CITY February 2026

10

CULTURE THE DRAG COMMUNITY IS MORE THAN DOUBLE ENTENDRES AND DOLLAR BILLS. BY KALYSTA DONAGHY-ROBINSON

14 FOOD WHY WE FIXATE ON — AND FETISHIZE — THOSE BEHIND THE LINE. BY ABBY QUATRO

20 MOVE TO INCLUDE WHEN IT COMES TO LOVE AND MARRIAGE, PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES PAY THE PRICE. BY NOELLE E. C. EVANS

34 HISTORY AS EARLY AS 1900, MUTOSCOPES PROVIDED A WINDOW INTO THE RISQUÉ. BY JUSTIN MURPHY

BY MATT

ROGERS

CULTURE LOVING YOURSELF IS THE FIRST STEP TO LOVING OTHERS. BY FLO CARDELLA

SHUMWAY

280 State Street Rochester, New York 14614 feedback@rochester-citynews.com phone (585) 244-3329 roccitymag.com

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Rochester Area Media Partners LLC, Chris Hastings, chairman

FOUNDERS

Bill and Mary Anna Towler

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Ryan Williamson

EDITORIAL

Editor: Leah Stacy

Arts reporter: Patrick Hosken

Multimedia reporter: Roberto Felipe Lagares

Contributors: Kellen Beck, Sydney Burrows, Flo Cardella, Elliott Sky Case, Vanessa Cheeks, Erin Connorton, Katie Epner, Noelle E. C. Evans, Jon Heath, Leah Joy, Johanna Lester, Mike Martinez, Justin Murphy, Abby Quatro, Kalysta Donaghy-Robinson, Matt Rogers, Helana Schumway, Mona Seghatoleslami, J.R. Taylor, Estalyn Walcoff

CREATIVE

Art director: Jacob Walsh

ADVERTISING

David White ads@rochester-citynews.com 585-730-2666

CITY is available free of charge. Additional copies of the current issue may be purchased by calling 585-784-3503. CITY may be distributed only by authorized distributors. No person may, without prior written permission of CITY, take more than one copy of each monthly issue.

CITY (ISSN 1551-3262) is published monthly 12 times per year by Rochester Area Media Partners, a subsidiary of WXXI Public Broadcasting. Periodical postage paid at Rochester, NY (USPS 022-138). Address changes: CITY, 280 State Street, Rochester, NY 14614. Member of the Association of Alternative Newsmedia and the New York Press Association. Copyright by Rochester Area Media Partners LLC, 2026 - all rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, photocopying, recording or by any information storage retrieval system without permission of the copyright owner.

Sex & (love &) the CITY

EDITOR'S LETTER

BY LEAH STACY LEAH@ROCCITYMAG.COM

In November 2024, we got a fascinating email from a woman who lives a few towns away.

“I am one of the many area residents who met my spouse using City Newspaper personal ads. Interestingly, my now-late husband, who placed the ad, had been on the same campus as I, was affiliated with the same employer, and had even been registered with the same dating service (that was a "thing" back then) but we had never met until he placed his ad in City, in 1985.”

The couple was married for 33 years, until she lost her husband to health complications in 2020. The dating apps weren’t helping her meet anyone. Would we ever consider bringing back personal ads?

While we haven’t revisited the intriguing idea simply due to bandwidth, working on this issue resurrected it. Because what’s the number one thing I hear from single friends? It’s impossible to meet anyone here.

I was married for six years. And if you knew me then — well, you knew me then. But a different me. One that lives squarely in those 2016 throwbacks everyone keeps sharing online (and 2016 was, to this day, one of the best years of my life). I got on the dating apps in my 30s, a serial monogamist of 15 years who’d never downloaded Tinder because it was invented while I was already dating my ex. Once I began swiping on the apps, it almost always resulted in a good story, especially because the pandemic was just beginning to taper off and lots of new people still lived here, albeit temporarily.

There was a Brooklyn filmmaker who made miso salmon and played piano for me in his Catskills house. The lawyer who asked for the sweetest

cocktail on the menu and tried to kiss me two hours in. The professor who thought he didn’t need a car when he moved to Rochester so I had to give him a ride home in the snow.

But the apps couldn’t compare — and never will, for me — to serendipity. Give me a good, oldfashioned meet-cute like the ones I had with my long-term relationships. College certainly does provide those in spades.

There were plenty of organic meetings over the years, too. The realtor in the apple orchard and the fiery NYC sommelier at the Finger Lakes wine conference and the latenight picnic table hang with the nephew of the man who broke up with my mom right before she started dating my dad. (I know, I know.)

And someday, I’ll write about all of those adventures. Someday.

I’ve now spent more time solo than married. It’s a strange feeling, an out-of-body reality that hits at the

most inconvenient times, like when I’m grocery shopping and an old song comes on or I’m in a meeting and a memory hits followed by the urge to cry.

Because while that cortisol hit of good morning texts and first dates and flowery gestures is fun, I think we all just want someone to eat a burger with us in the airport terminal at 8 p.m. when our flight home is delayed. Someone to apply lotion on that hardto-reach part of our back when it’s January and everything feels dry and we fear the sun will never shine again. Someone to set a mug of tea down in front of us, wordlessly if needed, after a long day. To sit with us in grief and sickness, and to celebrate with us in triumph and joy.

So here’s our ask: if you met your person through the CITY personal ads, send me a note leah@ roccitymag.com. We’d like to chat with you.

Getting back to the February issue. Inside these pages, you’ll find stories about love (and maybe, lust) in all forms: from self-care and friendship to dating and marriage. As always, we think about our themes conceptually, and a few of my favorite pieces in this issue include Abby Quatro’s photo essay on the sensual world of chefs and food, Florence Cardella’s roundup of ways to show self-love locally and Johanna Lester’s rom-com “if you like this, then watch this” list. Another fun one is Justin Murphy’s deep dive into the world of mutoscopes (the early 1900s equivalent of a peep show machine), with photos by Roberto Lagares. There’s plenty more to talk about, but reading it is so much better!

To yearning, L

CITY Social

FOLLOW US TO GET DETAILS ON OUR EVENTS: @ROCCITYMAG

Scenes from our Big Ol' Party & Awards show at Anthology on January 3. PHOTOS BY MIKE MARTINEZ

PUSH Physical Theatre’s Heather and Darren Stevenson

have built a life — and a company — as a couple.

Finding home together, on stage and off

BY SYDNEY BURROWS

When Heather and Darren Stevenson tell a love story on stage, it’s not an act. They have been married for 32 years and served as co-artistic directors of PUSH Physical Theatre for 25 years — by now, performing side-by-side is second nature. As part of the company’s 25th anniversary celebration, PUSH will host a homecoming of sorts at Geva Theatre March 13–21 with the premiere of "HOME[sic]," a new work featuring pieces from PUSH’s past with fresh explorations of what it means to feel truly at home.

CITY caught up with the couple to explore the show, what it means to work, live and raise children together — and what’s next for PUSH at 25 years.

WHAT DREW YOU TO PHYSICAL THEATER, AND TO EACH OTHER?

Darren: I was a very shy kid, and theater gave me a script so I didn’t have to think about what to say. That was life changing. I was also drawn to shape, line and design; physical theater felt radical. And Heather? It was her looks and her humor! I’m constantly amazed by her depth of empathy and willingness to help others.

Heather: Physical theater encompasses so many art forms, and I love borrowing from them to find the best movement for each statement we make. Mime technique, for instance, can carve out an environment without any props — it’s beautifully minimalist. I was amazed that Darren came to the U.S. at [age] 20 with nothing but a guitar and two suitcases. I loved his vision to make a difference through a movement company.

WHAT IS IT LIKE TO BE ARTISTIC PARTNERS AS WELL AS LIFE PARTNERS?

Heather: Much of our creative work stems from shared experiences and raising a family together. We’re performers, but we live a real relationship. That means sometimes we have to perform when we’re not thrilled with each other. Then there are times when I realize how lucky we are to experience a moment together under beautiful lighting, looking into each other’s eyes. Darren: We’ve had to create boundaries between personal and professional life. Some dynamics work in a relationship but don’t in an artistic space. Overall, being collaborators enriches our relationship and has been an amazing way to raise our two sons. Someone once told me you spend the most time with your coworkers — it’s beautiful that we get to spend our overtime together.

WAS TOURING WITH YOUR KIDS CHALLENGING?

Heather: Yes. It was important to find pockets of time just for family, even just debriefing in the car every day. Each of our boys brought little pieces of home to hotel rooms: a blanket, Buzz or Woody toy, photos we set up. They met amazing people, experienced diverse cultures, saw play and imagination in adults and I think that has enriched who they are. Darren: They had these crazy adventures, yet they were with mom and dad the whole time.

WHAT MADE YOU DECIDE TO PUT DOWN ROOTS IN ROCHESTER?

Darren: In 2000, we moved to

Rochester to be near friends and see what starting a company here would look like. We said we’d give it a year. We’ve been here ever since. Heather: It’s home. We’ve developed beautiful connections, and the community inspires our choreography. People share their struggles and challenges with us, and that becomes a jumping-off point for storytelling. It’s a deep listening practice, and then we try to make the body speak those stories.

HOW HAS PUSH EVOLVED OVER THE YEARS?

Darren: We started with five performers and one technical director. It was a great number on stage, and we fit in a minivan! Now, because of funding and our bodies’ needs, it’s usually just me, Heather and Ashley Jones, our creative director. We’ve also expanded community outreach and education for children and teens. It’s powerful to see students gain confidence and agency to tell their story and have people listen.

WHAT ARE YOU MOST PROUD OF AS ARTISTS?

Darren: Sustaining this for 25 years. It’s hard on the body, economically challenging and tough on family. But we’re still going and we’re telling stories that resonate.

Heather: Watching audiences engage with our shows is humbling. They suspend disbelief at the door and are ready for the ride. That’s really cool because a performance should be interactive, making a space for our imaginations to come together.

WHAT’S NEXT FOR PUSH?

Darren: "HOME[sic]" brings our history to the stage and explores belonging. In these polarized times, people are seeking a genuine sense of home — not just a place, but family, community and self-discovery. pushtheatre.org

Sydney Burrows is a Rochesterbased dancer and writer focused on amplifying the stories of talented artists across the region.

Royal behavior

CULTURE

BY KALYSTA DONAGHY-ROBINSON

The perception that drag equals sex sparked controversy this past summer when a Rochester drag bingo fundraiser planning to benefit the Child Advocacy Center was canceled due to widespread online backlash. Many commenters objected to a dragthemed fundraiser being tied to a child-welfare charity, arguing it made the event inappropriate or was misaligned with the organization’s mission.

David Chappius, who is a co-owner of Rochester nightclub ROAR and also known as prominent local drag queen DeeDee Dubois, said this hatred directed toward drag creators is familiar in the local online community.

“It’s really hard for us even to advertise [online] for ROAR … All I’m really doing is paying for hate,” Chappius said. “It’s putting our stuff in front of people [who] just want to say we’re terrible and we’re pedophiles.”

Sex in drag performances is not the problem. Rather, Chappius pointed toward the way drag’s sexuality is perceived by audiences who — a majority of the time — have not seen a drag performance and do not understand the medium.

“If someone’s sexualizing it, it’s them, not us,” he said. “I do drag for entertainment purposes, as do a lot of performers. I’m not out there to trick anybody. I’m just out there to have a good time and entertain you.”

The drag community is more than double entendres and dollar bills.

Drag queen Vivian Darling, who was crowned Miss Gay Rochester 2023, said they have personally experienced backlash framing drag performances as sexual or inherently inappropriate.

“I’ve actually been the target of a few attacks in the past and [been] labeled as a predator,” they said. “The thing I tell myself is I know what I stand for, my audiences know what I stand for, what I put up with [and] what I don’t put up with.”

The rationale for these attacks, Darling said, lies within a greater question of bigotry.

“Because the drag community consists [of a] majority … of gay and trans people, that immediately — because people have prejudice against them — drag is labeled as sexually deviant when it’s not,” they said.

“Because we’re such a [minority] group, it’s easy, because there are more voices screaming at us than with us.”

Drag king Valentino Rose was Mr. Gay Rochester from 201718 and said drag kings navigate additional challenges unique to them — including having to fight for representation, respect and visibility within the drag community. The controversy surrounding drag’s sexuality is something he and all drag performers have become hypervigilant of when partaking in kid-friendly performances. He added that the idea drag can only exist in one explicit form does not explore the full range of what the medium has to offer.

“Drag is pretty much art and art comes in many different ways,” Rose said. “It’s therapy, it’s definitely a getaway. And I’m definitely going to continue [doing] drag until my wheels fall off.”

Darling, who recently took a step away from nightly drag performances in club settings to pursue more time-committed projects such as stage musicals and shows, also spoke to the medium’s versatility.

“Much like how TV is made for a vast array of audiences — there’s children’s TV, late night shows, violent TV, there’s also just sitcoms made for the entire family — I feel like drag can be arranged for everyone,” she said.

Drag is rarely granted the artistic credibility given to other performance mediums that regularly shift tone, audience and content, Darling noted.

“Any other performer — on TV, in the movies, on stage — they get the grace of knowing they can play different roles for different audiences, and it’s understood that everything they’re in isn’t going to be appropriate for everyone,” Darling said. “We’re just asking for that same grace.”

Despite the online backlash fueled by what Darling and other performers equated to hatred rooted in misinformation, the hyper-sexualization of drag is another barrier performers have to face, but not something that minimizes the art form.

“Drag performers are some of the strongest people in the world, because they’ve faced a lot of the ugliness the world has,” Darling said. “And instead of letting it beat them down, it makes them more determined. It pushes them even further to try and be a beacon of light and kindness.”

Kalysta Donaghy-Robinson is a multimedia journalist and writer based in Upstate New York covering arts, culture and community-focused stories.

YES, CHEF

WHY WE FIXATE ON — AND FETISHIZE — THOSE BEHIND THE LINE.

There’s a reason chefs don’t translate cleanly into daylight.

They belong to the hours when the rest of the world is loosening its grip. When people are drinking, touching, confessing, unraveling. While everyone else is reaching for pleasure, chefs are manufacturing it. While the room fills, they disappear. That inversion matters.

Tension lives there.

Food is the first intimacy we ever experience. Before sex, before language, before memory — someone fed you. Warmth, salt, fat, sweetness. The body learned pleasure before it learned meaning. That memory never leaves. It waits, dormant, until something wakes it up.

Cooking does that.

The kitchen is not romantic. It’s loud and punishing and unforgiving. It smells like metal and meat and panic. It strips people down to instinct. What survives is timing, feel, restraint. Knowing when to wait. Knowing when to move. Knowing when to stop thinking altogether. Watching a chef work is watching someone make decisions with their body faster than language can keep up.

But what makes it ache, what makes it linger, is that it costs something every single time.

Chefs give themselves to moments they know will vanish. They build something beautiful with the full understanding that it will be destroyed within minutes. That the only proof it ever existed is how someone else feels for a brief, unrepeatable second. There’s no keeping that. No holding it. No slowing it down.

This is where sensuality lives.

Not in swagger. Not in myth. But in consent. In knowing exactly what this work takes and choosing it anyway. In the understanding that devotion won’t protect you, won’t soothe you, won’t promise longevity.

People don’t desire chefs because they’re mysterious or tortured or cool. We desire them because they’re willing to give themselves fully to something that will never stay. Because they accept impermanence without bargaining. Because they lock in while the rest of the world reaches for comfort.

That choice has a charge.

And if you’ve ever stood close enough to feel it, you already know: it isn’t safe or lasting, and that’s exactly the point.

Chefs don’t sell sex. They embody it. Perfectly timed and already gone.

PASTRY CHEF, FLOUR CITY BREAD

Piccone runs pastry at Flour City Bread, where days are dictated by laminated dough and margin for error measured in degrees and minutes. It’s repetitive work with real consequences. She carries it easily; not casually, but competently.

Baking was always the anchor. Piccone grew up doing it alongside her grandmothers and recognized early that this was the work that stuck. She came up through plated desserts, and it shows. Not in fuss, but in storytelling. In the reverse engineering of composing a bite on a plate. In the focused flow state of detail work. In knowing when to stop. What separates Piccone from the caricature of pastry precision is how she relates to control.

“The thinking lives in the hands,” she said.

Not as a rejection of structure, but as an understanding of when structure stops being useful. Recipes matter, but they’re only a starting point. Her ratio reflects that reality: 20% recipe, 80% judgment.

“You can never make the same exact thing twice, even if you’re following the same recipe,” she sai. “That’s what makes it special. You’re always working to make things better.”

And because the result is fleeting, the focus sharpens.

“You put everything into it,” she said, “because it’s only going to last for a moment.”

NATASHA COTRUPI

PRIVATE CHEF/ CONTENT CREATOR

Cotrupi came to cooking by way of neuroscience, trading lab benches for restaurant kitchens without much romance attached to the decision. She liked the methodical nature of the work. The repetition, the precision and the fact that skill compounds over time. In the lab, the end result moved away from her, destined for a pharmaceutical pipeline. In kitchens, the outcome stays close.

After working as a sous chef at Vern’s on Park Avenue, she stepped away from restaurant service and into private cheffing, building a parallel presence online along the way. Her following grew not through polish, but through candor — a clear record of someone learning, working and figuring it out in real time.

Cooking, for Cotrupi, is sensory. It’s how she connects with people.

“It feels very human,” she said. “It feels like the most human thing to do. To cook and eat and share food together.”

CHRIS CULLEN CHEF/OWNER, WORK IN PROGRESS POP-UP AND FORTHCOMING RESTAURANT DAMAS

Cullen has been cooking since he was 15 years old. Lento first, then in New York City. He spent four years inside Eric Ripert’s kitchen at Le Bernardin at every station, the last two years as sous chef. The work carried him outward (the United Kingdom, Berlin, his first local pop-up, Flor, Ernst) before bending him back to the Finger Lakes. Now, alongside his partner, sommelier Kate Prokop, he’s been running the “IYKYK” pop-up concept Work in Progress while building toward their brickand-mortar, Restaurant Damas.

What separates Cullen isn’t technique or ambition. It’s where he places authority — and he doesn’t believe it belongs to the chef.

“The ingredient already has an identity,” he said. “My job is to understand it before I decide what it needs.”

That thinking slows everything down, demands humility and requires relationships that can’t be rushed. Cullen has spent years with local farmers. Not negotiating or sourcing, but learning. Who grows the best herbs? Who understands tomatoes at their limit? Who is willing to experiment with seed, soil and time? The pork he’s working with comes from hogs raised by winemaker and farmer Ben Riccardi of Osmote: Duroc and Iberico crosses fed on grapes and nuts from the same land that produces the wine grapes. It’s one ecosystem, built deliberately to be a closed loop. Their work is not a transaction, but a shared belief.

Abundance, Cullen said, is dangerous.

“You can ruin something by trying to do too much with it.”

His menus are assembled like puzzles, shaped by the exact conditions of a given week. What keeps his ego in check is how fast the work disappears. Yesterday doesn’t buy him anything. Every service resets the stakes.

“You’re only as good as the next dish,” Cullen said.

He cooks without trying to dominate what’s in front of him, responding to it with reverence. He treats ingredients like something borrowed, not owned — something that took a season, a farmer, a risk to arrive. That level of attention costs time. It doesn’t scale. It asks for more patience than most people are willing to give.

But once you stand close to it, you understand the pull. This isn’t about leaving a mark. It’s about not wasting what you’ve been trusted with.

BILLY GUSHUE

CHEF/OWNER, FORNO TONY

What pulls you toward Gushue isn’t volume or bravado. It’s control — the quiet kind. Dough handled with confidence, then checked. Heat applied carefully. Movements fluid, restrained, intentional. You feel the pleasure in the discipline.

This food comes from family, but not as nostalgia softened for public consumption. It comes from repetition. Roman-style pizzette Gushue’s grandfather made. Handwritten recipes passed handto-hand. Meals cooked again and again, until they stopped being instructions and became instinct.

“We were trying to recreate these pizzette my grandpa used to make for us when we were kids,” Gushue said. “Out of nostalgia, I just wanted to eat one again.”

The first attempts failed. The obsession didn’t.

Gushue was always drawn to baking over cooking, for its precision and the way that proficiency has to be earned. He went to Rome a few years ago to learn how to do it properly, studying at Pinsa outside the city. What he brought back wasn’t a trend. It was posture.

“It was more important to us to stick to high-quality ingredients and do things in an authentic way,” he said.

Roman. Southern Italian. Unshaken.

The shop runs the same way the food does: family everywhere. Cousins cutting pizza with scissors, weighing each slice. An aunt scooping gelato, feeding people without ceremony.

“I think any Italian will tell you they like feeding people more than they like eating themselves,” Gushue said.

That’s the pull here. Care as power. Lineage as language. Pleasure earned, then extended. It doesn’t ask for your attention. It holds it with ease.

Abby Quatro photographs food and the life orbiting it — drawn to kitchens, honest work and meals that make time slow down. Stay hungry. Follow her @abbyquatro.

For better or worse

MOVE TO INCLUDE

BY NOELLE E. C. EVANS NEVANS@WXXI.ORG

Stephanie Woodward is a disability rights attorney, activist and mother. She is also disabled and used to strangers asking her inappropriate questions.

“The amount of people who are shocked that I have children and ask me how it is done...” she said. “And I’m like, is health class illegal where you’re from?”

For Woodward, those moments are not just awkward or offensive; they are revealing. They expose assumptions about who disabled people are allowed to be — partners, parents, caregivers and decision-makers. And those assumptions, she said, don’t just live in people’s heads.

Woodward argues that discrimination against people with disabilities, including people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, is not only persistent, but increasingly normalized.

“You have a current administration that has RFK saying people with autism will never be in real relationships, they’ll never have jobs, they’ll never live fulfilling lives,” she said. “Which is the exact opposite of what is true, and the opposite of what we’ve been working for.”

One place where those beliefs become tangible is a little-known federal policy called the marriage penalty. For people who rely on Supplemental Security Income (SSI) or Medicaid, getting married can mean losing the income and healthcare they depend upon to survive.

When it comes to love and marriage,

BJ Stasio learned about this policy years ago, just after graduating from college, while trying to imagine what adulthood might look like.

“I kind of was thinking, ‘Maybe someday there will be somebody who will love me and want to marry me,’” he said.

Stasio, who is now a peer mentor and advocate at the state Office for People with Developmental Disabilities, said the discovery was jarring.

“That’s kind of how my journey into self-advocacy got started,” he said.

Under current federal rules, partners whose shared assets exceed $3,000 are no longer eligible for Medicaid or SSI. According to the Social Security Administration, countable assets can include vehicles and money in bank accounts. The policy applies to people with intellectual or developmental disabilities, people who are blind and people who are 65 or older.

To Stasio, the policy also shapes who is allowed to love openly and without penalty.

“The right to share your feelings and your love and your emotions with whoever you choose,” he said. “That’s what’s at stake here.”

Woodward added that the consequences ripple far beyond wedding ceremonies. When couples choose not to marry to preserve benefits, they enter a maze of legal uncertainty concerning housing, inheritance and family stability.

This story was adapted from a recent episode of WXXI’s “Move To Include” podcast. Listen to the full episode by scanning the QR code or visiting movetoinclude.org

“There is no inherent right to survivorship,” she said. “It’s just a very tangled web that we’re weaving that leaves so many people uncertain of what the future holds after they pass away.”

Woodward sees the policy as part of a broader pattern that has shaped the lives of disabled people for generations, including forced sterilization and institutionalization in the 20th century.

The marriage penalty, Woodward said, exists along that same continuum of control.

“A lot of people assume we don’t have romantic relationships, we don’t have intimate or sexual relationships,” she said. “None of that is true, but there are systems in place that make marriage equality feel very [unequal] when it comes to the disability community.”

Woodward said the policy could be fixed simply by allowing a person’s

assets to be counted only as their own.

A bill in Congress aimed at eliminating the marriage penalty for benefit recipients is currently in committee.

For Stasio, however, policy reform is only one part of the work. Cultural change, and challenging the idea that disabled people are unlovable, incapable or in need of control, is just as critical.

“Nobody should tell you what relationship you should have just to make themselves feel comfortable,” he said. “For me, it’s all about dignity of risk and choice because that’s what love and relationships are about — dignity, risk and choice.”

Noelle E. C. Evans is a Murrow Award-winning reporter/producer at WXXI. She freelances for NPR and BBC. Follow her @noelle_e_c_evans.

todo DAILY

Full calendar of events online at roccitymag.com

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 1

COMMUNITY

Rochester

Polar Plunge

Ontario Beach, polarplunge.net

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 2

THEATER

Auditions for “The Mikado”

the record shop’s Backroom Lounge for a good, old-fashioned honky-tonk hang. The licks fire up at 6 p.m. PH

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 5

MUSIC Pluck and Dream Float

Three Heads Brewing, threeheadsbrewing.com

A set of soulful rock music and a set of playfully exploratory jazz-tinged fusion are on tap at Three Heads for this 7 p.m. show. The two groups have different setups — Pluck is a more traditional alt-rock quartet, while Dream Float makes the most out of a piano-and-drums duo. But listening to the music of both local groups together creates a sense of harmony and, at best, discovery. $10. PH

Dip into the frigid waters of the great Lake Ontario with hundreds and hundreds of people to raise money for Special Olympics New York. The polar plunge begins at noon at the Roger Robach Community Center at Ontario Beach Park, and registration is free. If icy water isn’t your thing, the event is looking for day-of volunteers to help. Donations can be made online to support specific plungers or for the cause at large. KELLEN BECK ART

Downtown United Presbyterian Church, off-monroeplayers.org

The Off-Monroe Players are holding auditions for principal roles in “The Mikado,” a satirical opera that skewers the British Empire through a comedic story set in a fictional Japanese town.

“Love From Geneseo”

The Gallery in the Valley, thegalleryinthevalley.com/love-fromgeneseo

New York State is gray. Sometimes it’s brilliant orange (October), and the summers tend to be green, but for most of the year, it’s gray. That’s partly why Geneseo’s Gallery in the Valley presents “Love From Geneseo” every February, a showcase of 143 pieces of vibrant local artwork printed on postcards and designed to be sent out to locations across the map. It’s a one-stop shop: buy one, stamp it and send it all at 79 Main St. Through the end of the month.

PATRICK HOSKEN

“The Mikado” first hit the stage in the 1880s in London and quickly exploded in popularity, unsurprisingly, because the British are one of the easiest targets and most deserving recipients of criticism. The OffMonroe Players’ production will run in May, and auditions are February 2-3 from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. KB

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 3

THEATER

“The Woman in Black”

Geva Theatre, gevatheatre.org

Mysteries unfold as Arthur, a widowed lawyer, sets off to a remote and spooky village in the 19th century to take care of a family’s estate following a series of heart-wrenching tragedies. To make matters more terrifying, there’s a ghost that’s been haunting the village, goading people to their demise. Based on the 1983 book of the same name (which has seen two film adaptations), “The Woman in Black” runs at Geva through February 8, tickets $30+. KB

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 4

MUSIC

Krypton 88

Record Archive, recordarchive.com

A rockabilly revue sounds about right for a Wednesday night in the middle of winter. Local twangy and tight group Krypton 88 takes the stage in

THEATER

“The

Grown-Ups”

Blackfriars Theatre, blackfriars.org/ the-grown-ups

After the campers have gone to sleep, the camp counselors circle up around a fire and unwind. They talk about the camp’s history, the tug-of-war between the nostalgia of tradition and its problematic roots. As they get back to their phones, they’re faced with the reality outside of camp: a burgeoning civil war stemming from a ridiculous online argument. “The Grown-Ups” runs through February 8. Tickets are $36.50+. KB

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 6

THEATER

“Frankie and Johnny in the Clair de Lune”

MuCCC, outofpocketinc.com

Terrence McNally’s tale of two restaurant workers starts in bed and ends in bed. Frankie, a server played by Stephanie Roosa, and Johnny, a cook played by B. Anthony Gibson, are intertwined in a one-night stand with wildly different interpretations of the relationship. Johnny is deeply in love and Frankie is wary of starting something serious, but as the moonlit night unfolds and the two unravel the threads of their pasts, the dynamic shifts deeper into intimacy. Out of Pocket’s production runs at the Multiuse Cultural Community Center from February 6-14 at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $15+. KB

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 7

FILM

“The End of the Line: Rochester’s Subway 2.0”

The Little Theatre, thelittle.org First released in 1994, “The End of the Line” documents the history of Rochester’s renowned subway system that was abandoned in the ‘50s and the public’s subsequent interest in the project. The documentary has been updated with new footage, interviews and graphics about the Rochester subway, and the original video and audio has been restored with a highdefinition makeover. The screening starts at 7 p.m. Tickets $10. KB

ART

The Days the Artists Spoke

Rochester Contemporary Art Center, rochestercontemporary.org

In the local arts scene, there’s thankfully no shortage of open studios, panel discussions and peeks behind the proverbial curtain of the creative process. But this special series at RoCo takes a different approach: more than a dozen artist talks, 10 minutes each, back to back to back, from 1-4 p.m. The roster includes folks working across photography, digital arts, painting and other visual mediums; the topics are theirs to own.

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YOU CAN HANG OUT WITH US

FESTIVAL Winterfest

Irondequoit Town Hall, irondequoit.gov

The family-friendly Winterfest in Irondequoit is a great excuse to get out and about in the frigid February air. Running from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., Winterfest features a smattering of food and beverage trucks, local artists and vendors inside the Quinlan Market Building, a horse-drawn wagon ride around town hall and alpacas and Siberian husky sled dogs enjoying the weather in their winterproof coats. Entry is free. KB

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 8

MUSIC

Grace Browning and Benjamin Krug

St. Luke’s Episcopal Church, brockportny.org

The first of the Village of Brockport’s “Winter Serenades” features Browning, the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra’s principal harpist, and Benjamin Krug, RPO’s tenured cellist. The pair will offer a free program of unique duo arrangements, set to begin at 3 p.m. at the church just off Main Street. PH

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 9

WELLNESS

Self-Love Soiree

NŌTA Beauty Co., eventbrite.com

V-Day weekend plans? The so-called “Self-Love Soiree” at NŌTA Beauty Co. features “good vibes, self-care services and a night all about loving you.” The event runs 5-9 p.m. at the salon on Elton Street, and it’s free, though participants should reserve a spot ahead of time. PH

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 10

MUSIC

TWEN

Bug Jar, bugjar.com

Indie rock’s DIY roots are alive and well in TWEN, a five-piece led by nomadic duo Jane Fitzsimmons and lan Rollins Jones. Coined as Gen Z’s Oasis (by me), TWEN’s sound packs a punch that’s hard to nail down. Try not to get addicted to the song “Allnighter” from their most recent album “Fate Euphoric,” or their single “HaHaHome” released in 2021. From shoegaze to post-punk, TWEN’s earworms may just replace “Champagne Supernova” as the soundtrack to your life. Tickets $20.

KATIE EPNER

FILM

“All Quiet on the Western Front”

Dryden Theatre, eastman.org/drydentheatre

War is hell, and the depths of that hell are plumbed with harrowing realism in “All Quiet on the Western Front.” Stripped of all propaganda and devoid of any grandiose notions of heroism in battle, the original 1930 film adaptation of “All Quiet on the Western Front” digs into the trenches of the First World War and delivers one of the most heartbreaking and affecting depictions of war that’s ever been put to film. This beautifully bleak anti-war movie is being projected on 35mm at the Eastman Museum’s Dryden Theatre at 7:30. Tickets $9+. KB

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 11

THEATER

“Hello, Dolly!”

OFC Creations, ofccreations.com

As New York City teeters toward the end of the 19th century, Dolly the widowed matchmaker decides it’s finally time to find a match for herself, using her skills as a professional meddler to set her dream man on a path leading to her. The classic musical comedy is coming to Brighton, starring Elaine Hendrix (“The Parent Trap,” “Dynasty”) as the titular Dolly. The production runs through February 15, Wednesdays through Sundays, with shows at 7:30 p.m., plus matinees on the weekend at 2 p.m. Tickets $55+. KB

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 12

MUSIC

In the Rough

Lovin’ Cup, lovincup.com

The folksy trio In the Rough returns to Lovin’ Cup for an evening of Americana originals and a wide array of cover songs. Featuring Lisa Brigantino, Lori Brigantino and Rochester native Susan Haefner, In the Rough rocks three vocalists, two of them multi-instrumentalists, with a distinctly warm style that has a magnetic, communal pull to it. The show starts at 7:00 p.m., and tickets are $15 in advance, $20 at the door. KB

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 13

DANCE

“A Body, Land, and War”

University of Rochester’s Spurrier Hall, events.rochester.edu/event/eiko-otake-abody-land-and-war

Dancer and artist Eiko Otake’s stunning “A Body in Places” was shown as part of last year’s Rochester Fringe Fest. Otake returns to Spurrier Hall for this presentation of two of her works: “A Body in Fukushima,” an examination of the body’s response to nuclear catastrophe, and “What Is War?,” which looks at memory and trauma through a physical lens. A Q&A follows the 7:30 p.m. screening. General admission $12.51; free for UR Students with ID at the door. PH

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 14

LITERATURE

Author Reading: “Envy Kills”

Writers & Books, wab.org

Local author Norma Hopcraft presents a talk about her latest novel, “Envy Kills,” which tackles the prerequisites for any good and potentially addictive read: murder and romance. Hopcraft, who once began a yearlong stint in Paris without knowing a word of French, also founded a writers’ group here in Rochester. The talk begins at 4 p.m. Tickets free to $20. PH

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 15

FILM

“The Master”

The Little Theatre, thelittle.org

An engrossing double character study, “The Master” still stands as one of Paul Thomas Anderson’s best films. Starring Joaquin Phoenix as Freddie, a troubled and alcoholic World War II veteran, and Philip Seymour Hoffman as Lancaster Dodd, a well-off cult leader that takes Freddie in under his psychologically torturous wing, this 2012 movie captures what might be both actors’ best-ever performances. With PTA’s “One Battle After Another” racking up nominations and wins this awards season, catch his earlier work on 35mm film at 7 p.m. for $8+. KB

WXXI celebrates Black History Month on-air, on-demand, and on-screen with content that takes a closer look at the lives of Black Americans who have made indelible marks on history with their artistry, professional achievements, and community activism.

While WXXI celebrates Black history this month, we curate Black heritage and culture programming throughout the year. Here are just a few highlights, but we encourage you to scan the QR code to see a complete list of programming.

Morehouse College Glee Club Concert February 11 @ 3pm on WXXI Classical 91.5FM

WXXI Classical presents a concert by the Morehouse College Glee Club, which was recorded in Rochester in March as part of their 2025 tour. A native of Rochester, NY, Dr. David Morrow has been Director of the Glee Club since 1987.

"I was the conductor of the Underground Railroad for eight years, and I can say what most conductors can't say—I never ran my train off the track and I never lost a passenger" -HARRIET TUBMAN.

HARRIET TUBMAN:

VISIONS OF FREEDOM

Monday, February 2 @ 10pm on WXXI-TV

Go beyond the legend and meet the inspiring woman who repeatedly risked her own life and freedom to liberate others from slavery. Born 200 years ago in Maryland, Harriet Tubman was a conductor of the Underground Railroad, a Civil War scout, nurse and spy, and one of the greatest freedom fighters in our nation’s history. The film is narrated by Emmy awardwinning actor Alfre Woodard.

Listen to WXXI News throughout February on FM 105.9 and WXXINews.org

Health, Equity and Community reporter Racquel Stephen will have feature profiles on some Black community members and business owners who are making a difference in the city.

Tuesdays, February 3-24 @ 9pm on WXXI-TV

A four-part series tracing the rich, complex relationship between Black and Jewish Americans — defined by solidarity and strained by division. Drawn together by racism and antisemitism, they forged civic and cultural bonds, especially during the civil rights era.

Celebrates Black History Month

Watch for free your favorite PBS KIDS shows – all celebrating Black History hereq !

“ Teddy Pendergrass: If You Don’t Know Me is a nearly definitive biography that doesn’t shy

away from the darker moments in his career as the soul singer starts to develop his voice.”

- DOC NYC

The Little Theatre’s Black Cinema Series screens films about the Black experience. With an emphasis on contemporary independent films, the series highlights Black perspectives and filmmakers, with screenings and panel discussions following the film. For more:

Visit: wxxi.org to

On the HBCU Week Now YouTube channel

For nearly 200 years, historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) have helped break the cycle of poverty and build the Black middle class. Today, 105 HBCUs exist across the U.S.—none in Rochester, New York. So why host an HBCU Classic there? Because sometimes intention needs a spark of inspiration. WXXI captured the sounds, scenes, and spirit of this amazing moment of unity and hope.

Indie Lens Pop Up: The Inquisitor

Monday, February 16 @ 6:30pm at The Little Theatre

TEDDY PENDERGRASS

Monday, February 16 @ 9pm on WXXI-TV

As the legendary voice behind hits like “Don’t Leave Me This Way,” “The Love I Lost,” and “Close the Door,” Teddy Pendergrass made history as the first Black male artist to have five consecutive platinum albums in the U.S. This insightful and moving documentary captures Teddy’s rise to fame against the complex backdrop of 1960s America and his victorious comeback after his life-changing accident. Featuring interviews with his family, friends and colleagues plus industry legends, Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff, as well as rarely seen archive footage.

Civil rights icon Barbara Jordan was a groundbreaking Texas congresswoman whose intellect and moral clarity transformed U.S. politics. From Nixon’s impeachment to civil rights battles, her voice demanded accountability, while she privately faced struggles few ever knew of.

My Father’s Shadow Opens Friday,

February

20 @ The Little

Two young brothers explore Lagos with their estranged father during the 1993 Nigerian election crisis, witnessing both the city’s magnitude and their father’s daily struggles as political unrest threatens their journey home. For ticket information visit: TheLittle.org

Looking for more?

MUSIC

“Cabell, Conyers, and Brahms”

Beston Hall at Nazareth University, chambermusicrochester.org

Featuring a selection of works from Johannes Brahms and a piece from his protégé Robert Kahn, this intimate chamber music performance welcomes special guest vocalists Nicole Cabell and Joshua Conyers for an afternoon of Romantic Western Classical music. Put on by the Society for Chamber Music in Rochester, the performance showcases violinist Juliana Athayde, bassist Jeff Campbell, pianist ChiaoWen Cheng and cellist Steve Doane. The concert begins at 3:00 p.m. with a pre-show talk at 2:30. Tickets are $35, students and children can join for free. KB

CULTURE “Carnaval Show”

Theater at Innovation Square, theaterais.com

Grupo Cultural Latinos En Rochester presents this colorful, vibrant celebration of Latin American culture that centers both identity and storytelling, beginning at 5 p.m. Expect dance performances channeling folklore, live music and traditional costumes, set to honor and showcase the unique histories of Brazil, Panama, Colombia, Puerto Rico and more. Doors open at 4:30. Presale tickets $10 and $20 on the day of the show. PH

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 16

CULTURE

Jurassic Quest

Joseph A. Floreano Rochester Riverside Convention Center, jurassicquest.com

After 66 million years, dinosaurs are returning to Rochester. The Jurassic Quest traveling dinosaur

show hits the Riverside Convention Center February 14-16 with lifesize animatronic dinosaur models, dinosaur rides, dinosaur crafts, dinosaur fossil digs, dinosaur bounce houses and more. It’s all things dinosaur at Jurassic Quest, a dinosaurloving kids’ dream. Tickets start at $30, and kids under 2 get in free. KB

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 17

ART

“Shared Spaces”

Nazareth University Arts Center, facebook.com/nazartscenter

Artwork from high school students and art teachers are on display side-by-side at the “Shared Spaces” exhibition at Nazareth University. The show runs every other year, with teachers submitting one piece they’ve worked on in the last three years and selecting one of their students to display art beside them. There is nothing to distinguish which role the artist embodies, putting all artworks on the same level. The gallery is open from January 30 to March 8, closed on Mondays. KB

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 18

THEATER

“Wicked”

West Herr Auditorium Theatre, rbtl.org

The tale of two witches returns to Rochester for a two week run presented by the Rochester Broadway Theatre League. “Wicked” is a prequel to “The Wizard of Oz,” flipping the perceptions of the Wicked Witch of the West and her foil Glinda the Good as they navigate their earlier lives and the unjust rule of Oz. RBTL’s “Wicked” run goes for two weeks February 18 through March 1, with shows every day except February 23. Tix $65+. KB

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 19

CULTURE

“Idol Worship”

The Little Theatre, thelittle.org

The history of American cinema is incomplete without Mink Stole, who can be seen in every John Waters film and whose work has helped elevate the realm of camp since the 1960s.

To trace this history, she’ll appear on stage with drag icon Peaches Christ for an invigorating and unpredictable conversation. The show is called “Idol Worship,” and its Rochester premiere hits Little Theatre 1 at 7:30 p.m. Tickets $39.19-$76.54. PH

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 20

SPORTS Rochester

Americans vs. Laval Rocket

Blue Cross Arena, bluecrossarena.com

This season’s hockey story is, for once, 75 miles west. The Buffalo Sabres are on an absolute heater, prompted by the firing of general manager Kevyn Adams in mid-December. But as ever, the Amerks cannot be slept on. This matchup with the team’s division rivals from Quebec promises to be a notable one — and a look into the Sabres’ best AHL prospects. 7:05 p.m. puck drop. PH

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 21

CULTURE

Fire & Ice Festival

Downtown Canandaigua, downtowncanandaigua.com

Winter (hopefully) begins to wind down toward the end of February, and the city of Canandaigua is sending the season out in style with the Fire & Ice Festival. With ice sculptures, snow sculptures, a

fiery performance from The Fire Guy, live wildlife education, dwarf goats, horse-drawn carriage rides and plenty of vendors, there’s plenty to enjoy for people of all ages. The festival runs 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on February 21 and 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on February 22 right on Main Street in downtown Canandaigua. KB

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 22

MUSIC

Drummers Only

Photo City Music Hall, photocitymusichall.com

Hate guitars? Loathe woodwinds? Can’t stand a keyboard? Tired of brass? Think singing is overrated? Photo City Music Hall is putting on a showcase exclusively for drummers. Drummers Only brings together six drummers from around the region for an evening of percussion and percussion only. With styles ranging from folk to death metal, witness a diverse display of drumming with doors opening at 6 p.m. for anyone 18+. Tickets $20. KB

MUSIC

Bob Sneider Performs the Music of Chuck Mangione

Hatch Recital Hall, events.rochester. edu/event/faculty-artist-series-bobsneider-jazz-guitar

When he was just 23, guitarist Bob Sneider joined legendary musician Chuck Mangione’s band. It was an education. Mangione gave Sneider some valuable advice: “Play more of yourself,” Sneider recalled to CITY after Mangione’s death in 2025. “If you play more of your own personality and style into the music, you’re going to play better.” Sneider, now an associate professor at Eastman School of Music, celebrates his mentor’s music with a 3:30 p.m. concert assisted by pianist Paul Hofmann. PH

Winter Serenades

March

March

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 23

MUSIC

Pony and Star 99

Bug Jar, bugjar.com Pony’s latest EP, “Swallowing Stars,” rules. It showcases the Toronto band’s dreamiest of dream pop sensibilities while also boasting a penchant for gripping, urgent melodies. The release screams “this will sound great live,” which is great news for Bug Jar regulars — and everyone else who makes it to the gig. San Jose punk-pop group Star 99 plays with Pony, with local support from Boy Jr. Music’s at 8 p.m. $18.73-$20.79 PH

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 24

THEATER “Barefoot in the Park”

Geva Theatre, gevatheatre.org

Newlywed couple Paul and Corie are pulled out of their literal honeymoon phase in “Barefoot in the Park,” returning to their flaw-filled apartment after their post-wedding trip and quickly uncovering all the ways their personalities clash. Starring Sean-Michael Wilkinson and Lee Harrington, this plot-lite comedy explores how the buttoned-up anxiety of one partner and the free spirit of another mesh together. “Barefoot in the Park” runs from February 24 to March 29 at Geva Theatre. Tix $48+.

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 25

Peer Bode: “Signal into Memory”

Visual Studies Workshop, vsw.org

Hypnotic electronic loops, mesmerizing multimedia murmurations and investigations into the nature of video are on display at VSW’s latest exhibition, “Peer Bode: Signal into Memory.” Bode is a local pioneering artist, dissecting video technology to create works that explore visual and audial potential since the 1970s. “Signal into Memory” showcases many of his early works and experiments from his time at the Experimental Television Center in the Southern Tier in the ‘70s and ‘80s. The exhibition opens February 6 and runs through June; the gallery is open weekly Wednesday through Saturday. KB

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 26

MUSIC

Eastern Boundary Quartet

Bop Shop Records, bopshop.com Hungary meets New York City precisely at the Eastern Boundary Quartet. The group features Hungarian musicians Mihaly Borbely on saxophone and tarogato and Balazas Bagyi, who sits behind the drums, paired up with the Big Apple duo of Michael Jefry Stevens (piano) and Joe Fonda (bass). Together, their music spans two worlds of the modern jazz scene — a perfect portrait in front of the red curtain at the Bop Shop. Music begins at 8 p.m. Tickets $20. PH

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 27

MUSIC

Albatross

Record Archive, recordarchive.org

Local five-piece band Albatross recently cut a live session for Stereo Field Recordings, nestled inside the cozy Abilene Bar & Lounge. The group’s rootsy music sounds just as good inside that club as in the back room at Record Archive, where this 5 p.m. show takes place. Fans of local favorites Ryan Sutherland and Adam Henne, who both play guitar and sing in the band, will find plenty to love.

PH

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 28

FILM

Finger Lakes Film Festival

Smith Opera House, thesmith.org

Films produced by Upstate New Yorkers and that center the region itself are welcome at this annual celebration, but submissions are encouraged from all over the world. The result is a series of screenings at Geneva’s historic Smith Opera House and around the corner at the Dove

Block Project that include regional premieres and chances for filmmakers to connect with dedicated audiences locally. General admission tickets are free; VIP option for $40. The movies begin at 4:30 p.m. PH

SUNDAY, MARCH 1

NATURE

Winter Weekend

Genesee Country Village & Museum, gcv.org

Enjoy the last vestiges of winter at Genesee Country Village & Museum’s Winter Weekends. Walk along the trails, trudge through the woods in snowshoes, glide with your crosscountry skis or bring a sled to the Great Meadow, weather permitting. Snacks and warm beverages are served up in the Meeting Center every weekend through March 1, and the final day features a talk about the history of women’s baseball and its ties to the Suffrage Movement. Open 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays, tickets $5. KB

50 SHADES OF ROCHESTER GREY AN ODE TO OUR MOST COMMON HUE

BY ESTALYN WALCOFF

20. MUDDY GREY

21. ENDLESS GREY 22. FLAT GREY

23. NOT AGAIN! GREY

24. WHAT DID YOU EXPECT? GREY

25. RAINY GREY

26. THUNDEROUS GREY

27. DAMP GREY

28. LAYERED GREY

29. SULLEN GREY

30. MARBLED GREY

31. VEILED GREY

32. YOU’VE GOT TO BE KIDDING ME GREY

33. THIN GREY

34. ICY GREY

35. JUST GREY

36. BARE GREY

37. BARELY GREY

38. BARELY BEARABLE GREY

39. MILKY GREY

40. FREEZING GREY

41. IT’S APRIL! GREY

42. SOUL-CRUSHING GREY

43. COLD GREY

44. NO!! GREY

45. DO I HEAR A BIRD? GREY

46. SOFTER GREY

47. STILL GREY

48. IT’S STILL GREY

50. YET ANOTHER DAY OF GREY

Estalyn Walcoff, a retired psychotherapist, is an expresso drinking psychedelic guide. She loves palm trees, the sun and baking with her grandchildren.

“BEFORE THE DAWN” BY

CLAUDIA HOYSER

“Before the Dawn,” the sophomore album from Fairport native Claudia Hoyser, is an ethereal dive into modern Americana and country. Hoyser’s unique voice and emotional vulnerability create something new and fresh, sultry and sweet. For fans of indie and country, this LP is sure to turn heads. While exploring themes like growth and healing, “Before the Dawn” is more than a group of songs; it’s a testimony.

The opening track, “Girl in Blue,” trickles through the ear slowly, a contemplative start with a country twang. The melancholy melody that Hoyser sings is easy to follow along and beckons listeners to join in. “Breathing Smoke,” meanwhile, is gentle but with a darker edge and haunting vocals expressing frustration at the “almosts” that never truly catch flame.

The soulfully moody “We Grew Together” brings all the emotion, exploring what it means to prevail over the inevitability of growing apart. In “Tides Gonna Rise,” Hoyser strikes a powerful country groove, and her smoky voice is addictive, showing off her true power in the chorus. In “North of Spring,” whimsical and energetic guitar helps Hoyser tell a story about going anywhere, with no specific destination in mind.

In the heart-wrenching “Lie Baby Lie,” the singer talks about “putting off an inevitable demise” and the pain it can cause. Purposeful guitar strums drive each emotion, and it’s a tearjerker; keep a handkerchief nearby. The closing title track, “Before the Dawn,” gently fades into white noise, lingering in the tender atmosphere Hoyser has created with her second album.

— LEAH JOY

“SPINNING GOLD OUT OF TWINE”

BY JACKSON CAVALIER

One-man band Jackson Cavalier shows that country and blues can rock with his new album, “Spinning Gold out of Twine,” released in late 2025. The Americana singer-songwriter completed recording the LP in just two days, an impressive feat for a 14-track album. Cavalier, a Rochester favorite, proves himself more than just a musician, but as a storyteller, with each song feeling like a fable.

“Heaven’s Turnpike Blues,” the introduction to the album, is a catchy rock and roll ballad showcasing Cavalier’s strong and unique voice and his multiinstrumental talent. Despite being recorded in a studio, it sounds like a live performance, perhaps performed in the countryside with a crackling bonfire and smoke and music curling together in the air.

“Dollar Sign Eyes” is reminiscent of a hoedown: a fast-paced ode to a gold digger with bouncy drums and lively guitar made for picking up feet and clapping hands. “Let It Kill You Blues” slows it down, with intentional beat drops coaxing listeners into a moody groove.

Further along, Cavalier shows us his sadder side with the earnest guitar, harmonica and vocals of “Teardrops on Paper.” The next track, “Black Rose,” gives a grungier vibe with a passionate harmonica solo, one of many throughout the album. Cavalier is a true artist, using his music to paint a scene of someplace warm and sincere.

The album closes out with the title track, “Spinning Gold Out of Twine,” a fast-paced and powerful finisher that shows off Cavalier’s impressive pipes. It calls back to everything that makes the album work, while still offering something new. Cavalier doesn’t hold back, his dynamic voice calling out the last note with an ear-shivering beauty that lingers long after it’s over.

—

LEAH JOY

“TYZIK JOYRIDE” BY THE EASTMAN WIND ENSEMBLE

Here’s an album to turn on when you’re looking for something bright and fun in the midst of winter — whether you’re embracing the season’s chilly energy or trying to combat its gloom.

From the first note of Jeff Tyzik’s “Jazz Concerto for Soprano Saxophone and Wind Ensemble,” there’s brightness, bounce, lift and energy. In other words, “Joyride” is an apt name for this track, and for the whole album.

Throughout the different parts that blow hot and cool, Alexa Tarantino floats over the ensemble with a sense of absolute effervescence. She’s a recent-ish Eastman School of Music alum who has been making news throughout the New York City jazz scene and in national headlines. Take note: she’s coming back this summer as part of the Rochester International Jazz Festival.

Keep listening.

You hear Tyzik’s ability to capture different moods and characters over the four movements of “Symphonies” — In the Light, Valse Macabre, Reverie and Things to Come. Here, the star is the Eastman Wind Ensemble — one of the best in the country — featuring outstanding student musicians, guided in this excellent playing by conductor Mark David Scatterday.

Then we get to dance in Tyzik’s “Concerto for Trombone and Wind Ensemble,” featuring another Eastman alum, trombonist Jim Pugh. He has played with plenty of legends (Woody Herman and Chuck Mangione to name a few) and has also made his mark on the more classical side of things. Even as he weaves with energy through the bouncing musical lines, I’m struck by the lyricism and variety of his sound.

The dance continues delightfully in a concert recording at the end of the album, a rollicking performance of Tyzik’s “Three Latin Dances.” You can hear the ensemble actually live in person, for free, at 7:30 p.m. on February 4 and 27 at Kodak Hall at Eastman Theatre.

— MONA SEGHATOLESLAMI

“BLANKET” BY SHEP TREASURE

Indie artist Shep Treasure’s second fulllength album, “Blanket,” feels like taking a walk after a blizzard, leaving the house for a world sheathed in layers of pearl grey and reflected sunlight.

Sabrina Nichols, the primary creative force behind the band’s name, wrote “Blanket” after moving back to her native Rochester from Brooklyn. Nichols takes charge on nearly every aspect of her music’s output, recording and mixing the album in her basement with contributions from partner James Keegan (who releases his own music under the moniker Kitchen). “Orchard

Beach City Island” — titled after the Bronx’s only public beach — is the only song on the nine-track featuring instrumentals from anyone other than Nichols and Keegan, with drums provided by Shep Treasure’s previous live drummer Nick Sullivan. Nichols also made the videos for the album’s two singles, “Fired and Expelled” and “Cold Air.”

“Blanket” gets a little thicker and heavier than Shep Treasure’s 2023 album “500 Dead Or Alive,” adding layers of fuzzy guitar and eerie-ethereal harmonies reminiscent of Elliott Smith’s “XO.” Catchy, somewhat poppier tracks like “Scarecrow Blue Bow” balance long, slow-burning pieces that bookend the album. Gentle opener “Dove” (for which Nichols learned drums) paves the way for “Fired and Expelled,” the album’s first single, which yearns for an exit from the monotony of working life with a wry almost-smile.

Shep Treasure’s lyrics hinge on simple, strong phrases in repetition delivered by Nichols’ deceptively gentle head voice. The midpoint track on “Blanket,” “Omnipotent,” hits the peak of this hypnotic recipe with nearly eight minutes of a building, slightly discordant soundscape that turns the refrain (you know / I’m omnipotent) into an invocation. While most of the album’s song titles reference the natural world, this thread of supernatural omnipotence echoes in the eponymous closing track’s refrain: If I want it, then it’s mine.

—ELLIOTT SKY CASE

Peep show

HISTORY

BY JUSTIN MURPHY

The year is 1900. You’re a Rochester boy old enough to ride the streetcars, and you’ve got a few nickels in your pocket. Where to go?

There’s the ballpark on Culver Road or the races at Driving Park. You could ride up to the beach if the weather is good, or down to the South Avenue bathhouses if it isn’t.

Or – if your taste runs toward the risqué – you could slink downtown to the Clinton Avenue moving picture parlor.

You’ll know you’ve arrived as soon as you turn the corner and hear the mechanical banjo strumming maniacally over clanging carnival games. Don’t get distracted, though. Press on to the real prize: a long line of gleaming mutoscope machines, each one offering a few flickering seconds of delight.

They could be showing reenacted boxing matches or sensationalized scenes from the headlines. Be honest, though. You’re not here for the news. You scan the cardboard placards for the promise of something special.

“The Corset Model.” “A Dressing Room Scene.” “Two Girls in a Hammock.” “The Way French Bathing Girls Bathe” — there’s something to dream on.

You drop your penny into the slot, mash your eye against the lens and turn the crank until the reel whirs choppily into motion. A shapely bare ankle, white skin gleaming, rackets into focus. Before you know it, 60 seconds

As early as 1900, mutoscopes provided a window into the risqué.

have passed and the machine shudders to a stop. You dig another coin from your pocket and plunk it in.

Ain’t life grand?

The mutoscope, invented in Syracuse by Herman Casler in 1895, was essentially a mechanized flipbook. Individual film images, printed on hardy stock, spun around a Rolodex-style cylinder at the rate of about 800 per minute. Films seldom lasted longer than one minute, and they generally could only be seen by one person at a time pressing his or her face up to a lens piece.

In a technological sense, mutoscopes were eclipsed almost as soon as they were invented.

Projected film had obvious advantages: paying audiences of hundreds could watch it together, and films could continue for much longer in duration.

But mutoscopes did not disappear. Instead, the private nature of the viewing experience gave the machines a decadeslong life as salacious sideshows at penny arcades, amusement parks and fairgrounds. Manufacturers embraced this bawdy connotation and churned out scores of “girlie reels.”

“They have that peep show nature built right into the design,” said Sophia Lorent, assistant archivist of the Stills, Posters and Paper Collections at George Eastman Museum.

Early films, like those on display at the Moving Picture Parlor on North Clinton Avenue

in 1900, barely scan as sexual today. “From Show Girl to Burlesque Queen,” for instance, shows a woman stripping down to her slip, then retreating behind a dressing curtain to finish her wardrobe change.

By the late 1930s, mutoscope films had become more erotic, sometimes even showing glimpses of full (female) nudity. It was enough to earn them a reputation as thoroughly crude. That was how most people thought of mutoscopes by the late 1930s, if they thought of them at all.

At about the same time, though, graphic artist and animator Douglass Crockwell recognized the technology’s potential to create an entirely different sort of art. Crockwell, who spent his adult life in nearby Glens Falls, was one of the few people in the mid-20th century to collect old mutoscope machines and reels.

More importantly, he also created his own reels — not erotica, but rather “sequential art,” as he put it. He used the machines’ juddering flipbook effect — “one image after another, after another, after another,” as he worded it in the program of a 1967 mutoscope exhibition at the Museum of Modern Art – as a deep philosophical statement on the nature of film as an art form.

One of Crockwell’s mutoscope films, “Duopusses,” shows swirls and splotches of white ink, spinning and multiplying like algae blooms against a black

backdrop. It then shifts to a sort of grappling between two abstract characters, with one lassoing the other and unleashing a vivid red splotch — an effect Crockwell added by hand.

When Crockwell died in 1968, his widow donated his mutoscope collection, including 108 reels that he collected or created, to the George Eastman Museum. Lorent said it is likely the largest collection in any single American archive.

The original films are now too fragile to project using the original equipment, so Lorent and a former student, Masha Matzke, have developed a painstaking method of stabilizing and scanning the reels using glass plates and digital photography.

Their first priority is to restore Crockwell’s art films rather than the commercial reels he dutifully collected. Doing so, Lorent said, would help restore the mutoscope’s place in film history.

Until then, you’ll have to make do with imagining a coin clinking into place at the Clinton Avenue motion picture parlor, and a shapely, bare ankle coming into focus.

Justin Murphy is a freelance journalist and author of the book Your Children Are Very Greatly in Danger: School Segregation in Rochester, New York. Find him online at justinmurphywriter.com.

Staying abreast of the law

BY MATT ROGERS

The month of February provides opportunities to celebrate St. Valentine, Body Awareness Month and, perhaps, new and exciting ways to make sure your needs are being met. You may find yourself in the company of someone who you wish to celebrate with, and part of that equation may include breasts. You may have them, have consensual access to them or have had experience with them. But is there any consensus as to what they are for?

In the 1980s, a group of women from Rochester fought for — and earned — the legal right in New York State to make sure that breasts are neither for shaming nor restricting those who have them.

Biologically, breasts exist to provide nutrients to offspring. They serve no biological purpose in the act of reproduction and are not required for naturally creating offspring. Yet they remain an incredibly sensitive topic in culture and society. Throughout history, it has been both perfectly routine and grievously taboo to present one’s self topless in daily life.

In 1937, New York granted men the right to be topless in

New York State’s top-free movement started with a picnic at Cobbs Hill.

public spaces. This legal protection was not extended to other genders. To complicate matters further, in 1983 New York State adopted the “Exposure of the Person” law (Penal Law 245.01), restricting public displays of “private/intimate” body parts, including breasts. There were exemptions put in place for breastfeeding, but the lack of equal treatment across genders remained.

In 1986, seven members of local advocacy group CLAW (Challenging Laws [and Attitudes] Against Women) organized an act of civil disobedience. The group planned a casual picnic where people with breasts would go topfree. Leading up to the planned event, the group chose not to notify police of their intentions, but they did issue a press release.

The picnic took place on summer solstice (not a coincidence), June 21, and became a spectacle, distracting from the group’s earnest intentions. News outlets recorded, supporters sat with demonstrators, critics jeered and the police intervened even though it was an orderly event. When asked to clothe themselves, seven of the nine participants refused and were arrested. This was expected, and the ‘Topfree Seven,’ as they were nicknamed, looked ahead to the legal events that followed.

Their subsequent trial on September 16 lasted three-and-ahalf days. Rochester City Court Judge Hon. Herman J. Walz rendered judgment in favor of the participants, but not in the way the advocates wanted. Judge Walz ruled their actions were protected by First Amendment rights to personal expression, but rejected the equaltreatment challenge to the exposure law, writing that “there is no fundamental right to appear nude or top-free in public … Today, community standards are perceived by the Legislature to regard the female breast as an intimate part of the human body. Therefore, the state may legitimately enforce this standard by requiring that the female breast not be exposed in public places.”

Since the Topfree Seven were acquitted, there was no path for

appeal. As the rendered decision side-stepped the central issue of the newly formed Coalition for Topfree Equality (CLAW, rights advocates, and other supporters), and they had no further legal avenue, it meant they could only continue their advocacy for body equality through more action. Another picnic was planned.

The coalition spent the following years building momentum, raising awareness and advocating for top-free equality. The memorable ad campaign “I’d Rather Be In Rochester” was adapted to end with “Top-Free.”

The coalition lobbied Monroe County to designate June 21 as Top-Free Equality Day. And they held more events at city parks as top-free demonstrations — a peaceful picnic including 50 topfree women occurred at Genesee Valley Park in 1988, another topfree gathering happened in 1989 at Durand Eastman Park and a peaceful walk occurred later that year in Seneca Falls.

All of this culminated on July 7, 1992, when the highest court in New York State ruled that Penal Law 245.01 went against the 14th Amendment’s equal treatment clause and the charges in 1986 and 1989 should be reversed. The New York Court of Appeals decision reads like it was written by the coalition: “Perception cannot serve as a justification for differential treatment because it is itself a suspect cultural artifact rooted in centuries of prejudice and bias toward women … The concept of ‘public sensibility’ itself, when used in these contexts, may be nothing more than reflection of commonly held preconceptions and biases. One of the most important purposes to be served by the equal protection clause is to ensure that ‘public sensibilities’ grounded in prejudice and unexamined stereotypes do not become enshrined as part of the official policy of government.”

Curiously, New York State Penal Law 245.01 is still active. The landmark 1992 court decision does provide legal precedent — where breasts are not inherently defined as intimate or private body

parts — but the law still exists. Some may declare that’s irrelevant, the advocates won, the 14th Amendment rules the day and all people have body equality under the law. But with the present state of politics and law in this country, perhaps precedent has no legal standing on how a court case or ruling may be decided.

In the meantime, Free The Nipple, FEMEN, The Big Latch On and other TopFreedom movements continue the Topfree Coalition’s work to erase the stigma of baring chests in public. It may seem trivial to even shed light on this part of our society and its advocacy — yet small victories are still victories.

Matt Rogers is a Rochester-based artist and storyteller who works to celebrate urban history, culture and pride in as many ways as possible. Follow him @thelostborough.

CROSSWORD

Local writers and a specialized bookstore fan the flames of publishing’s top-selling genre.

Romantasy in Rochester

BY JON HEATH

As a young girl, Myla Rose kept a life-sized cardboard cutout of Legolas from “The Lord of the Rings” in her bedroom. She spent hours reading fantasy novels or playing “RuneScape” on dial-up internet under his watchful gaze. These early obsessions grew into “Skyrim” marathons and Renaissance festival outings, cosplay and even fantasy “fae” balls. Threaded through it all was a love of meticulously crafted storylines, rich characters and epic adventure.

“Add romance and I’m completely sold,” Rose said.

She began taking romantic fantasy (often called romantasy) more seriously, and it wasn’t long before she decided to try writing it herself.

“The pipeline from reader to writer happened quite unexpectedly,” Rose said. “The words poured out, and I knew almost instantly that this was what I was meant to do.”

Drawing inspiration from her favorite characters and the worlds they inhabit, she began work on “The Witching Wood” series. In 2025, Rose self-published the first installment, “Threads of the Maiden’s Moon,” and has since held events at bookstores across Rochester including Burn Bright Books, a romance lit-only space on Park Avenue.

In Rose’s stories, readers encounter “lush fantasy worlds, high-stakes romance, sharp banter and powerful female leads,” she said. The books lean into empowerment, resilience and desire, offering something more than escape and leaving readers “feeling seen, stronger and maybe a little feral.”

“What I love most about romantasy is finding a strong heroine who rises into power against all odds,” she added.

Writing also offers Rose relief from the pressures of her everyday life.

“Romantasy gives women permission to step away from the endless demands of work, parenting, mental load and body-image battles,” she said, “and sink into stories where women are powerful.”

At the center of Rose’s work is the character Nolei, a gifted healer whose quiet life is shattered when forbidden magic awakens within her — forcing her into flight, a reckoning with a hidden heritage and a battle against the Dark Queen. Through Nolei, Rose celebrates female pleasure and unapologetic desire, creating a heroine who claims power on her own terms. Nolei’s journey continues in 2026 with the upcoming release of “Of Coven and Crown” (more at mylarosewrites.com).

Another local writer who prefers romantic tension to anything overtly schmaltzy is Norma Hopcraft. In love with storytelling from a young age, Hopcraft was a reporter in New Jersey before graduating magna cum laude from New York University’s creative writing and literature program.

“As soon as I realized that these little black squiggles on the page created exciting moving pictures in my mind, I wanted to create that joy for other people,” she said.

That instinct for close observation carries into Hopcraft’s fiction, inspired by Jane Austen.

“She, too, was single and an acute observer of human nature,” Hopcraft noted.

She centers her novels on Tricia Maguire, a sharp-witted journalist whose professional ambition is matched by an irresistible pull toward trouble. Across a trilogy of mystery-romances, Maguire’s curiosity leads her into crimes she cannot leave unsolved, most recently in “Envy Kills,” published in October 2025 (more at normahopcraft.com).

If Maguire’s love life remains complicated on the page, Hopcraft seems content to redirect her own romantic longings into fiction. She channels that energy into Maguire’s chaotic entanglements, tempering danger with humor and emotional spark.

“To help people escape day-to-day life with an absorbing story that gives them a chuckle and lightens their load is one of my fondest wishes for my writing,” she said.

Hopcraft will read aloud Maguire’s latest adventure at Writers & Books on Valentine’s Day, a fitting date for a writer who understands that romance does not always announce itself with roses and candles.

After having lived in Paris, Barcelona and Brooklyn, Hopcraft says Rochester holds its own.

“It has a big, creative community,” she said. “There is more going on to feed a person’s creativity than anyone can take advantage of, which is quite wonderful.”

Myla Rose agrees.

“We’re incredibly lucky to live in such a beautiful area,” she said. “From hidden waterfalls and fairy trails to

silent, snow-covered forests. Nature plays a huge role in my stories, and this region constantly fuels my imagination.”

It is no coincidence, then, that a city long known for nurturing writers has embraced romance so fully. That passion now has a physical home at the aforementioned Burn Bright Books, owned by Shauna Cox.

Inspired by other women-owned, romance-only bookstores elsewhere in the country, Cox began imagining a space of her own.

“The romance genre has been criticized for years, despite it being the top-selling genre in all of publishing,” she said. “Now more than ever, our community needs a safe, inclusive space to explore romance books.”

What started as a playful hyperfixation became a brick-and-mortar reality in April 2025, hosting book clubs, craft events, small business popups, author signings and even yoga. Most ticketed events, Cox said, have sold out.

“Our first year has been amazing, the Rochester book community is

incredible and so supportive,” she said.

In a city already rich with writers, Burn Bright Books has become something rarer still: a place where romance is not dismissed or diminished, but welcomed, championed and shared. Here, stories are not just read. They are worlds to be entered and believed in, where desire simmers, magic stirs, secrets unravel and love — whether hard-won or softly earned — always matters.

“There has never really been a dedicated space [here] to explore romance books without judgment from others,” Cox said. “Our slogan really rings true: ‘Where every love story burns bright.’ We celebrate every love story and every person within those stories, regardless of gender identity, sexual orientation, race, ethnicity or anything else.” burnbrightbooks.com

Jon Heath is an English writer now based in Rochester who enjoys getting to know people and teasing out their stories; he writes about music, literature and friendly folks.

Loving you

BY FLO CARDELLA

Self-love is a concept that is thrown around so casually and frequently these days it can sometimes feel meaningless. But I place firm stock in it, manifesting it through self-kindness, putting less pressure on yourself and not only accepting, but embracing your imperfections. Truly loving yourself means exploring who you are down to the core and giving yourself the grace to be a little (or maybe a lot more) vulnerable.

Here are a few (local) ways to practice self-love — whether it’s the most ubiquitous month for conversation hearts or just a regular Wednesday.

RELEASE YOUR INHIBITIONS

Brian Buttlett and Maximus Seng, cofounders of the inclusive, queer dance party JUICE BOX ROC and its beachfront spin-off RENDEZVOUS ROC, work hard to create spaces where rules and boundaries correlate directly with feeling safe and free to be one’s most authentic self. Both pop-up parties take place at rotating venues and allow for individualistic expression in both sober and altered states.

“Being a queer person in America is a tactile mission to stay alive,” said Buttlett. “Community is built by investing in it … You have to put out into the world what you want to experience.”

Because it’s the first step toward loving others better.

For the creative duo, this means providing a space where attendees can explore themselves without judgment, whether that’s through dressing to a theme, making out with a stranger or dancing until the sun comes up.

Until @juiceboxroc returns in March, catch @brianbuttlet and @maxxie DJing at Flora, a newly opened queer bar at 190 Monroe Avenue. juiceboxroc.party

FIND YOUR PLEASURE

At Medusas, 226 Monroe Ave., you’ll never be shamed for wanting to explore your body or learn more about what brings you pleasure. But since Randy Gill opened the adult boutique in 2022, he and his team have fought against the stigma that sex shops and adult stores are gross and antiquated. Rather, Gill desires to create a store that is

community-oriented in a genuine way, offering a safe space to explore sexuality. Under an “HR manager” named Tiffany (who happens to be a cat), the Medusas team educates and helps visitors over the age of 18 explore sex and pleasure. Sex positivity is a core principle of the store, whether realized in toys, bondage or gender-affirming items.

“[I sought to] remove gatekeeping from exploring kink,” said Gill, adding he prides himself on accessible pricing and only sells things that are body-safe. “Kink is inclusive for everyone, from all walks of life.” medusasroc.com

ADORE YOUR BODY

Browse for a bra (or another piece of lingerie) that makes you feel confident. Since 2020, Patrice Haley has been offering

well-fitting bras and other pieces at her Every Body Bras & Intimates in Victor Crossing (another location in Fayetteville outside Syracuse opened first, in 2010). For women and femmepresenting folks, a properly fitting bra is essential not only to self-confidence but also affects posture, how clothes fit and how you carry yourself. The shop’s staff is trained on how to meet guest’s needs, whether it’s a garment for everyday wear, a supportive sports bra, something strapless to go under a gown or something sexy.

“The fit is easy,” said Haley. “It’s finding something comfortable, that makes them feel confident, that they’re actually going to wear — the whole idea is we work one-on-one at their comfort level.” everybodybras.com

BOOST YOUR CONFIDENCE

Book a boudoir or goddess shoot with Dear Blossom Studios. For the uninitiated, boudoir is typically shot onsite in a bedroom and focuses on confidence and empowerment; whereas goddess shoots are typically done outdoors and focus on an individual’s creativity. Because these are such intimate processes, Dear Blossom Studios owners Emma Rizzo and Sammi Cohen make an effort to get to know each client before they ever begin clicking the shutter.

“There’s a person behind the camera — it’s a two way relationship, your unique self is welcome here,” said Rizzo. With boudoir specifically, Cohen said the studio focuses on making sure the client feels comfortable and confident; the experience should be safe for everybody (and every body).

“It can feel selfish, superficial and unnecessary to celebrate yourself in this way, but it’s a wonderful gift you can give yourself,” she said. “You aren’t doing it to get a job or promote your business — you’re doing it to remember this moment in your life.” dearblossomstudios.com

FEED YOUR FANTASY

Get lost in a story. Erotica and romance books are having a mainstream moment in a major way — stories ranging from platonic and queer, to dark romance and enemies-to-lovers. Monster smut lines window displays and marquees alike. Love stories have sprung to the forefront of pop culture in a way that lets the reader or viewer explore what makes their heart flutter and turn all warm and gooey.

(Sometimes it just takes witnessing someone else stand up and fight for the love they deserve to push you to do the same for yourself.)

My favorite love story on the page from the past year was “First Time Caller” by B.K. Borison — the sequel, “And Now, Back to You,” hits shelves February 24. My favorite love story onscreen was “Heated Rivalry,” now streaming on HBO.

TAKE YOURSELF ON A DATE

You don’t need a partner to do all the things you enjoy and find fulfilling. In fact, you’re likely to know yourself better when you sit alone and learn what activities and quiet moments bring you true joy and satisfaction.

Go out to dinner solo, go to the movies, go to the theater — anything you would do with someone else you can do with yourself, too. My personal favorite (recurring) solo date last year was to the Living Roots tasting room, 1255 University Ave. livingrootswine.com

Florence Cardella is a Rochester native, full-time bartender and sometimes writer and photographer who searches for community at every possible turn and looks for whimsy in the unexpected. You can follow her @themidnightlibrarian.

A therapist’s tips for sexual wellness, intimacy and empowerment.

Having the talk

BY HELANA SHUMWAY

It’s not always easy to talk about sex. Some might say the discussion of sex is wholly unsexy and best left alone. Eleni Economides talks about it every day.

As a licensed marriage and family therapist, an AASECT (American Association of Sexuality Educators, Counselors and Therapists) certified sex therapist and a sexual wellness and intimacy coach, Economides works to help others feel fulfilled and empowered in their sexual lives. Her private practice, Better Relationship Counseling, focuses on marriage therapy and couples’ counseling.

She is also the founder and designer of New Intimacy Coaching, a signature coaching program for those with low libido or desire for sex. The Libido Lab is a 1:1 program and deep dive into her clients’ relationships with sex, their partners and, ultimately, themselves.

HOW DID YOU DECIDE TO BECOME A SEX THERAPIST?

Economides: It evolved on its own, based on the most common themes I discovered in my work [as a licensed marriage and family therapist] with couples. Most people come in for communication and connection. Somehow, the communication is lacking. What I discovered is that [couples] would make progress, things would get better in communication and connection

and all of a sudden, [they] would slide back into old patterns. The reason was that we were not talking about sex.

Once we started talking more about sex, then the progress was more sustainable. That led me to want to understand more how I can help people in both areas. I started my sex therapy training so that I could help my couples have more holistic, sustainable progress in their relationship.

LET’S TALK ABOUT THE LIBIDO LAB. WHAT SHOULD WE KNOW?

Economides: The Libido Lab is a six-month program for people with low libido or [those who] don’t have the desire for sex. A big part of the Libido Lab is psychoeducational, teaching people about human sexuality in a way that touches their everyday life. Sex education at school is minimal and really misleading, and people learn about sex via mostly porn, which is not a realistic representation of the average person’s sex life.

So, they end up having a lot of misconceptions and false beliefs about what good sex is like, how it should feel, how it should look … and when their sex doesn’t look like that, or feel like what they think it should feel [like], they start to develop anxiety and insecurities.

Part of the Libido Lab is to correct people’s misguided beliefs about sex. Sex can look very different for different people. It is not just intercourse, and intercourse is not just the ultimate goal during intimacy. The goal is to have a positive relationship with sex and yourself as a sexual person.

WHAT GOES INTO NURTURING THOSE RELATIONSHIPS, WITH SEX AND WITH OURSELVES?

Economides: I mean, sex ultimately — good sex — is an act of self-love, right? Sort of allowing yourself to connect, be vulnerable, receive pleasure, give pleasure. That is very difficult if you don’t love yourself. I mean, we’re all imperfect. There is

no standard to get to that will make us more lovable and worthy — we inherently are. When you are able to love and accept yourself, still strive to be the best version of you, but love all versions of you, then you can be vulnerable. Self-love makes being vulnerable not feel scary.

SELF-LOVE MUST ALSO MEAN LEARNING ABOUT HOW WE DESIRE SEX. CAN YOU EXPLAIN THE TWO TYPES OF SEXUAL DESIRE?

Economides: There are two main types: spontaneous sexual desire and responsive sexual desire. Spontaneous sexual desire is, “I want to have sex. I feel the tingles, I feel aroused and I’m thinking about sex.”

Responsive sexual desire is, “I’m not thinking about sex. But if we start, I might get into it.” Responsive desire is healthy and doesn’t mean you have low libido. If you can be in the present moment, not judge yourself and become aroused, your desire will kick in.

WHAT COMES TO MIND WHEN YOU THINK OF EMPOWERMENT IN SEX?

Economides: The word that comes to mind is permission. Meaning, one can feel empowered if they give themselves permission to be valuable and worthy in who they are, even if they make mistakes. If you value and love yourself and your needs and desires and don’t pathologize yourself for anything, then you are empowered to go get what you want. newintimacy.com

Helana Shumway is a Rochester-based writer who enjoys shedding light on kind humans doing remarkable things in our community. Follow her @helanashum.

Lesser known flicks for V-Day (or any day) viewing.

Rom-com roll call

BY JOHANNA LESTER

Iwas 8 years old when I first saw Rob Reiner’s “The Princess Bride,” a romantic comedy wrapped in the trappings of a fantasy, to delight young girls and fool young boys for decades to come. It paved the way for a life where part of my brain is always thinking about Shopgirl and NY152 from “You’ve Got Mail,” or how Cher goes to the opera with Nicolas Cage in “Moonstruck,” or when Sandra Bullock describes leaning to Bill Pullman in “While You Were Sleeping.” But what makes a good rom-com? And why are so few of them great? In the wake of the recent heartbreaking losses of rom-com icons actress Diane Keaton (“Annie Hall” and “Something’s Gotta Give”) and Reiner himself (“When Harry Met Sally,” and “The American President”), those questions have been top of mind — and are nearly impossible to answer with any level of satisfaction. So, instead, I offer a paean to the genre, a guide to those interested in opening their moviegoing hearts a bit wider. Because you never know what, or who, might be waiting in the shop (or movie theater or streaming service) around the corner.

IF YOU LIKE: ZIPPY, SCREWBALL WORKPLACE ROMANCES

“His Girl Friday” (1940), from director Howard Hawks, showcases Cary Grant and Rosalind Russell as ex-spouses (a

newspaper editor and investigative reporter, respectively) looking unbelievably glam and engaging in the most perfect banter. It pairs perfectly with Claire Scanlon’s “Set It Up” (2018), starring Zoey Deutch (born for this) and Glen Powell (in his best role to date) as workplace frenemies looking to matchmake their bosses (the electric Lucy Liu and Taye Diggs) to reclaim their own social lives.

IF YOU LIKE: MODERN ADAPTATIONS OF LITERARY CLASSICS THAT DON’T FEEL LIKE HOMEWORK

Amy Heckerling’s “Clueless” (1995) stages Jane Austen’s “Emma” in the mid-’90s Valley, as if there could be any better place for teen

matchmaking and social hierarchies. Taking notes was “Fire Island” (2022), directed by Andrew Ahn and written by and starring Joel Kim Booster. A group of queer friends gathers for their annual trek to the titular location, where Austen’s “Pride and Prejudice” takes flight. There are misunderstandings and mansions and Conrad Ricamora as a new cinematic Mr. Darcy. <<hand flex>>

IF YOU LIKE: THE AGE-OLD DEBATE OF WHETHER MEN AND WOMEN CAN EVER JUST BE FRIENDS

As time passes, and my own views on love and friendship and happiness shift and redefine, “When Harry Met Sally” (1989) — written by

rom-com north star Nora Ephron, directed by Reiner, and starring Billy Crystal and Meg Ryan — only becomes more poignant and relevant and hilarious. Every choice holds up and every viewing reveals a new, beloved detail. I could talk about this movie for, conservatively, 100 hours. The underseen will-they-orwon’t-they-but-they-probably-will “What If” (2013) brings a similar energy, and was early proof that Daniel Radcliffe is no fluke. And, in true WHMS spirit, it boasts a pair of well-cast supporting characters in Adam Driver and Mackenzie Davis. (The film also leans into its roots by staging a meet-cute [IYKYK] at a screening of “The Princess Bride.”)

THE LAST CONVERSATION BEFORE THE ABYSS

BY J.R. TAYLOR

We met there. Just as we had so many years before. By chance, but not of the miraculous sort like before. The sort that was inevitable.

“Hello.”

J.R.Taylor is a local poet, writer and, occasionally, artist who specializes in custom poetry and expressive storytelling blending together an intimate and accessible style, transforming emotions and shared human connections into heartfelt tales. Follow him at @j.r.taylor_writes.

IF YOU LIKE: A ROM-COM THAT WORKS TO EXPAND THE GENRE “My Best Friend’s Wedding” (1997), helmed by P.J. Hogan, puts bona fide movie star and America’s sweetheart Julia Roberts in the seemingly miscast role of spoiler to the romance of Dermot Mulroney and Cameron Diaz. Turns out it’s a great look on her, and that iconic smile goes a long way toward directing the audience’s sympathies and allegiances. As far as stars go, Queen Latifah has been a name since the late ‘80s, and in Wayne Wang’s “Last Holiday” (2006), she is incandescent as a woman having what she believes is her final hurrah following a terminal diagnosis. She puts a charming spin on what is primarily a male-led story trope. And, if you’re looking for something in the barely worn timeloop territory (a la “Groundhog Day”), seek out Max Barbakow’s “Palm Springs” (2020). Andy Samberg and a standout Cristin Milioti are on a quest together to figure out how to break the endless cycle of one of Milioti’s worst days. There’s a free-for-all quality to this film that works so well in concert with the evolution of their relationship.

“Hi.”

“You wanna sit?”

“Just for a minute.”

I still knew her order. Flat white. Extra hot. Demerara syrup. I could still smell it on my clothes from all the mornings I’d walked down here before you had woken. I got a black coffee.

“Just like my soul.”

Bad joke. The appropriate eye rolls abound, but neither of us had moved on from our habits. Only to different tables.

We used to get the window one. Look out into the space beyond. Imagine us growing into it. Sitting side by side.

Instead, we got a cramped two top in the center. The cafe noise looming over us. Pressing us close in an uncomfortable way. Sitting across from each other. Opposing forces.

Johanna Lester is a pop culture critic who mainlines movies, TV and the best cookies Rochester has to offer. She’ll also hold that grudge on your behalf. Follow her @theauntjojo.

It was subtle. I could see the ring. You could see the tan line of mine. It was the absence of it all that made me bold enough, finally, to just reach out and actually utter the words:

“You were a reflection of everything I was trying not to be.”

“I would have been anything for you. I tried.”

The pause was long. The coffee we fiddled with grew cold and stale in front of us. Emblematic.

“Everything but yourself.”

“And that’s what you wanted? Me?”

The coffee shop moved around us. Without us.

“I was just settled. Ready. To be just

with you. I never imagined that it would be so boring.”

“I’m sorry. I never should have said that. You weren’t boring. I just loved when we were moving.

A blur. Jumping into one thing and then another and then another. Together. Feet first. Hand in hand.”

The coffee shop moved around us. Without us. Forward.

“You realize that wasn’t me though? You see you’d made me into a version of the person you wanted me to be? Talked with that person. Got coffee for that person. Wine. dined. Slept with that person.”

Silence echoed. Loud. In the voice of the barista yelling out orders. In the sound of the steam wand evaporating water. Laughing. The smiles. The conversation’s buzzing. Flies. Flies. Flies.

“How did I ‘force’ you to be someone?”

“It was the smallest of things.”

I sighed, slight. But heavy. My whole body collapsed around itself. An entire universe just shriveled into a darkness leading to nowhere.

“That.”

“That?”

“That. The smallest of things. The

disappointment when you realize i’m not going to give you what you want.”

Silence. Denial.

“Because, for so long, it is all I ever wanted to do. Give you everything you wanted. Everything. Because I knew it was the only way you would stay. I lost every little bit of me to you. In that sigh. Just to be the light at the end of the ‘nowhere’ you would send yourself.”

Silence.

Fiddling with my ring finger. The absence. The nowhere.

“I didn’t know how to say, ‘I miss the chaos’” without admitting I didn’t miss loving you more.”

“But you did. Loudly. In the quiet parts where you just folded into nothing. It took me too long to realize it was exactly that. You were exactly that. Nothing.”

You got up. Quietly. I watched as you dumped the coffee into the trash and walked out into the bright morning sun. Disappearing. A comet. Beautiful. Mysterious. Out of reach.

The coffee in front of me was black. I swirled it with my finger. Cold. I couldn’t leave.

WHET YOUR PALATE

After a slew of soft opening events over the holidays, Barry’s Irish Pub (now located at 4400 Fairport Nine Mile Point Road on the Eagle Vale campus) officially opened its doors on January 17. The expanded Fairport location will again offer live music and a full food and drink

The Biltmore Bar & Lounge

owners of The Spirit Room, has opened at 47 State Street. Char, the restaurant inside The Strathallan, will reopen after extensive renovations on February 8. AM:FM Creekside, the westside offshoot of the downtown coffee shop, is now open in Churchville.

Esans Bistro, which serves Nigerian cuisine like efo riro (vegetable stew) and banga (palm nut) soup, has opened at Park Point near Rochester Institute of Technology in Henrietta. Peels on Wheels, which is staying open after all, has announced extended hours and additional pizza styles at the “Pizza Garage,” their takeout window on Culver Road. Jeremiah’s Tavern will open another location at the former Silo Brunch Bar in Greece this

second Mulconry’s Irish Pub and Restaurant location at Elm Ridge Center. And the area’s only James Beard Award-nominated chef, Art Rogers, announced his restaurant Lento will offer an entire menu priced $35 and under to combat rising dining costs.

inspired, “tree-to-table” five-course menu is chef’s choice, utilizing locally sourced ingredients and not released in advance — the mystery is all part of the fun. Seats are $77 per person. kettleridgefarm.com

THURSDAY-SATURDAY 11:30am-10:00pm

SUNDAY & MONDAY 4:00pm-9:00pm

The popular Fifth Frame Brewing in Irondequoit, which first opened on St. Paul Street in 2017, has closed its doors permanently; reports point to outstanding tax bills as a possible factor. Beers of the World, a longstanding wholesale and retail operation, will close its Henrietta location; the Batavia location will remain open. And Schallers, a Rochester hots and hams staple since 1956, has listed its East Ridge Road location for sale. It has an additional location on Edgemere Drive, which is not listed for sale.

Two more food trucks — Mad Potatoes and The Meatball Truck Co. — have shuttered. The owner of Mad Potatoes is relocating to Nashville, while The Meatball Truck Co. (formerly associated with Antonetta’s, which closed in 2020) will cease operations entirely.

FOOD FÊTES

Eat Up Roc, Rochester Downtown Development Corporation’s restaurant week, has returned for the first time since 2022, featuring more than 20 downtown restaurants offering prix fixe menus, special items and discounts February 27 through March 8. eatuproc.com

On February 12, Flight Wine Bar in Corn Hill is hosting a Brunch After Dark, a casual evening designed for mingling, whether attendees come solo or with a friend. $20 per person includes the first beverage and appetizers. winebarflight.com

Kettle Ridge Farms in Victor will hold a Sugarmaker’s Barn Brunch at 10 a.m. every Saturday and Sunday through March 8. The maple-

Ski — and ea and drink — for a good cause at the 15th annual Forks & Skis on March 6, a daylong festival at Hunt Hollow to benefit Foodlink. Tickets are $150 (or $100 for Hunt Hollow members). foodlinkny.org/event

Los Tacos Vatos, “The Taco Guys,” a new pop-up at Sager-Stoneyard Pub on the first Monday of each month, will be serving up Mexican street-style tacos, spicy salsas and margarita pitchers from 4-8 p.m. on February 4.

FOR THE LOCAVORES

Local female entrepreneur Danielle Dyminski has launched Lunar Moon H2O, a first-of-its-kind purified water charged under the full and new moon. It is available in limited quantities. sipthemoon.com

Fee Brothers, the family owned brand that dates back 160 years, has unveiled a new look for its syrups, mixes, brines and botanical waters. The refresh features illustrations by Steven Noble (Espolón, Kahlúa, Jack Daniel’s) and a cohesive, colorcoded design system for easy shelf readability. feebrothers.com

Like a lot of people, I’m single and eager to find my match. I try to be social, go out with friends (or even alone) and I mostly just… Don’t meet anyone. Dating apps make me feel rejected, but I’m not sure how to date without them. I want something longterm, though honestly, I’d also be happy just going on a date; maybe hooking up occasionally. Where are all the single people? And how do I meet them without downloading another app I’ll delete within three weeks?

—Party of One

Dear Party of One,

First of all: you’re not alone. I mean, yes, you’re single — but a lot of folks are disillusioned by the apps and finding it hard to meet people IRL. There is a cultural shift happening, albeit slowly, where we want to meet folks in the wild (AKA the Wegmans frozen food aisle) but we’re not there yet, for many reasons.

We’ve gotten really used to not talking with strangers. Some reports cite the prolonged isolation of the COVID pandemic as the reason we’ve regressed into awkward teenagers who can’t make eye contact. Our social circles are the

size of a Froot Loop, and we don’t go out as much (because everything is expensive), so we’re rusty.

The good news? You’re open to casual dating as well as finding the real thing.

That means you have range and take interest in just getting to know people. Picking someone up at a bar can be deeply satisfying (wink, wink), and it scratches the very real itch for flirting, touching, kissing and feeling desired — even if it stops there. So, by all means, have at it. Just don’t let a dragging situationship take up that emotional real estate meant for something better. Nothing stalls your love life faster than a fling that overstays its welcome.

The bad news? Whether you’re looking for that forever person or just a casual — well, you know — you’re going to have to be obvious.

A few years ago, I found myself dateless on Valentine’s Day (again). So I went to Lux, put out a little paper sign that said “Speed Dating,” and waited. I had three dates. They were all lovely. We laughed, we talked and while there was no love connection, it was fun. I have a friend who put flyers around the city with a link to his dating profile. You don’t have to go that far, but you have to be willing to get vulnerable.

That’s my biggest piece of advice to you and to anyone else reading this who feels the same way. Start the conversation. Compliment the stranger. Ask what book they’re reading. Ask for a phone number! Take the leap. Rejection is uncomfortable, yes, but the alternative is worse.

On that note, if anyone is interested in dating a know-itall with an advice column and a fondness for dirty martinis, send your details to the email provided. If the fear of rejection still has you frozen, there are singles nights all over the city. Go. Drag your friends (single or not) for moral support. You can also bully those same friends into setting you up with that hot guy from their accounting office or the sassy girl in their yoga class. They owe you, I’m sure.

A lot of people want exactly what you want — they just don’t know it yet.

xoxo, Maggie

No questions asked

BY S.J. AUSTIN & J. REYNOLDS

ACROSS

1. Most northwestern of the “Four Corners” states

5. Immune system component that derives its name from the thymus gland, in which it develops

10. Office communication

14. Like the face of a camper telling a ghost story, maybe

19. Rochester district with many galleries, for short

20. Arm bones that parallel radii

21. Warm-fermented beers

22. Unspeaking dialogue partner in many a meme

23. *** Smallest of three Canadian maritime provinces

26. Car blemishes

27. Gas station with a prominent sign above Fenway Park’s Green Monster

28. Nation that invaded Ukraine in 2022

29. Beverage brand with a lizard logo

31. Hairspray alternative

32. Bygone Delta competitor

34. Brandon Beane and Brian Cashman, for two: Abbr.

36. Villainess in “The Little Mermaid”

38. Word that might be spelled on a beach by a castaway

41. Peat-flavored liquor

44. Flashy ‘90s tennis icon Andre

47. Exist

48. Org. for Jack Ryan and Jason Bourne

49. Necessity for baking New York style pizza

51. “Have a taste of this!”

55. *** Eliminated from competition for a rule violation, say

58. *** Charitable gifts

60. Name that derives from the Hebrew for Joshua

61. One of over 9,000 on the moon

63. Eros, to Aphrodite

64. Genre for The Mighty Mighty Bosstones

65. Highest point

68. Squandering

70. The H of H.M.S. from 1952 - 2022

71. Gulf War missile

74. Rap mogul, familiarly

75. Word with bowling or rolling

76. Color of embarrassment

77. Shopping mall hat store chain

78. Measure of resistance

79. Sneaky sorts

81. Auto repair shop

83. Jan follower

84. Long, long time

85. Miami U athletes

87. “West Side Story” woman

91. *** “Crispety, crunchety” candy bars, or an insulting description of an athlete who can’t catch a pass

94. *** Indian peacemaker featured in 1982’s Best Picture Oscar winner

97. Newman who founded an online classifieds website using his first name

98. One of over 100 in the periodic table

100. Born: Fr.

101. Quaint contraction found in the U.S. national anthem

102. Long (for)

104. Inspiration for the Frisbee

106. Where 20-Across are found

107. Magician’s “tada”

110. Witness

112. Where wedding vows are often spoken

114. Canoeist’s implement

115. Sexual appetite

118. Snicket of “A Series of Unfortunate Events”

121. Out of fashion

125. German naval subs

127. Without a doubt, idiomatically-or an explanation for the misspelled answers to the starred clues

130. Road name for much of Rte 104

131. Years: Lat.

132. Oktoberfest glass

133. “Time for me to go get a hit!”

134. Contemptuous smile

135. Teller’s performance partner

136. Knight’s mount

137. Mass. neighbor DOWN

1. Potentially offensive, for short

2. “Cornflake Girl” singer Amos

3. Going _____ (squabbling)

4. End a phone call

5. Mon follower

6. Type of task that might be assigned to administrative staff

7. Long distance motor vehicle race

8. Statutes

9. Meadows

10. Palindromic title of address

11. NFL analyst Manning

12. Military meal hall

13. Norway’s capital

14. *** “I still believe in peace, love, and _____”: John Lennon

15. “The Raven” poet

16. Vowel sound in “cute” and “dude”

17. Microchip maker “inside” many PCs

18. Automobile that might have a bumper sticker that says “I bought this before Elon went crazy”

24. Trigonometric counterpart of sin

25. Dominant hand for 85-90% of the population

30. RTS vehicle (Try it! It’s only a dollar a ride!)

33. India’s continent

35. Really relishes

37. Apple digital assistant since 2011

38. Pilgrimage to Mecca

39. Lake containing 116 cubic miles of water

40. Word often incorrectly used instead of “fewer”

42. First word of many limericks

43. Concluding passage in a composition

45. Lead-in to X, Y, or Z

46. More anxious

48. Brink

50. “How inappropriate to call this planet Earth when clearly it is ___”: Arthur C. Clarke

52. Mario’s video game sidekick who hatches from an egg

53. Tattooed

54. Bygone Russian rulers

56. Campus dorm block

57. Slushy treats

59. Mixed martial arts star Rousey

62. Plot surprise

66. Greek theater

67. Weasley and Potter’s smarter classmate

69. Rubbish

71. Consonant phoneme that sounds like an S, not a K

72. Shout encouragement

73. Planetary shadow

75. Suffix with ecto- or cyto-

77. Singer/activist Horne

79. Olympian who uses barbells

80. Wading predatory birds

81. Storm drain cover

82. Monopoly or checkers

86. All: prefix

88. Composer Stravinsky

89. Those people

90. Puts on TV

92. Matches in size and shape

93. Chicago trains

95. Detailed examination

96. Portable shelter

99. Olympic blades

103. Signed acknowledgement of debt

105. Cater (to)

106. Like the numbers 1, 5, and 10 (as opposed to I, V, and X)

107. Serves a beverage

108. Israeli prime minister who famously shook hands with Clinton

109. Wear away

111. Pixielike

113 .Busy mo. for a CPA

116. Acronym name for food stamps

117. Manner of speaking

119. Prepare potatoes, in one way

120. Not fooled by

122. Japanese wrestling sport

123. Bowl over

124. Disney subsidiary that broadcasts “Baseball Tonight”

126. Ripen

128. Stopover

129. 1991 U2 hit with the opening lyric “Is it getting better? / Or do you feel the same?”

Show a Little love this February.

PThe Little Theatre was voted "Best Movie Theatre” by CITY’s Best of Rochester 2025. Find out why!

Black Cinema Series x World of Animation

Floyd Norman: An Animated Life Screening and Q&A Monday, February 9 @ 7pm

Journey through the life and career of Floyd Norman, the first African-American animator at Disney Studios. He went on to develop the original Fat Albert TV special, early Sesame Street segments, and classic Hanna-Barbera cartoons.

The Little is thrilled to have Floyd Norman join us for a live, virtual Q&A following the screening.

wLOVE AT THE LITTLEw

The Princess Bride

Saturday, February 14 @ 12pm & 8pm

As you wish. The 1987 classic comes to The Little on Valentine’s Day.

In Rob Reiner and William Goldman’s classic fantasy-comedy, a grandfather reads a story of a farmboy-turnedpirate who encounters numerous obstacles, enemies and allies in his quest to be reunited with his true love.

“Wuthering Heights”

Opens Friday. February 13

Director Emerald Fennell’s take on the classic Emily Brontë novel, starring Margot Robbie and Jacob Elordi.

Gone Girl

Friday, Febrrary 13 @ 7:30 pm

David Fincher’s electric adaptation of the mega popular Gillian Flynn novel is the perfect untraditional Valentine’s Day/Galentine’s Day pick!