It was the spring of 2004 when Christy Muscato and Julia Sittig met at a local doula training. Both pregnant at the time, they quickly became friends and that friendship evolved into Beautiful Birth Choices, a North Winton Village-based business focused on helping people navigate pregnancy, birth and their postpartum experience. Alison Spath joined their […]
Articles
Posted inCulture
Five generations of Zweigle’s prove family is linked to longevity
The longstanding tradition of Sunday sauce is rooted in family: a designated time of the week where a slow-cooked pot of flavors brings the entire family to the dinner table. But for Julie Camardo, CEO of Zweigle’s (preference: white hot), Sunday sauce meant driving to all the local “hots” places with her family. “We’d hop […]
Posted inMovie Reviews
REVIEW | ‘Blue Heron’
Writer-director Sophy Romvari’s “Blue Heron” is a deeply personal feature debut. Romvari has been making shorts since 2011, which would indicate she has been ready to make the leap to features for a while. Most filmmakers would use a few well-received shorts as their launchpad to feature filmmaking, but “Blue Heron” feels like Romvari needed […]
Posted inDance
Garth Fagan Dance looks back — and forward — during a milestone 55 years
Audiences around the world have long been enamored with Garth Fagan’s choreography. While families and theatergoers may be most familiar with his Tony Award-winning work on “The Lion King,” others have been singing Fagan’s praises since long before his Broadway debut. But without the company and overall artistry of Garth Fagan Dance, it’s unlikely his […]
Posted inLilac Festival
Rochester Lilac Festival has a musical act for every ear
For Mikaela Davis, the 2026 Rochester Lilac Festival is a homecoming. Though the harp-playing, twangy, jam-adjacent singer-songwriter is now based in Catskill, New York, she still considers Rochester home enough to make her May 13 headlining set in Highland Park the release party for her new album, “Graceland Way.” Fellow local cornerstone group Giant Panda […]
Posted inFestivals Preview
2026 Festival Guide
Every regional fest under the sun, from May through October.
Posted inMovies
REVIEW | ‘The Devil Wears Prada 2’
Two decades later, the devil you know is flawed — but enjoyable company.
Posted inMusic
REVIEW | ‘Burn From Both Ends’ by Pluck
On “Burn From Both Ends,” the second full-length release from local favorite Pluck, the band’s indie-rock sound rings true. This vibrant collection explores a wide variety of topics and themes. From sickness to relationships to the political state of the world, Pluck’s sophomore album is ready to converse with the listener. “Sooner” opens the album […]
Posted inCulture
Exploring over a century of growth at Lamberton Conservatory
“Please watch for wandering turtles,” reads the sign on the door leading into Lamberton Conservatory. Brimming with plant varieties from across the world and a horde of tortoises, turtles and quails, the conservatory in Highland Park welcomed nearly 70,000 visitors through that door last year, a 46% increase from 2021. The Lamberton Conservatory was built […]
Posted inCulture
Monroe Theatre’s historic façade and unused space is a landmark and a question mark
Along Monroe Avenue, buildings don’t just stand. They lean into traffic, watch the sidewalks and quietly record the neighborhood’s evolution. The Monroe Theatre, with its Art Deco façade still intact and its marquee frozen mid-thought, feels less like an abandoned structure than an unfinished sentence. People notice it. They ask about it. They debate it. […]
Posted inArts & Entertainment
Following a two-year artist residency, Baron Vaughn’s newest show premieres at Geva Theatre
Growing up in Las Vegas, Baron Vaughn loved comedy. His mother and grandmother raised him through a tumultuous childhood, and his father was out of the picture. Comedians on TV like Eddie Murphy and Richard Pryor became Vaughn’s father figures. He wanted to be like them, so he pursued the first opportunity he found to […]
Posted inTheater
REVIEW | ‘A Beautiful Noise’ at RBTL
There is a cruel irony in that Neil Diamond, whose songs have made millions of people feel “so good, so good, so good,” felt so bad about himself for much of his life. Diamond has spoken openly about his persistent depression and loneliness, but even his most ardent fans could be forgiven for being surprised […]
