Interview by Emily Hessney Lynch.

Published April 18, 2019.

Where are you originally from? How did you end up in Rochester at this time in your life?

I’m from Iraq. I came to the U.S. as part of a family-based immigration. My uncle migrated to the States in the 70s and lived in Rochester; he was a Xerox guy. My family came here in 1997, straight to Rochester because of my uncle. In 2013, my wife and I moved to Silicon Valley to work in tech, and we came back to Rochester in 2015.

The quality of life here is what drew us back, and the fact that we have family here. There were decent opportunities and a lot of culture. We compared what we had in Silicon Valley versus Rochester and decided that Rochester was better. In California we were fighting for our own space all the time. The commute time and the education was a huge difference. New York public schools were way better than private schools in California.

What are some hidden gems you've discovered around Rochester?

The Eastman Museum—I’m shocked by how many people I know who have never been. The Cinema in the Wedge has great double features, and the snacks are cheap. Plus they have a cool cat!

If you had $100 and 2 hours to kill in Rochester, how would you spend the money/time?

For me, it’s more about the time than the money. If I had the whole day, I’d go to the MAG—I love to go there when I have time. Afterwards, I’d go bowling with friends at Radio Social, then visit the Strong Museum of Play.

What's your favorite neighborhood in the city?

Park Ave—I lived there for a few years. It was great to just get up and walk on the the weekends, to places like Jine’s or the Frog Pond for breakfast. I love that experience. I also love to stroll or go for a run on East Ave in the summertime.

What is your personal coping mechanism for cold/gray weather? 

In the wintertime, I try to seize the weekends and find a place indoors to go walk around, like Eastview Mall. I also try to shift my mentality and enjoy it, often by doing things like having hot drinks by the fireplace. I need to get into some winter sports! It’s a big shift from growing up in a place with no cold weather like Iraq.

What is your favorite Rochester memory? 

When I first came to Rochester, it was a completely new world. Iraq in 1997 was under embargo. My cousin took me to Movies 10 when I got to Rochester and that was so memorable. Seeing snow for the first time was really awesome. I was about 17 when I moved here. I thought Mendon Ponds Park was so beautiful. It was so different—and really cool—to see things my brain hadn’t perceived before. Walking into Wegmans for the first time was just awesome! I remember, it was the Henrietta one on Hylan Drive. Then my aunt took us to the Pittsford Wegmans later and it blew our minds that it had a second floor! I missed Wegmans when we were living in California.

What could be improved about Rochester? 

Providing more things for people to do in public places. I’ve been to Chicago a lot, and the experimental public art brings people together, like Millennial Park and the Bean. You don’t need to buy a ticket. You can do something where people come together and engage for free. Put shops and places around it to help with commerce. They have fountains with digital screens, where water comes out of people’s mouths! Kids play in the fountains. We could build off our history—Kodak could build some kind of interactive digital photography exhibit. That’s what’s missing here, especially downtown. Make it winter-friendly. What we’re doing now with skating downtown is really good, and we should do more of it.

Public transportation could be improved too. I would give up driving if I could. It’s more of a national problem, though.

What makes Rochester unique? 

The culture. One of the interesting things about Rochester is that it’s small enough that the quality of life is high. We have great music, culture, universities, and tech opportunities. It’s nicer and has better energy than California. There’s just something about Rochester—it has more reach. The amount of events we have is incredible. Everyone stays connected. It’s a small town with lots going on, and everyone is welcoming.

If Rochester was a food, what would it be?

It would be pumpkin soup. It’s warm, it makes you feel good. It has crunchy elements when it has pumpkin seeds in it. It’s delicious and homey—and Rochester is such a place that you can call home, regardless. It’s so welcoming. Plus, it’s healthy and not greasy!

What's your favorite place to get a garbage plate?

Dogtown is one of the best. Henrietta Hots is great too. It’s interesting in there, full of RIT kids and firefighters. It has a nice, small-town feel.

What advice would you give to people who are new to Rochester and looking to get to know the area?

Go downtown, don’t be afraid of it. Explore—it’s really beautiful, with lots of cool things to do. Get involved with all the events, and check the Meetup app. Colleges put together a lot of events that are open to the public and people don’t realize it. Get out and enjoy the bigger festivals in the summer; Jazz Fest is my favorite, I love jazz and just having a drink and listening to the music.