Food + Beverage

Rochester's Roadside Legends

Hand-Pressed, Hand-Sliced, Hand-Me-Down: The Recipes Rochester Never Let Go Of Article by Katrina M. Randall | Photography by Jonathan Keyes Every regional food comes with an origin story that no one quite remembers—until you go looking. A sauce that can’t be beat. A burger named after its creator until Hollywood came calling to borrow it. A dish with so many copycats there’s too many to count. Onion rings hand-sliced and battered fresh daily, next to burgers still hand-pressed in a Pyrex pie...

Food + Beverage

Breaking Chocolate Bars

How One Square of Chocolate Became a Decade-Long Practice in Presence and Rest Article by Katrina M. Randall | Photography by Rebecca Davidson For most people, the idea of eating cheesecake every day may sound delicious, but it’s not realistic. That’s what Melissa Mueller-Douglas’s friends told her when she brought them together on her 30th birthday in a rented yoga studio to test an inspired idea on a trusted circle. She led her friends through a mindfulness practice, rewarding themselves...

Food + Beverage

The Personal Touch

Personal Chefs and Curated Dining Experiences on the Rise Article by Marie Gillette | Photography by Warren McGrail and Submitted A special-occasion dinner generally means making a reservation at a favorite restaurant, while a busy weeknight might call for takeout. Increasingly, however, diners want restaurant-quality food but with privacy, flexibility, and personalized experiences. The personal chef industry reflects that shift. According to Grand View Research, the global industry was...

Life + Culture

Growing Leaders, Not Just Gardens

Inside the Rochester Nonprofit Turning Garden Beds Into a Training Ground for Civic Leadership. Article by Katrina M. Randall | Photography by Submitted Of the 44 teenagers who spent this summer working in gardens connected to Taproot Collective, maybe one will grow up to be a farmer. But that’s fine with Nathaniel Mich, the organization’s executive director. The goal has never been to inspire more farmers, but to give local youth the opportunity to build skills, understand their stake in the...

Education

Conversations That Save Lives

You Never Know What Someone Is Going Through Article by Sarah Keeler | Photography by Submitted We often hear about organizations and people building awareness around important causes, but it's the impact that awareness creates that's most profound. Samantha Standing, area director for the Western New York American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP), points to a story shared by one of the chapter's board members as an example of how education can change lives. After learning about...

Style + Beauty

Worth a Second Look

How Sarah Pavia Built a Rochester Boutique on Sustainability, Style, and Second Chances Article by Katrina M. Randall | Photography by Submitted Ever since Sarah Pavia was a little girl, she's loved the thrill of the hunt—thrifting, hunting down hidden treasures, and of course, a good bargain. When she decided to share her passion for pre-loved finds on a blog as an adult, she found an audience that soon began asking if her finds were for sale. That's when she started selling online. But a...

Style + Beauty

A Business Built on Love

Stella Jones, of Stella's Bridal, Built a Business on Risk, Resilience, and the Belief That Women Deserve to he Seen Article by Katrina M. Randall | Photography by Stella's Bridal When Stella Jones was only 21 years old, she was approved for $25,000 on a Discover credit card and promptly maxed it out to make a dream come true: opening her own bridal shop. Her shop first opened its doors in the town of Leroy, followed by a second location in Pittsford, which she opened in the thick of COVID...

Life + Culture

Three Experts, One Big Day

Three Wedding Experts on Style Trends, Authenticity, and Human Connection Article by Katrina M. Randall | Photography by Kelly Kester & Others With "Say Yes to the Dress" haunting every bride-to-be and the pressures of wedding planning and all the choices that need to be made, it's easy to forget about the emotional dynamics that are involved in those special moments with friends and family. When Stella Jones, owner of Stella's Bridal, connected with a bride whose mother had just been...

Home + Design

Year-Round Outdoor Living

Two Local Design Experts on Building Outdoor Spaces That Offer Beauty, Comfort, and Purpose No Matter the Season Article by Marie Gillette | Photography by Submitted For many homeowners, outdoor living begins and ends with summer. A patio, a grill, perhaps a pool, and then the space sits largely unused once cooler temperatures arrive. Mike and Jesse Fink, founders of Fink Garden Studios, believe outdoor spaces can offer beauty, comfort, and purpose throughout every season, especially in...

Education

Beyond Lemonade Stands

Rochester Youth Are Learning the Business of Entrepreneurship Article by Marie Gillette | Photography by Submitted A lemonade stand, often a first taste of entrepreneurship, is simple, hands-on, and full of early lessons in pricing, customers, and profit. Across the Rochester area, youth explore business ownership on a much larger scale through programs that teach leadership, financial literacy, product development, marketing, and real-world business skills. For more than two decades, Young...