Rio Tomatlan

Last night I went out with Loverman’s family to what one of his sisters called “a new Mexican place in Canandaigua.” It turns out the place, Rio Tomatlan, is not a new restaurant but instead an existing restaurant (formerly called El Rincon Mexicano Dos) under new management, though I had never gone to the old restaurant. I looked at some website reviews on a few sites (most notably on RocWiki, which is a wonderful resource for Rochester and the Finger Lakes), all of which praised the restaurant with fairly minor, if any, critiques. Thusly, I expected we would all be in for a great dining experience. I am sorry to say, this was not the case.

Things did start on a very positive note, I must say. Since I have a gluten sensitivity, I tried to look up their menu online so I could prepare myself for what “safe” options I had, however as of the time of my searching, the website was down. Still, I did find a phone number, so I called. I let them know my concerns and also that their website was not working. The woman I spoke to went through some items that she knew I should avoid, and then also checked with a waiter who was formerly kitchen staff to check if a dish made with wheat tortillas (which I cannot have) could be made with corn tortillas (which are safe). She did address the questions that I had about the sources for some of their products as well. She also let me know that the options were clearly labeled on the menu. This was greatly appreciated.

Parking is all on the street, but downtown Canandaigua is, for lack of a better word quaint, so that is not such a big deal. The restaurant looks like a hole-in-the-wall but inside it was quite pretty, decked out with saints-candles and various Mexican art pieces. We did have to make reservations just to get seated, which was a little surprising. We did arrive a little early, so we had to wait for a table, but hey, we were early – no biggie.

Once we were seated, things did start to go downhill a bit. The seats were just fine and, as mentioned, the décor quite fun. The temperature, however, was unacceptable: Winter in the Finger Lakes is frigid, and that night on the drive over we observed the temperature on the dashboard thermometer to be a bitter 2 degrees Fahrenheit. We were seated near a wall of block glass windows, and cold air was just blasting through. I was wearing a button-up shirt and a sweater with Loverman’s leather jacket over my shoulders and my scarf wrapped around me and I was still freezing. One of Loverman’s sisters had a scarf around her neck and took a serape that was draped on her bench and spread it across her lap as a blanket; his other sister used her coat as a blanket.

Our waiter was polite and friendly, and he answered my questions about food items with patience. We ordered our meal with three of our party ordering margaritas and one ordering coffee. There were several options for me, but I opted for a special of carne asada – steak tacos in corn tortillas with peppery rice and refried beans. We did order chips and salsa for an appetizer.

And then we waited. And waited and waited and waited. Eventually, the chips and salsa came, though the drink orders had not (we did, however, all have water at our places already). The salsa was a bit spicy for my tastes, but I am admittedly a wuss when it comes to spice; still, the flavor was good, and it was not just spice for spice’s sake.

And then we waited some more. And waited and waited and waited. Eventually the coffee came. And then we waited a bit more. In time, the margaritas came, each exactly as ordered.

Our reservation was at 8PM, and it was not too long after that that we ordered. Out entrees did not come out till 9:30. I do believe that good food takes time, and although I understand that the restaurant was busy and that all these meals take time to put together, to me a wait time of an hour and a half is unacceptable.

I will say that once the food arrived, it was pretty good. My main complaints are again, the spice was a bit too much for my taste (again, remember I am a spice-wuss), but also that the steak was a bit ropy – I am not against chewy meat (or, as Top Chef Las Vegas finalist Kevin would say, “toothsome”), but this was just too much. Despite this, I didn’t find these things to be so egregious that the food was unpleasant. Reviews I have read state that this food is authentic Mexican, but as I have never been to Mexico, I can hardly be the judge of authenticity; I just know that once the food finally got there, it was pretty darn good.

After having read several positive reviews, I was admittedly disappointed. Still, I would like to think that perhaps this was just an off-night for the place: after all, the place was clean and appealing (the bathrooms had mouthwash!), the staff were friendly and responsive, and even though the wait time was far too long, the waiter did continue to check in on us to let us know the status of our various items and to refill our waters. If I do find myself back in Canandaigua around meal time, I would be open to giving them another shot – though preferably once the weather warms up, to be safe.

Strong National Museum of Play

I gotta be brutally honest, dear readers: When I was a kid, the Strong Museum was freakin’ lame. There were walls upon walls of old toys and collectibles, and that was really all that I can remember. Everything beside that was so uninteresting it didn’t even leave an impression in my memory.

I am happy to say that things have changed significantly since my tender years.

I went back again in 2001 for a school field trip – we were there to attend college lectures, but we had some time to play. At that time there was already what I still consider one of the coolest additions to the museum: an exhibit on Sesame Street. Seriously, how can you not like Sesame Street? There’s even Big Bird sticking his head out a window, the 123 Sesame Street doors, an interactive video where you can sing with your favorite characters – honestly, if you don’t at the very least crack a smile at this exhibit, I think you must have undergone a fun-ectomy at a young age.

(Seriously, how is this not a happy time?)


Another thing that had been added by then (which I still have not really checked out) is a miniature Wegman’s, the grocery mecca with its origins here in Rochester. I think it’s cute, preparing little ones to enjoy their futures as cashiers and baggers in their adolescence. One of my current coworkers says he has a little one who thinks it’s pretty much the best thing ever. Another thing that had sprouted up (something I was woefully too big for) was what can best be described as a jungle gym. Sure, there were displays on old toys and this section now (maybe it did then too?) sports a Dance Dance Revolution machine, but it was pretty much a giant place to play around in.

The improvement I saw in these school years from the not-so-impressive experience I had in youth lays in the evolution of the museum: During the mid-90s, the museum shifted its focus to more family-oriented activities. In 2002 the Strong Museum acquired the National Toy Hall of Fame, a tribute to the many idols of childhood. Each year toys are elected and eventually inducted into the Hall of Fame, varying from the high tech Game Boy to the humble stick. In fact the 2009 inductees made the “news” in 2009 on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart as seen here:

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart	Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c
Windowless News Van for Kids - The Ball
www.thedailyshow.com
Daily Show Full Episodes Political Humor Health Care Crisis

The focus on the museum, it seemed, had shifted from the history of leisure to, well, just celebrating said leisure.

As the years go by, the museum continues to get cooler. There is a Reading Adventureland, another play area for kids featuring favorite characters from books (including a large section on the Berenstein Bears). There is a new exhibit called American Comic Book Heroes that I hear – and hope – will be made permanent. At the front of the museum is Rainbow Reef, one of the largest living reefs in the northeast (apparently it houses a sting ray and an eel, though I sure couldn’t see either of them). In addition to the National Toy Hall of Fame, the museum also houses the National Center for the History of Electronic Games. Really! Not only this, but the majority of their collection is not available to the public (though some is) but rather “accessible to scholars for research.” This begs the question as to how they determine someone is an expert and exactly how the research is conducted. But I digress.

One of my favorite new additions (my most recent visit was in early 2010) is the Dancing Wings Butterfly Garden, a sort of greenhouse filled with a multitude of butterflies, moths, and other wildlife (koi, turtles, and my personal favorite, the flightless – and adorably named – button quail). If you ever get a chance to go through a butterfly garden like this, I can’t recommend it enough. The one in the Strong National Museum of Play is timed (20 minutes) and since only a certain number of people are allowed inside at a time (to protect the butterflies, I assume), you do have to let them know when you buy your tickets that you want tickets for the Dancing Wings exhibit too. Once inside it really is beautiful. I find these exhibits to excite in me the childlike glee at the seeming magic of conjuring so many of these delicate creatures all around me. One can enjoy the Dancing Wings (or “the butterfly exhibit,” as I call it) even before one enters the building: The wing is made out of glass and shaped like a giant butterfly. If you walk by this side of the museum, you can frequently spy the flutter of little wings inside. It never fails to make me smile.

The day I went to the Dancing Wings was a bitter cold winter day. Loverman took a picture of this little guy looking outside. I can't tell if he looks sad to not be outside or glad he's not out in the frigid weather.


And here are two little button quails. I want some to just toddle around my home.


This museum has come a long way from its humble – and boring – beginnings. Sure they still have the same rows upon rows of antique toys – but now they have toys you can actually play with, props to climb all over, characters from beloved books and TV shows, and a garden where you will be greeted with joyous flutterings. Make a day of it and you can even eat at the food court or the 50s style Skyliner Diner (I can’t speak as to how they do or do not address various dietary needs) – or one of the many nearby restaurants (my favorite being Golden Port Dim Sum, which shall receive its own entry soon enough). Didn’t get enough fun stuff to do inside? Right next to the line to purchase tickets is the Elaine Wilson Carousel for one last hurrah. Whether you’re a parent with little ones or just feel like getting in touch with your inner child, the Strong National Museum of Play is an awesome option for a place to spend a few hours full of fun.

Finger Lakes Wine Takes Top Prize

I don't know about you, but I am far from being a wine snob. I like wine, mind you, but seeing as I tend towards anything that tastes like grapey sugar-water, my tastes can hardly be called discerning.

Palettes much more refined than my own have recently named Keuka Spring Vineyard’s 2008 Gewürztraminer the white wine sweepstakes winner at the San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition. This is the largest contest for U.S. wines, so it's kind of a big deal!

Keuka Springs identifies this as a dry white wine, and further describes it as follows:

Very fresh, rich, floral, rose, lychee, and nutty notes with a soft finish. Off-dry. Keuka Spring "Gewurz" makes a wonderful aperitif. Or enjoy it with grilled shrimp or chicken, asparagus, strong cheeses, or Asian cuisine such as Thai curry. The character of this wine is perfect with spicy--or any-- food.

Dry wines are not my thing, but 60 wine experts from across the country tasted this, and the consensus was that this one was the best in the nation. Who am I to argue?

Some Notes

A Note on Reviews
In order to provide information about what Rochester and the Finger Lakes have to offer, I do frequently review businesses, primarily restaurants. In doing so, there are going to be both positive and negative reviews. I do try to focus on the good stuff, but not all of life is sunshine and roses (sometimes it IS lilacs and snowflakes!). This is a reflection only of my own opinion and my own experience. If you have had a different experience, I welcome you to share them in a civil manner.

A Note on Recipes
From time to time I like to share recipes that can be made primarily using local produce or by shopping at local stores. Unless otherwise stated, I did not write any of these recipes; they are instead a product of whomever I credit. I do my utmost to credit the authors of various recipes to pay respect to the hard work these people do. At times I have lost the original source of a recipe. Please understand this as an honest mistake and not an attempt to take credit for work I didn’t do. If you recognize a recipe as your own, please contact me and I will add you as the originator.

Reasons for Rochester

Like a lot of my peers, when I was in high school and looking to college, one of the things that was in the fore of my mind was "How the heck am I going to get out of Rochester, NY?" I don't know what it was, but it seemed an unspoken rule accepted amongst several of my classmates: Getting out of Rochester meant you had made it. Sticking around - well, it was for some people, but if you could avoid it, it was preferable.

I honestly couldn't tell you where this idea entered my head. Likely as not it was simple adolescent rebellion. Still, futile teenage angst or not, it did make some sense logically: Rochester was - and is - a rust belt city. Young people were leaving because the jobs were leaving. The crime rate in the city was atrocious. Why on earth would anyone want to stick around? I went away to college, as I swore I would. "I got out," I thought, "and I'm gonna stay out."

Still, when I was away and people asked about my hometown, I found myself describing it with a grudging sort of pride. When people made fun of it, I defended it bitterly and bragged about its cultural and historical highlights. Without meaning to, I found myself championing Rochester.

When I graduated, moved back in with my parents, and started grad school locally, I did find myself reverting back to that adolescent stage: "Ugh, I'm back in Rochester. I can't believe this crap. Where do I go from here?" Yet at the same time, I showed out-of-town friends the sights and boasted about the city's history. It wasn't until around 2007 when I finally admitted to myself, "You know what? Rochester really isn't so bad after all."

In that spirit, I decided to take this little corner of the Internet to set up my virtual soapbox and spread the good word. I hope this page will be helpful both to natives such as myself and also to potential transplants considering relocating. I plan to focus mainly on the good stuff - but I don't want to gloss over the negatives either.

Why is this blog called Lilacs and Snowflakes? Because that encompasses both extremes of Rochester, both the positives and negatives. It's not a perfect city - far from it. But for some of us, it's just right.