Cover Story
Best of Rochester 2018
Hello, CITY readers. It’s time to reveal the results for Best of Rochester 2018, our own “Showcase Showdown,” if you will. It’s been quite the contest to get this far: More than 12,000 contestants gave us their best and final answers in our Best of Rochester readers’ poll, spanning 100 different categories.
Authentic homemade beef patties at Reggae Jamaica
A bite into a Reggae Jamaica beef and cheese patty greets you with a gooey surprise: A freshly sliced, melted chunk of American cheese mixed with wonderfully but not overwhelmingly seasoned beef. Napkins are heavily recommended for this treat.
‘Under Pressure’ print show returns to Roco
Now in its third year, the annual show presented by Rochester Contemporary and the Print Club of Rochester is a showcase of contemporary printmaking that pushes boundaries.
The F Word: I Scene It – Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
In the blessed trinity of Waits, Cohen, and Cave, Nick Cave is by far the darkest. There was some murmuring concern that Cave’s intimate intensity might get swallowed up in Toronto’s Scotiabank Arena. It turned out to be unfounded.
RBJ cartoon brings protests and apology
It’s not unusual for a publication’s editorial cartoons to offend some of its readers. But the cartoon in the October 19 edition of the Rochester Business Journal went well beyond political commentary, resulting in complaints from readers and an online protest signed by nearly 150 businesses. The cartoon, by syndicated cartoonist Rick McKee, had the…
Album review: ‘Haunt Your House III’
Steve Wilkins ‘Haunt Your House III’ Self-released stevewilkins.bandcamp.com Continuing his haunted house album series for the third year in a row, Steve Wilkins is a local DIY musician making a tradition out of seasonally themed soundscapes. Having released several albums since his debut “Pasteurized Instrumental Music for Relaxing Occasions” in 2014, Wilkins finds clever ways…
Jazz Festival has new venues, club-pass changes
It’s only October, and there’s already big news in local jazz. The CGI Rochester International Jazz Festival announced major changes this morning for its 2019 event, including two new venues – Parcel 5 and Geva – and a more user-friendly club pass policy. The festival, which will run from June 21 to 29, will stage…
City lengthening community garden permits
This coming spring, the City of Rochester will begin issuing five-year permits for established community gardens. Right now the city issues permits for community gardens on vacant, city-owned properties for one growing season at a time. Under the new policy, if a non-profit organization has held permits for three years and the city hasn’t received…
Were you there? Photos from the Best of Rochester 2018 party
CITY Newspaper held its Best of Rochester party in the Village Gate atrium on Tuesday night, October 23. Nominees gathered to celebrate, dance, and mingle while sampling some of the finest food and drink that Rochester has to offer. [slideshow-1]
BEST GOODS AND SERVICES
BEST BIKE SHOPPark Ave Bike 600 Jay Scutti Boulevard, (585) 427-2110; 3400 Monroe Avenue, (585) 381-3080. parkavebike.com Full Moon Vista | Towner’s | Towpath Bike BEST FITNESS TRAINERMolly Flaherty at M/Body 1048 University Avenue. (585) 4342608; mbodyrochester.com Ajia Cherry (Functional Innovative Training) | Noah Jobin (Paramount Performance) | Lore McSpadden (Positive Force Movement) | Mike…
BEST NIGHTLIFE
BEST NEW BAR/CLUB The Spirit Room 139 State Street. (585) 397-7595; facebook.com/TheSpiritRoomRochester Bar Bantam | Rochester Beer Park | Swan Dive BEST BAR FOR BEER Tap and Mallet 381 Gregory Street. (585) 473-0503; tapandmallet.com MacGregor’s Grill & Tap Room | Rochester Beer Park | Three Heads Brewing BEST BAR FOR WINE Flight Wine Bar 262…
BEST LOCAL COLOR
BEST LOCAL ACTIVIST GROUPOut Alliance 100 College Avenue. (585) 244-8640; gayalliance.org B.L.A.C.K. | Metro Justice | Rochester Democratic Socialists of America | Rochester Food Not Bombs BEST SOURCE OF ROCHESTER PRIDEWegmans Many area locations. wegmans.com Garbage plates | Genesee Brewery | Out Alliance BEST LOCAL MEN’S SPORTS TEAMRed Wings @rocredwings; redwingsbaseball.com Amerks | Knighthawks |…
The F Word: Now I Wanna Be Your Cat
Rocco, the cat who let’s me live in his house, talks a lot for a cat. And I respond, which leads to a cross-phylum kind of conversation of his meowing and my matter-of-fact patter.
HIP-HOP, CLASSICAL | Black Violin
Before giving Florida duo Black Violin a spin, just wipe the notion out of your head that the duo is merely a novelty. Violinist Kev Marcus and violist Wil Baptiste play hip-hop, or rather, melodically soaring pieces within a hip-hop context. Bringing the hip to their hop is DJ SPS and drummer Nat Stokes. Those…
CLASSICAL | 2018 EROI Festival
Since 2002, the Eastman Rochester Organ Initiative Festival has been an incomparable exploration of the organ. The festival brings together organists, instrument builders, and scholars from all around the world. This year’s edition, entitled “Beyond the Stops: Finding the Organ’s Voices,” also marks the 10th anniversaries of three major organ installations in the Rochester area…
ART | ‘Pilgrim’s Process’
In her artist statement, Rochester-based painter Belinda Bryce describes her intuitive way of creating: “Venture first; meaning may follow.” Meditative and soothing to behold, her paintings are stripped down to formal elements of shapes and line, with an emphasis on texture achieved through layers of gestural marks and abstract stains. Bryce’s recent exploratory work is…
LITERATURE | Rochester Jewish Book Festival
The 26th annual JCC Lane Dworkin Rochester Jewish Book Festival is underway and continues through November 19, featuring visiting authors, lunchtime talks, films, workshops, family events, and more. Among this week’s events are a talk and Q&A with New York Times bestselling author Jenna Blum (“The Lost Family”) on Wednesday, October 24, at 7:30 p.m.…
THEATER | ‘The Addams Family’
I grew up devouring “The Addams Family” in every iteration, from the black and white TV show, to the 1991 film starring Christina Ricci as teen icon Wednesday. When “Parks & Recreation” debuted, I couldn’t help but think that April Ludgate was what Wednesday would be like as an adult. Grown-up Wednesday is the subject…
CRITICS’ PICKS
Best Breakfast Sandwich: Fair Pour Café’s ‘The Jammy Sammy’ Like most folks, I’ve had my fair share of breakfast sandwiches. It’s a simple, yet tried-and-true concoction that consists of more or less the same ingredients: some sort of bread, meat, egg and cheese. There are dozens of variations and many have their favorites. And now,…
Urban Action 10/24
This week’s calls to action include the following events and activities. (All are free and open to the public, unless otherwise noted.) Climate inaction spurs a rally The Rochester Youth Climate Leaders, an interscholastic youth activist organization, will hold a rally on Monday, October 29, to call attention to climate change. The rally is a…
Feedback 10/24
Send comments to themail@rochester-citynews.com, or post them on our website, rochestercitynewspaper.com, our Facebook page, or our Twitter feed, @roccitynews. We edit selections for publication in print, and we don’t publish comments sent to other media. Immanuel Baptist and the changes in the climate On October 8, the International Panel on Climate Change released a report…
Best Answers
[ OUTTAKES ] BY CITY READERS Off-the-cuff, sometimes off-color responses to our Best of Rochester 2018 Primary Ballot WE’RE AWARE (Best Source of Rochester Pride) “You know it’s Wegmans.” HAVE YOU TRIED WEGMANS? (Best Place to Meet Singles) “I DON’T KNOW! Please tell me!” LET US DRINK IN PEACE! (Best Regional Brewery) “Beer is gross…
Channel changes spark a fight
Spectrum recently changed the channels that carry local public access channels. And local station managers say the change, which they claim happened without warning, has been confusing to viewers. They want Spectrum to move the stations back to channels 12 and 15.
BEST FOOD & DRINK
BEST PIZZA Pontillo’s Pizzeria Many area locations. pontillospizza.com Mark’s Pizzeria | The Pizza Stop | Salvatore’s BEST BURGER Bill Gray’s Many area locations. billgrays.com The Gate House | Restaurant Good Luck | Swillburger BEST BARBECUE Dinosaur Bar-B-Que 99 Court Street. (585) 325-7090; dinosaurbarbque.com Good Smoke BBQ | Sticky Lips | Texas Bar-B-Q Joint BEST WINGS…
INDIE ROCK | Desert Noises
Desert Noises is a four-piece, powerhouse alt-rock band from Provo, Utah. Guitarist Kyle Henderson and bassist Tyler Osmond send out vocal harmonies that keep the listener locked into attention at all times. A lively pulse underneath is constantly driven forward by Brennan Allen’s polyrhythmic drum patterns, echoed by the electrifying guitar riffs of Pat Boyer.…
INDIE, FILM MUSIC | ‘Nosferatu’
It’s a rare treat anytime movie lovers get a chance to take in a silent film with live musical accompaniment. It’s even more special when that music is an original score written and performed by artists operating outside their comfort zones. But that’s exactly what you’ll get Tuesday, on the eve of Halloween, when local…
JAZZ | Branford Marsalis
Saxophonist extraordinaire Branford Marsalis may be best known for his mid-1980’s stint with Sting or his short-lived, early-1990’s tenure as bandleader on “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno.” But, after growing up in New Orleans, the oldest son in the “first family of jazz,” Marsalis has spent most of his career playing straight-ahead, hard-bop jazz.…
FOLK | Windborne
The Golden Link Folk Society kicks off its 2018-19 season on Saturday with the dynamic, Vermont-based quartet Windborne. Lauren Breunig, Jeremy Carter-Gordon, Lynn Mahoney Rowan, and Will Thomas Rowan specialize in cohesive, heart-warming harmonies. With a charming, traditional aesthetic, Windborne’s songs also boast impressive cultural range. In predominantly a cappella arrangements, the group is as…
Yet another crisis for Rochester’s schools
Superintendent Barbara Deane-Williams’ decision to retire – announced in the middle of the night – is simply one more symptom of the district’s failures.
Album review: ‘Don’t Stick Around’
Fortunato ‘Don’t Stick Around’ Self-released wearefortunato.bandcamp.com Although only 22 minutes in duration, Fortunato’s new EP “Don’t Stick Around” is a complete artistic statement, packed with emotional moments and sideswiping climaxes. The four-song set is like a dark body of water electrified by a ray of indigo light shining down. Although no longer in the band,…
Jay’s Diner never sleeps
Open 24/7, the diner is conveniently located near the center of a geographic college triangle in West Brighton. But beyond catering to sleepless students, Jay’s is popular around the clock.
Preview: High Falls Women’s Film Festival
The High Falls Film Festival returns for another year of filmic expression and empowerment. Now designated the High Falls Women’s Film Festival, the event continues its commitment to highlighting the contributions of women both in front of and behind the camera.
Theater review: ‘Thurgood’ at Geva
Lester Purry is a theatrical force, bringing Thurgood Marshall to life through expert physicality, an impressively dense amount of memorized material, and a true commitment to the portrayal of an icon of American history.
Album review: ‘Longing to Be the Mountain’
King Buffalo ‘Longing to Be the Mountain’ Self-released kingbuffalo.bandcamp.com Having reached widespread international exposure since its formation in 2013, King Buffalo is a local psychedelic rock trio known for its cavernous sound. Currently celebrating the release of its latest album, “Longing to Be the Mountain,” King Buffalo pushes the boundaries of stoner rock. The album…
Theater review: ‘A Bronx Tale’
“A Bronx Tale,” from leads to ensemble, is one of the highest caliber shows from the last few seasons at the Auditorium. From vocals and dancing to acting and character chemistry, this is a show that truly feels like Broadway on tour.
The Moho Collective goes acoustic on new EP ‘Soma’
The Moho Collective has taken a slight detour from its well-known manic, eclectic, electric strain. On Friday, October 26, the Lovin’ Cup crowd will get a taste of these acoustic tunes at the album release show for “Soma.”
BEST ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
BEST LOCAL ORIGINAL BANDJoywave @joywavemusic; joywavemusic.com Stavo | The Stedwells | Teagan and the Tweeds BEST LOCAL SOLO MUSICIANTeagan Ward facebook.com/teaganwardmusic.com; teaganward.com Mikaela Davis | Cammy Enaharo | Nick LeDuc BEST LOCAL HIP-HOP ACTTugboat facebook.com/theofficialtugboat Claude Bennington’s Fever Dream | MdotCoop | Moses Rockwell BEST LOCAL ALBUM OF 2018“Delivery” by Mikaela Davis Mikaeladavis.com “Get Wild…
