospizza.com Best Burger Joint Bill Gray's Many area locations, billgrays.com Best Barbecue Joint Dinosaur Bar-B-Que 99 Court St. 325-7090 Best Place for Breakfast Jines Restaurant 658 Park Ave. 461-1280 Best Meal After 1 a.m. Jay's Diner 2612 W Henrietta Rd. 424-3710 Best Dessert Abbott's Frozen Custard Many area locations, abbottscustard.com Best Fish Fry Jeremiah's Tavern 1104
Guides
Best Upscale Comfort Food: Corn Hill Grill's Macaroni & Cheese In these tough economic times sometimes there's nothing more reassuring than noshing on some good ol' comfort food. And when you're really craving something simple, cheap, and quintessentially American, it doesn't get any better than mac ‘n' cheese. It fits the
