The decorated tiki bar at Easy Sailor has a large red octopus wall sculpture, vintage-style paintings, rustic wood walls, and nautical decor.

A bowl of ramen with sliced pork, halved soft-boiled eggs, chopped green onions, spinach, seaweed, and noodles in broth from Public Provisions in Rochester.

A band performing on stage with blue and red curtains, three musicians are visible: one singing and playing guitar, one playing bass, and a drummer in the background. The scene is lit with colorful stage lights at the 5 Spot in Nashville, TN.

Colorful sculpture of a one-eyed monster with purple arms and a pizza body, surrounded by a pizza-themed backdrop and blue curtains at Denver's Meow Wolf.

Filipino food plate with rice, fried egg, diced beef stir-fry, and spring rolls from Pinoy Boy in Buffalo, New York.

A stage decorated with candles and white drapery, with a person dressed in dark clothing performing under blue lighting, at an event called the Edgar Allen Poe Speakeasy.

A pour over coffee from AM:FM Coffee in Rochester, NY

Senojfromtheroc performing at the Rochester Institute of Technology.

Arts

Music

Culture

Cuisine

Drink

The Underrated Vibes

Andy Gold 7/4/26 Andy Gold 7/4/26

High Falls Rises Again for Flower Fest

Hosted on June 6, Flower Fest was a celebration of the 50th anniversary of Rochester’s iconic city logo. However, for those of us who attended, it became a celebration of a historic space with new life. In my view, it became a reminder of what happens when the city gives one of its most historic spaces the attention it deserves, and crowds turn out to embrace the experience.

Andy Gold 6/11/26 Andy Gold 6/11/26

RCR: 13 Years of Spotlighting Rochester’s Finest Cocktail Experiences

There is no doubt that as a mid-sized metro, Rochester’s rise as a craft cocktail-rich playground has been greatly shaped by the RCR’s presence, leadership, and community-driven efforts to unite novice and expert mixologists. It is the collaborative efforts that raise the bar for all and inspire new generations of bartenders to aspire towards greatness in the art of craft cocktails.

Andy Gold 6/7/26 Andy Gold 6/7/26

Culture and Community Shine at the Rochester Greek Festival

A 29-year old tradition that dates back to 1997, Rochester’s Greek Festival is one of the city’s most vibrant, culturally rich, and cherished annual summer events. It is estimated that the Rochester Greek Festival drew 25,000 guests or more to the neighborhood to celebrate.

Andy Gold 6/4/26 Andy Gold 6/4/26

Rochester Is Becoming an Exceptional Coffee First City

What makes Rochester an exceptional coffee first city is the fact that you can walk into most coffee shops, and find a well-balanced single origin espresso, a shop that uses natural ingredients to produce seasonal syrups for specialty drinks, and importantly baristas that understand the appropriate measurements required for the specific coffee drink you’re searching for and who enthusiastically put care, love, and attention to locking in on each drink they make.

Andy Gold 5/26/26 Andy Gold 5/26/26

Can We Talk About the Chicken French?

While Rochester, like many other cities, has been blessed with some interesting cultural dishes, the Garbage Plate is far from the only dish worth raving about. It’s time to talk about the Chicken French.

Andy Gold 5/24/26 Andy Gold 5/24/26

First Fridays are Cultivating the Arts in Downtown Roc

First Friday is a special time of the month for artists and art enthusiasts. On the first Friday of each month (as implied), all around the city of Rochester, especially downtown, you will find artists displaying works at numerous art galleries or studios in the region.

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