Ian Allheim
On a Monday at Datto
Interview No. 129
Interview by Emily Hessney Lynch.
Published April 19, 2018.
Where are you originally from? What brought you to Rochester?
I’m from Avon, out past Henrietta. It’s such a small town that there’s only one intersection! I went to MCC for college, and have lived in Scottsville, all around the city, and now am out in Webster.
What is your favorite part of living in Rochester?
Always being able to do something. Whether it’s going to skate parks, rock climbing, or checking out new bars, art, or coffee shops, Rochester has at least one of everything, and we’re only getting bigger.
Do you have any favorite/secret Rochester spots?
For favorite spots, I’d say the Genesee Riverway Trail near Mt. Hope. I would walk my dog there all the time when my wife and I lived in that area. Plus, you get a perfect view of the 4th of July fireworks!
For secret spots, the subway was a lot of fun back when that was accessible.
What's the most unique or interesting event you've attended in Rochester?
Silent Disco at Fringe Festival is so unique--the first time I walked by it I did not know what was going on! There was also a great event at Genesee Brewing awhile back with tons of food trucks. At Datto, I get to attend a lot of interesting events, like the Polar Plunge and the Play Ball, that are also for a good cause.
Do you have a favorite charity/nonprofit you like to support?
The Polar Plunge is the biggest annual event supporting the Special Olympics New York, and it’s so much fun. This year was my first time plunging. Everyone from Datto comes together to participate. We drink a little beforehand (this year I tried a Rochester Mimosa, which is just orange juice mixed with Genny), and it makes it a little easier to get in the water!
If you had $100 and 2 hours to kill in Rochester, how would you spend the money/time?
I’d go to the Owl House and get some food, maybe a flight of beer. It’s a nice little place. Then I’d go hang out at Ugly Duck for the rest of the day.
What is your favorite neighborhood in Rochester?
The Highland neighborhood is great. I love visiting Lamberton Conservatory and seeing the turtles (plus a tortoise named Chuck Norris), then kids are sledding in the park in the winter, and the lilacs bloom in the springtime. It’s also close to Mt. Hope and College Town.
What's the best place to get a garbage plate?
Dogtown. I’ve never not been pleased walking away from a meal there. I always get a red hot plate with everything on it.
What is your personal coping mechanism for cold/gray weather?
Sometimes I do meditation with my wife. We also try to get outside whenever it’s sunny. We really don’t mind winter--we snowboard as much as we can. Now and then we’ll binge Netflix and hang out with our hound/corgi mix that we adopted from One Love Pet Adoptions.
What is your favorite Rochester memory?
My friend Derek and I would skateboard at night, all the time, around the Bank of America or over near Boulder and down to ButaPub. We also used to skate at Legal Wall at Village Gate. It was a wall where it was legal to do graffiti, back by the train tracks. It’s not accessible anymore, but it was cool to hang out there.
I also love going to Lilac Festival and Park Ave Fest--those are always high points of my year.
What makes Rochester unique?
Everyone in it. People from all over the place end up here. We have friends who recently moved to San Francisco but already are hoping to come back to Rochester someday. Between our Zagster bikes, coffee shops, and cocktail scene, Rochester is really on the up-and-up. Datto has a weekly bowling night at Radio Social, and I always meet someone new, interesting, and nice there.
What do you think could be improved?
All the potholes! But more than that, maybe getting rid of the Cadillac Hotel and creating more shelters for the homeless. It would also be nice to see MLK Park get more use too.
If Rochester was a person, who would it be?
It would be a Bills Mafia fan. We’re super enthusiastic and throw ourselves into things, but might be a little hungover from it the next day.
What advice would you give to someone who is new to Rochester and wants to start getting to know the area?
Do everything and talk to everyone as much as you can. You can’t see and do everything in Rochester in one day. Talking to a people will give you great ideas for what you should go explore.
Ian Allheim loves working at Datto, hanging out with his wife and their dog, and checking out new local coffee and cocktail places. For more of Ian's perspective, visit our Instagram.
More selected projects
Ben Baker appreciates the inclusive and welcoming nature of Rochester’s music scene
INTERVIEW NO. 241
The Genesee Country Village & Museum in Mumford is something special for the region
INTERVIEW NO. 185
Eboni Jones loves how Rochester can feed you spiritually, creatively, and literally.
INTERVIEW NO. 48