A Rainbow in Rochester

Another post! If I can keep this pace up I might actually grow up to be a Real Blogger!

Part of the frenetic pace this blog has taken as of late (at least compared to my first several post which were spaced out by about a month at a time) is the fact that so many exciting events have been going on in the region as of late! I fully confess that I have been unable to keep up 100% with telling you all the awesome things that are going on here that you can’t really find elsewhere.

Across the country, June has quite recently been declared Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgender Month, and here in New York State many cities are celebrating Pride this weekend, the annual celebration of acceptance of all people regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity/expression. Here in Rochester, our Pride is a bit belated this year, celebrated July 10th – 18th but that doesn’t mean the Finger Lakes LGBT community is any less active.

I have heard say in the past that Rochester had actually made a list of top ten gay-friendly cities. Although I am not sure as to the veracity of this statistic – or, even if it is accurate, how old it is – I can say that while there are certainly pockets of intolerance and ignorance, as a whole the Flower City is pretty darned open-minded, I think. We have several gay bars, many of which feature weekly drag shows. We have stores that are openly gay-friendly, whether be it because the owner/s are gay, they support gay employees, or sell rainbow products – and I can even think of one particular adult-store that caters largely to the Leather and BDSM subcultures (although no, one does not have to be gay to enjoy either subculture). There is Equal Grounds, a coffee shop in the trendy South Wedge neighborhood that is openly an LGBT-happy java stop (with some kick-ass hot cider in the fall, by the way). There is even the Rochester Gay Men’s Chorus and Lilac Squares, a gay square-dancing group (I totally didn’t know about the latter until doing some background searches, and it made me smile far more than it should have when I did)!

At the forefront of the LGBT Community here in Rochester is the Gay Alliance of the Genesee Valley (GAGV), an organization with a mission to help those who are gay, bi, transgender, questioning, or otherwise identify as Queer. They publish a monthly newsletter called The Empty Closet addressing local and national LGBT news. They run youth programs for LGBT and Questioning teens, as well as programs for Rainbow Seniors. On a weekly basis, free STD rapid tests are offered to anyone who comes to their office.



They are also very active in terms of getting out into the community for education. For example, I recently graduated from a Master’s program in Mental Health Counseling. Two representatives of GAGV (who also happened to be wives to each other) came into our course on Counseling Diverse Populations to discuss not only what is not helpful in counseling someone who is not straight, but also to describe the Coming Out process (no, it’s not just a singular event) to those who might not have been in the know.

They do also run lectures at their home base including a class series called InQueery. I for one wish I had not had my own class to attend last night (one last class to officially get that diploma!), because I could have gone to a lecture describing Rochester’s particular history during the Stonewall Era and beyond. I think it would have been a fascinating history lesson, and I am sorry to have missed it. Look at their calendar and see what else is coming up!

Tonight through Saturday, 6/26, another agency is offering a fundraiser to benefit Pride 2010: Method Machine, a local performance and art company (of who, I confess, I didn’t hear about until now) is presenting The Laramie Project: Ten Years Later. This production revisits those originally interviewed in The Laramie Project, a landmark play written from speaking with those in the town of Laramie, Wyoming following the brutal murder of Matthew Shepherd, a college student who was killed for no reason other than the fact that he was gay. Tickets are available at the aforementioned Equal Grounds, Outlandish Gifts (the adult store mentioned above), and the GAGV website for $10 each.

No matter which way you slice it, growing up as a LGBT or Questioning kid has a large likelihood of sucking a lot more than other kids’ youths if that Rainbow child does not have a supportive environment. Although kids can still be cruel and some families just as hateful, to me it is an encouragement to have such a wide-reaching, positive agency in the area like the Gay Alliance of the Genesee Valley. If their message can reach these kids, tends, or even adults who might feel they aren’t accepted, these former outcasts can rest assured that at least somewhere in this world, they are welcomed exactly as they are.

Green Granola Girls

As I have mentioned before, I like to dabble in a variety of crafts - admittedly, with varying degrees of success. When I was younger I would try to utilize scraps of fabric, stray pieces of pretty ribbon, and bits of yarn. In today's language we would probably say that I was a budding found-objects artist. In reality, my collection of materials just made me look like a bag lady with a collection of odds-and-ends to sell to have money to feed her 86 cats.

Whilst I now turn to more conventional materials for my craftings, I greatly admire others' ability to reinvent something lowly into something high-end. So, when I read about EvenOdd in the Democrat & Chronicle, I admit I kind of squeed at the thought.

You see a lot of businesses with vinyl banners promoting their "OMG COME TAKE ADVANTAGE OF OUR GREAT DEALS - WHILE THEY LAST!" but what happens when the sale is over? Well, usually businesses just throw out those banners. That's not so green friendly. The awesome ladies at EvenOdd, self-described "granola, hippie types," take such castoffs as these and "upcycle" them - i.e. they recycle them into something more upscale than the original intent - into some pretty bitchin' bags:



They make bags of all sizes, from messenger bags to reusable shopping bags. The D&C article also indicates the ladies are interested in branching out into wrist cuffs and also clutches. What's even cooler is that they have "recycling partners," local agencies that donate their old banners and other items to EvenOdd for materials. Not only do they prevent these items from going into the landfill, every bag is an original creation!

Their green creations are made out of their Neighborhood of the Arts studio (also their home) and sold in the South Wedge trendy boutique Thread. With prices between $20 and $60, the cost is admittedly somewhat more than conventional bags. Still, when one considers that traditional bags tend to be mass-manufactured in sweatshops overseas, it is preferable to spend some more money on a unique, locally-made, creative endeavor. In the end, as with so many things, it's about quality over quantity, and EvenOdd has the former in spades. Don't believe me? Check out their website and consider buying a bag there. Then you can brag, "Oh this? One of a kind." Just like you, right?

Trevor Project Acknowledges Benign Parody

The Trevor Project is a national non-profit organization that promotes acceptance for gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgendered, and questioning youth, including suicide prevention and crisis intervention. They also work with LGBT-causes and acknowledge LGBT-friendly media.

What does that have to do with Rochester and the Finger Lakes? Recently The Trevor Project's Facebook page featured a same-sex parody of Taylor Swift's "You Belong with Me" by the University of Rochester a capella group the Yellow Jackets:



I must say this made me smile - not only was it a LGBT-friendly parody, but it was benign and respectful both towards the LGBT community and towards the original source material. Also, in my opinion, hearing the positive reactions from the crowd just goes to show how accepting the community in Rochester is of the LGBT community (well, and also how popular the Yellow Jackets are, I'm sure). If you'd like to see their video put to the original Taylor Swift song, you can watch it here.

***If you are in need of Trevor Project's services, please click the link above or call 24/7 at 1-866-4U-TREVOR(1-866-488-7386).***

Backtracking to an Intro

In all my excitement to start this blog, I neglecting something rather important: Introducing folks to the Rochester and Finger Lakes region!

Rochester, NY is a small/medium-sized city in western New York (though if we are talking to someone from New York City/Long Island, we may as well just say "Upstate" since it seems you folks designate any region north of Westchester County as "Upstate," amiright?). Formerly known as the Flour City for its flour mills, it is now more commonly called the Flower City for its many nurseries, and also for its famous Lilac Festival in the spring where a plethora of flowers of all kinds are featured in Highland Park. It is the county seat for Monroe County.

In 2008, Rochester had the largest state economy after New York City. Not terribly surprising when we have been birthplace to several national corporations, including Eastman Kodak (lending Rochester its nickname of "Image Capitol of the World"), Xerox (who have since moved their headquarters), Bausch and Lomb, and several others. Plenty of historical figures either started in Rochester or made it their home, and I hope to share some of these fascinating folks with you all.

Famous faces excluded, diversity abounds in Rochester, though admittedly the farther away from the city the population is generally whitewashed. There are people here every shade of the rainbow and a fairly large immigrant population from many countries (leading to many fine restaurants and nifty stores, I might add), though some neighborhoods have a larger concentration of people from certain regions. There is an active and open LGBT population, and Rochester has one of the biggest (maybe by now it is the biggest) concentrations of deaf people in one area, largely due to the National Technical Institute for the Deaf, part of Rochester Institute of Technology (which, in fact, is in the suburb of Henrietta).

The crime rate for the city is not great - it's unfortunate that some of us are saddened but not surprised to hear of the latest murder downtown - but it has been improving. And as of 2004, Rochester was rated the friendliest city in America (this according to my social psychology textbook at the time)! I find that an intriguing contradiction myself.

The Finger Lakes region, as one might imagine, refers to the area surrounding the Finger Lakes (shocker, right?). This generally includes Ontario, Wayne, Seneca, and Yates Counties, though some do also include Livingston, Genesee, and Orleans Counties to the west, some go east to Cayuga County, and some even stretch into the Southern Tier. Having lived in Monroe County my whole life, I am more familiar with it and therefore will likely write about that region most, but don't be mistaken: places within a short drive of Monroe County will be given their fair share.

Rochester and the Finger Lakes, in my opinion, make for a wonderful study in extremes. The City of Rochester alone paints a broad spectrum, with some areas destitute and decrepit, boarded up and graffitti'd over, the sorts of places where antsy suburbanites lock their car doors, assuming you could get them out there in the first place - then other places that are restored Victorian mansions with beautifully manicured lawns with up-and-coming businesses all within walking distance. Although Rochester is relatively small - especially when compared to places like New York City, Chicago, etc - I hear people who live in Ontario and Wayne Counties, both fairly rural areas, describe it as "the big city;" while I see those areas as "the boonies," they see my neck of the woods as "scary" and "ghetto" despite the fact that it's a nicer neighborhood in the city.

In reality, we are both right. This region has a small amount of hustle-and-bustle, but nothing overwhelming. There are petite sky scrapers and not too far away are stretches of farmland. The grapevines in one sleepy town make the wine sipped by the hipsters in the swankest new place downtown. Museums to feed the mind and manure piles to feed the crops (OK, so that one isn't so poetic).

And yes, it is even lilacs and snowflakes.

Be a Hedonist!

Valentine's Day is fast approaching meaning we can expect more overpriced roses, tacky lingerie, and cheap boxed chocolates than you can shake a stick at. You know, assuming you were inclined to shake sticks at things.

What's that? You want something fancier? Something that's still budget-friendly, but better quality? Something that helps support the local economy? Well, my dear friends, you are in luck.

Hedonist Artisan Chocolates are among the most fabulous of fabulous chocolates I have had the pleasure to eat - and I am a big fan of chocolate, folks. I first tasted their wares when they were at the South Wedge Farmers' Market - and to sweeten the deal even more, the ladies were just lovely human beings, very friendly. In my opinion, it's one thing to have a good product, but it's so much better if you're a nice person. They even have a blog!

The flavors they had are unusual but never contrary; no matter how unexpected, they somehow match in such a way as to make me think, "And why didn't I know about this before?!" My personal favorite is the lavender truffle, something I thought would taste like someone poured a scented candle on a ball of chocolate but instead was delicious: It was rich and savory with an earthy taste that edged on a pleasant sort of bitter from the cocoa and the flowers. Floral notes not your thing? They do also have truffles from the Keuka Lake wine trail, spiced truffles, drinking chocolates, fruit and nut collections, and various barks.

Not only this, but their chocolates have been earning them national attention as of late. They got a small spot in Country Living in a feature called The Online Farmer's Market. They were also mentioned in Wine Enthusiast Magazine's Unreserved A Chocolate Lover's Buying Guide, so if you like sweets and wine together, know you're in for a treat with these bad boys.

Their chocolates are available several places locally and in the Finger Lakes, including farmers' markets, Hedonist's brick and mortar store, and also online. Hear that, folks? No matter where you live, you can get them right now. What are you waiting for?

Edit: The business is owned by life partners and has been featured in the top ten lesbian Valentine's gift ideas, so I have added the LGBT friendly tag.

In addition to the feature in Wine Enthusiast Magazine's Unreserved, they have been featured in the local newspaper, Democrat and Chronicle with wine pairings, so I have added the wine tag as well.

Rochesterian a Contestant on Reality Competition!

Last night I tuned in to one of my new favorite guilty pleasures, RuPaul's Drag Race, a competition "for the next drag superstar" entering its second season on Logo (channel 438). Lo and behold, a Rochester drag queen is competing! Meet Miss Pandora Boxx:

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According to Pandora's website, RuPaul said of her in People "She’s quite the dichotomy, because she’s young and vivacious but she’s also part of old world drag aesthetic. She’s very smart and knows her pop culture." So far we have only seen some of this, but hey, last night was only the first episode. The show website further describes Pandora as "this season's funny girl" and "a real contender for the top prize." We did see Pandora help a less experienced queen learn how to use a sewing machine - good sports(wo)manship, Pandora! And did you know that in November 2009 she was voted by City Newspaper, the alternative news magazine for the area, as Best Drag Queen in their annual Best of Rochester awards?

As an aside, Pandora also has a blog of her own; while some of it is pop culture references and self-promoting (including for a show she did called The Lipstick Massacre that I missed and would love to see when it comes to GeVa's Theatre's NextStage), there are also a few posts on politics and various causes. I say good for her for taking a risk in discussing something important to her as an entertainer on a largely lighthearted blog.

Every Monday at Tilt, one of the gay nightclubs in downtown Rochester, they are having a viewing party to watch the latest episode (the episode starts at 9PM, but feel free to show up early). Drop in and meet Pandora - and all the other fabulous ladies. Don't get Logo and can't make it to Tilt? VH1 replays the episodes Tuesdays at 9PM. As for me, Monday nights I will be at home with my knitting and Loverman rooting for the hometown girl!