Interview by Emily Hessney Lynch.

Published December 20, 2018.

Where are you originally from? What brought you to Rochester at this time in your life?

Michelle: I’m from Massachusetts. I was born and raised in the Worcester area. We moved further north later. It was Mike who brought me to Rochester.

Mike: I was born in Pennsylvania, but grew up in Missouri. I did my Master’s at Baptist Bible Seminary in Scranton, and like Michelle said, they sent us to Rochester for an internship at Northridge Church. It was the last place we wanted to be, but now we wouldn’t want to be anywhere else.

What is your favorite part of living in Rochester? 

Michelle: We really value food, and Rochester has some of the most flavorful foods and dishes I’ve experienced.

Mike: The great thing is it’s New York City quality with Rochester prices. Plus, we have so many amazing things for young kids and families—like the Museum of Play, the river, and hiking. I also love watching my favorite sports teams, and visiting wineries and breweries in the Finger Lakes.

Michelle: Education here is excellent, too. My daughter went to School 50 in the city briefly; we bought a house in Greece and now my kids attend school in that district. In both school systems, there seemed to be a focus on the whole child that I appreciated —you can be smart and kind, and you don’t live in a vacuum.

I love all the opportunities that exist for my kids here—there’s plenty to do with art, like at the Memorial Art Gallery, for my daughter, and tons of sports for my son. I also love how all the businesses and social media accounts here are friends. There’s so much love and support! It’s not normal. I’ve never seen it anywhere else. Everyone cheers each other on. It’s just how Rochesterians are on the inside.

Mike: I was trying to get one of the Fifth Frame guys to say something bad about Joe Bean once and I couldn’t. Everyone is so kind and supportive of one another.

Michelle: It’s a special kind of culture that I haven’t experienced anywhere else.

Mike: Everyone is working together for the good of our city.

What are some of your favorite/secret Rochester spots?

Mike: I love McCann’s Meats, and that Kevin is just out there doing his thing and talking about his craft.

Michelle: There are these hidden walkways along the highways and behind houses in Greece and Webster. We like to take the kids biking there—they’re these strange little inlets, and you just have to know where they are. It’s quiet, and they’re paved, but it’s not overly secluded. We also enjoy watching the locks on the Erie Canal. We always try to find a different one to go see.

Mike: Overall, we like finding things that are less popular and exploring the new and different.

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

Mike: The Lilac Festival—I scowl, and Michelle is just filled with joy. She wants to go every day and spend all the money, and I’m an introvert. We enjoy the Jazz Fest too—a friend of ours played this year and we got free tickets. Wiffleball on Parcel 5 is another gem!

Michelle: Taste of Rochester, the new festival this summer with $1 samples on Parcel 5, was a lot of fun. It was a great first attempt on an event of that style.

What are some of your favorite local nonprofits to support?

Mike: Cameron Community Ministries is one of the best. We love that they’re helping without hurting—meaning, they are meeting the needs of the community without creating a dependence. Supports on the Streets is another one run by our friend Allie. They offer emergency supplies, like socks and underwear, to the homeless. They also help them make plans for finding temporary shelter and eventually moving into more long-term shelters.

Michelle: I really appreciate that Allie gets to know these people as humans, looking them in the eyes and truly seeing their dignity and worth.

If you had $200 and two hours to kill, how would you spend the money/time in Rochester?

Mike: We’d go and eat at the Cub Room.

Michelle: I had locally-raised Cornish game hen there once and it was just melt-in-your-mouth delicious. I’d never had anything like it before.

Mike: We’d also go out for drinks someplace like Swan Dive or the Daily Refresher. And maybe we’d grab coffee afterwards.

Michelle: And I might squeeze in some shopping at Salty or Peppermint. It’s amazing how they have two totally different styles but the shops have the same overall vibe.

Mike: If we had a third hour, we’d totally stop at Pittsford Dairy for ice cream...

What's your favorite neighborhood in the city? Do you have a favorite suburb? 

Michelle: The South Wedge. It embodies the most pieces of the city in one spot. There’s wall art, beer, ice cream, and the river.

Mike: I’d say Railroad Street/the Public Market area. It’s a mix of old and new, and is full of entrepreneurial spirit. Black Button and Rohrbach’s are both so good. And so are chicken and donuts! The creativity of Warehouse 127 is inspiring too. The vibe of that whole area helps you fall in love with your city. Suburb-wise, we really like Greece.

Michelle: Greece offers a lot of nice amenities, like outdoor movies in the summertime. Their 4th of July fireworks are great too! People in Greece know it’s a place to be.

Mike: They also have a nice fitness center and awesome playground. There’s diversity, affordability, and a good school district.

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

Mike: Dogtown.

Michelle: Bill Gray’s. I don’t know why. I just like it.

Mike stares at Michelle, aghast, and requests that his interview be published separately from hers. Lots of laughter ensues, but a look of disgust lingers on Mike’s face.

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

Michelle: You learn to be okay with hunkering down when you need to. We stock up on books and movies at the library. We bake cookies. We make our own joy. We love visiting Stokoe Farms at Christmastime. We also love taking advantage of the free skating rinks and going sledding. And we drink a lot of Ugly Duck mochas.

Mike: We play outside as long as we can, read a lot of books, and talk about them over coffee.

What is your favorite Rochester memory? 

Mike: Having Liam, our youngest. He’s the only one of our family born in Rochester! He’s got that spunky Rochester energy.

Michelle: Buying our house. Having grown up in Massachusetts, I always thought that was where my roots would be. We’ve been a transient family for so long, and it’s great to finally have roots in Greece now. Throwing our cardboard boxes away was a defining moment! I’m so grateful to be building our life here in Rochester.

What makes Rochester unique?

Michelle: Businesses supporting each other.

Mike: Support and networking. Creativity and entrepreneurship. There’s so much going on to make Rochester special. We have grittiness and determination. There’s a Cheers effect in town—you meet strangers, but you know people.

What do you think could be improved?

Mike: There’s still a large, silent segregation in our city. We need a racial reconciliation. We need the presence of peace, not the absence of war.

Michelle: We attended a “Call and Response” conference at Roberts Wesleyan awhile back. White people were guests, sitting in on conversations and learning from the black community. People spoke their hearts and minds, and it was eye-opening and positive. We need more listening and learning. We need to get more people around that table.

Mike: The next generation is our greatest opportunity. We all want to leave Rochester better than we found it.

If Rochester was a person, who would it be?

Mike: It would be Jimmy Fallon. He’s able to bring the most out of his guests and show that they’re the star. It’s never about Jimmy.

What if it was a food? Or a type of restaurant?

Michelle: It would be a food truck. It goes to where the people are. It’s part of the community, and it brings people together.

Mike: And you’re always surprised at what can come out of it.

What are some small ways we could all get involved in making Rochester a better place?

Mike: Volunteer at anything you’re passionate about. We volunteer with the Red Wings. There’s no shortage of options.

Michelle: Go right outside your door to your neighbors. We’ve hosted people on Thanksgiving, opening our door, making all the food, and making deeper connections with the people around us. You find out what people need that way. I have a passion for trying to see people. In the past, I’ve even baked cookies and taken them around the block, just to say ‘we’re glad you’re our neighbor.’ People thought they cost money! You can do something small or unexpected for somebody and it means a lot to them. That’s how healing happens.

Do you have any advice for people who are new to Rochester and looking to get to know the area?

Michelle: Don’t be afraid to explore.

Mike: Ask whoever is serving coffee or taking your order at a restaurant, “What’s your favorite thing to do around here?” Get out of your house and ask questions. Or if you’re in your house, look at social media. Networking online and offline can lead to great human experiences.

Michelle: And buy a winter jacket at the outlet mall in February!