Archive | November, 2024

Mecate Mexican Restaurant opening soon

5 Nov
Abby, Omar and Fabricio with their mascots, Eva and Bruno

There’s a new Mexican restaurant in town, opening up any day now near BayTowne Plaza. And if the words “Mexican restaurant” aren’t enough to get you over there to check it out, perhaps these words will:

Tequila flights.

Tequila flights will be just one of the brand new drink menu items featured when the new Mecate Mexican Restaurant opens at 1998 Empire Blvd., in the former Fire Crust Pizza location along the Brandt Point Dr. entrance road to BayTowne Plaza.

This is the third Mecate location for co-owners Omar Garcia, Abby Ramirez and Fabricio Palma. They opened their first location in Henrietta in October of 2022, and their second in Macedon only three months later. Soon after that they decided they wanted to expand again, and jumped on the chance to come to Webster/Penfield when the old Fire Crust Pizza location became available.

Transforming the space from a pizza joint to a full-service restaurant hasn’t been too difficult.

“It was a good thing it was an existing restaurant,” Omar said. “We had to do some mostly non-structural finishes, and put in a lot of our touches to make it look a little classy,” like moving in their signature furniture, painting, and adding some distinctly Mexican features like tile work and Aztec calendars. The heaviest lift was expanding the seating area at the back of the restaurant into what used to be a big office, and building a bar. The restaurant is now spacious enough to comfortably seat 150 patrons at the tables, booths, bar and the seasonal outdoor patio.

If you’re already familiar with either of the two other Mecate locations, you’ll be pleased to know you’ll find all of your Mexican meal favorites here as well — fajitas, tacos, burritos, enchiladas, quesadillas, desserts and more. But opening a new location has provided an opportunity to try some new things, especially on the drink menu.

Like the tequila flights. And mezcal flights. And a new spicy Margarita made with ghost tequila and rimmed with black salt. “It’s got a little bit of a kick to it,” Omar said, “but at the same time it’s got the kick where you want more.”

And what exactly does “Mecate” mean? It’s a question asked so often, they printed the answer right on the front of their menu: “Mecate is a rope made of hair or maguey fibre commonly used for tying horses.” They chose it in a brainstorming session one night before opening their first location, landing on it because it’s pretty simple and easy to say. Even if no one knows what it means.

Omar, Abby and Fabricio all live in the Canandaigua/Macedon area, where they’ve become well known in their communities. And even though this is their third location in just over two years, “We don’t consider ourselves a chain,” Omar said. “We run our own locations, we’re still involved.” And as they continue to grow, they hope to become more involved in the Webster/Penfield community as well, supporting fundraisers and local businesses.

Because they know what it’s like to start from scratch.

“We came from nothing,” Omar said. “We’re immigrants that came to this country with nothing and are just building our way.”

Mecate Mexican Restaurant is opening this week or next (TBA) at 1998 Empire Blvd., adjacent to BayTowne Plaza. More information to come, but in the meantime, click here for the Henrietta/Macedon stores’ website and here for the Facebook page.

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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 11/5/2024)

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I didn’t do it!

4 Nov

I witnessed a murder the other night.

Well, to be honest, I didn’t actually see it happen. But I DID see Webster Public Library Director Adam Traub stagger into the library lobby and collapse, only to rise again and lurch offstage to actually “die.”

That’s how the Webster Public Library’s first-ever Murder Mystery Dinner began. The 1920s-themed event was held Sunday night, attended by about 100 murder-mystery enthusiasts dressed in their glitziest Jazz Age finery.

For the next few hours after the shocking murder, the assembled diners carefully listened to the detectives who rushed to the scene of the crime, collected clues, and tried to figure out whodunit. It wasn’t me, but I was honored to have been asked to play a small part in the production. I sat next to two actors who were playing a young couple, and my job was to deflect anyone who started suspecting them TOO much, and (as the director put it) started “waterboarding” them.

As it turned out, they never came under suspicion and we had a nice conversation … until they got into an argument and ran offstage screaming at each other (he said something about her being too stupid to teach yoga). Then we heard a shot, a scream, and the young man stumbled back through the library with a gunshot wound.

The detectives puzzling out the clues
Audience members were regularly roped into the act

By the end of the evening, the culprit was identified and arrested (it was “Bruce Lee”), prizes were awarded, and all the actors came out of the wings, clearly uninjured.

It was SUCH a fun time. Everyone was dressed to the nines, so that it looked like we were at a fancy dinner party. Each one of us had to come up with a code name, written clearly on our name tags, and EVERYONE was a suspect. It was a very interactive event; the detectives encouraged audience participation frequently, by chanting, adding sound effects, singing, or answering pointed questions about their knowledge of the case. Perhaps a half dozen other plants were in the audience, identified as possible suspects to throw us amateur sleuths off the scent.

Library staff members did an amazing job transforming the common area into something akin to a 1920s dance hall. The table centerpieces were stunning. An actual disco ball and some very impressive decorations encircled the domed ceiling over the lobby where all the action took place. There was even a photo booth where everyone could have their glittery night on the town recorded for posterity. Mocktails were served at the dance hall “bar,” and a buffet dinner was provided by Proietti’s.

The Murder Mystery Dinner was presented by The Dinner Detective Rochester, based at the RIT Conference Center. It was funded by a grant acquired by NYS Senator Samara Brouk, with additional support from the Friends of the Webster Public Library.

Kudos to everyone involved in pulling off this great event. I hope it will NOT be the last murder at the library.

Here’s a slideshow with lots more photos from the evening:

  • The detectives on the case compare notes
  • “Link” in slow-motion death throes. The fellow in back is providing slow motion sound effects.
  • Interrogating a suspect pulled from the audience.
  • Webster Library Director Adam Traub. Not really dead.
  • The “bar”
  • So many creative outfits!
  • Signing in and figuring out code names for the name tags

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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 11/4/2024)

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Veterans honored at the Webster Museum

3 Nov

A special program and new exhibit at the Webster Museum honor and give thanks to those who fought in the Vietnam War.

On Saturday, Nov. 16 at 2 p.m., Charles Klauck, a Vietnam veteran and President of Vietnam Veterans of America Chapter 20 will tell his story. Plus, attendees will also hear from the Schraders, who met because of the Vietnam War. Nguyen Schroeder escaped by jumping on a ship as it was leaving the Vietnam harbor. They will tell their fascinating love story. Other veterans are welcome and encouraged to attend the presentation to share their personal stories of the war and their service.

The program is free (donations are always appreciated) and refreshments will be served. The museum is located at 18 Lapham Park in the Village of Webster and is handicap accessible.

While you’re there for the presentation (or anytime this month), make sure to check out the new Vietnam War exhibit tucked into the “toy corner.” It features two uniforms actually worn during the war. The one on the left was worn by Spencer Radnich from the US Army, and on the right, the US Air Force uniform worn by Ron Gentle. The patches are from Vietnam veteran Michael Geisler.

The Webster Museum is located at 18 Lapham Park in the Village of Webster. You can find out more at their website here and Facebook page here. The museum is open Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays from 2 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 11/3/2024)

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Yarn artists needed!

1 Nov

You’ve read before here in my blog about the terrific community collaboration among Webster Community Chest, Webster Hope and Gathering Place Webster.

Their goal is to hold a food distribution event four times a year: Easter, Thanksgiving, Christmas and sometime during the summer. With the community’s support, these regular distributions will really help our Webster neighbors who face food insecurity every day.

The agencies are gearing up right now for their upcoming holiday season distributions, and they’d like to include a few extra helpful items in addition to the seasonal meal items.  

Among those items are hand-crafted cotton washcloths. Tracy Dennis from Webster Community Chest explained,

When the pandemic first hit, paper towels were hard to come by so my Mom and I started making these washcloths to use instead of paper towels: to wipe the counters, etc.  They work great, are washable and are super easy to make!  This seemed like a perfect addition to our distributions and the local yarn artists have taken on the challenge.

The first call to crafters went out a few weeks ago, and the yarn artists have come through big time. Tracy says they’re calling them the “Webster Yarn Artist Army,” and if you like to knit or crochet, you are officially invited to join them.

The washcloths are really easy to make (see some instructions and tips below). And what a great way to put a personal, homemade touch in the meal packages.

The coalition will be collecting the washcloths year-round and hope to include them in every food distribution they organize, so they can never have too many! You can drop off your creations at Webster Hope during open hours, or in the donation drops at the Webster Public Library for both Webster Hope and Webster Community Chest. Or you can email Webster Community Chest at webcommchest@gmail.com or call them at 585-671-2060 to arrange for pick up or drop off.

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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 10/31/2024)

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