Trumpeter Mike Kaupa seems to be on every bandstand in town. One night he’s playing with Chet Catallo, the next with Annie Wells. And that’s when he’s not occupying his long-standing trumpet chair in the Dave Rivello Ensemble. When the stars have visited, Kaupa has brought his gorgeous tone to the music of Ray Charles, […]
Via Girasole Wine Bar
Posted inMusic
JAZZ | Mike Melito Trio
From the popular to the obscure, Mike Melito knows jazz classics so well that he can step into any situation. So it’s not surprising that he’s been the drummer of choice when jazz luminaries like Benny Golson, James Moody, Barry Harris, Eric Alexander, and many more have come to town. Over the years, Melito has […]
Posted inCulture
‘Plateapalooza’ celebrates the trashy star of Rochester cuisine
When I tell people that I’m from Rochester, the response typically isn’t “Oh! You guys have that internationally renowned photography museum!” or “Isn’t that guy from Foreigner from there?” It’s usually, “Rochester? Aren’t you known for that dish? That gross pile of food? What’s it called, again?” It’s called the garbage plate — and, legally, […]
Posted inCulture
Lanai goes island hopping on Alexander Street
We often use the metaphor of an explosion as the impetus for big changes occurring in our lives, whether it refers to a relationship, a career opportunity, or just a bunch of little things that have built up and make us want to clear our personal cache and hit the restart button. And then sometimes […]
Posted inCulture
Going back to Greece
The “coming home” theme is a common one when it comes to telling the story of where people decide to open restaurants. Mark Chiarenza grew up in Greece and after being involved in opening and running various establishments in Rochester (Murphy’s Law, Nikko, Char at the Strathallan), he decided he wanted to open his next […]
