Rochester gets a shout-out in “It’s a Wonderful Life.” Though Seneca Falls may or may not have inspired the film’s fictional setting of Bedford Falls, the Flower City is explicitly evoked as the potential home of a new factory, part of a burgeoning plastics empire.
When protagonist George Bailey hears of the idea, he has one simple question: “Rochester? Well, why Rochester?”
It’s a tossed-off reference, but because of its inclusion in a holiday staple, the mere mention is enough to inspire homesickness in Rochesterians who’ve since moved away — especially since natives might find a surplus of wistfulness during the season. (This writer speaks from experience.)
Luckily, the prescription is simple: a good 585-themed care package full of items from here. These gifts capture the best of our city and reflect its finest values, like community, creativity and just the right amount of iconography.
As George’s would-be business partner Sam Wainwright replies about our fair city, “Well, why not? Can you think of anything better?”
After all, it’s not Bedford Falls. It’s Rochester.
READ: Day Trips Around Rochester, New York
Did you know that, at 14,400 acres in size, Letchworth State Park could hypothetically fit snugly on top of the island of Manhattan? Or that the Seneca word for Canandaigua translates to “The Chosen Spot”? These are two of the many fun facts found in Debi Bower’s 2023 compendium. They punctuate plenty of suggestions for places to hike, eat, swim, catch a show and take in everything that the Finger Lakes region has to offer. It offers a reason to come back home for a visit. daytrippingroc.com
SIP: Ugly Duck Coffee’s guest-roaster beans
The plants embroidering the shop’s entrance and coloring its 900-square foot space sadly won’t travel well. But the beans will. The folks behind Ugly Duck Coffee pride themselves on serving up java and “maintaining the integrity of the roasters we partner with,” according to the mission. Grab a blend from the shelf, like recent picks from Ethiopia and Colombia, or the classic Shop Blend from local Aporia Coffee Co. and send forth a sip of the world, via Rochester. 89 Charlotte St., uglyduckcoffee.com
MUNCH: Salty baguette and olive oil
Forget tea and toast. How about a rosemary sea salt baguette from Baker Street Bakery? Once sliced, it pairs perfectly with some gremolata olive oil from F. Oliver’s, right next door on Park Avenue. The salt and the garlic ground the flavor while the lemon lifts it, making for a cozy taste of home. Best enjoyed with a friend, but only if you feel like sharing. 745/747 Park Ave., bakerstbakery.com, folivers.com
DECORATE: Roc stickers by Emily Pontanares
Unlike Rochester’s average of 200 cloudy days per year, the world of illustrator and designer Emily Pontanares is vivid and whimsical. Pontanares’s bright, crisp designs beg to decorate laptops and Nalgene water bottles, which is why the artist’s themed stickers really pop. The quintessential hallmarks are here: a ketchup-slathered white hot, a pink Kodak camera (one of Pontanares’s most popular items), a jar of Boss Sauce and even a nod to the Inner Loop. Maybe stuff ‘em in a card from Type High Letterpress for a winning combination — and find more designs @emilypontanares.
LISTEN: WAYO’s local community radio
The low-power, freeform radio station that broadcasts from East Main Street just wrapped its 2025 fundraising campaign, with good news: WAYO handily cleared its $20,000 goal, ensuring another year of music and community-driven shows. All the programming — folk histories, activist hours, experimental noise — is available to stream online 24/7, from near and far. As a bonus, the swag that accompanies these WAYO drives really hits. wayofm.org
DISCOVER: Record Archive’s $5 mystery CD bag
Buying a bag of unknown media is a time-honored tradition. Record Archive packages VHS tapes, DVDs, vinyl records and even cassettes in neat little to-go satchels, all for $5 a pop. But no format is better equipped to be delivered in such a manner as the compact disc. So, what’s inside? A dozen Spin Doctors singles? Santana’s “Supernatural” (the one with “Smooth” on it)? That’s been the beauty of this warehouse music emporium since 1975. You never quite know what awaits. 33 1/3 Rockwood Street, recordarchive.com
Patrick Hosken is an arts reporter for CITY. He can be reached at patrick@rochester-citynews.com.
This article appears in Nov 1-30, 2024.
