There’s nothing quite like an ice-cold treat on a hot summer day, and this town will soon be serving up plenty of both. Chances are that you have your favorite neighborhood ice-cream haunt, as well as a couple places worth a leisurely evening drive. But maybe you’re in the market for a new spot? Or […]
Dayna Papaleo
Posted inMovies
“The Innkeepers” / “First Position”
Less is more, they say, and this holds especially true when it comes to horror flicks. Of course, there will always be those directors who rely upon crimson spatter and miles of intestines, trafficking heavily in the shock value brought about by Grand Guignol gore. Then there are those filmmakers who appreciate the similar-sounding but […]
Posted inSpecial Sections
SUMMER GUIDE ’12: Summer Movies
So here’s how it works: I peruse the list of summer releases, then spotlight the ones that pique my curiosity. Sure, it’s completely arbitrary, but since I’m never the only person in the theater, I have to assume others are interested in these flicks as well. You’ll notice, though, that with the exception of our […]
Posted inMovies
Dog days
Lawrence Kasdan didn’t invent the ensemble drama, but he might as well have. His second film as a writer-director, 1983’s “The Big Chill,” has pretty much become the shorthand way to describe flicks with large casts confined to one location, complicated adult angst, and a Motown hit (or three) to which people may sing into […]
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DISH ’12: Unique local dishes
Sometimes, when I’m enjoying an especially tasty restaurant meal, or munching on some homemade candy, or even just scraping the vegetal goodness from a simple steamed artichoke, my thoughts will wander from what’s happening in my mouth and I’ll find myself once again floored by the minor miracle that is cooking. Who first looked at […]
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FALL GUIDE ’11: Movie preview
By now you know how Hollywood works, saving its finest films for year’s end, with a couple of non-prestige (read: fun) offerings counterprogrammed against all that Oscar bait. You’ve probably also noticed that the studios tend to cluster their most promising submissions around a holiday. This means that you might find yourself stuck with some […]
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ANNUAL MANUAL ’11: Rochester’s Pizzerias
In his indispensable book “American Pie,” author and baking educator Peter Reinhart embarks upon a hunt for the perfect pizza. Even he acknowledges that a flawlessly prepared pie often can’t compare to one that is simply, thoroughly satisfying. Because pizza really doesn’t have to be perfect; it can evoke a savory memory, lure friends over […]
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SUMMER GUIDE ’10: Movies
So what usually happens is I cobble together a list of films to write about for a summer movie preview, and with any luck a unifying theme will present itself. This time? Not so much. Truthfully, the following rundown is more notable for what’s not included; save for a couple of big-budget studio flicks, it’s […]
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DISH ’10: Chef favorites
[ INTERVIEW ] Unlike sports or politics, gastronomy is one of the few topics about which people get passionate but not violent. While the world has seen many heated discussions concerning food, rarely has anyone ever rioted about the yummiest cut of steak, and few, if any, have been punched out in debate over the […]
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DISH ’09: Food Trends
Now that you’re big, it’s probably come to your attention that meals don’t magically manifest at the appointed hours of 7 a.m., noon, and 6 p.m. As a matter of fact, you’re supposed to forage for your own food, and if you’re not eating it right where you found it, then it’s your job to […]
Posted inArts & Entertainment
REVIEW: “Pride and Prejudice, the New Musical”
It’s akin to found-object assemblage, or maybe sampling, when some imaginative soul takes a piece of literature and fashions it into a stage musical full of songs that the source material never envisioned. And it’s happened numerous times; think of "Les Misérables," "The Phantom of the Opera," and "My Fair Lady," to name just a […]
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DISH ’08: Food Trends
This country’s freakishly knowledgeable obsession with food seemed to explode at the end of the century, right around the time Emeril turned cooking into entertainment. Nowadays it seems that when we’re not actually eating, we’re discussing the myriad ingredients available and the yummiest ways to fashion them into our next meal. But as with any […]
