Last fall, Michael Solis moved to Rochester to accept the position of executive director at Writers & Books, a literary arts nonprofit and independent bookstore. Located in the Neighborhood of the Arts, the team there has been bringing readers and writers together for almost fifty years. “It just felt like the right fit,” says Solis. “I was impressed by the…
23.08.2026
I visited Peppermint Boutique on a sunny, cloudless afternoon. The store’s owner, local entrepreneur Tanvi Asher, and I sat outside at a red picnic table shaded by a leafy oak tree across from Cobb’s Hill Park. We were joined by Ginger, an enthusiastic if not slightly overeager apricot cavapoo, who is Asher’s constant companion and the shop’s unofficial mascot. Peppermint…
23.08.2026
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She’s just terrific

*This article first appeared in a 2018 issue of (585). Sometimes a $50 savings bond can turn into so much more. It fact, it can lead to something just terrific. That’s exactly what it did for Fairport native Rachael Gootnick, owner of the book restoration, book construction, and book jewelry company Just Terrific Handcrafted Goods.  …

Library lunatics

Unable to hide his chagrin, my six-year-old brother walked in the house after school and unburdened his daily troubles. “Taylor, Mrs. Casey yelled at me today.”   “Ok, so Casey is dead to me,” I thought. Nobody—NOBODY—yells at my younger siblings except me; that’s the number one rule in the Oldest Sibling Handbook. Older kids can …

Tasting Summer in a Glass

When Evan Dawson decided to write Summer in a Glass (Sterling Epicure 2011 and Union Square & Co. 2012), he assumed it would be a self-published piece fueled by passion. Telling the story of the Finger Lakes wine community was more important to him than any potential revenue, so Dawson—a morning news anchor in Rochester— …

The Grilled Cheese Factory will have you saying “yes, please!”

I’ll be honest—while the concept is cool, my initial thought was, “How much can one write about a grilled cheese sandwich?” But sitting inside the eclectic purple and yellow, industrial yet artsy walls of the Grilled Cheese Factory ROC (TGCF), that thought left my mind immediately. All it took was one bite of the Dillified …

Patron Saint delivers a tableside theater experience

It begins the moment I step through the door—a low hum of conversation, the gentle clink of drinks, and the scent of something caramelizing. Entering the restaurant feels like stepping into a jewelry box, its emerald-hued interior wrapping around me like silk.  I’m met with a curving reception desk painted deep spruce and a towering …

Communication is key at The Highlands at Pittsford

Senior living communities have a variety of ways of keeping communication lines open and informative for everyone. Retirement and nursing homes employ everything from newsletters to internal TV channels to keep residents informed and in-the-know. No one lives in isolation in these settings, and fostering a strong sense of connection is important to both staff …

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