“Fall in Love With Webster” is going great!

3 Feb

We’re just a few days into the month-long Fall in Love With Webster community celebration, but I hope you’ve already been able to take advantage of some of the special deals and events happening at our local businesses.

If you haven’t heard much about it yet, click here to see my blog from earlier this week to get a run-down on what’s happening, including the events taking place this week.

The village is really looking spiffy in honor of this special event. You may have noticed, for example, all of the heart-emblazoned flags hanging from the light poles up and down Main Street. Thanks to Jake Swingley and his public works staff for doing that. There’s also a beautiful new banner hanging on the gazebo at that little pocket park at North Ave. and 104, and merchants are decorating their storefronts.

Lots more special events and merchant discounts are on store for next week, and new ones are being added pretty much every day. You can check the Fall in Love With Webster Facebook page for a complete list and details about all of them. You’ll also find there a boiled-down list of events which you can run off to put on your fridge for handy reference.

A couple of reminders as we head into week two:

❤ The trivia challenge is on! Each of the participating businesses is posting a trivia fact about their business or product in their front window. Your challenge is to collect all the trivia answers and on Wednesday Feb. 23, bring them to Barry’s Old School Irish for the weekly trivia contest. The week’s theme? WEBSTER! The questions will be based on all the trivia posted around town.

❤ Look for the Boots! Our Northeast Joint Fire District firefighters are hosting a boot drive all month. A firefighter’s boot has been placed at Barry’s Old School Irish, and another at Whimsies (new shop next to Lala’s). Drop in your donation, and half of the proceeds will be donated to Webster Comfort Care.

❤ Maplewood Art Project: Next time you’re at Lala of Webster gift shop (38 E. Main), check out the charming bookmarks created by the residents of Maplewood Nursing Home. Supplies were provided to the residents who lovingly crafted the bookmarks, which are now being sold for $1 each. Proceeds will be used to purchase new art supplies for the residents’ next project, embellished felt hearts.

Remember to check the Fall in Love With Webster Facebook page for more information about this great month-long event.

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

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A long-overdue wintry hike

2 Feb

If you’ve been reading my blog for a while, you know that I’m a huge fan of our Webster trails. I’ve hiked each one of them countless times, many times by myself, several times with my husband, and even a few times with larger groups. But those occasions were always in the warmer months. I’d never hiked one in the winter.

That all changed on Monday.

That afternoon, I introduced my new friend Patty to one of my favorites, Four Mile Creek Nature Preserve, located at the corner of Lake and Phillips roads. The Friends of Webster Trails has cleared and marked three separate trails in the preserve, which together take hikers almost three miles through some beautiful and very peaceful woodlands along Salt Creek and Four Mile Creek.

I like this series of trails in part because they’re very well maintained (as are all the Friends’ trails), are easy to walk, and boast some beautiful scenery marked by the creeks, boardwalks and bridges. But it also tosses some first-time hikers a few surprises. In at least two places along the trail, you’ll come across some old, rusted-out 1950s sedans, slowly but surely losing their fight with nature and the elements. (Click here to read more about the cars.)

I return to hike Four Mile Creek occasionally just to see those cars. But on this trip the Yellow Trail held a few more surprises. On three separate trees, someone had hung some tin cans. One set looked like a person, complete with eyes. The others had been colorfully painted (one even had polka dots). On yet another tree, someone had hung an angel. I can only assume that they’d been put there to brighten a hiker’s day.

Exploring these trails in the winter was an entirely different, but equally enjoyable experience from doing so in the summer. The sight of the bare trees against the clear blue sky was stunning. The thick undergrowth was replaced by a carpet of bright-white snow. I didn’t see many of the small creatures I usually see on my warm-weather hikes, but I knew they were around; their presence was betrayed by the tracks they left everywhere. And the entire scene was enveloped by the kind of absolute silence we don’t get to experience much these days.

Being able to enjoy the trail this time with a new friend made it even better. How we met is kind of a nice story, too.

Patty recently moved to the Village of Webster, and happened upon my blog. An avid hiker, she reached out to me several weeks ago asking if I knew about any organized hikes she might join. Of course, I introduced her to the Friends of Webster Trails and the monthly hikes they put together. But I also offered to personally introduce her to some of our local trails, explaining that I’d long wanted to invest in some hiking boots and this would be a good excuse.

It took me a little while to find the boots I wanted, but I eventually did, and we finally got together for our first hike this week. It couldn’t have been a better day, in the 30s and clear blue skies. I’m already looking forward to our next outing. I just have to figure out which trail I like SECOND best.

Here are some more photos from our day on the trail, taken by Patty, who is also an excellent photographer.

P.S. the boots worked very well, thank you.

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Webster Schroeder kicks off spring musical season

1 Feb

Live musicals are back!

Webster Schroeder High School is kicking off the spring musical season with an in-person performance of A Chorus Line, which will be presented in four shows the weekend of Feb. 10.

The high-stepping, Tony Award-winning musical is described on the Webster Schroeder Musicals website as “a stunning concept musical capturing the spirit and tension of a Broadway chorus audition” which explores “the inner lives and poignant ambitions of professional Broadway performers.”

The show features tunes we all recognize, including “What I Did for Love,” “One,” “I Can Do That,” “At the Ballet,” “The Music and the Mirror,” and “I Hope I Get It.”

“A Chorus Line” will be presented in four shows, Thursday and Friday Feb. 10 and 11 at 7:30 p.m., and Saturday Feb. 12 at 2:30 and 7:30 p.m., in the Webster Schroeder auditorium, 875 Ridge Rd.

Reserved-seating tickets are $13, and are available now at websterschroedermusicals.com.

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

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Training never stops for our volunteer firefighters

31 Jan

When an emergency happens, like a car accident or a house fire, we’re always grateful and relieved to see our local first responders show up to take care of things. But during our day-to-day normal lives, when nothing awful like that is happening, we don’t give them much thought at all.

But rest assured, they’re always thinking about us.

That point was driven home to me a few days ago when I saw a Facebook post from the Webster Volunteer Fire Department, about a joint training exercise they held last Saturday morning with the West Webster Fire Department.

The post read,

The Webster Volunteer Fire Department (WVFD) and the West Webster Fire Department (WWFD) held a joint water rescue training session at the Webster Aquatic Center this morning. Several topics were covered including rescue equipment, techniques to retrieve a victim, and how to secure a victim who has been injured. The training session was capped off with some practice on the Fortuna rescue boat and it was discovered just how precarious it can be when several people try to climb on at once! … We’re here for when you need us, Webster!

The two departments are hoping to schedule joint training sessions like this at least four times this year. The next one will probably be a large area wildland search once the weather improves. In the meantime, the WVFD and WWFD hold weekly drills within their own departments. Recent ones for the WVFD have included search and rescue techniques, driver training, advancements in technology, hazmat, air consumption and many more.

Here are a few more photos from the morning’s exercise:

Thank you to Sarah Mossey for most of these photos.

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Fall in love with Webster, starting Tuesday!

30 Jan

The Village of Webster’s exciting Fall in Love With Webster month-long community celebration begins Tuesday, Feb.1, featuring four weeks of merchant discounts and special events, all embracing the theme of love.

Almost three dozen business owners are participating, offering discounts or hosting special events pretty much every day of the week (or all month), with a few surprises thrown in for good measure. Village Hall has even gotten into the act, hanging heart-emblazoned banners along the light poles on Main Street.

There’s even a trivia challenge. Each of the participating businesses will be placing a trivia fact about their business or product in their front window. Your challenge is to collect all the trivia answers and on Wednesday Feb. 23, bring them to Barry’s Old School Irish for the weekly trivia contest. The week’s theme? WEBSTER! The questions will be based on all the trivia posted around town.

The goal is to promote a fun way to unify the village residents and business owners. But it’s also all about helping community members get to know our village a little better, find out more about our many fine businesses, and encourage everyone to get more involved in all of the activities found here.

Here’s what’s coming up this week. Check back this weekend to see what’s scheduled for week 2, and get ready to Fall in Love With Webster!

❤ All month: Thinking of Others: Be Someone’s Secret Admirer!

The Village of Webster is inviting everyone to be an old-fashioned “secret admirer” anytime during the month. You could send flowers to someone, or just pay it forward at the drive through. It’s all about thoughtfulness. Have fun!

❤ NEjFD Boot Drive

Our Northeast Joint Fire District firefighters are hosting a boot drive. All month, Barry’s Old School Irish and Whimsies (new shop next to Lala’s) will each have a real firefighter’s boot to accept your donations. Half of the proceeds will be donated to Webster Comfort Care. 

❤ Feb. 1, 7 p.m.: Live Practice Session: Chorus of the Genesee

The Chorus sings four-part “a cappella” music, specializing in barbershop harmony, an original American art form. Click here to find out more about the Chorus of the Genesee and how you can get involved.  

❤ Feb. 1: $.75 wings all day at The Coach Sports Bar

Call 585-872-2910 or stop by. Every Tuesday enjoy $.75 chicken wings! Click here to visit The Coach website.

❤ All week (beginning Feb. 2): Yarn sale at Village HandWorks

All red and pink yarns at Village HandWorks will be 20% off. Plus, select artisan-crafted goods and gifts, all 10% off. Visit the Village HandWorks website or call 585-236-1135 for more information.

❤ Feb. 2: National Groundhog Day 

There’s more to this fun day than a groundhog seeing his shadow or not! Check out this page and have some fun…no matter what Phil says! Watching Groundhog Day with Bill Murray has also become a fun tradition on this day! Also, there are many videos, music and activities, even FOOD surrounding this day!

❤ Feb. 2: Carl’s Pizza Colossal Calzone and Pizza Deal 

Carl’s is offering a sweetheart of a deal today: a colossal calzone for just $12.99. It comes with choice of two toppings, ricotta cheese, mozzarella, and two sides of sauce. Orm get a 14“ medium, one-topping pizza for $13.99. Click here to see Carl’s menu for more options.

❤ Feb. 3, 7 p.m.: Bling a Picture at Crafty Christie’s Boutique

Create something amazing with Christy! She’ll provide the picture frames and scrap materials to create your own masterpiece, or bring your own favorite treasure and make it even more amazing! These classes fill up quickly so call 585-236-1131 or reach out through her website. 

❤ Feb 4.: National Wear Red Day: On this day in February, which is considered American Heart Month, everyone across the country dons the color red in order to raise and spread awareness in hopes to help eradicate heart disease and stroke in millions of women all over the nation. Click here to learn more about this special day and share with friends and family.  

❤ Feb. 4: Burke’s National Wear Red Day “Famous Burger” special

In honor of National Wear Red Day, Burke’s Grill will take $1 off their famous burgers for everyone who comes in wearing something red. Find out more about Burke’s Grill here.   

❤ Feb. 4 to 6: Stella York Trunk Show at Heart to Heart Bride

Heart to Heart Bride’s next Stella York Trunk Show will be Feb. 4 to 6. Check the website for the styles that will be there for that weekend only or call 585-872-9696.

❤ Feb. 5, 1 p.m: Pre-Superbowl hors d’oeuvres tasting with Ohhh, Lordee Everything Sauces

Having a Superbowl party? Looking for something new? Check out this event and stop in to taste these great local sauces! Laurie is serving hors d’oeuvres using her famous sauce. Check the Ohhhlordee Facebook page for more details.

❤ Also, all month you’ll find specials at Finn’s Garage (to benefit Heritage Christian Stables), Savage Chef, Professional Nutrition Services, Webster Eyecare Associates, Nut & Bolt Tattoo, Nest Things and Webster Interiors.

❤ ❤ ❤

More details about all these events and what’s coming up the rest of the month at the Fall in Love With Webster Facebook page. Make sure to “like” the page to get regular updates, because new events are being added every day. 

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

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Chamber recognizes Denise Baller as Business Person of the Year

29 Jan

Congratulations to Denise Baller, the high-spirited, fun-loving owner/operator of Dancing With Denise, for receiving this year’s Webster Chamber of Commerce Business Person of the Year award.

Denise was honored at the recent Chamber of Commerce breakfast meeting. The award recognized Dancing With Denise’s 37-year history in Webster, and Denise’s long-standing commitment to the Webster community. (The list of community service projects which she submitted as part of her nomination form filled a full two pages.)

I can personally attest to that commitment. I’ve featured Denise and her dancers several times in my blog, like when they’ve participated in community events, danced outside the windows at Maplewood Nursing Home, donated money to Bella’s Bumbas, and more.

True to her nature, Denise deflected much of the credit for the award to others in her life, including her husband Bill who found their building and turned it into a “castle”; her parents — “Miss Tina” and Frank — who taught her to work hard and persevere; and of course her dance families.

“I was also excited to use this as a teachable moment for my twins as well as all of my students,” she added, “to always reach for your star.”

Believe it or not, the day got even better for Denise. Immediately after the meeting, she headed over to Penfield Place Senior Living, where she shared the award with her former dance teacher, Joan Grabell Brown.

She wrote,

When the pandemic began, I used to go to see (Miss Joan) by doing window visits. I hadn’t see her since the fall, although I thought of her often. So today I decided to thank HER and show her what I had accomplished. …

It was so wonderful to see her in person and show her the honor I had received and to say thank you. I told her I wouldn’t be “Miss Denise” unless she was “Miss Joan”. I then proceeded to tell how she had inspired me through her own philosophy of teaching dance and that I was so grateful to be able to share this special moment with her. She has Alzheimer’s and every time I go to see her, I often wonder if she is going to remember me. But she does and today was super special because she was proud of me.

On a heartwarming side note, Denise met the facility’s activities director when she was there, who invited her to come back every week to teach a dance class with the residents.

“I am so happy to spread my love to them on a weekly basis, especially to ‘Miss Joan’, who I know is going to be my star student. The circle of life… it’s a beautiful thing.”

All in all, it was pretty much a perfect day.

… a special day I’ll always remember, because I received (the award) and circled it back to the person who instilled in me my love for dance and the ability to share the simplicity of creating an environment where (every dancer) feels like a prince or princess.

Dancing With Denise is located at 1077 Gravel Rd. in West Webster.

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

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New month-long event encourages everyone to “Fall in Love With Webster”

26 Jan

We all know there’s a lot to love about the Village of Webster, but next month there’s going to be dozens of reasons to fall in love again.

Beginning Tuesday Feb. 1, the Webster Business Improvement District (BID) will host a month-long “Fall in Love With Webster” community celebration, a brand-new event highlighting all of the businesses and activities that our village offers.

The celebration is being organized by Lisa Schlonski, owner of Lala Gift Shop on East Main St., and her able assistant Jody Laurer. The idea actually came from Jody’s daughter Maddie. She’d recently visited small-town Ridgefield, CT, which held a “Fall in Love With Ridgefield” event in October. “It’s a little village like Webster,” Jody remembered her daughter saying, adding that it would be fun to do something similar here.

So she and Lisa got out their calendars and started planning. February, the month of Valentines and sweethearts, seemed perfect. It also helps that the month holds other quasi-holidays they could incorporate, like Groundhog Day and Random Acts of Kindness Day.

What they’ve put together is an entire month of merchant discounts and special events, all embracing the theme of love. There’s even trivia (read more about that challenge at the end of the blog). Almost three dozen business owners are participating; many of them will be decorating their windows, and even Village Hall has gotten into the act, hanging heart-emblazoned banners along the light poles on Main Street.

The goal is to promote a fun way to unify the village residents and business owners. But it’s also all about helping community members get to know our village a little better, find out more about our many fine businesses, and encourage everyone to get more involved in all of the activities found here.

Details are still being finalized and new events are being added every day, but following are some highlights from JUST THE FIRST WEEK. Click on the hyperlinks for more information, and make sure to “like” the Fall in Love With Webster Facebook page for a complete list (It’s updated regularly!)

Finally, let me tell you about the trivia challenge! Each of the participating businesses will be placing a trivia fact about their business or product in their front window. Your challenge is to collect all the trivia answers and on Wednesday Feb. 23, bring them to Barry’s Old School Irish for the weekly trivia contest. The week’s theme? WEBSTER! The questions will be based on all the trivia posted around town.

Remember to “like” the Fall in Love With Webster Facebook page for the latest updates on all of the 50 or more events scheduled throughout the month. Then get ready to … fall in love with Webster.

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

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Thank you, Webster PTSA!

25 Jan

Do you remember the village’s super fun White Christmas celebration back on December 4? Hopefully you and your family were able to make it down to Gazebo Park that afternoon to take part in a winter wonderland of crafts, music, stories, Christmas cookies and visits with Santa Claus.

The activities were awesome, but what really made the event extra special were the lights and decorations which turned the park into a real North Pole wonderland. And that transformation can be largely credited to the efforts of the Webster Central PTSA (WCPTSA).

On very short notice, the PTSA gathered an army of volunteers — about 75 parents, students, staff members and administrators — who started showing up early Saturday morning to spend the next many hours hanging lights, stringing garland, setting up cookie and hot chocolate tables, arranging materials for Santa’s Toy Shop, and much more. And that doesn’t even count the hours spent before the event actually building and painting many of the decorations.

By the time the festivities officially began, visitors could enter the park through a light tunnel, walk down Candy Cane Lane to see Santa, then along Peppermint Lane to decorate a Christmas cookie, make a craft at the Toy Shop, and warm up with some hot cocoa. Even more volunteers arrived to help out during the afternoon.

At the recent meeting of the Webster Business Improvement District (BID), the organization which ran the event, the BID showed their appreciation by presenting the PTSA with a check for $650, proceeds from the White Christmas Parade of Lights.

The whole experience was a tremendous example of how the One Webster community can come together to create something wonderful. And according to WCPTSA president Jaime Richey, that is exactly what the organization wants to achieve.

“In the last few years the schools have been able to do very little fundraising, especially in-person events,” Richey said. “One of our goals is to create a One Webster feel, to bring our community and schools together. This is the first event where we were able to do that, collaborating with our community, bring our schools together.”

After all, she added, “Our school is our community and our community is our schools.”

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

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Who WAS that masked woman?

24 Jan

Despite how it might seem — given my peculiar habit of wading barefoot in the snow — I really don’t like winter or cold weather. I don’t like it when my nostrils freeze every time I take a breath. I don’t like having to baby-step down the frozen sidewalk so I don’t take a fall. And I really don’t like it when the wind is strong enough to freeze my wire-rimmed glasses to my face.

But I fancy myself a runner, and since running and walking are my main forms of exercise (especially when my bikes are hanging in the garage), hiding out on cold and snowy days is just not an option. So even on these sub-zero windchill days in January and February, you’ll find me out there, plodding along on one of my regular routes through the village.

You might have seen me. I’m that crazy person who looks like a terrorist.

Because, of course, surviving a run these days is really just a matter of preparation. That means layers, a neck and cheek warmer, knit hat and heavy gloves. (Add sunglasses on a bright day and the terrorist look is complete). Equipped thusly, even the coldest cold can be managed for the few miles I’m out there. Reflective gear and a pair of Yaktrax cleats for the bottom of my sneakers are also must-haves to safely navigate our slippery streets and sidewalks.

Of course, I’m far from the only crazy person who thinks winter running is fun, and most of those others run longer distances than I do. They include the members of my Barry’s Runners group, which meets every Tuesday evening at Barry’s Old School Irish in the village. Even in the coldest weather, the runs will attract a half dozen or more die-hards, and sometimes we’re the only people at the pub because no one else is crazy enough to come out.

The conversations over our post-run beers on these nights often turn to winter running shirts and jackets, traction gear, reflective equipment, and how many layers you should wear when it’s 5 degrees out.

So I’ll keep running, nostril-freezing cold or not. It’s my way of enduring the winter. And not for nothing, when I head out for a walk, running instead gets me home a lot faster.

(And P.S., new runners and walkers are always welcome to join Barry’s Runners!)

Thanks to my GoPro-finding friend DP Dunn for this blog idea. If you have any ideas to throw my way, email me at the address below!

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

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When there’s nothing going on, go to Sea Breeze!

21 Jan

I’m in one of those blog droughts, when good ideas are few and far between. But I really don’t like letting the blog sit fallow for several days on end. So here’s my back-up plan: another East Extra Afterthoughts installment.

Afterthoughts is a new, completely separate blog, where I’m reposting some of my favorite columns from when I was the Our Towns East Extra columnist for the Democrat and Chronicle.

I came up with this particular column idea when I had to find SOMETHING about Irondequoit to write about. Since I don’t often get up into the Sea Breeze area, even during the summer, I decided it would be fun to check out what the area is like in the winter … if, actually, anything much happens when Seabreeze Amusement Park is closed.

The original column was published Jan. 10, 2014, in the middle of winter, so I thought it would be appropriate to revisit it today.

Seeing a surprising side of Sea Breeze

I’ll wager that most of us think we know Sea Breeze pretty well. At least summertime Sea Breeze, anyway.

But life’s a whole lot different this time of year up there, where Culver Road meets the lake.

The constant clatter of roller coasters has quieted, the patio tables and chairs at Vic and Irv’s are stacked in a corner, and the warm summer breezes have been replaced by stinging winter winds.

But don’t think for a second that when Seabreeze Amusement Park closes up for the winter, the Sea Breeze neighborhood turns into a ghost town. That was my thinking when I visited there a few weeks ago. I actually wondered if any of the neighborhood’s businesses would even be open. I figured that when winter hits, they roll up their sidewalks and hibernate for a few months.

But then I walked into the Parkside Diner, and realized I was very wrong.

Click here to go to Afterthoughts and read the rest of the post.

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

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