Interview by Emily Hessney Lynch.

Published October 11, 2019.

Where are you from? How did you end up in Rochester?

My wife and I both went to Geneseo; she grew up in Livonia. Two years ago, we reached the point professionally where we both wanted to move on and move home. I got a job at Brockport as the Associate Director of Admissions, and she works at U of R. 

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

I'm a big fan of a bunch of places in Brockport. Java Junction is fantastic; they do all their own roasting and grinding. We’ve explored the beer scene a little bit. We like Mullers for cider, and WhichCraft in Webster, as well as Rising Storm in Avon, which my friend owns. 

We haven’t found anything bad. This town is a good food and beer town. We haven’t felt like we’ve missed out on anything by moving back here. Any place we’ve gone has been good. We stumbled on Boxcar last summer and were like, “oh my god!” And it’s 15 minutes from our house!

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

My default thing is usually baseball. Theoretically, if it was summer, I’d go to Frontier Field. Failing that, probably wind up at one of the breweries somewhere. Rochester is not a health food city. We love the food at Frontier Field, like the macaroni and cheese hot dog that was extraordinarily unnecessary and yet so necessary. The chicken and waffles cone is fantastic as well, and so is the trash can. It offers all the joy of a garbage plate without feeling like you want to die afterwards.

What's the best place to get a garbage plate?

Jimmy Z’s in Brockport. I do like Penfield Hots as well. I like the meat sauce to have a little zing to it, and Jimmy’s definitely does. That’s our go-to. 

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

My go-to is music. I listen to music on my commute, and play music when I can and where I can. I enjoy the open jam nights at B-Side in Fairport.

What's one memory you have that captures the essence of Rochester for you? 

We were at a Red Wings game a year and a half ago, our first one since moving to town, and it was a random weeknight. My thirteen year old son looked at me with awe and said, “It’s only going to take us 15 minutes to get home!” We were used to driving to a Mets game. Our first six months here, we were half an hour early to everything. I love that you have easy access to everything, and it’s all super convenient. 

First time my dad came up to visit, we took him to the Strong Museum and Dinosaur BBQ with the kids. He was just fascinated. He grew up on Long Island and has been NYC-centric his whole life; he doesn’t really think other cities exist. 

I love that it’s really become home to us. Little moments really confirm that moving back was the right call for us, like walking in the Pride Parade over the summer, me with the Brockport crew and my wife and kids with the UUU crew. We never questioned making the move here because of all the little things along the way. There are so many connections/small town living situations that you run into all the time!

What makes Rochester unique? 

It’s got a little bit of everything. You’ve got theatre, sports, restaurants, bars, all within an hour’s drive, you can get to just about anything. When my dad visited, he asked what to do while we were at work and the kids were at school. We told him he could drive to Niagara Falls within an hour and a half, which is a very normal driving distance for people who live in the greater NYC area. I took my son to see Panic at the Disco in Buffalo on a school night. It seemed crazy at the time, but we realized we would have done that if it was in NYC. We can do all the things we like to do and it’s half the price. It’s been a real lifesaver for us. 

What do you think could be improved about our city?

There’s definitely that city/suburbs divide. As much as we do try to go to the Market and do stuff downtown, our default is “what’s within a 3 mile radius of where we are?” Being part of the Unitarian Church, we have more of a connection with the city and social justice. We’re not as removed from the vibrancy of what downtown is. We try to get downtown for Fringe and all the things that happen there, and to be as invested in the city as we can.

If Rochester was a food, what would it be?

The chicken fingers at L&M Lanes on Culver. One day last winter, the kids wanted to go bowling. I found L&M online, and as we drove there, my kids were like, “Dad, where are you taking us?” We got there right when they opened and had the whole place to ourselves. We had the best time. It was not like a big bowling center with neon flashing lights. It was a local place, with chicken fingers that my daughter still talks about. It was really indicative of what I think the city does well. It’s good, it’s inexpensive, it’s fun, it’s family-friendly. I think that’s what the city has been to us- all of those things. No matter where we wind up. 

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

You have to go outside the regular and the chains. Dig into stuff. There’s so much good beer here. Go to Don’s or one of the smaller burger places. Find a diner. Get invested in the community aspect of things. That’s how we found L&M. That kind of place didn’t exist on Long Island. It’s something we’ve tried to make an effort to do consciously- support local business.