Archive | September, 2024

Natural beauty and history combine in FWT’s Cars Along the Creek hike

30 Sep

Of all of our town’s beautiful trails, perhaps my favorite are the ones which wind through Four Mile Creek Preserve at the corner of Lake and Phillips roads. Not only is the landscape beautiful, especially during the fall, but the trails serve up some very interesting history.

Scattered along the Four Mile Creek trails are seven rusted-out old cars, including a 1949 Nash Ambassador Custom Airflyte, a 1950 Chevrolet Deluxe Bel Air, a 1956 Nash Rambler and others.

On Saturday Oct, 5 from 1 to 3 p.m., the Friends of Webster Trails‘ trail steward Dennis Kuhn, will lead a guided Cars Along the Creek tour, filled with anecdotes and fun facts. Hikers will also have stops at the overlook to identify the “Blue Ribbon” trees of the preserve. Organizers promise snacks and prizes.

The family-friendly two-hour hike will begin at 1 p.m. at the Four Mile Creek Preserve parking lot, corner of Phillips and Lake roads. This is a very popular hike, so PLEASE register here (it’s very quick and easy).

Here’s a bit more background about the cars, from Dennis Kuhn:   

The cars were driven onto the property from Lake Road across a bridge that accessed farmland where the cars were last driven. It seems that some local youths decided to create a racetrack somewhat off the beaten path to have some fun cavorting around the open fields that were available at the time. If you traverse the land as it is now, you’ll have to use your imagination to see a relatively treeless landscape that existed sometime in the nineteen fifties or early sixties.

Nevertheless, the youths of the day had a ton of fun going around in circles until they ran out of gas or had a flat tire or wrecked the transmission.

The cars you’ll see include:

* 1951 Chevrolet Styleine Deluxe Bel Air
* 1961 Ford 500 Galaxy Club Victoria
* 1959 Nash Rambler
* 1959 Chevy Bel Air
* 1954 Plymouth Belvedere Suburban
* 1949 Green Nash Airflyte

Click here to learn more about the Friends of Webster Trails.

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email me  at missyblog@gmail.com. “Like” this blog on Facebook and follow me on Instagram and Threads (@missyblog)

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(posted 9/30/2024)

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Library unveils Webster’s newest free food pantry

29 Sep

Webster community members who are struggling to put food on the table now have another resource to help stretch their grocery dollars. The Webster Public Library recently installed a free food pantry just outside the library’s front doors.

The idea of a free food pantry is simple. They’re typically stand-alone cabinets stocked with food and personal hygiene items, where the concept is “take what you need, leave what you can.” The library’s pantry is a little different, though; thanks to the generosity of a local farmer (who also built the pantry), it’s been stocked with lots of fresh produce, in addition to other non-perishable food items.

It was actually the farmer (who prefers to remain anonymous) who came up with the idea for the pantry. According to Teen and Family Experiences Librarian Colleen Hernandez, her farmer friend said she had a lot of extra produce that doesn’t get sold at the stands or go to grocery stores, and was looking for a home for it all. And it just so happens she also wanted a project, so she bought the pantry and assembled it herself.

During the growing season, generally April through January, she’ll be dropping off produce one or two times a week. The ultimate goal, however, is that the pantry will become mostly self-sustaining, with community members donating non-perishable items. Colleen also hopes to organize pantry-specific food drives at the library a few times a year to help keep the new pantry stocked, so keep an eye out for them.

In the meantime, consider dropping off some non-perishable food items in the new Webster Library free food pantry to help kick-start this new food resource for our neighbors in need.

The Webster Public Library is located at 980 Ridge Rd., at the back of Webster Plaza.

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email me  at missyblog@gmail.com. “Like” this blog on Facebook and follow me on Instagram and Threads (@missyblog)

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(posted 9/29/2024)

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Webster Marching Band presents Autumn Fanfare

28 Sep

Our very own Webster Marching Band will host their 38th annual Autumn Fanfare field show and competition on Saturday October 5 at Webster Schroeder High School, 875 Ridge Rd.

Autumn Fanfare is always a spectacular evening of storytelling through music, marching, and even a little bit of acting. There are always huge set pieces involved to move the music-story forward. This is an awesome opportunity to see what our hometown marching bad has been up to, and be impressed by the incredible amount of hard work these kids put in every year to create a show that will blow you away.

This year’s production is called “Death of Star.” The This performance will take the audience on a journey through a star’s life cycle, from its brilliant beginnings to its transformation into a black hole. The show opens with vibrant music and colors, representing a massive star in its prime, and closes with the final movement depicting the star’s explosive end.

Sounds A-MAZING!

This year’s competitors include bands from Marcus Whitman, LeRoy, Rochester, Hilton, Greece, Webster, Orchard Park, East Irondequoit, Medina, Victor, and Lancaster. Gates will open at 5 p.m., and the show begins at 6 p.m., rain or shine. Pre-sale tickets are $10, available at Herman’s Farm Market (741 Five Mile Line Rd.) They can also be purchased online (for details see the poster below.) Tickets will be $12 at the door, and under 5 is free.

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email me  at missyblog@gmail.com. “Like” this blog on Facebook and follow me on Instagram and Threads (@missyblog)

You can also get email notifications every time I post a new blog by using the “Subscribe” link on the right side of this page (or all the way at the bottom of the page if you’re on your phone).

(posted 9/28/2024)

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The new Annette’s Restaurant is taking shape

27 Sep

The new Annette’s Restaurant on West Main St. in the Village of Webster is slowly taking shape.

Annette’s is moving into the location of the former Mozzeroni’s Restaurant at 27 West Main. There’s still a LOT of work to do as owner Nan Kent and her staff complete all the renovations, so it really doesn’t look like much yet — more like a construction zone than a sit-down restaurant. But it already DOES look a whole lot bigger and nicer than the old Mozzeroni’s.

Nan’s removed a wall, opening up the dining area significantly, installed a spacious bar, and repainted the walls. New wood flooring will be going in soon, and the lighting fixtures are being swapped out. Soon all of the tables will be ready to set up, just waiting for the construction to be completed.

As the restaurant itself starts to take shape, so is the menu. Drew Greenfield, Annette’s manager/executive chef, describes the new menu as “very eclectic … upscale home but also featuring newer, more modern-style foods.”

For example, he said, “We’ll have some burgers but it will be a steak burger with stuff like homemade bacon jam and brie cheese … doing interesting things with more premium toppings.” It won’t be a huge menu, he added, but it will allow the flexibility to offer different seasonal specials every week. And almost everything will be made from scratch, including the sauces and dressings.

They’re also considering contacting local bakeries and bringing in fresh baked goods each week for their desserts.  

The atmosphere will also reflect the eclectic menu, Drew said.

I want the restaurant to reflect the food. If we’re going to be doing interesting menu items, I want the restaurant to reflect the intricate details of what the plates are going to look like, using different ingredients and combinations of ingredients that people aren’t used to seeing. Or have seen at a higher-end place but at a lower cost.

The lighting, tables, muted paint scheme and tasteful artwork will together create a “warm, happy vibe with an eclectic touch.” Basically, Drew said, it’ll be a restaurant that’s a little bit classy, but still family-friendly and inviting, a place where people can sit back and feel okay with chatting for hours.

That warm atmosphere is exactly what owner Nan Kent is aiming for. She named Annette’s after her late mother, who insisted that, every single night at 6 p.m., her father and all five kids sit down together for dinner. And if the kids happened to have friends over, they were welcome, too.

The loving memory of Nan’s mother and her philosophy that mealtime brings people together and strengthens relationships, will be reflected every day at Annette’s.

“My mom’s been gone since 2016 and my dad passed away in 2020,” Nan said. “(This) feels like them.”

The new Annette’s Restaurant might be open in mid-October for lunch and dinner. Stay tuned for more details.

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email me  at missyblog@gmail.com. “Like” this blog on Facebook and follow me on Instagram and Threads (@missyblog)

You can also get email notifications every time I post a new blog by using the “Subscribe” link on the right side of this page (or all the way at the bottom of the page if you’re on your phone).

(posted 9/27/2024)

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Webster Garlic Fest 2024 was a big success!

26 Sep

Organizers of the 2024 Webster Garlic Fest, held Sept. 7 and 8 at the Webster Recreation Center, report that the event was a great success.

The annual event attracted about 4,200 visitors, almost 1,500 more than last year, despite the fact that cool temperatures, rain and wind threatened to put a damper on the festivities both days. The festival featured 140 garlic, food and craft vendors, several food trucks and a balloon artist, plus a 70-year old tortoise, alpacas and baby goats in pajamas, all for the petting.

Proceeds from the Garlic Fest benefit three local organizations:

  • the Blue Star Mothers ROC — moms in the Rochester area who now have or have had sons and daughters serving in the United States military. The Blue Star Mothers will use their portion of the proceeds to prepare 266 care packages, which will be shipped out in November to our locally deployed service members. (If you’d like to donate to these care packages, please visit the Mothers’ Amazon.com wish list.) The funds will also help purchase items for the group’s annual Baby Shower for Military Families in April.
  • Gold Star Mothers of Rochester — who have lost an immediate family member in active duty — who will be providing complete Thanksgiving dinners to local military family members and veterans in need in our community.
  • Wreaths Across America — a nonprofit organization whose mission is to place a wreath on the grave of every veteran in the country. Webster will be participating in this effort for the third year on National Wreath Day, Saturday Dec. 14. In just two years, Webster has already become one of the best-represented towns in the nation, ranking in the top 4% in the country. Organizers hope to have an equally strong effort this year, with plans to honor 2,200 veterans in Webster Union, Webster Rural, Union Hill and Holy Trinity cemeteries. Proceeds from the Garlic Fest will sponsor about 1,000 of those wreaths.

One thousand wreaths sponsored by the Garlic Fest is good start, but clearly many more are needed. If you’d like to sponsor one, click here. They’re just $17 each and $5 of that cost will go to the Blue Star Mothers for their care packages. (To read about last Wreath Day, click here, and stay tuned for more information about this year’s event.)

Plans are already underway for next year’s Webster Garlic Fest. It’s been scheduled for Sept. 6 to 7 at the Recreation Center, and vendors are already lining up to be a part of it. Organizers want to add more family activities, and probably a second shuttle bus to make parking even easier.

Thanks to the Webster Garlic Fest, our little town is becoming known as garlic central for our part of the state. Be sure not to miss it next year.

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email me  at missyblog@gmail.com. “Like” this blog on Facebook and follow me on Instagram and Threads (@missyblog)

You can also get email notifications every time I post a new blog by using the “Subscribe” link on the right side of this page (or all the way at the bottom of the page if you’re on your phone).

(posted 9/26/2024)

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Get out, get hiking, win prizes

25 Sep

The Webster Recreation Center has come up with YET ANOTHER fun challenge to keep us healthy, and this one has the added benefit of spotlighting our town’s beautiful trail system.

They’re calling it their Two-Week Trail Challenge, and it’s based on the brand new Hit the Trail Passport, recently updated in conjunction with the Friends of Webster Trails.

This newly updated passport is a whopping 40 pages long, and includes 32 trails and trail spurs in all, spanning Webster from west to east, measuring more than 36 miles of incredible natural beauty. Each page features a different trail, detailing its individual spurs, their length, difficulty and approximate hiking time.

For the Two-Week Trail Challenge, hikers are encouraged to walk all the trails in the passport between Oct. 5 and Oct. 20. The challenge doesn’t include Webster Park or Bike Trail, but it’s an added bonus if you do them too.  Hikers will record their progress on an online form (emailed to all registrants) and will receive a completion certificate and a keepsake pin as well as social media and website recognition.

Please register for program #301204-A either online or by calling 585-872-7103, option 0. You can pick up one of the new Hit the Trail Passports at Webster Parks and Recreation on Chiyoda Dr., or at Wegmans (Holt Rd. or Eastway) You can also see the passport and download it here.

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email me  at missyblog@gmail.com. “Like” this blog on Facebook and follow me on Instagram and Threads (@missyblog)

You can also get email notifications every time I post a new blog by using the “Subscribe” link on the right side of this page (or all the way at the bottom of the page if you’re on your phone).

(posted 9/25/2024)

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New museum exhibit highlights long-time local businesses

24 Sep

The newest exhibit at the Webster Museum shines a spotlight on the many businesses that have helped shape the Town of Webster.

Called “A Measure of Webster Business,” the main display case is packed with historical information and photographs from more than a dozen businesses which have been an important part of Webster for decades, some for more than 100 years. They include Bill Gray’s (86 years), Finns Automotive (85 years), Proietti’s Restaurant (54 years) and Empire State Weeklies (125 years).

A separate display, called “Then and Now,” looks at local businesses which are currently in operation, and what they were back in the day. For example, in the 1950s, what we now know as Abbott’s Original at the corner of Gravel and Ridge roads used to be a Carvel. The Webster Post Office was housed in the building on West Main St. which is now Arrow Kitchen and Bath. And Knucklehead Brewery in West Webster used to be Seitz’s Delicatessen.

The “Measure of Webster Business” displays are an extension of an exhibit created in May, which takes a look at historic Webster businesses through the promotional yardsticks that graced nearly every Webster household. Along with the kinetic yardsticks display, other memorabilia from local businesses, old and new photos, brief biographies and timelines for each business round out this retrospective look at Webster’s history.

The “Measure of Webster Business” exhibits will be on display until early November, so head over to the museum before then to find out more about all of the businesses which played an important part in helping our town and village grow.

The Webster Museum is located at 18 Lapham Park in the Village of Webster. It’s open Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday afternoons from 2:00 to 4:30 p.m.

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email me  at missyblog@gmail.com. “Like” this blog on Facebook and follow me on Instagram and Threads (@missyblog)

You can also get email notifications every time I post a new blog by using the “Subscribe” link on the right side of this page (or all the way at the bottom of the page if you’re on your phone).

(posted 9/24/2024)

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Discovering the Spring Lake Trail

23 Sep

I don’t often write about people or places outside of Webster, but I discovered a new trail the other day in Perinton which I really wanted to share with everyone.

It’s called the “Spring Lake Trail,” and my friend Carol introduced it to me, as it’s near her house and she has hiked it often. Our hike took us from Spring Lake Park in Perinton, north and west along the Irondequoit Creek for two miles until we reached Panorama Plaza and turned back towards home.

To be more accurate, only the first half mile of the trail is called “Spring Lake Trail,” and it opened only last autumn. The Town of Perinton website explained that the trail was previously just a worn-down footpath, which people would bushwhack through to reach an already established trail along the Irondequoit Creek leading to Channing Philbrick Park in Penfield. The new trail has been cleared, is much wider and covered with easy-to-hike stone dust.

Carol and I had a beautiful, sunny and warm day for our hike, and as we walked, I was reminded of the incredible natural beauty we have in our towns. The trails feature many nice bridges, and peaceful spots to fish and go wading. I also enjoyed learning about all of the history surrounding the Irondequoit Creek; at one point in the 1800s there were 25 mills operating along a very short section of the creek.

But the most charming thing that we came upon was something called the “Forgiveness Box.” It was a simple plastic storage container on which someone had written, “Write what you want to forgive inside.” It was stuffed with hand-written notes deposited by hikers who had come before, notes filled with emotion and remorse, happiness and obvious relief in being able to put into words something that had been a burden, but could now be set aside.

The box was tucked under a stone bench etched with a quote from John Milton’s Paradise Lost. It read, “The mind is its own place and in itself can make heaven of hell and hell of heaven.”

That hike gave me a lot to think about, but it was a beautiful place to do that.

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email me  at missyblog@gmail.com. “Like” this blog on Facebook and follow me on Instagram and Threads (@missyblog)

You can also get email notifications every time I post a new blog by using the “Subscribe” link on the right side of this page (or all the way at the bottom of the page if you’re on your phone).

(posted 9/23/2024)

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ROC Dance expands its studio in the village

22 Sep

There’s one less empty storefront on Main Street in the Village of Webster. ROC Dance has moved into the former Whimsies shop at 32 East Main St., at least doubling the dance studio’s space for classes and rehearsals.

Owner Charlotte Buckley said she’s still using her original studio at 30 East Main, which is located beneath the new space, its main door opening to the back parking lot. But when she saw the opportunity to expand, she jumped on it.

“We love our space downstairs,” she said, “but it is a basement, and this is just a great, beautiful light space.” It provides much more room for her ever-growing programs, with the added advantage of being spacious enough for her competition groups to rehearse, rather than having to rent rehearsal space. Plus, being right on Main Street will give the dance school much better exposure.

Charlotte also plans to use the new space to offer free programs for the community.

They’ve already begun that, with their “Wiggly Wednesdays,” a program designed for parents and their toddlers and preschoolers to enjoy a morning of active fun together. Every first Wednesday of the month at 10 a.m., the dance studio transforms into a “playful paradise featuring a variety of across equipment and toys that inspire movement and creativity.”

Charlotte explained, “Moms and their little ones can come, take a class, maybe grab a coffee at Village Bakery after and just get a chance to connect.”

Looking ahead, Charlotte is planning special Halloween, Valentine’s Day and Easter events at which parents can drop off their children, who will enjoy crafts, games, music and dancing, all for free. And she’ll continue to participate in Village events like the Firemen’s Parade and the Trick or Treat Trail. Except this time she’ll be able to set up her candy table outside her own front door on Main Street.

Charlotte would eventually also like to introduce more retail sales into the much larger space.

“There’s no dance store on the east side, outside of Pittsford,” she said. “So a lot of our families have to go to Pittsford. My goal is to turn this the next couple of years into a fully-fledged dance store,” which would benefit her students as well as other local dance studios.  

Significant renovations had to be completed before she could open, like putting in new flooring, removing some walls and building an office. And even a few days ago they were still finishing up some final painting. But classes are already using the new space, so next time you’re walking by the studio, peek in the front window to see what’s going on!

And better yet, mark your calendars now to stop by during ROC Dance’s Grand Opening on Friday Oct. 18 from 6 to 8 p.m. Check out the details on the flyer below and find out more at the event website here.

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email me  at missyblog@gmail.com. “Like” this blog on Facebook and follow me on Instagram and Threads (@missyblog)

You can also get email notifications every time I post a new blog by using the “Subscribe” link on the right side of this page (or all the way at the bottom of the page if you’re on your phone).

(posted 9/22/2024)

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Biking through West Webster

20 Sep

Life is an new learning adventure every day, as long as you get out there and give life a chance to teach.

I was reminded of that earlier last week when I joined a group of bikers for a 15-mile ride through West Webster. The ride was led by Dave Malecki, a member of the Huggers Ski Club and the Rochester Bicycling Club.

We began at Sandbar Park on Lake Rd., headed west to the outlet bridge, then back down Lake to Vosburg Rd. and into the heart of West Webster. Dave led us through some stunningly beautiful neighborhoods, most of which were new to me, like Inspiration Point, which I’d never seen before. Along the way we happened across a few things that really piqued my interest, like the “Off the Cuff Snack Shack” on Adams Rd., stocked with low-cost homemade treats if anyone needed something on the fly.

We also rode by one of the signs from the old James W. Carnevale Bike Route, a 14.5-mile route through Webster established in 1968. It was renamed in 1977 in honor of James Carnevale’s service as Recreation Commissioner. There are still a few signs in place marking the trail, but they’re in pretty bad shape. (You can read more about that here.)

It was a very enjoyable, pretty easy ride with some good people. Dave leads a similar route, for the Huggers, every Tuesday afternoon at 1 p.m. Riders of all abilities are welcome to join the group. And if you can’t make that one, there are plenty of other options; the Rochester Bicycling Club alone publishes a list every year of almost 80 different rides all over the city, with lengths ranging from 9 to 22 miles. Best way to stay in touch with them all is to join meetup.com/RBC-NY.

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email me  at missyblog@gmail.com. “Like” this blog on Facebook and follow me on Instagram and Threads (@missyblog)

You can also get email notifications every time I post a new blog by using the “Subscribe” link on the right side of this page (or all the way at the bottom of the page if you’re on your phone).

(posted 9/20/2024)

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