Interview by Emily Hessney Lynch.

Published May 31, 2019.

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

I’m from Hilton. I attended SUNY Brockport, where I studied marketing and communications. I didn’t take advantage of all Rochester had to offer then, but I knew I wanted to stay in the area after college. I lived off Park Ave my last year of school, and that’s when I began to appreciate all the local things going on.

What is your favorite part of living in Rochester?

There’s always something to do, regardless of what day of the week it is. I saw Danielle Ponder on a Monday night this week! You can eat at a unique restaurant on a whim. It’s easy to navigate the city, so you can get anywhere in 10 minutes.

My family has moved to Southern California, and they’re pressuring me to move out there too. It takes 45 minutes to get anywhere there! It also lacks the sense of community we have here. It’s a no brainer for me to stay in Rochester.

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

I’m obsessed with Fiorella. My husband and I will sometimes go twice in one week because it’s so good. We’re also frequent flyers at Joey’s—it’s so welcoming, and you feel a sense of community when you’re there. We find joy from walking the neighborhood, creeping on houses on East Ave, and taking in the architecture and uniqueness of it all.

Bones Bakery on Goodman at Park Ave is a gem too. I took my dog there recently for a pupaccino and he loved it! It was topped with real whipped cream (which dogs can eat in moderation) and a biscuit—he had it all over his face! It was the cutest thing ever. Their cookies for humans are pretty good too.

This one’s not a hidden gem, but I’m obsessed with the poutine truck. I’ve been known to walk two miles to get poutine. I figure getting some exercise and delicious food is a good way to spend a lunch break.

One that I really miss is the Little Bleu Cheese Shop on South Ave. It was our thing, our go to, and we’d get a bunch of cheese and bring it home to have with wine. We’re friendly with the owner and still get recommendations from them. They’re gone but not forgotten.

What's the most unique or interesting event you've attended in Rochester?

I love taking advantage of all the free things with our different festivals—like Fringe. You’ll find me out at a free show every night. My favorite festival is Jazz Fest, I’m there every night for the free concerts. I love looking around in the moment to see people of all walks of life enjoying the music together. It’s the same with the Lilac Festival, I’ll be at the stage every night, and it doesn’t matter if I know who’s performing or not.

Local fundraisers are a great way to have a good time and support a nonprofit too. The purse auction by the Women’s Foundation of Genesee Valley is always a great event. I also enjoy Fashion Week of Rochester and Dress for Success’s event, “Success in the City.” None of them are your standard gala; they make you feel like you’re in a bigger city at an extravagant event, right in the heart of Rochester.

I am so eager to take advantage of things that I often go to stuff alone just because I want to go. I can often jam more stuff into a small amount of time because I’m not coordinating with friends and meeting up with others.

What are some of your favorite local nonprofits to support? 

• The Women’s Foundation of Genesee Valley—I worked there for two years. They have grants to support programs in Monroe and the surrounding counties that aim to help girls become economically self-sufficient.
• I joined the board of the High Falls Women’s Film Fest recently. It aims to recognize women in film, mostly those who are involved in the production of films.
• In Washington Square Park last summer, I got involved in an initiative to serve dinner to the homeless. You just need a few volunteers and everyone brings something. They can have a nice meal and not have to worry.
• TEDxRochester is not a nonprofit, but it’s volunteer-led. Helping curate and organize that was probably the most rewarding thing I’ve done all year so far. Seeing it all come together was an awesome experience.

If you had $100 and two hours to kill in Rochester, what would you do? 

I would go to Shop Peppermint and buy a new dress. Then I’d head to R’s Market in Brighton and get a loaf of Amazing Grains salty bread. I’d get a flight of red wine at Living Roots afterwards. We’re wine club members there and I highly recommend it.

What's your favorite neighborhood in the city? 

The North Winton Village—I’m biased because I live there. I moved there in 2007, before it was a thing. I love seeing it grow and become a spot where people want to live and raise families.

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

I like to get bundled up and walk to a restaurant or bar in our neighborhood. My best friend and I will put on boots and head out to get red wine somewhere. Or, my husband and I will cook something up at home. We love to cook.

What is your favorite Rochester memory? 

Our wedding—we made everything as local as possible. It was at what’s now La Luna, overlooking High Falls. Geoff Dale set up a Three Heads table, and we served cheese from the Little Bleu Cheese Shop and fried cakes from Herman’s. Tanvi from Peppermint made my wedding dress and all the bridesmaid dresses. Our dogs wore bowties with the Flower City logo on them. We got these antique Rochester things from Ebay and used them to display all the local vendors we used for the wedding. Using Rochester as the backdrop for our photos was perfect because it was exactly what we wanted; we got some on the Pont du Rennes bridge and others with Kodak in the background.

What makes Rochester unique?

The sense of community—it’s really important to me. We’re a small town city with a big city vibe. I love Rochester’s history. We had this big boom, and now we’re having our renaissance and really coming back. It’s a place to move to and have a family, and job opportunities are picking up.

What do you think could be improved about our city?

Fewer silos in terms of neighborhoods and community. We’re on our way there, but we can do better. People think of certain areas as being dangerous when that’s not actually the case. We need to do better at embracing other cultures and finding hidden gems in other neighborhoods.

If Rochester was a food, what would it be?

It would be pizza. There’s you standard chain places, like Henrietta, but smaller, local hidden gems make Rochester what it is. Rochester itself is a hidden gem! Pizza Hut is Henrietta, and Rhino’s, Pizza Stop, and Nino’s are the kinds of places that makes Rochester, Rochester.

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

Take advantage of events and local community groups that have networking meetups—you’ll find recommendations on where to eat, drink, and play coming naturally from that. People from Rochester love to recommend their favorite places.