Tag Archives: Barry’s Runners

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!

* * *

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

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: ,

The First Responders 5K is back

30 Aug

I like participating in 5Ks. (You’ll notice I didn’t say “run” 5Ks, because the pace I set cannot actually be called “running.”) So I’m pleased to see that after more than a full year off, in-person races are coming back.

I was especially thrilled to see that the First Responders 5K is not only returning later this week, but will offer both in-person and virtual options.

This is one of my favorite races for a few reasons. First, it’s in the Village of Webster. I can walk to the start line AND it runs right by my house. Second, SO MANY of my Webster friends also run. And finally, a portion of the proceeds benefit a great cause.

The race website explains,

The First Responders 5K presented by L3Harris recognizes the strength, perseverance, and courage of police officers, firefighters, EMTs, 911 operators and their families in our local community.

First responders put their lives on the line for us every day as they face hardships that most of us will never know. The repetitive negative experience of stressful and potentially traumatic events that first responders face on a daily basis leaves them particularly vulnerable to post-traumatic stress disorder. We hope that this event can raise awareness for PTSD in first responders, and raise funds for a local charity, FRST Agency, that will provide support, awareness, assets, and services to first responders seeking assistance in dealing with the effects of PTSD.  

The in-person race is scheduled for Friday Sept. 3 at 6:30 p.m. It will begin and end at the south side of Fireman’s Field on Sanford St., and take racers through east-side village neighborhoods. Cost is $30, or $15 for active first responders. Each racer will also receive a t-shirt and grab-and-go snack bag after the race.

My family will once again be setting up our “refreshment” stop on Fuller Ave., with water — or beer if you’re a first responder — so watch for our signs (“Running in gear? Have a beer!” “In turnout gear? We’ll turnout beer!”).

The virtual race, by the way, can be run any day between Sept. 3 and 12. Cost is $20, and you’ll also get a t-shirt. 

To register for either option, and for more information including a course map, click here .

* * *

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: ,

News about pews from Barry’s Old School Irish

22 Apr
Jessica and Danny Barry standing by the new pews.

Our favorite Webster Irish pub has just become a lot more … Irish.

Tuesday afternoon, in about three hours’ time, Danny and Jessica Barry — and especially Jess’s mom Debbie — installed several new (or rather, old) actual church pews in Barry’s Old School Irish on Main St. in Webster.

They got the pews from the New Beginnings Christian Fellowship Church in Brockport. Danny told me they’ve been looking for pews for several years, and were thrilled to finally find some. As an added bonus, they came with green cushions already attached. They’ve been installed along the front window and back wall of the bakery side of the pub, and near the side door.

The inspiration to add pews, Danny said, came from a pub he and Jess visited on one of their trips to Ireland about eight years ago, only two years after opening their own pub.

“It was a great Irish Pub in Dingle, County Kerry, called Dick Mack’s,” Danny said.

This pub, which I believe was established back in the 1800’s, had the perfect combination of live Irish session music, a whiskey selection that showcased the entire Emerald Isle, and most importantly was filled with so many welcoming and smiling faces that you couldn’t help but feel at home.

(Sound anything like a little pub we have here in Webster?)

Danny and Jess in front of Dick Mack’s

The pews will increase the amount of seating at Barry’s, but more importantly, they help make Barry’s Old School Irish even more Irish, if that’s possible.

“(The pews) allow us to dig even deeper into our niche and showcase the love we all share for our Irish heritage which has been constant goal of ours since opening back in 2011,” Danny said.

Danny and Jess have several other goals this spring, including adding a fire pit on the patio, adding more kitchen equipment, updating their signage, looking for more ways to distribute their Vanilla Bean Irish Cream, resuming their live music, and planning for the 2nd annual Barry’s Irish Festival this summer.

It so happens that the first people in the pub Tuesday evening after the installation were several members of Barry’s Runners, who were gathering for their weekly run. As they were the first patrons to try out the new seating, I asked Barry’s Runner Charlene Sudore if they were comfortable.

“They’re pews. They’re not supposed to be comfortable,” she quipped. “They’re meant to keep you from falling asleep.”

True. But I think Barry’s patrons will find the new seats plenty comfortable, and I don’t expect there will be a whole lot of napping going on.

A final note from Danny:

We’re excited for all our new additions but as always it’s the people that fill these walls with love and laughter that are most important and make this place truly special. We can’t thank our community and our Pub Family enough for the support we’ve received these past 10 years and especially in the midst of the pandemic. It’s exciting to continue to grow here at Barry’s Old School Irish and can’t wait for all the great memories we’re sure to make together in the times ahead.

Several Barry’s Runners were the first to try out the new seating arrangement

* *  * 

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

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: ,

Barry’s Runners find fun way to stay connected

3 May

Shannon and Jess

Jessica Barry, right, owner of Barry’s Old School Irish, even joined in the relay. Here Shannon Tipper, left, hands off the next leg of the relay to Jess. (J. Barry)

This was a lot of fun.

Barry’s Runners, my running club that meets every Tuesday night at Barry’s Old School Irish in the village, recently found a great way to reconnect with fellow runners during the pandemic, while still maintaining social distancing: a 12-hour virtual relay.

The group normally meets at Barry’s Old School Irish every Tuesday night at 6:30 p.m. for group runs or walks, followed by social time at the pub.

Thanks to the current pandemic, Barry’s has had to curtail its hours, and group activities like the weekly runs have been put on hold indefinitely.  The Barry’s Runners 12-hour Virtual Relay was a fun way for group members to stay connected — and motivated — during the crisis.

The event ran from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on what would have been a regular Tuesday running night, April 21. The day was split up into 24 half-hour slots. Participants asked to sign up for one or more of the spots, and during their allotted time get out and run, walk or even bike. As soon as one person’s half hour was complete, he or she texted the next person in line to begin the next leg of the relay.

After the event was posted on the Barry’s Runners Facebook page, it only took a few days for all 24 half-hour time slots to fill up. A handful of participants even took two adjacent spots, hitting the streets for an hour straight. By the end of the relay, 28 adults, plus a few kids and dogs participated, logging more than 70 miles.

The event even got a long-distance participant. Jill Belluco, a former Webster resident and Barry’s Runner, signed up for the first time slot even though she moved from Webster to South Carolina a few months ago. She said it was a great way to stay in touch with her old running buddies, while juggling the challenges of a new home and new job.

Several of the runners took photographs documenting their runs and posted them to the Barry’s Runner’s Facebook group, further enhancing the community experience.

The relay idea actually came from a similar event held earlier in the month by another running group, Rochester Running Club, who organized their own virtual running relay on Monday, April 13. Originally planned for the 24 hours spanning Sunday night through Monday night, that relay is still going on.

Chances are Barry’s Runners couldn’t manage to keep up a relay that long. But another 12-hour relay is definitely in the cards, cause everyone had so much fun.   

Lesley and Larry Johnson

Lesley and Larry Johnson completed a 6.5-mile leg with their running and walking buddy, Cullen.

* * *

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: ,

Sharing Christmas joy in the village

19 Dec

The week before Christmas has become one of the most musical weeks of the entire year in the Village of Webster.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

On Monday night, Robyn Whittaker, hairdresser extraordinaire, special event organizer, village cheerleader and all around good egg, hosted her third annual Christmas Carol Debacle. Robyn provides pizza and assorted spiked and non-spiked beverages for the event, which drew a big crowd of about 20 people this year, despite the promise of bracing winter winds .

The tuneful group stopped first at Rubino’s to serenade the employees and diners there. Then they wandered through a few east-side village streets, stopping at perhaps a half dozen other houses before heading back to The Coach via Burke’s Grill and The Bistro.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

The following evening, the Chorus of the Genesee took to many of those same streets for their annual Soup and Carol Night. The group was quite a bit larger — numbering maybe 30 or more (I never got an actual count), the weather much more comfortable and the signing voices much more in tune.

The first stop, as it has been every year, was Webster Eye Care Associates, which is pretty much across the street from the Harmony House. The folks there have hosted the annual visit from the Chorus carolers for 24 years, and this year greeted the singers with doughnut holes, hot chocolate and gift bags.

A second regular stop is the Cataldi home, where there’s always hot cider for the Chorus carolers. These folks always have a holiday party that evening as well, complete with instruments, and gather on the porch to perform a carol of their own (this year it was Mele Kalikimaka, accompanied by ukuleles).

The Barry’s Runners
Some of the $200 in gift cards we distributed

My running club, Barry’s Runners, also helped spread some holiday spirit Tuesday evening, with our third (maybe fourth) JACK Foundation Run.

The JACK Foundation, formed in memory of young Jack Heiligman who lost his life in a tragic accident in October 2016. The foundation’s goal is to remember Jack’s giving spirit by passing on random acts of kindness.

Tuesday night, the Barry’s Runners did that — literally. We collected $200 in gift cards from places like Dunkin’ Donuts, Yolickity, CVS, the Apple Store, Wegmans and of course Barry’s Old School Irish, and while we ran through the village neighborhoods, we handed them to strangers or hung them on doorknobs and mailboxes. Perhaps you were one of the lucky people to find one this morning. If so, please make sure to pass on the kindness.

* * *

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: , , ,

Thoughts from the trail

21 Apr

In honor of Earth Day, I decided to bring several Wegmans bags with me today on my regular Barry’s Runner’s Saturday fun run/walk, and pick up trash as I ran.

I don’t run the bike path much anymore since I’m afraid of turning an ankle, but I do enjoy running along the Hojack Trail and through North Ponds Park. I’m sorry to say I was able to fill five bags with trash along that almost 3-mile route. (And I had run out of bags before I made it back to North Ave. in the village, or I could have filled three more.)

Here are a few thoughts from my trashy run:

  • There was less trash along the Hojack than I expected, which either means 1) someone had already been by there and picked up a lot or 2) people who hike the Hojack are generally nature lovers who choose not to trash it. (I hope it is the latter.)
  • I didn’t find any cigarette butts, which was a real surprise. Usually when I do these trash collections, I find them all over the place.
  • I did, however, find enough returnables to buy a six pack of my own.
  • Thank you to the three dog owners who were kind enough to clean up after your dogs. Maybe next time DON’T throw the bag into the woods.

* * *

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: ,

Memories of Barry’s on the occasion of the pub’s 6th anniversary

10 Nov

main photo

Danny and Jessica Barry, the new owners of Barry’s Old School Irish, two days before the pub’s soft opening in September, 2011.

It’s no secret that Barry’s Old School Irish, in Webster village, is one of my favorite places in the world. From the day I first walked through the door and met baby-faced Danny and his even younger wife (Jessica wasn’t even 21 yet), I knew the place was going to be special.

Turns out, I was right. Thanks to the simple passion these two young people have for creating a truly family-oriented, traditional Irish pub, Barry’s has become a cornerstone in the village of Webster’s social scene for people who come for the friendly welcomes, excellent food, Barry’s Runners, perfectly poured pints, weekend live music, Irish whiskies, outdoor patio, Irish music sessions, folk music sessions, euchre, Notre Dame football, trivia, book club, Boondock Saints, St. Patrick’s Day celebrations, New Year’s Eve parties, Wren Day parties, and so much more.

Tomorrow — Saturday, November 11 — Barry’s Old School Irish , 2 West Main Street in Webster, will turn six years old. In those years, I’ve tried several times to explain here just what makes it so special. What makes it different from other “Irish” pubs. Rather than try to do so again, I thought I’d re-post a few blogs I wrote in honor of previous anniversaries, which kinds of sum things up rather well.

If you’ve known the pub for a while, they should make for some interesting reading and bring back some nice memories.

This first one was for their first anniversary, posted on October 27, 2012.

This evening, Barry’s Old School Irish Pub and Bakery on Webster’s 4-corners will celebrate its one-year anniversary. In anticipation of that happy event, I sat at my computer last night, poised to craft the perfect blog about what has become my very favorite Webster hangout.

Fingers at the ready, I started to think. What exactly IS it about Barry’s that makes the place so special? The beer? The to-die-for Guinness chocolate cake? The live music? There are just so many things about Barry’s that make it a pleasant place to be. But what is it that makes Barry’s unique?

It took me a little while, but finally it dawned on me. I realized why I go back there every Friday night. And some Saturdays and Wednesdays. And the occasional Sunday afternoon. It’s Mary Jane, Mike and Patrick. Tim, Jerry and Robyn. Debbie, Sarah, Chris and Julie. Kim, Mac and Maura, Brendan and Gordon. These are the people of Barry’s, and every single one of them has become part of my extended family.

Funny thing about these extended family members, though, is that I couldn’t tell your most of their last names. Plus, I didn’t know ANY of them a year ago. But thanks to Barry’s, I’m now closer to these people than to most of my “regular” extended family members.

You see, any Irish pub can serve a Guinness. Any restaurant/bakery can serve up great dinners and desserts. But there aren’t many places where you can walk in and immediately feel like family.

But that’s the way it is at Barry’s. The feeling in this little place is just … different. It’s like everyone there is only a stranger because you haven’t met them yet — but by the end of the night you probably will. I’ve heard people refer to it as a “family bar,” which is a really weird phrase, but sums up the atmosphere perfectly. Just like the pubs in ol’ Ireland, Barry’s Old school Irish has become a community gathering place, in the mornings for coffee, scones or breakfast buffet (bring the kids!), lunchtime for some incredible Shepherd’s Pie, and evening for a pint and some live music. …

Oh, yeah, totally forgot to mention the momma and papa of this extended family of mine. Danny and Jessica Barry own this little slice of Ireland in the middle of the village. If you ask me, when they moved in and transformed what used to be a very ugly and embarrassing “Living Waters” property, they transformed the village of Webster as well. I am blessed to be able to call them friends. Tonight I will not be toasting their success as much as thanking them for being a part of our lives.

And this one, posted November 12, 2015.

Believe it or not, sometimes I am at a complete loss for words.

That’s been the case these last few days as I’ve been pondering what to say about Barry’s Old School Irish. You see, my favorite Irish pub is turning four years old this weekend. And as I think about how far Barry’s has come in those years, so many great memories try to elbow in for my attention that it’s tough organizing them all.

So I decided to go back to the beginning.

I still clearly remember the first time I walked into Barry’s. Like most Webster residents, I’d been keeping a close eye on the building at the corner of Main and South Ave., pleased to see the old plumbing shop getting cleaned up, and wondering exactly what an “Irish pub and bakery” would look like.

On a Thursday afternoon in September, two days before Barry’s was to officially open, I stopped in to check out the new place, and met Danny and Jessica Barry for the first time.

They struck me right away as very friendly, very enthusiastic and very young. They talked to me of their passion, how they wanted to model their new pub after the public houses (a.k.a. “pubs”) they had frequented in Ireland on their honeymoon just months before. The walls were bare, the taps hadn’t been installed yet, and they had little more than coffee to sell in the bakery. Yet they envisioned that their little corner pub would someday become a genuine community gathering place.

It didn’t take long for Danny and Jessica to realize that dream, and they continue to live it every day, by nurturing the kind of atmosphere that makes Barry’s unlike any other place in the world.

It’s a place where pretty much every patron is welcomed by name, with a smile and a wave; where the owners KNOW if it’s your first time, and make a point to introduce themselves; where young couples get engaged and older couples celebrate their anniversaries; where patrons will clear space at their table on busy nights and pull up an extra stool for a stranger, and new friends are made over pick-up games of euchre; where there’s an actual COUCH in the bar for people to curl up in with their pints, and on New Year’s Eve, the pub crowd cheers each time a new patron comes in; where the owner will order-in pizza at 1 am for the handful of remaining patrons, rather than kicking them out for the night; where celebrating Irish heritage through music, dance and literature is an opportunity, not a gimmick; where the entire pub will toast to birthdays, special events, happy occasions, sad occasions, or just because Notre Dame is winning.

Where everyone who walks through the door is instantly part of the family.

Sure, there have been a lot of changes over the last several years, as Barry’s Old School Irish has matured. Dear old friends have moved away, and so many new friends have discovered the pub that it’s hard to find a place to sit on many nights. The food and drink menus have expanded, and the walls are now crammed with photos, knick knacks and memorabilia. Danny and Jessica have welcomed two beautiful daughters, Maley and Rory, and are now expecting their first son.

But one great truth has remained constant. It’s all about the people.

“One thing that Jess and I have stayed with since we’ve opened is that the people that come in here come first,” Danny Barry said. “We take pride in everything we do, whether it be food or drinks or the events that we’re lucky enough to host, but everything is second to the people that fill these walls. The memories that we get to create together, the moments that happen in here, happy and sad, those are all because of the people that fill these walls.”

On Saturday, November 11, Danny and Jessica Barry will celebrate their little pub’s sixth anniversary. Anyone who has ever walked through its doors, and therefore has immediately become pub family, is encouraged to attend and raise a pint in honor of the occasion. Be sure to wear GREEN — Dan and Jess want to make the evening a GREEN-OUT.

Click here for more details about the upcomoing festivities, but you can expect:

• Live Irish Music by Barry’s Crossing from 7:30-11 p.m. (You may remember this was the very first band to play at Barry’s, back before they were even a band and Danny billed them as “Irish musicians.” They ultimately named their band after Barry’s and  have played every anniversary party since.)

• Irish Whiskey toast on the house @ 9:45 p.m.

• Irish dancers and Jack the Piper

If you’ve read this far, you might also be interested in reading the very first blog I wrote about Barry’s.

I leave you with a few more memories from the pub’s six years:

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

* * *

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: , , , , ,

Calling all runners (and walkers)

9 Sep

Runners brick

A trio of Barry’s Runners visits the group’s brick at Jack’s Place on the day of the playground’s grand opening.

I have blogged and column-ed several times in the past about Barry’s Runners. We are a bunch of men, women, children — and occasionally dogs — who gather every Tuesday evening at Barry’s Old School Irish Pub in Webster to go for a walk or run. After completing a pre-mapped two, three or four-mile route, we reconvene at the pub for a pint, pretzels and good conversation.

We’ve met every week now for almost a year and a half, running (and walking) through snow, cold, sleet and heat, and always at Barry’s. This week, however, we’re changing things up a bit and going on our first ever road trip.

This Tuesday evening September 12 at 6:30 p.m., Barry’s Runners will be meeting at the brand new Jack’s Place playground in Penfield’s Rothfuss Park on Five Mile Line Road.

Jack’s Place, which officially opened only a few weeks ago, is a blue, dinosaur-themed playground built by the Jack Foundation, to honor the memory of 3-year old Jack Heiligman, who lost his life tragically last October. The foundation’s primary focus is to keep Jack’s happy spirit alive by encouraging others to spread random acts of kindness.

Barry’s Runners have taken that challenge to heart. Twice the group has collected gift cards from retailers all over the area and delivered them randomly — and often anonymously — to village people and houses.  (Read the column I wrote about the first of those efforts here.)

Most recently, the group purchased an engraved brick for Jack’s Place, one of many which were installed along the playground’s entrance walkway.

Tuesday’s plan is simple: meet at Jack’s Place (Rothfuss Park, 1648 Five Mile Line Road) at 6:30 p.m. Running/walking routes will be determined ahead of time so people can choose whichever length they’d like. There’s a mile-mile long path around the perimeter of the park, so that’s probably what I’ll be doing. After the run, we can play on the playground, and/or re-convene at Barry’s for some pints and friendship.

We’ll also be starting a new collection of gift cards on Tuesday (any amount, any place) that we can pass out on a future run.

We would love to see some new faces on Tuesday evening. There will be plenty of company for anyone who wants to do a short run, a long run, or just walk.

New friends await, so please join us.

* * *

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.

 

IMG_6030

Tags: , , ,