Archive | Local businesses RSS feed for this section

Tuesday Webster mailbag

19 Sep

mailbagI’d like to begin today’s mailbag by welcoming one of the village’s newest businesses, MJ Gabel Advisors & Trustees of Fine Jewelry.

MJ Gabel is in the process of moving to the village from their location in Ontario, where they’ve been for six years.  As they have grown, they realized the need for more space, and Webster fit the bill.

Right now they’re renovating their new space, which they tell me is “in the heart of the village.”

They added, “Our new location will allow our staff the ability to work more efficiently, and allow our local clients more space to meet with their dedicated diamond specialist.”

Stay tuned for word about their official opening.

Chicken Till it’s Gone

The First Baptist Church of Penfield’s Chicken Barbecue is Saturday, September 30 from 2 till 6 pm (or sold out). Chickens will be prepared on site by Gale-Wyn Catering. Dinners are $10.50 and include a half barbecued chicken, coleslaw or macaroni salad, salt potatoes, roll and butter, plus a dessert. Guests can eat in or take out, and the facility is handicapped accessible.

The First Baptist Church of Penfield is located at 1862 Penfield Rd.

Double Down

 

The Webster Lions Club will hold its semi-annual Texas Hold’Em charity poker event on Friday October 6 at the Elks Club, 7 Barrett Drive in Webster.

Doors open at 6:30 p.m. and the event begins at 7 p.m. Cost is $40 ($45 at the door) for buy-in and $20 re-buy. First-place winner will take home $500, $150 for second-place and $50 for third.

All proceeds will benefit Webster Lions Club charities. For information call 585-234-5480 or email websterlionsclub@gmail.com.

Miracle Field Fund-Raisers

Two great events coming up in the next few weeks will benefit Miracle Field.

The first is the 3rd Annual Run Walk & Roll 5k and 1 mile stroll on October 8. This is an all-inclusive family-friendly event in which wheelchairs, gait trainers, adaptive bicycles and tricycles and other assistive devices are welcome.

The courses start and end at Webster Thomas High School 800 Five Mile Line Road.

Registration begins at 8 a.m., the 5K kicks off at 9:30 and the one-mile stroll at 9:35. To register online, click here.

The second event is an artisan dinner scheduled for October 12.

The exclusive dinner will be held at the Webster Arboretum and feature Jim Markeas, Winemaker, Mallee Estate Winery, Australia and Noé Perez, US Brand Ambassador, Bodegas Iliana & Bodegas Lambuena, Spain. They’ll be introducing guests to fine wines from across the globe.

The dinner begins at 6:30 and tickets are $40 per person. Click here for tickets

Oktoberfest at the UCC

OKTOBERFEST CELEBRATION 2017 at Webster UCC!
The Webster United Church of Christ’s annual Oktoberfest is almost here.

Oktoberfest is a German celebration that takes place when the late summer/early fall crops are harvested, it is also a time to tap barrels of wine and brew that had been sealed the year before. Communities gather to give thanks for blessings received. There is music for singing and dancing, tables are laden with food and drink – and a feeling of “gemutlichket” rules the day.

The members of the United Church of Christ, Congregational of Webster will honor those traditions as they celebrate Oktoberfest on Saturday, October 14 from 6 – 9 p.m. in the church’s Congregational Hall. There will be music for singing and dancing – plus a performance by members of a local German dance troupe.

Tickets are $5.00 per person, and German specialties like schnitzel, sauerkraut, potato salad, bratwurst, and desserts like apple strudel and black forest cake will be available for purchase.

Call the church office at 585-671-3757 to reserve your ticket or to get more information.

* * *

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

You can also get email notifications every time I post a new blog by using the “Follow Me” link on the right side of this page.

Tags: , , , , , ,

Last minute mailbag reminders

16 Sep

mailbag

This morning is the last chance you have to score some awesome deals at the Hope Ministry Garage Sale Fundraiser in Murphy Hall behind Holy Trinity Church, 1460 Ridge Road in Webster. Everything is HALF OFF TODAY, and it runs only from 10 am to noon.

So start your errands early this morning and get out to the sale.

* * *

Last call for the first-ever Webster Beer Walk, which takes place tonight in the village.

The Webster BID is hosting this event by popular demand after the Wine Walks were so well attended. It takes place TONIGHT from 4 to 7 p..m and the weather looks awesome. This is a great chance to visit some businesses you’ve never been in before (or never knew existed) for samples of beers and spirits.

Pub 235 and Salvatore’s will be the hosts on the North Ave side and Artecho, R Salon, beer mugWebster Hots, Burkes, Barry’s, Sweet Wood Barbecue and the Coach will entertain you in the Village center. Just to the West BC’s Chicken Coop, Webster Interiors and Dr. Stan Drabik will welcome you into their business and provide music.

Some of the brands you’ll enjoy include Stoneyard, Laqunitas, Triphammer, Apple Country Spirits, and Brewery Ommegang. Tickets are available at the Coach Sports Forum (our sponsor for the event), for $15 (cash only) or online at www.websterbid.com.

* * *

The Webster Christian School Alumni Dinner is being planned for Saturday October 7 at 5:30 p.m. Alumni from 1980s to 1990s are invited. On Sunday, all attendees are invited to a service at Webster Bible Church at 10:30, which will be followed by a group outing.

The location of the dinner will be determined as soon as organizers have a good idea how many people will be coming. If you’re interested in attending, contact Michelle (DiMora) Ruggieri at ruggieri@frontiernet.net.

* * *

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

You can also get email notifications every time I post a new blog by using the “Follow Me” link on the right side of this page.

 

Tags: , ,

How ’bout we bring the scarecrow contest back?

10 Sep

IMG_20170910_093342790Hubby and I took a bike ride Sunday morning into the village, and stopped by Dunkin’ for coffee. I found this handsome fellow welcoming customers at the side door. (His name tag identified him as “Dave.”)

It made me think about the time not too many years ago when the village hosted a scarecrow contest.  I dug back into my blog archives and the latest reference I found for such an event was in 2013.

According to that blog, both business owners and community groups were invited to create scarecrows, which were then displayed along Main Street (or in front of the appropriate business). Residents could then vote for their favorite, and ballot boxes were placed all over town. First, second and third prizes were awarded.

I kind of liked that contest. It was fun to see all the creative scarecrows, and the decorated the village streets quite nicely for autumn and Halloween.

It would be neat if the village would consider doing that again. (Maybe they already are…?)

* * *

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

You can also get email notifications every time I post a new blog by using the “Follow Me” link on the right side of this page.

 

 

Tags: ,

Summer cuteness

20 Aug

131

In my continuing series of kids having summer fun without the aid of electronics, I submit this super-cute photo.

It was taken Saturday at Webster’s Joe Obbie’s Farmer’s Market, during the market’s annual Back-to-School Day. Children who attended were treated to balloon animals and school-supply gift bags, and could sit in the driver’s seat of a Webster Fire Department truck.

Here are two of those happy children, Grace and Paxton, who even got to try on some real firefighter gear. They’re pictured here with Webster firefighter Sarah Rosenberry, who also happens to be the kids’ music teacher at Plank North Elementary School.

Summer’s not over yet! Please make sure to send me along a photo or two of YOUR kids having some simple summer fun! 

* * *

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

You can also get email notifications every time I post a new blog by using the “Follow Me” link on the right side of this page.

Tags: , , ,

Summer’s not over yet

14 Aug

Whoa.

So the stores are stocking great quantities of school supplies again and I’m beginning to get great quantities of emails from the schools about opening day. Everyone else seems a whole lot more excited about the end of summer than I am.

If you’re like me and you want to squeeze every bit of summer out of the next few weeks, here are a few events to get you started.

NEQ vehiclesThis Thursday August 17, our local paramedic service, the NEQALS, will be hosting a food truck rodeo and craft show at the Firemen’s Field on Main Street, from 5 to 8 pm.

Food trucks that will be on hand include Netsins Ice Cream, Effortlessly Healthy, Macarollin and Heiztelamns.

Vendors will include Young Living, LuLaRoe, Honey and Lace, Pampered Chef, Usborne Books, Tupperware, Perfectly Posh, Tastefully Simple, Lip Sense, XS Energy, and Park Lane Paparazzi.

Live music will be provided by Bryan Prince. Funds raised that evening will help build a new NEQALS base here in town.

Two more food truck rodeos/fundraisers are scheduled for Thursday September 21 and Thursday October 19, all at the Firemen’s Field, and all between 5-8 p.m.

* * *

Summer fun continues in the village these next two Tuesdays, August 15 and 22, with the weekly movies in the park series.

The Secret Life of Pets will be shown on August 15, rescheduled from July.

petsposterTaking place in a Manhattan apartment building, Max’s life as a favorite pet is turned upside down, when his owner brings home a sloppy mongrel named Duke. They have to put their quarrels behind when they find out that an adorable white bunny named Snowball is building an army of lost pets determined to take revenge.

Disney’s Big Friendly Giant is the featured attraction on Tuesday August 22.

In the movie, an orphan girl befriends a benevolent giant who takes her to Giant Country, where they attempt to stop the man-eating giants from invading the human world.

The movies are screened in the village of Webster’s Gazebo Park on North Avenue, beginning at dusk; approximate start times will be posted on the Webster BID website. Bring your chairs, blankets and picnic baskets, and make it a family night out. There’s no admission charge and free popcorn is provided.

* * *

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

You can also get email notifications every time I post a new blog by using the “Follow Me” link on the right side of this page.

 

Tags: , , , , ,

Portion of Hard Road to close Monday

2 Aug

hard road map

Chances are you’ve been seeing the warning signs posted near Hard Road recently regarding road closures there beginning Monday August 7. It’s basically the start of something we’ve all wanted for a long time: improvements to Ridge Road to help reduce the congestion.

Here are the details, pulled directly from the Emergency Alert posted to the Town of Webster website:

Beginning Monday, August 7, a roughly 400 ft stretch of Hard Road, between Ridge Road and the entrance to Hegedorns Market…will close in both directions for three weeks.

Crews will flatten the approach to the Ridge Road intersection, improving visibility.
The driveway to the grocery store on Hard Road will remain open. An official detour will direct motorists a mile and a half to the east on Route 104 or Ridge Road to Holt Road.

This is part of the ongoing $2.9 million highway project to upgrade two intersections on Route 404 (Ridge Road.) When complete, the expanded intersections of Route 404 at Five Mile Line and Hard roads will provide turn lanes, bicycle space, (and) new traffic signal systems with accommodations for pedestrians. Additionally, modifications to sidewalk ramps will be made at the intersections of Black Cherry and Webster Commons boulevards and Holt Road to bring these locations into compliance with the Americans with Disability Act.

The project is anticipated to be complete by Spring 2018. Traffic will generally be maintained on-site with morning and afternoon time restrictions. Access to driveways will be maintained during construction except during the three-week closure on Hard Road to flatten the roadway.

Hard Road Intersection

A right turn lane, bicycle lane and sidewalk will be added on Route 404 in the westbound direction at the intersection of Hard Road. A new traffic signal system, including protected left turn arrows in all directions, pedestrian crosswalks and countdown timers will be installed.

Five Mile Line Road Intersection

Right turn lanes will be added on Route 404 in both directions at Five Mile Line Road. A right turn lane will also be provided on Five Mile Line Road in the northbound direction.  The left turn lanes will be longer to provide more vehicle storage.  A dedicated bicycle lane between the travel lane and the right turn lanes will be added on Route 404.  A sidewalk will be provided to accommodate pedestrians. A new traffic signal system with pedestrian crosswalks and countdown timers will be installed.

* * *

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

You can also get email notifications every time I post a new blog by using the “Follow Me” link on the right side of this page.

 

Tags: , ,

Successful Jazz Fest 2017 in the books

24 Jul

IMG_5542

I don’t know about you, but it seems to me that the Webster Jazz Fest keeps getting bigger every year. Pretty soon they’re going to have to move the stage another couple hundred feet down West Main to fit everyone.

It’s hard to believe that this year’s event was the 10th annual, and in that time, our little Jazz Fest has really grown into something that’s pretty well respected. Sure, it’s no Rochester Jazz Fest, but the two-day event features high-quality entertainment, great food courtesy our increasing variety of village restaurants, and — at least two years in a row now — nice weather.

Here are a few photos from the evening. Click here to see more in a gallery.

 

* * *

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

You can also get email notifications every time I post a new blog by using the “Follow Me” link on the right side of this page.

 

Tags: , , ,

BC’s Chicken Coop has new, bigger location

17 Jul

IMG_5174

After six and a half years on South Avenue, Brandie Rauber and Christina Wasson have finally found a bigger and better location for their popular village restaurant, BC’s Chicken Coop, now at 159 West Main Street.

Brandie and Chris opened The Coop in November 2010, jumping on the chance to take over the old pizza shop at 9 South Avenue shortly after it closed. Since then they’ve been cooking up the tastiest fried chicken and ribs this side of the Mississippi. (That’s not just my opinion. Their wings have won awards.)

IMG_5172

Chris Wasson and Brandie Rauber at the new Coop

In the years since, they became strong Webster supporters, building the kind of rock-solid, community-focused business that Webster desperately needs.

But they also struggled at times with health and financial issues, and the small space they had to work with didn’t make things any easier.

Their perseverance was finally rewarded at the end of June when they moved into their beautiful new, bigger and more visible restaurant on West Main.

There’s a lot to love about the new place. For starters, it’s about twice the size of the South Avenue location, which means a much bigger kitchen and more than four times the seating capacity. That’s plenty of room for people to stretch out and relax with a soda or water while their dinner is being cooked up fresh.

There’s also a public bathroom and plenty of parking right outside the front door, two things they didn’t have at all before.

Chris and Brandie have had to make some adjustments as they settle inIMG_5169. For example, on South Ave., everything was packaged for take-out, but now orders might need to be put in baskets to be served at a table. On the plus side, thanks to more storage space, now they have room to prepare some things ahead and don’t have to worry about running out of food.

What’s remained the same is the Coop’s outstanding menu. I’m a huge fan of their cornbread and juicy fried chicken, with a coating so flavorful I could eat all by itself.  But their ribs and wings are also highly rated. And they cook everything to order, using locally-sourced products.

It’s been a tough road, but Brandie and Chris have finally found themselves — and the Coop — in a pretty good place right now.

Judging from the constant stream of customers in and out of the Coop before and after the Firemen’s Parade last Thursday, it’s clear lots of people are excited about the move. Some were perhaps discovering the Coop for the first time, now that it’s so much more visible and accessible.

It’s been a dream come true for Brandie and Chris, and they’re grateful to Webster for helping them get there.

“This was the end goal, to do something like this,” Brandie said.

“I think that all of Webster from the get-go has pulled for us,” Chris said. “They kept us alive so that we could do this and we were determined not to leave Webster because of it.”

“I think it’s going to be like this forever,” she added.  I certainly hope so.

BC’s Chicken Coop is located at 159 West Main Street in Webster.  Click here to visit their Facebook page, or call 585-265-1185.

 

* * *

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

You can also get email notifications every time I post a new blog by using the “Follow Me” link on the right side of this page.

 

Tags: ,

Bygone blog: An entertaining trip to Bay Side

12 Jul

I was chatting about this blog with my friends the other night, so I thought I would give it the light of day once again.

Keep reading. It’s kind of a delightful story.

(originally published July 18, 2016)

Believe it or not, last night was the very first time my husband and I had ever been to the Bay Side Pub up on Lake Road. Our friends Dave and Patty invited us along when they headed up there for dinner. They warned us there’d be a wait for a table, but that we’d enjoy sitting outside with a beer and listening to some music while we did.

They were right on both counts. The wait was long because — as many of you probably already know —  Bay Side is quite small and apparently everybody in Webster knows that sitting on the Bay Side lawn on a gorgeous summer Sunday evening, drinking a beer and listening to music is THE thing to do.

Before too long we were joined by four other friends. We talked, and laughed, and sang along with a very entertaining local cover band called Vintage.

But the best part of the evening was what will forever be known as the Great Flip-Flop Rescue.

Allow me to paint the scene. We’re waiting at a table right on the water, and as we’re chatting, I watch as a young girl scampers down the short dock toward her family’s small boat. She stops in front of it and kicks off one of her flip-flops, expecting it to land in the boat. Not even close. Instead, it plops into the bay. Undaunted, she kicks off the other flip-flop. Which lands in the bay right next to the first one.

She stands there, looks at them, looks around to see if there’s someone who can help, looks at them again. Finally, she heads back down the dock, probably in search of adult assistance.

Eventually, Dad comes by, heads toward the water, looks at the flip-flops and walks back towards land with a rather peeved expression. Meantime, our victim scampers back and forth on the dock, flip-flop-less, while the wayward footwear continue to float away.

Before long, a small knot of family members and friends from the neighboring boat has convened on the dock, and the adult strategizing begins. Now all four of us, still waiting for dinner, are closely watching the action, anxious to see how the exciting drama plays out.

One of the flip-flops had not yet floated too far away, and somehow they retrieve that one rather quickly. The other one is more problematic.

There is much discussion on the dock. Someone pulls a pike pole out of one of the boats, and extends it to its full length before realizing that it would take about 10 of them to reach the flip-flop at this point. Someone starts uncoiling a road attached to a toddler’s floaty.  Someone else tries casting a fishing rod in its direction.

There is much discussion at our table, too. Like football fans questioning a poor call on the field, we’re wondering why SOMEONE doesn’t think to throw a tube into the water (there’s one tethered to flip-flop-family’s boat) and paddle over to it.

Perhaps she hears us, but it is flip-flop girl who finally also has that brilliant thought. Now hopping around in one flip-flop, she hops into her boat, pulls the tube up next to the side of the boat, and starts trying to climb in. As soon as she puts one foot on it she realizes that without help, she’ll also be in the water. So instead, she yanks on the rope and, all by herself, wrestles the tube into the boat.

Apparently no one else thinks it’s a brilliant idea, because it just sits there.

FINALLY, neighboring boat-owner-family figures they might as well head home. So they pull all their kids and stuff together, back their boat out of the dock, putter over to the flip-flop, retrieve it and return it to flip-flop girl.

There was actual cheering.

Next time Dave and Patty invite us to dinner and a show at the Bay Side, it probably won’t be quite the same. But I’ll definitely be back.

* * *

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

You can also get email notifications every time I post a new blog by using the “Follow Me” link on the right side of this page.

Tags: , ,

Webster Community Mailbag

8 Jul

mailbagThis week’s mailbag is packed with news from the St. Martin Lutheran Church, the Webster Village Band and the town and village of Webster. So grab your calendar, and keep reading!

 

Pulled Pork Drive Thru BBQ

St. Martin Lutheran Church is holding a Pulled Pork Drive Thru barbecue on Saturday, July 15 from 4:30 until gone at the church on 813 Bay Road, Webster. Pull into the parking lot, place your order, and the dinner will be delivered to you in your car.

The take-out dinner includes pulled pork, roll, salt potatoes, cole slaw and cookie for $9.00. Proceeds support the church’s annual Christmas Stocking Project, which reaches more than 500 children and teens in Monroe and Wayne counties.

Webster Village Band 

The Webster Village Band‘s summer schedule is off to a strong start thanks to recent nice weather. Their most recent concert was held at the United Church of Christ last Wednesday, and was well attended.

Their next two appearances are their regular Thursday night gig at the band shell on Phillips Road, Thursday, July 20 beginning at 7 p.m., and their always popular Christmas in July concert at the Joe Obbie Farmer’s Market (Kohl’s/Target Plaza) on Saturday morning, July 22 beginning at 10 a.m.

The Webster Village Band is directed by Tom Indiano and Associate Director Sue Siegmund. Their concerts are always free and always open to the public. Here’s a quick slideshow of photos from last Wednesday’s UCC concert and last year’s Christmas in July.

Town Hall Renovations are Progressing

Supervisor Nesbitt has provided an update on the Town Hall renovations. He writes:

All of the exposed asbestos has been removed, and now the crews have started on demolishing walls, ceilings, and floors.

There will be new restrooms for men and women installed, along with the updating of offices and the common rooms all around town hall. The new door entries are being installed so the wind does not catch the doors and break them anymore. There will also be more security put in place for our employees’ safety. Cameras will be installed in the building common areas and overlooking the parking lots for security of all.

The Police Department is seeing a complete face lift of their operation complete with cameras, new booking area, new locker rooms for the officers, upgrades to the detention area, and new flooring throughout the department.

So far, operating from the temporary offices in the Van Ingen Court Building seems to working out well. Remember that all Town Hall functions have been moved to the Van Ingen building (behind Town Hall) until construction is completed later this year. So bring all your business there, and make sure to have a smile for all the Town Hall employees who are enduring through it all!

Webster Waterfront Art Festival

Make sure to mark your calendars for the third annual Waterfront Art Festival, scheduled for Saturday, July 29 and Sunday, July 30 at North Ponds Park. Dozens of vendors will gather with high-quality craft items and good food, and entertainment will be provided throughout the day.

The best place to find parking is at the Xerox lot off of Phillips Road, where a free shuttle bus will take you to the park and back.

Summer in the Village

The summer village music scene is heating up. There have already been three concerts at the gazebo, and the Friday night series continues for the next two months, the next one scheduled for July 28 at 7 p.m., featuring the fusion sounds of The Ryan Johnson Project.

On the weekend prior to that, the 10th annual Webster Jazz Festival returns to Main Street on July 21 and 22.

Nationally acclaimed Fusion Jazz great Cabo Frio headlines the weekend, with other acts including The Mambo Kings, Walter Chatman, Jimmie Highsmith Jr, Paradigm Shift, El Rojo Jazz, Marco Amadio and many more.

Movies in the Park is also celebrating its 10th anniversary this year. Upcoming features include Tuesday night movies for kids like The Batman Lego Movie, and Disney’s Big Friendly Giant, and Saturday night date-night movies like Casablanca and the Out of Towners. The movies take place in Gazebo Park on North Avenue.

The music and movies are all sponsored by our local businesses, members of the Webster Business Improvement District. Click here for more details about all of these special events, and many more.

* * *

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

You can also get email notifications every time I post a new blog by using the “Follow Me” link on the right side of this page.

Tags: , , , , , , , , ,

← Older Entries
Newer Entries →